The impact of load and frequency on the biomechanical, physiological and perceptual responses to dynamic pushing
- Authors: Cripwell, Adam Michael
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Work -- Physiological aspects , Psychophysiology , Human engineering , Biomechanics
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:5144 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1008183 , Work -- Physiological aspects , Psychophysiology , Human engineering , Biomechanics
- Description: The objective of the present research was to establish the biomechanical, physiological and perceptual responses of male operators to dynamic pushing tasks. The pushing tasks were performed using an industrial pallet jack with varying load/frequency combinations, in a controlled laboratory environment. Thirty healthy male subjects comprised the sample. Experimental procedures were conducted utilising the Chatillon ™ Dynamometer to measure force output in the initial, sustained and ending phases. The K4b2 Ergospirometer was used to assess physiological responses (heart rate and oxygen consumption [V02])' Nine recorded forces and nine experimental conditions formed the basis of this study, with subjects required to push three loads (200kg, 350kg, 500kg) at three frequencies (1120 sec, 1/40 sec, 1/60 sec) at a speed of 3.6km.h-1 over 14 metres on a co-efficient of friction controlled walkway for six minutes. Gait analysis, along with perceptions of exertion (,Central ' and 'Local' RPE) were collected during the third and sixth minutes of each condition . Body discomfort and contribution were identified upon completion of each condition. The results demonstrated that load and frequency interacted to influence responses within each domain. Increasing loads required increased force output during each stage of the push, which had a concomitant effect on physiological and perceptual responses. Significant differences arose between the initial, sustained and ending forces for each load, showing the direct relationship between load and force exertion. The combination of heaviest load/quickest frequency required the greatest physiological output, exceeding recommended guidelines for heart rate, V02 and energy expenditure responses. Intermediate combinations required moderate and acceptable energy cost. Linear relationships were established between heart rate and oxygen consumption , as well as between load and V02 , thus providing industrial practitioners an opportunity to evaluate task demands in situ. The combination of high forces and elevated physiological responses increased the subjective rating of the condition. The results emphasise the need to holistically consider all contributing factors in a dynamic pushing task. Dynamic pushing tasks place biomechanical, physiological and perceptual demands on the human operator, which must be minimised in order to ensure that this form of manual materials handling becomes sustainable in the long term.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
- Authors: Cripwell, Adam Michael
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Work -- Physiological aspects , Psychophysiology , Human engineering , Biomechanics
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:5144 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1008183 , Work -- Physiological aspects , Psychophysiology , Human engineering , Biomechanics
- Description: The objective of the present research was to establish the biomechanical, physiological and perceptual responses of male operators to dynamic pushing tasks. The pushing tasks were performed using an industrial pallet jack with varying load/frequency combinations, in a controlled laboratory environment. Thirty healthy male subjects comprised the sample. Experimental procedures were conducted utilising the Chatillon ™ Dynamometer to measure force output in the initial, sustained and ending phases. The K4b2 Ergospirometer was used to assess physiological responses (heart rate and oxygen consumption [V02])' Nine recorded forces and nine experimental conditions formed the basis of this study, with subjects required to push three loads (200kg, 350kg, 500kg) at three frequencies (1120 sec, 1/40 sec, 1/60 sec) at a speed of 3.6km.h-1 over 14 metres on a co-efficient of friction controlled walkway for six minutes. Gait analysis, along with perceptions of exertion (,Central ' and 'Local' RPE) were collected during the third and sixth minutes of each condition . Body discomfort and contribution were identified upon completion of each condition. The results demonstrated that load and frequency interacted to influence responses within each domain. Increasing loads required increased force output during each stage of the push, which had a concomitant effect on physiological and perceptual responses. Significant differences arose between the initial, sustained and ending forces for each load, showing the direct relationship between load and force exertion. The combination of heaviest load/quickest frequency required the greatest physiological output, exceeding recommended guidelines for heart rate, V02 and energy expenditure responses. Intermediate combinations required moderate and acceptable energy cost. Linear relationships were established between heart rate and oxygen consumption , as well as between load and V02 , thus providing industrial practitioners an opportunity to evaluate task demands in situ. The combination of high forces and elevated physiological responses increased the subjective rating of the condition. The results emphasise the need to holistically consider all contributing factors in a dynamic pushing task. Dynamic pushing tasks place biomechanical, physiological and perceptual demands on the human operator, which must be minimised in order to ensure that this form of manual materials handling becomes sustainable in the long term.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
The forensic aesthetic in art
- Authors: Spargo, Natascha
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Violence in art Psychic trauma -- Pictorial works Aesthetics Human figure in art Smith, Kathryn, 1975-
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MFA
- Identifier: vital:2435 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004624
- Description: From Introduction: The 'forensic aesthetic' presents the viewer with traces and debris - the residue that haunts sites of transgression, violence and death. In his book Scene of the Crime, art critic and curator Ralph Rugoff (1997:62) defines the forensic aesthetic as follows: "Inextricably linked to an unseen history, this type of art embodies a fractured relationship to time. Like a piece of evidence, its present appearance is haunted by an indeterminate past, which we confront in the alienated form of fossilized and fragmented remnants." Through its play on seemingly insignificant detail&, clues and traces, the forensic aesthetic suggests that meaning is dispersed, fragmentary and uncertain. According to Rugoff (1997:17), the forensic aesthetic "aims to engage the viewer in a process of mental reconstruction". It compels the viewer to adopt a 'forensic gaze' : to sift through broken narratives and fragments of information, reading the artwork as one might read a sample of evidence. Rugoff (1997:62) argues that: "[S]uch art insists that 'content is something that can't be seen' ... it requires that the viewer arrive at an interpretation by examining traces and marks and reading them as clues. In addition, it is marked by a strong sense of aftermath. ... Taken as a whole, this art puts us in a position akin to that of [the] forensic anthropologist or scientist, forcing us to speculatively piece together histories that remain largely invisible to the eye." One might argue that some of the earliest known examples of the forensic aesthetic in art presented themselves in the Renaissance period in the form of the pseudo-forensic anatomical drawings of Leonardo da Vinci. In his Studies of the Hand (fig. 1), for example, Da Vinci methodically represents the underlying structures of the human hand in a series of drawings that are scattered intermittently across the page. The remainder of the page is covered with hand-written notations. In this work, the artist approaches the human body with a scientific, almost forensic, gaze. Here the body is presented in fragments, rather than as a whole. According to Rugoff (1997:86&88), the forensic aesthetic addresses the body "not as a coherent whole but as a site of prior actions ... as a dispersed territory of clues and traces". When read in terms of the mode of the forensic aesthetic, Da Vinci's Studies of the Hand may be said to look at the human body as forensic object. In this way, this work may be said to speak of the manner in which the forensic gaze operates in the context of the artwork. Throughout the following essay, I discuss the various ways in which the forensic aesthetic manifests itself in art. I have necessarily been selective in the artworks that I have chosen for discussion, as this topic is very broad indeed. In Chapter One, I explore the tradition of the forensic aesthetic in art by way of a select number of artworks. This chapter focuses on investigating the way in which these works, whether consciously or unconsciously, speak of associations between violence and representation through the mode of the forensic aesthetic. The contents of Chapter Two concentrate on the work of South African artist Kathryn Smith. Smith's work may be said to possess a forensic quality, in that it references forensic practices and techniques. Her work has not been the topic of a lengthy monograph, but it has been considered in various exhibition catalogues, reviews and articles. For example, an essay by Colin Richards entitled 'Dead Certainties' (2004) investigates the forensic quality of Smith's imagery in terms of its play on notions of the trace. Similarly, an article by Maureen de Jager, entitled 'Evidence and Artifice' (2004), examines the manner in which Smith's work transgresses the boundaries between 'forensics and fantasy'. In her book, Through the Looking Glass (2004), Brenda Schmahmann addresses Smith's Still Life series (figs. 9, 10, 11) in relation to the issue of self-representation, exploring the relationship between the 'self' and the body as 'other'. Lastly, a review by James Sey, which was published in Art/South Africa (2004), considers Smith's work in terms of its aesthetic appeal, which serves as a framing device for the uncomfortable subject matter that informs the bulk of her imagery. My reading of Kathryn Smith's work departs from and expands on the available literature in that it focuses on the manner in which her images comment self-critically on the act of representation. I have chosen to focus on Smith's work in particular, as it uses the mode of the forensic aesthetic to speak of the field of artistic practice - a motif that runs throughout my own body of work as well. Moreover, Smith's work, like my own work, may be said to engage with the forensic aesthetic in a South African context. In Chapter Two, I compare a number of Smith's works to the artworks discussed in Chapter One, and examine the manner in which they speak of the links between art and crime. Chapter Three concentrates on outlining the ways in which my own work reads off the conventions of forensic investigation. In this chapter I discuss the manner in which my work, by way of a forensic approach, draws parallels between the medium of photography and the mechanisms of trauma. I focus on works that have been included in my Master's exhibition, Vigil (2005). The following essay is a study in representations of violence in art. In the course of this essay, I contextualize the forensic aesthetic as a mode of representation, as well as address the manner in which the forensic aesthetic seems to allow for, even facilitate, self-conscious reflection on the practices of representation itself.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: Spargo, Natascha
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Violence in art Psychic trauma -- Pictorial works Aesthetics Human figure in art Smith, Kathryn, 1975-
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MFA
- Identifier: vital:2435 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004624
- Description: From Introduction: The 'forensic aesthetic' presents the viewer with traces and debris - the residue that haunts sites of transgression, violence and death. In his book Scene of the Crime, art critic and curator Ralph Rugoff (1997:62) defines the forensic aesthetic as follows: "Inextricably linked to an unseen history, this type of art embodies a fractured relationship to time. Like a piece of evidence, its present appearance is haunted by an indeterminate past, which we confront in the alienated form of fossilized and fragmented remnants." Through its play on seemingly insignificant detail&, clues and traces, the forensic aesthetic suggests that meaning is dispersed, fragmentary and uncertain. According to Rugoff (1997:17), the forensic aesthetic "aims to engage the viewer in a process of mental reconstruction". It compels the viewer to adopt a 'forensic gaze' : to sift through broken narratives and fragments of information, reading the artwork as one might read a sample of evidence. Rugoff (1997:62) argues that: "[S]uch art insists that 'content is something that can't be seen' ... it requires that the viewer arrive at an interpretation by examining traces and marks and reading them as clues. In addition, it is marked by a strong sense of aftermath. ... Taken as a whole, this art puts us in a position akin to that of [the] forensic anthropologist or scientist, forcing us to speculatively piece together histories that remain largely invisible to the eye." One might argue that some of the earliest known examples of the forensic aesthetic in art presented themselves in the Renaissance period in the form of the pseudo-forensic anatomical drawings of Leonardo da Vinci. In his Studies of the Hand (fig. 1), for example, Da Vinci methodically represents the underlying structures of the human hand in a series of drawings that are scattered intermittently across the page. The remainder of the page is covered with hand-written notations. In this work, the artist approaches the human body with a scientific, almost forensic, gaze. Here the body is presented in fragments, rather than as a whole. According to Rugoff (1997:86&88), the forensic aesthetic addresses the body "not as a coherent whole but as a site of prior actions ... as a dispersed territory of clues and traces". When read in terms of the mode of the forensic aesthetic, Da Vinci's Studies of the Hand may be said to look at the human body as forensic object. In this way, this work may be said to speak of the manner in which the forensic gaze operates in the context of the artwork. Throughout the following essay, I discuss the various ways in which the forensic aesthetic manifests itself in art. I have necessarily been selective in the artworks that I have chosen for discussion, as this topic is very broad indeed. In Chapter One, I explore the tradition of the forensic aesthetic in art by way of a select number of artworks. This chapter focuses on investigating the way in which these works, whether consciously or unconsciously, speak of associations between violence and representation through the mode of the forensic aesthetic. The contents of Chapter Two concentrate on the work of South African artist Kathryn Smith. Smith's work may be said to possess a forensic quality, in that it references forensic practices and techniques. Her work has not been the topic of a lengthy monograph, but it has been considered in various exhibition catalogues, reviews and articles. For example, an essay by Colin Richards entitled 'Dead Certainties' (2004) investigates the forensic quality of Smith's imagery in terms of its play on notions of the trace. Similarly, an article by Maureen de Jager, entitled 'Evidence and Artifice' (2004), examines the manner in which Smith's work transgresses the boundaries between 'forensics and fantasy'. In her book, Through the Looking Glass (2004), Brenda Schmahmann addresses Smith's Still Life series (figs. 9, 10, 11) in relation to the issue of self-representation, exploring the relationship between the 'self' and the body as 'other'. Lastly, a review by James Sey, which was published in Art/South Africa (2004), considers Smith's work in terms of its aesthetic appeal, which serves as a framing device for the uncomfortable subject matter that informs the bulk of her imagery. My reading of Kathryn Smith's work departs from and expands on the available literature in that it focuses on the manner in which her images comment self-critically on the act of representation. I have chosen to focus on Smith's work in particular, as it uses the mode of the forensic aesthetic to speak of the field of artistic practice - a motif that runs throughout my own body of work as well. Moreover, Smith's work, like my own work, may be said to engage with the forensic aesthetic in a South African context. In Chapter Two, I compare a number of Smith's works to the artworks discussed in Chapter One, and examine the manner in which they speak of the links between art and crime. Chapter Three concentrates on outlining the ways in which my own work reads off the conventions of forensic investigation. In this chapter I discuss the manner in which my work, by way of a forensic approach, draws parallels between the medium of photography and the mechanisms of trauma. I focus on works that have been included in my Master's exhibition, Vigil (2005). The following essay is a study in representations of violence in art. In the course of this essay, I contextualize the forensic aesthetic as a mode of representation, as well as address the manner in which the forensic aesthetic seems to allow for, even facilitate, self-conscious reflection on the practices of representation itself.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
An investigation into problems facing small-to-medium sized enterprises in achieving growth in the Eastern Cape : enhancing the strategy for developing small 'growth potential' firms in the Eastern Cape
- Authors: Sha, Shafeek
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Small business -- Management , Small business -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Small business -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Growth , Business enterprises -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Economic development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:1173 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002789 , Small business -- Management , Small business -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Small business -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Growth , Business enterprises -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Economic development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: As the world economy continues to move towards increased integration, some of the greatest opportunities for Small-to-Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) will derive from their ability to participate in the global marketplace. It is generally accepted that SMEs are becoming increasingly important in terms of employment, wealth creation, and the development of innovation. However, there are considerable doubts about the quality of management in this sector with policy-makers suggesting that there are particular weaknesses in innovation, a lack of financial acumen, marketing, entrepreneurial flair, practical knowledge, and human resource management. As a result, many firms do not reach their full potential and fail to grow. According to organisational life cycle models, the introductory phase is particularly important since it is generally known and accepted that there is a high mortality rate of SMEs within the first two years. Given this high failure rate, it becomes vital to research the factors/characteristics/management abilities that are required to enable the SME to survive and indeed progress to the growth phase of the organizational life cycle. This research seeks to investigate the internal and external factors that are consistent in the success of SMEs who have reached the growth phase. A significant contribution to the enhancement of the growth potential of a firm will be made through the understanding of these factors.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: Sha, Shafeek
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Small business -- Management , Small business -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Small business -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Growth , Business enterprises -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Economic development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:1173 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002789 , Small business -- Management , Small business -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Small business -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Growth , Business enterprises -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Economic development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: As the world economy continues to move towards increased integration, some of the greatest opportunities for Small-to-Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) will derive from their ability to participate in the global marketplace. It is generally accepted that SMEs are becoming increasingly important in terms of employment, wealth creation, and the development of innovation. However, there are considerable doubts about the quality of management in this sector with policy-makers suggesting that there are particular weaknesses in innovation, a lack of financial acumen, marketing, entrepreneurial flair, practical knowledge, and human resource management. As a result, many firms do not reach their full potential and fail to grow. According to organisational life cycle models, the introductory phase is particularly important since it is generally known and accepted that there is a high mortality rate of SMEs within the first two years. Given this high failure rate, it becomes vital to research the factors/characteristics/management abilities that are required to enable the SME to survive and indeed progress to the growth phase of the organizational life cycle. This research seeks to investigate the internal and external factors that are consistent in the success of SMEs who have reached the growth phase. A significant contribution to the enhancement of the growth potential of a firm will be made through the understanding of these factors.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
An edition of a selection of poems by John Randal Bradburne
- Authors: Hacksley, Helen Elizabeth
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Bradburne, John, -1979 Bradburne, John, -1979 -- Criticism and interpretation Poets, South African -- 20th century -- Biography
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2288 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1008069
- Description: This thesis examines the life and work of John Randal Bradburne (1921-1979), poet, mystic, musician, cenobite, sometime soldier, pilgrim and wanderer. His religious experiences, particularly, gave rise to a vast corpus of verse, virtually all of it as yet unpublished. This study provides a brief overview of his life, and a critical and textual introduction to a sample selection of poems entitled Bradburne 's Assays. The biography has been compiled from published and unpublished sources, as well as from personal interviews and correspondence with Bradburne's friends, relatives and associates in South Africa, Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom. Chief among these are two unpublished biographies by Judith, Countess of List owe I. Bradburne's extant corpus consists of over five thousand titled pieces of verse, ranging from brieflyrics to verses hundreds of pages long. The forty-seven poems comprising Bradburne 's Assays, published here for the first time, were selected and arranged by Bradburne himself in a single sequence. A unique collection in his corpus, they are unified by their common sonnet form and their contemplative approach to secular and religious experiences. An accurate reading text of this set of poems, transcribed from Bradburne's typescripts, currently held at Holyhead in Wales, is provided. These typescripts have been electronically scanned and are presented in the Appendix. Editorial intrusion, which has been kept to a minimum, is recorded in the critical apparatus beneath the text of the poems. Since all the poems in this ed ition are presented here for the first time, each is accompanied by detailed commentary on their form and content. Where necessary, interpretations of obscure passages have been suggested. A general index to the Introduction and Commentary is supplied, along with indexes of first lines and titles of the poems. It is hoped that this thesis will stimulate further study of the life and work of a unique and intriguing figure.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: Hacksley, Helen Elizabeth
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Bradburne, John, -1979 Bradburne, John, -1979 -- Criticism and interpretation Poets, South African -- 20th century -- Biography
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2288 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1008069
- Description: This thesis examines the life and work of John Randal Bradburne (1921-1979), poet, mystic, musician, cenobite, sometime soldier, pilgrim and wanderer. His religious experiences, particularly, gave rise to a vast corpus of verse, virtually all of it as yet unpublished. This study provides a brief overview of his life, and a critical and textual introduction to a sample selection of poems entitled Bradburne 's Assays. The biography has been compiled from published and unpublished sources, as well as from personal interviews and correspondence with Bradburne's friends, relatives and associates in South Africa, Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom. Chief among these are two unpublished biographies by Judith, Countess of List owe I. Bradburne's extant corpus consists of over five thousand titled pieces of verse, ranging from brieflyrics to verses hundreds of pages long. The forty-seven poems comprising Bradburne 's Assays, published here for the first time, were selected and arranged by Bradburne himself in a single sequence. A unique collection in his corpus, they are unified by their common sonnet form and their contemplative approach to secular and religious experiences. An accurate reading text of this set of poems, transcribed from Bradburne's typescripts, currently held at Holyhead in Wales, is provided. These typescripts have been electronically scanned and are presented in the Appendix. Editorial intrusion, which has been kept to a minimum, is recorded in the critical apparatus beneath the text of the poems. Since all the poems in this ed ition are presented here for the first time, each is accompanied by detailed commentary on their form and content. Where necessary, interpretations of obscure passages have been suggested. A general index to the Introduction and Commentary is supplied, along with indexes of first lines and titles of the poems. It is hoped that this thesis will stimulate further study of the life and work of a unique and intriguing figure.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
Frontier heartland : analysing the impact of forestry and tourism on 'white' identity in Maclear
- Authors: Griffin, Donna-Lee
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Agriculture -- South Africa -- Maclear Agriculture -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Maclear Economic development -- South Africa -- Maclear Tourism management -- South Africa -- Maclear Forests and forestry -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Maclear Whites -- South Africa -- Maclear -- Economic conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2115 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1008066
- Description: The North Eastern Cape in South Africa is part of a larger province that is in desperate need of job creation and economic development. In light of these needs, efforts have been made by members of the community and outside investors to generate new forms of income in the area. These economic developments emerged in the form of small-scale tourism initiatives and commercial forestry. The impact of these developments on the small community of Maclear differs in nature and is bringing about social change and influencing identity. In this thesis, I explore the effects of each of these developments on the local farming community, particularly the established white English-speaking farmers. For various important reasons, such as the changes to land use patterns occurring around them in terms of forestry and tourism initiatives, I chose to examine the situation of this minority. In general discussions and portrayals of white farmers, it is hypothesized that whites living in small farming communities are resistant to change, politically stagnant and socially conservative. In this thesis I test this hypothesis and investigate what South Africans might see as the core, or whether there is a core of, white settler identity. TIle idea of 'frontiers' being heartlands was emphasized in Maclear as residents spoke about the pioneering efforts of their forefathers and discussed these efforts as the essence of their identity. Forestry is a contemporary ' frontier' encroaching on these white Settlers. A dynamic concept of landscape is central to these identity construction efforts. In this thesis I explore, through different articulations of landscape, how residents, recent arrivals and investors attempt to embed their identity and resources in the community. I ask whether it is possible for members of the white community to produce an alternate and politically viable interpretation of landscape in post-apartheid South Africa. Can land and landscape offer them a sense of belonging and identity? What is their experience in view of the impositions of major investors who see land purely as an economic unit? The research does not explicitly investigate how 'new' black farmers and farming groups perceive and experience land and landscape. What is noted is the imagined passivity of black labourers on white-owned land. This thesis touches on issues inlportant to democratic change and progress in South Africa. How will the new government deal with the thorny issue of land redistribution in the face of competing claims for land and identity? How will the various sections of the white community (in this case the farming community) negotiate their identity in the new South Africa? Also, what do ' frontier' towns like Maclear reveal about the nature of white identity in post-apartheid South Africa? This thesis relies on gender and constructionist theories of landscape as developed by Appadurai (1996) to explain the dynamic nature of landscape in Maclear. It also explores and appraises the idea of ' frontier'. In the analysis of identity, I take into account that white settlers 'success' relies in part on the settlers ability to adapt to the ' frontier' and their ability to construct a new identity in their newfound 'homeland' (simliar to Paul Gilroy's (1993) "double consciousness). Keywords: South Africa, Maclear, Farming, White Identity, Landscape and Tourism.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: Griffin, Donna-Lee
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Agriculture -- South Africa -- Maclear Agriculture -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Maclear Economic development -- South Africa -- Maclear Tourism management -- South Africa -- Maclear Forests and forestry -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Maclear Whites -- South Africa -- Maclear -- Economic conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2115 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1008066
- Description: The North Eastern Cape in South Africa is part of a larger province that is in desperate need of job creation and economic development. In light of these needs, efforts have been made by members of the community and outside investors to generate new forms of income in the area. These economic developments emerged in the form of small-scale tourism initiatives and commercial forestry. The impact of these developments on the small community of Maclear differs in nature and is bringing about social change and influencing identity. In this thesis, I explore the effects of each of these developments on the local farming community, particularly the established white English-speaking farmers. For various important reasons, such as the changes to land use patterns occurring around them in terms of forestry and tourism initiatives, I chose to examine the situation of this minority. In general discussions and portrayals of white farmers, it is hypothesized that whites living in small farming communities are resistant to change, politically stagnant and socially conservative. In this thesis I test this hypothesis and investigate what South Africans might see as the core, or whether there is a core of, white settler identity. TIle idea of 'frontiers' being heartlands was emphasized in Maclear as residents spoke about the pioneering efforts of their forefathers and discussed these efforts as the essence of their identity. Forestry is a contemporary ' frontier' encroaching on these white Settlers. A dynamic concept of landscape is central to these identity construction efforts. In this thesis I explore, through different articulations of landscape, how residents, recent arrivals and investors attempt to embed their identity and resources in the community. I ask whether it is possible for members of the white community to produce an alternate and politically viable interpretation of landscape in post-apartheid South Africa. Can land and landscape offer them a sense of belonging and identity? What is their experience in view of the impositions of major investors who see land purely as an economic unit? The research does not explicitly investigate how 'new' black farmers and farming groups perceive and experience land and landscape. What is noted is the imagined passivity of black labourers on white-owned land. This thesis touches on issues inlportant to democratic change and progress in South Africa. How will the new government deal with the thorny issue of land redistribution in the face of competing claims for land and identity? How will the various sections of the white community (in this case the farming community) negotiate their identity in the new South Africa? Also, what do ' frontier' towns like Maclear reveal about the nature of white identity in post-apartheid South Africa? This thesis relies on gender and constructionist theories of landscape as developed by Appadurai (1996) to explain the dynamic nature of landscape in Maclear. It also explores and appraises the idea of ' frontier'. In the analysis of identity, I take into account that white settlers 'success' relies in part on the settlers ability to adapt to the ' frontier' and their ability to construct a new identity in their newfound 'homeland' (simliar to Paul Gilroy's (1993) "double consciousness). Keywords: South Africa, Maclear, Farming, White Identity, Landscape and Tourism.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
Metathesis catalysts : an integrated computational, mechanistic and synthetic study
- Authors: Sabbagh, Ingrid Theresa
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Metathesis (Chemistry) Catalysis Metal catalysts Chemical kinetics
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:4397 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006208
- Description: An integrated approach to the design of potential rutheniun-based metathesis catalysts is described, in which closely defined synthetic forays provide the focus and rationale for detailed computational and mechanistic studies. The ground-state geometry of a 1st-generation Grubbs catalyst has been explored at the molecular mechanics, semi-empirical and DFT levels, and the resulting structures have been shown to compare favourably with literature data and with the structure of a known crystalline analogue. The DMol³ DFT code has also been shown to represent accurately both the geometry of the corresponding co-ordinatively unsaturated monophosphine derivative, and the ligand dissociation energy associated with its formation. A DFT free-energy profile of the degenerate metathesis of ethylene has been generated, using a truncated model of the 1st-generation Grubbs catalyst, permitting location, for the first time, of the three expected transition states and providing new information regarding the rate-determining step. DFT methods have been used to facilitate the design of a tridentate camphor-derived ligand for use in the construction of a novel Grubbs-type catalyst. The phosphine ligand dissociation energy of the putative catalyst and the ethylene metathesis energy profile of a truncated model have also been studies at the DFT level. The attempted synthesis of the proposed ligand proceeded via a novel 8-bromocamphoric anhydride intermediate and afforded several unexpected and novel products, including a cisfused γ-Iactone, and a bromo camphoric acid derivative. Single crystal X-ray analysis of the latter reveals a chiral, polymeric H-bonded packing arrangement, rendering it suitable for chiral inclusion studies. Computational methods, including the GAUSSIAN-based GIAO NMR prediction technique, were used to support the structural characterisation of the novel camphor derivatives. DFT-Ievel computational analysis of the C-8- and C-9 bromination of camphor has afforded theoretical insights which permit the reconciliation of two earlier empirical explanations regarding the regioselectivity of these transformations; moreover, the theoretical results suggest that a third, previously disregarded factor, plays a significant role. A coset analysis, in conjunction with DFT-Ievel energy profiling, has also been used to resolve conflicting opinions regarding the origin of the major byproduct. Computed electronic parameters (CEP's) have been calculated for the anionic ligands involved in a series of 2nd-generation Grubbs-Hoveyda-type catalysts, and used to explain some apparently anomalous trends in catalyst activity. A linear relationship between ligand CEP's and selected ¹H NMR chemical shifts has also been demonstrated and used to identify a transient ruthenium complex in solution. The ability of the malonate di-anion to bind to ruthenium in a bidentate manner has been explored and demonstrated, under suitable conditions. DFT methods have been used to design and assess the ruthenium-chelating potential of a novel tridentate malonate derivative. A synthetic pathway to this ligand has been designed and several novel heterocyclic intermediates have been isolated and characterised. An NMR-based kinetic study of the Grubbs-catalysed self-metathesis of l-octene has been completed, and the effects of temperature, concentration and solvent variations on the kinetic parameters have been studied. Application of the Guggenheim method and a simplified mechanistic model has permitted the accurate calculation of pseudorate constants for the initiation and, for the first time, the propagation phase of the reaction. Theoretical studies of this reaction at the DFT and molecular mechanics levels have been shown to support previous assumptions regarding the selectivity and temperature-dependence of metallacycle formation.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: Sabbagh, Ingrid Theresa
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Metathesis (Chemistry) Catalysis Metal catalysts Chemical kinetics
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:4397 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006208
- Description: An integrated approach to the design of potential rutheniun-based metathesis catalysts is described, in which closely defined synthetic forays provide the focus and rationale for detailed computational and mechanistic studies. The ground-state geometry of a 1st-generation Grubbs catalyst has been explored at the molecular mechanics, semi-empirical and DFT levels, and the resulting structures have been shown to compare favourably with literature data and with the structure of a known crystalline analogue. The DMol³ DFT code has also been shown to represent accurately both the geometry of the corresponding co-ordinatively unsaturated monophosphine derivative, and the ligand dissociation energy associated with its formation. A DFT free-energy profile of the degenerate metathesis of ethylene has been generated, using a truncated model of the 1st-generation Grubbs catalyst, permitting location, for the first time, of the three expected transition states and providing new information regarding the rate-determining step. DFT methods have been used to facilitate the design of a tridentate camphor-derived ligand for use in the construction of a novel Grubbs-type catalyst. The phosphine ligand dissociation energy of the putative catalyst and the ethylene metathesis energy profile of a truncated model have also been studies at the DFT level. The attempted synthesis of the proposed ligand proceeded via a novel 8-bromocamphoric anhydride intermediate and afforded several unexpected and novel products, including a cisfused γ-Iactone, and a bromo camphoric acid derivative. Single crystal X-ray analysis of the latter reveals a chiral, polymeric H-bonded packing arrangement, rendering it suitable for chiral inclusion studies. Computational methods, including the GAUSSIAN-based GIAO NMR prediction technique, were used to support the structural characterisation of the novel camphor derivatives. DFT-Ievel computational analysis of the C-8- and C-9 bromination of camphor has afforded theoretical insights which permit the reconciliation of two earlier empirical explanations regarding the regioselectivity of these transformations; moreover, the theoretical results suggest that a third, previously disregarded factor, plays a significant role. A coset analysis, in conjunction with DFT-Ievel energy profiling, has also been used to resolve conflicting opinions regarding the origin of the major byproduct. Computed electronic parameters (CEP's) have been calculated for the anionic ligands involved in a series of 2nd-generation Grubbs-Hoveyda-type catalysts, and used to explain some apparently anomalous trends in catalyst activity. A linear relationship between ligand CEP's and selected ¹H NMR chemical shifts has also been demonstrated and used to identify a transient ruthenium complex in solution. The ability of the malonate di-anion to bind to ruthenium in a bidentate manner has been explored and demonstrated, under suitable conditions. DFT methods have been used to design and assess the ruthenium-chelating potential of a novel tridentate malonate derivative. A synthetic pathway to this ligand has been designed and several novel heterocyclic intermediates have been isolated and characterised. An NMR-based kinetic study of the Grubbs-catalysed self-metathesis of l-octene has been completed, and the effects of temperature, concentration and solvent variations on the kinetic parameters have been studied. Application of the Guggenheim method and a simplified mechanistic model has permitted the accurate calculation of pseudorate constants for the initiation and, for the first time, the propagation phase of the reaction. Theoretical studies of this reaction at the DFT and molecular mechanics levels have been shown to support previous assumptions regarding the selectivity and temperature-dependence of metallacycle formation.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
An exploratory study into various stakeholders' perceptions and experiences of participative management in a high school in the Cala district, Eastern Cape
- Authors: Stofile, Attwell Mzamane
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: School management and organization -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Educational leadership -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Educational change -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Management -- Employee participation -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1538 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003420
- Description: Although the word “participation” has been with mankind for a long time and is widely used by writers on management areas, it still remains difficult to define precisely what it means. As a result, “participation” is one of the most misunderstood and confusing ideas that have emerged from the field of human relations. This study seeks to explore the perceptions and understanding that the various stakeholders have about participative management. The purpose is to find out the meaning and interpretations the stakeholders attach to the idea of participation. This study is an interpretive case study of a Senior Secondary School in the Cala District of the Eastern Cape. A phenomenological approach was employed in data gathering using two data collection tools namely questionnaires and interviews. The collected data provided insight into stakeholders’ views on participative management, highlighted challenges around the implementation of participative management, and revealed strategies to be utilized in promoting participation. The findings reveal that participation is a controversial idea that is easier said than done. There is no recipe for the implementation of a participative approach; it depends on the situation and nature of the subordinates. Furthermore, organization members need to adopt new thinking patterns in order to be responsive to change. Open communication emerges as the key to having genuine participation. However, participation still brings anxiety and fear of losing power to those managers who do not take kindly to it. It is recommended that good interpersonal relations should be maintained at all times to promote participation and that for schools to be effective, partnership with parents and stakeholders is essential.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: Stofile, Attwell Mzamane
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: School management and organization -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Educational leadership -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Educational change -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Management -- Employee participation -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1538 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003420
- Description: Although the word “participation” has been with mankind for a long time and is widely used by writers on management areas, it still remains difficult to define precisely what it means. As a result, “participation” is one of the most misunderstood and confusing ideas that have emerged from the field of human relations. This study seeks to explore the perceptions and understanding that the various stakeholders have about participative management. The purpose is to find out the meaning and interpretations the stakeholders attach to the idea of participation. This study is an interpretive case study of a Senior Secondary School in the Cala District of the Eastern Cape. A phenomenological approach was employed in data gathering using two data collection tools namely questionnaires and interviews. The collected data provided insight into stakeholders’ views on participative management, highlighted challenges around the implementation of participative management, and revealed strategies to be utilized in promoting participation. The findings reveal that participation is a controversial idea that is easier said than done. There is no recipe for the implementation of a participative approach; it depends on the situation and nature of the subordinates. Furthermore, organization members need to adopt new thinking patterns in order to be responsive to change. Open communication emerges as the key to having genuine participation. However, participation still brings anxiety and fear of losing power to those managers who do not take kindly to it. It is recommended that good interpersonal relations should be maintained at all times to promote participation and that for schools to be effective, partnership with parents and stakeholders is essential.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
An appraisal of the impact of the Fast Track Land Reform Programme on land use practices, livelihoods and the natural environment at three study areas in Kadoma District, Zimbabwe
- Authors: Chigumira, Easther C
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Land reform -- Zimbabwe , Land tenure -- Zimbabwe , Land settlement -- Government policy -- Zimbabwe , Land use -- Government policy -- Zimbabwe , Agriculture -- Zimbabwe , Sustainable development -- Zimbabwe , Rural development -- Zimbabwe , Zimbabwe -- Economic conditions , Natural resources -- Zimbabwe , Environmental policy -- Zimbabwe , Farms, Large -- Zimbabwe , Farms, Small -- Zimbabwe
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4815 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005489 , Land reform -- Zimbabwe , Land tenure -- Zimbabwe , Land settlement -- Government policy -- Zimbabwe , Land use -- Government policy -- Zimbabwe , Agriculture -- Zimbabwe , Sustainable development -- Zimbabwe , Rural development -- Zimbabwe , Zimbabwe -- Economic conditions , Natural resources -- Zimbabwe , Environmental policy -- Zimbabwe , Farms, Large -- Zimbabwe , Farms, Small -- Zimbabwe
- Description: This research appraises the impact of the Fast Track Land Reform Programme at three resettled communities in Kadoma District, Zimbabwe. In particular it assesses the livelihood practices of land recipients and their effects on the natural environment. Two of the communities, Lanteglos and CC Molina were resettled under the A1 villagised and self-contained settlement scheme and are found in the Natural Farming Region III. Pamene, the third community, was resettled under the A2 small-scale commercial settlement scheme and is found in the Natural Farming Region IIb. Multiple research methods including household surveys, interviews, observations, reviews of literature and map construction through the use of Geographic Information Systems, allowed for the collection of empirical, descriptive, and spatial data to provide for the appraisal. The land use practices included dry land crop production, livestock rearing, vegetable gardening and exploitation of the natural environment for a variety of purposes. Farming was mostly subsistence with the use of traditional equipment by all three communities. Tenure was perceived to be insecure by beneficiaries and although a variety of papers to show ownership were held, none provided for leasing or freehold tenure. Despite acquiring natural capital from the resettlement process, the findings of this research show low levels of financial, physical and social capital amongst beneficiaries. Moreover climatic variability, the declining macro-economic and unstable political environment and little support from government have adversely affected the livelihoods of beneficiaries. The implication of all this has been a reduction in livelihoods that are based solely on agricultural production, leading to off-farm practices primarily exploiting the natural environment. The long term effect would be increased degradation of the environment, leading to reduced arable and grazing land, and thereby hindering sustainable livelihoods from farming. Recommendations are proposed based on this research’s findings being typical in Zimbabwe. Central to this is the need for government to revise its present land policy and, provide for a comprehensive and holistic land policy that should be based on the vision of how agriculture should evolve in Zimbabwe
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: Chigumira, Easther C
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Land reform -- Zimbabwe , Land tenure -- Zimbabwe , Land settlement -- Government policy -- Zimbabwe , Land use -- Government policy -- Zimbabwe , Agriculture -- Zimbabwe , Sustainable development -- Zimbabwe , Rural development -- Zimbabwe , Zimbabwe -- Economic conditions , Natural resources -- Zimbabwe , Environmental policy -- Zimbabwe , Farms, Large -- Zimbabwe , Farms, Small -- Zimbabwe
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4815 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005489 , Land reform -- Zimbabwe , Land tenure -- Zimbabwe , Land settlement -- Government policy -- Zimbabwe , Land use -- Government policy -- Zimbabwe , Agriculture -- Zimbabwe , Sustainable development -- Zimbabwe , Rural development -- Zimbabwe , Zimbabwe -- Economic conditions , Natural resources -- Zimbabwe , Environmental policy -- Zimbabwe , Farms, Large -- Zimbabwe , Farms, Small -- Zimbabwe
- Description: This research appraises the impact of the Fast Track Land Reform Programme at three resettled communities in Kadoma District, Zimbabwe. In particular it assesses the livelihood practices of land recipients and their effects on the natural environment. Two of the communities, Lanteglos and CC Molina were resettled under the A1 villagised and self-contained settlement scheme and are found in the Natural Farming Region III. Pamene, the third community, was resettled under the A2 small-scale commercial settlement scheme and is found in the Natural Farming Region IIb. Multiple research methods including household surveys, interviews, observations, reviews of literature and map construction through the use of Geographic Information Systems, allowed for the collection of empirical, descriptive, and spatial data to provide for the appraisal. The land use practices included dry land crop production, livestock rearing, vegetable gardening and exploitation of the natural environment for a variety of purposes. Farming was mostly subsistence with the use of traditional equipment by all three communities. Tenure was perceived to be insecure by beneficiaries and although a variety of papers to show ownership were held, none provided for leasing or freehold tenure. Despite acquiring natural capital from the resettlement process, the findings of this research show low levels of financial, physical and social capital amongst beneficiaries. Moreover climatic variability, the declining macro-economic and unstable political environment and little support from government have adversely affected the livelihoods of beneficiaries. The implication of all this has been a reduction in livelihoods that are based solely on agricultural production, leading to off-farm practices primarily exploiting the natural environment. The long term effect would be increased degradation of the environment, leading to reduced arable and grazing land, and thereby hindering sustainable livelihoods from farming. Recommendations are proposed based on this research’s findings being typical in Zimbabwe. Central to this is the need for government to revise its present land policy and, provide for a comprehensive and holistic land policy that should be based on the vision of how agriculture should evolve in Zimbabwe
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
Empirical studies of fish movement behaviour and their application in spatially explicit models for marine conservation
- Authors: Kerwath, Sven Ebo
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Fishing -- South Africa Fishes -- Behavior -- South Africa Fish tagging Marine parks and reserves -- South Africa Marine resources conservation Pomadasys -- South Africa Reef fishes -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:5277 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005121
- Description: This thesis investigates the movement behaviour of South African two coastal fish species and evaluates the effectiveness of marine protected areas (MPAs) in their protection and management. Its primary focus is on resolving the movement patterns of roman Chrysoblephus laticeps (Sparidae) in and around the Goukamma and Castle Rock MPAs in the Western Cape province of South Africa. A pilot study of the methodology investigated the movement behaviour of spotted grunter Pomadasys commersonnii (Haemulidae) in the sheltered East Kleinmonde Estuary in the Eastern Cape province. The application of different tagging methods was tested in a controlled tank experiment. Tagged roman were monitored over a 198-day period. Barbed dart, t-bar anchor and Visible Implanted Fluorescent Elastomer (VIFE) tags were compared. Application techniques and underwater visibility of VIFE tags were tested on roman and on fransmadam Boobsoidia inornata in a pilot study. Needles of gauge 25 were found to be optimal for VIFE tag application. Whereas VIFE tagging caused fin rot in fransmadam, it had no negative effect on roman. VIFE tagged fish could be identified by divers from a distance of three metres under ambient light in an observation tank in five metres water depth. There was no significant difference in growth rate between groups of roman with different tags and controls after 198 days. High tag loss rates were experienced for barbed dart and t-bar anchor tags, although barbed dart tags performed better than t-bar anchor tags. Although some of the VIFE marks had deteriorated, all VIFE tagged fish were individually recognised at the end of the study. Conventional dart and VIFE tags are feasible methods to tag roman. However, the high tag loss rate of conventional tags must be taken into account in the design of a tagging study. Previous mark and recapture studies on roman are beset with a number of problems. Poor experimental design and low precision of capture positions resulted in equivocal results of limited value. A tagging experiment was designed to eliminate ambiguity in data interpretation and to produce a dataset that could be used to model roman residency and dispersal. A combination of conventional barbed dart tags and Visible Implanted Fluorescent Elastomer tags was used to tag roman in the Goukamma Marine Protected Area (GMPA) on the temperate South African south coast. Sixty one percent of roman were recaptured within 50 m of the tagging position. A small proportion moved considerable distances of up to four kilometres. The extent of these movements was not dependent on fish size or sex. Data from this experiment and from a previous tagging study in the Tsitsikamma National Park (TNP) were used to model the resident behaviour of roman. The model suggests a probability of 91% (GMPA) and 94% (TNP) of residency within a 10000 m² cell. This result suggests that individual roman will benefit from protection in small MPAs. A different experimental approach was required to investigate the exact home range of this species. Firstly the feasibility of using acoustic telemetry to study the movement of coastal fish in South Africa was investigated. The telemetry equipment comprised two VEMCO V8 transmitters and a VEMCO VR60 receiver linked to a directional hydrophone. A tank experiment was conducted to examine the effects of the transmitter implantation. A tracking experiment was conducted on spotted grunter Pomadasys commersonnii in the East Kleinmonde Estuary. Operated fish recovered quickly and, with respect to swimming behaviour and growth rates, no differences were found between fish with implants and controls. The maximum detection range in the estuary was 400 m. Interference between different transmitter frequencies was negligible. Transmitter location recordings were found to be accurate within five metres. Two fish were tracked over a seven-day period. The fish preferred the lower reaches of the estuary where they made repeated and prolonged use of specific areas. The success of the initial experiments allowed this method to be used to investigate the spatial utilisation and activity patterns of roman Chrysoblephus laticeps. Surgically implanted VEMCO V8, V13 and V16 transmitters were used to track 13 roman inside the Castle Rock MPA in False Bay. Transmitters implanted into C. laticeps in tanks had no apparent effects on growth and physiology. Manual boatand diver-based tracking experiments covered a 17-month period. A VEMCO VRAP radio acoustic positioning system was used over two one-month periods during and after the spawning season of roman. Analysis of data using a 95% fixed kernel algorithm suggests that roman are resident throughout their adult life, occupying home ranges between 1000 and 3000 m². Activity was lower at night. During periods of cold-water upwelling, fish retreated into caves. During the spawning season, females extended their home ranges, possibly to mate with different males. These results confirm that this species is well suited for protection and management with small MPAs. The effect of two MPAs on the South African south coast on the population of C. laticeps was simulated with a spatially explicit individual based model (IBM). Life history parameters determined in recent studies and the effect of fishing on the size of sex change was taken into account. Fish densities and size frequencies were based on recent underwater visual census. The distribution of suitable habitat in the study areas was also incorporated. The results show a rapid recovery of the fish size frequency spectrum and sex ratio to pre-exploitation levels inside both MPAs. Little 'spillover' of fish into the fished areas occurred resulting in negligible improvement of catches. The results suggest that for resident species like roman, even small MPAs offer sufficient protection.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: Kerwath, Sven Ebo
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Fishing -- South Africa Fishes -- Behavior -- South Africa Fish tagging Marine parks and reserves -- South Africa Marine resources conservation Pomadasys -- South Africa Reef fishes -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:5277 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005121
- Description: This thesis investigates the movement behaviour of South African two coastal fish species and evaluates the effectiveness of marine protected areas (MPAs) in their protection and management. Its primary focus is on resolving the movement patterns of roman Chrysoblephus laticeps (Sparidae) in and around the Goukamma and Castle Rock MPAs in the Western Cape province of South Africa. A pilot study of the methodology investigated the movement behaviour of spotted grunter Pomadasys commersonnii (Haemulidae) in the sheltered East Kleinmonde Estuary in the Eastern Cape province. The application of different tagging methods was tested in a controlled tank experiment. Tagged roman were monitored over a 198-day period. Barbed dart, t-bar anchor and Visible Implanted Fluorescent Elastomer (VIFE) tags were compared. Application techniques and underwater visibility of VIFE tags were tested on roman and on fransmadam Boobsoidia inornata in a pilot study. Needles of gauge 25 were found to be optimal for VIFE tag application. Whereas VIFE tagging caused fin rot in fransmadam, it had no negative effect on roman. VIFE tagged fish could be identified by divers from a distance of three metres under ambient light in an observation tank in five metres water depth. There was no significant difference in growth rate between groups of roman with different tags and controls after 198 days. High tag loss rates were experienced for barbed dart and t-bar anchor tags, although barbed dart tags performed better than t-bar anchor tags. Although some of the VIFE marks had deteriorated, all VIFE tagged fish were individually recognised at the end of the study. Conventional dart and VIFE tags are feasible methods to tag roman. However, the high tag loss rate of conventional tags must be taken into account in the design of a tagging study. Previous mark and recapture studies on roman are beset with a number of problems. Poor experimental design and low precision of capture positions resulted in equivocal results of limited value. A tagging experiment was designed to eliminate ambiguity in data interpretation and to produce a dataset that could be used to model roman residency and dispersal. A combination of conventional barbed dart tags and Visible Implanted Fluorescent Elastomer tags was used to tag roman in the Goukamma Marine Protected Area (GMPA) on the temperate South African south coast. Sixty one percent of roman were recaptured within 50 m of the tagging position. A small proportion moved considerable distances of up to four kilometres. The extent of these movements was not dependent on fish size or sex. Data from this experiment and from a previous tagging study in the Tsitsikamma National Park (TNP) were used to model the resident behaviour of roman. The model suggests a probability of 91% (GMPA) and 94% (TNP) of residency within a 10000 m² cell. This result suggests that individual roman will benefit from protection in small MPAs. A different experimental approach was required to investigate the exact home range of this species. Firstly the feasibility of using acoustic telemetry to study the movement of coastal fish in South Africa was investigated. The telemetry equipment comprised two VEMCO V8 transmitters and a VEMCO VR60 receiver linked to a directional hydrophone. A tank experiment was conducted to examine the effects of the transmitter implantation. A tracking experiment was conducted on spotted grunter Pomadasys commersonnii in the East Kleinmonde Estuary. Operated fish recovered quickly and, with respect to swimming behaviour and growth rates, no differences were found between fish with implants and controls. The maximum detection range in the estuary was 400 m. Interference between different transmitter frequencies was negligible. Transmitter location recordings were found to be accurate within five metres. Two fish were tracked over a seven-day period. The fish preferred the lower reaches of the estuary where they made repeated and prolonged use of specific areas. The success of the initial experiments allowed this method to be used to investigate the spatial utilisation and activity patterns of roman Chrysoblephus laticeps. Surgically implanted VEMCO V8, V13 and V16 transmitters were used to track 13 roman inside the Castle Rock MPA in False Bay. Transmitters implanted into C. laticeps in tanks had no apparent effects on growth and physiology. Manual boatand diver-based tracking experiments covered a 17-month period. A VEMCO VRAP radio acoustic positioning system was used over two one-month periods during and after the spawning season of roman. Analysis of data using a 95% fixed kernel algorithm suggests that roman are resident throughout their adult life, occupying home ranges between 1000 and 3000 m². Activity was lower at night. During periods of cold-water upwelling, fish retreated into caves. During the spawning season, females extended their home ranges, possibly to mate with different males. These results confirm that this species is well suited for protection and management with small MPAs. The effect of two MPAs on the South African south coast on the population of C. laticeps was simulated with a spatially explicit individual based model (IBM). Life history parameters determined in recent studies and the effect of fishing on the size of sex change was taken into account. Fish densities and size frequencies were based on recent underwater visual census. The distribution of suitable habitat in the study areas was also incorporated. The results show a rapid recovery of the fish size frequency spectrum and sex ratio to pre-exploitation levels inside both MPAs. Little 'spillover' of fish into the fished areas occurred resulting in negligible improvement of catches. The results suggest that for resident species like roman, even small MPAs offer sufficient protection.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
A financial planning model for retirement, taking into account the impact of pre-retirement funding income, age and taxation
- Authors: Barnes, Andrew
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Retirement -- South Africa Retirement income -- Planning -- South Africa Pensions -- Planning -- South Africa Finance, Personal Investments Income tax -- Law and legislation -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:895 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004532
- Description: Individuals are often not aware of the required level of contributions needed to fund a retirement savings plan. This problem is compounded by the fact that the assistance provided to these individuals by way of commercially-available retirement planning models does not take into account the effect of income tax on the level of required retirement savings contributions and recent changes in the tax legislation to the income tax payable by individuals has had a significant effect on these required levels. As a preamble to the research process, an exploratory questionnaire was administrated to a sample of individuals, which was designed to measure the level of awareness of these individuals of the contributions to a retirement savings plan needed to fund their postretirement financial needs, and of the impact of age, the level of income and income tax on their contributions. Responses to the questionnaire indicated a low level of awareness of retirement planning amongst these individuals. A retirement planning model was then designed to test the effect of earnings, age and changes in tax legislation on the level of an individual's required monthly contributions to a retirement savings plan. Independent variables of age and income were processed using the model. These same variables were then processed using the Old Mutual and Liberty Life retirement planning models and a comparison was made between the model developed in the research and these commercially developed models, to assess their usefulness and limitations. Based on the above comparison, it appeared that the Old Mutual and Liberty Life retirement models both included the effects of the individual marginal tax rates in their calculations. However, they appeared to be using marginal tax rates which were higher than those reflected in the 2006 individual income tax tables. In addition these models did not include the effect of income tax exemptions and deductions and they therefore provided more conservative estimates than the retirement planning model designed in the research. Recent tax adjustments have had the effect of greatly increasing the after-tax income of individuals and therefore it is important to include the effects of changes in tax legislation in determining the monthly contributions to a retirement savings plan.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: Barnes, Andrew
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Retirement -- South Africa Retirement income -- Planning -- South Africa Pensions -- Planning -- South Africa Finance, Personal Investments Income tax -- Law and legislation -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:895 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004532
- Description: Individuals are often not aware of the required level of contributions needed to fund a retirement savings plan. This problem is compounded by the fact that the assistance provided to these individuals by way of commercially-available retirement planning models does not take into account the effect of income tax on the level of required retirement savings contributions and recent changes in the tax legislation to the income tax payable by individuals has had a significant effect on these required levels. As a preamble to the research process, an exploratory questionnaire was administrated to a sample of individuals, which was designed to measure the level of awareness of these individuals of the contributions to a retirement savings plan needed to fund their postretirement financial needs, and of the impact of age, the level of income and income tax on their contributions. Responses to the questionnaire indicated a low level of awareness of retirement planning amongst these individuals. A retirement planning model was then designed to test the effect of earnings, age and changes in tax legislation on the level of an individual's required monthly contributions to a retirement savings plan. Independent variables of age and income were processed using the model. These same variables were then processed using the Old Mutual and Liberty Life retirement planning models and a comparison was made between the model developed in the research and these commercially developed models, to assess their usefulness and limitations. Based on the above comparison, it appeared that the Old Mutual and Liberty Life retirement models both included the effects of the individual marginal tax rates in their calculations. However, they appeared to be using marginal tax rates which were higher than those reflected in the 2006 individual income tax tables. In addition these models did not include the effect of income tax exemptions and deductions and they therefore provided more conservative estimates than the retirement planning model designed in the research. Recent tax adjustments have had the effect of greatly increasing the after-tax income of individuals and therefore it is important to include the effects of changes in tax legislation in determining the monthly contributions to a retirement savings plan.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
The impact of inbound logistics activities on the operational performance of the postal services organization in South Africa
- Authors: Tabeni, Mvelo
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: South African Post Office Postal service -- South Africa Business logistics Business logistics -- Cost effectiveness Delivery of goods -- Management Physical distribution of goods Customer services -- Management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:797 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004577
- Description: Introduction and Relevant Details: This research investigates the impact of inbound logistics' activities on the operational performance of the business within the branches of the South African Post Office (SAPO) in the Eastern Cape Province. The study basically hypothesises a statistically significant positive correlation between inbound logistics' activities and the operational performance of the business with regards to revenue generation and operational costs in particular. A sample of 100 branch offices was randomly selected. A 50-item questionnaire was administered by mail to the branches to collect the data during September 2005, and statistical tests for correlation were conducted on at least five dependent variables; stock procurement costs, effects on revenue, number of stock variation occurrences, order variation occurrences and the stock holding effects. Results of Data Analysis: The results of 88 respondents (88%) showed the existence of the significant positive relationship between the inbound logistics activities and the operational performance of the business at the South African Post Office branches as proposed by the study. The Spearman Rank Correlation tests were above 0.7 for most of the tested variables, showing a strong relationship. The inbound logistics' activities were also found to be positively correlated to revenue generation as well as to the operational expenses of the business. Conclusion and Recommendations: The findings allowed the researcher to conclude also that whatever improvements are made to the inbound logistics will also impact on the operational performance of the business, while failures in the inbound logistics will do so negatively. Business endeavours to maximise revenue and minimise costs are directly affected by the inbound logistics' activities. The branches of the SAPO seemed to be dissatisfied with most of the services rendered by the Supply Distribution Centre (SOC) of the SAPO, and such services have negatively affected the achievement of revenue targets at the branches as well as the operational costs. Holistic approaches to developing positive perceptions in the branches together with improving service activities at the SOC are recommended. Collaborative initiatives between branches and the SOC, reviewing the lead-times and the establishment of proper structures to handle supply chain queries, enhanced by information system technology to provide accurate and up-to-date information to branches and related parties about stock order issues are required . Areas of further research highlighted include the inbound logistics' activities of the SOC and the effectiveness of company policies as a guide to Supply Chain Management (SCM).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: Tabeni, Mvelo
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: South African Post Office Postal service -- South Africa Business logistics Business logistics -- Cost effectiveness Delivery of goods -- Management Physical distribution of goods Customer services -- Management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:797 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004577
- Description: Introduction and Relevant Details: This research investigates the impact of inbound logistics' activities on the operational performance of the business within the branches of the South African Post Office (SAPO) in the Eastern Cape Province. The study basically hypothesises a statistically significant positive correlation between inbound logistics' activities and the operational performance of the business with regards to revenue generation and operational costs in particular. A sample of 100 branch offices was randomly selected. A 50-item questionnaire was administered by mail to the branches to collect the data during September 2005, and statistical tests for correlation were conducted on at least five dependent variables; stock procurement costs, effects on revenue, number of stock variation occurrences, order variation occurrences and the stock holding effects. Results of Data Analysis: The results of 88 respondents (88%) showed the existence of the significant positive relationship between the inbound logistics activities and the operational performance of the business at the South African Post Office branches as proposed by the study. The Spearman Rank Correlation tests were above 0.7 for most of the tested variables, showing a strong relationship. The inbound logistics' activities were also found to be positively correlated to revenue generation as well as to the operational expenses of the business. Conclusion and Recommendations: The findings allowed the researcher to conclude also that whatever improvements are made to the inbound logistics will also impact on the operational performance of the business, while failures in the inbound logistics will do so negatively. Business endeavours to maximise revenue and minimise costs are directly affected by the inbound logistics' activities. The branches of the SAPO seemed to be dissatisfied with most of the services rendered by the Supply Distribution Centre (SOC) of the SAPO, and such services have negatively affected the achievement of revenue targets at the branches as well as the operational costs. Holistic approaches to developing positive perceptions in the branches together with improving service activities at the SOC are recommended. Collaborative initiatives between branches and the SOC, reviewing the lead-times and the establishment of proper structures to handle supply chain queries, enhanced by information system technology to provide accurate and up-to-date information to branches and related parties about stock order issues are required . Areas of further research highlighted include the inbound logistics' activities of the SOC and the effectiveness of company policies as a guide to Supply Chain Management (SCM).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
The relationship between interest rates and inflation in South Africa : revisiting Fisher's hypothesis
- Mitchell-Innes, Henry Alexander
- Authors: Mitchell-Innes, Henry Alexander
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Fisher effect (Economics) , Interest rates -- South Africa , Interest rates -- Effect of inflation -- South Africa , Inflation (Finance) -- South Africa , Monetary policy -- South Africa , Banks and banking, Central -- South Africa , South Africa -- Economic conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:991 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002726 , Fisher effect (Economics) , Interest rates -- South Africa , Interest rates -- Effect of inflation -- South Africa , Inflation (Finance) -- South Africa , Monetary policy -- South Africa , Banks and banking, Central -- South Africa , South Africa -- Economic conditions
- Description: This thesis investigates the relationship between expected inflation and nominal interest rates in South Africa and the extent to which the Fisher effect hypothesis holds. The hypothesis, proposed by Fisher (1930), that the nominal rate of interest should reflect movements in the expected rate of inflation has been the subject of much empirical research in many industrialised countries. This wealth of literature can be attributed to various factors including the pivotal role that the nominal rate of interest and, perhaps more importantly, the real rate of interest plays in the economy. The validity of the Fisher effect also has important implications for monetary policy and needs to be considered by central banks. Few studies have been conducted in South Africa to validate this important hypothesis. The analysis uses the 3-month bankers’ acceptance rate and the 10-year government bond rate to proxy both short- and long-term interest rates. The existence of a long-run unit proportional relationship between nominal interest rates and expected inflation is tested using Johansen’s cointegration test. The data is analysed for the period April 2000 to July 2005 as the research aims to establish whether the Fisher relationship holds within an inflation targeting monetary policy framework. The short-run Fisher effect is not empirically verified. This is due to the effects of the monetary policy transmission mechanism and implies that short-term nominal interest rates are a good indication of the stance of monetary policy. A long-run cointegrating relationship is established between long-term interest rates and expected inflation. The long-run adjustment is less than unity, which can be attributed to the credibility of the inflation-targeting framework.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: Mitchell-Innes, Henry Alexander
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Fisher effect (Economics) , Interest rates -- South Africa , Interest rates -- Effect of inflation -- South Africa , Inflation (Finance) -- South Africa , Monetary policy -- South Africa , Banks and banking, Central -- South Africa , South Africa -- Economic conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:991 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002726 , Fisher effect (Economics) , Interest rates -- South Africa , Interest rates -- Effect of inflation -- South Africa , Inflation (Finance) -- South Africa , Monetary policy -- South Africa , Banks and banking, Central -- South Africa , South Africa -- Economic conditions
- Description: This thesis investigates the relationship between expected inflation and nominal interest rates in South Africa and the extent to which the Fisher effect hypothesis holds. The hypothesis, proposed by Fisher (1930), that the nominal rate of interest should reflect movements in the expected rate of inflation has been the subject of much empirical research in many industrialised countries. This wealth of literature can be attributed to various factors including the pivotal role that the nominal rate of interest and, perhaps more importantly, the real rate of interest plays in the economy. The validity of the Fisher effect also has important implications for monetary policy and needs to be considered by central banks. Few studies have been conducted in South Africa to validate this important hypothesis. The analysis uses the 3-month bankers’ acceptance rate and the 10-year government bond rate to proxy both short- and long-term interest rates. The existence of a long-run unit proportional relationship between nominal interest rates and expected inflation is tested using Johansen’s cointegration test. The data is analysed for the period April 2000 to July 2005 as the research aims to establish whether the Fisher relationship holds within an inflation targeting monetary policy framework. The short-run Fisher effect is not empirically verified. This is due to the effects of the monetary policy transmission mechanism and implies that short-term nominal interest rates are a good indication of the stance of monetary policy. A long-run cointegrating relationship is established between long-term interest rates and expected inflation. The long-run adjustment is less than unity, which can be attributed to the credibility of the inflation-targeting framework.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
Attachment and the therapeutic relationship an elucidation of therapeutic process in a single child psychotherapy case
- Authors: Crafford, Melody
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Child psychotherapy -- Case studies , Psychotherapist and patient , Attachment behavior in children
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2955 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002464 , Child psychotherapy -- Case studies , Psychotherapist and patient , Attachment behavior in children
- Description: The overall objective of this study was to delve into the intricacies of the therapeutic process and the therapeutic relationship from an attachment perspective. A single retrospective child case study was conducted, which entailed the construction of a narrative synopsis of the process. The hermeneutic approach of a Reading Guide Method was applied, and through a repeated re-reading of the narrative, pertinent themes emerged that shed light on therapy as a process in motion. Specifically, the motion of the therapeutic process manifested through a scrutiny of the therapeutic relationship in view of the participant’s attachment style. The results of this study revealed the capacity of the participant to move away from an avoidant and somewhat ambivalent organisation of defences by virtue of establishing a secure base and exercising her faculty for emotional and self-expression. Accordingly, it can be established that in view of psychotherapy from an attachment perspective, the seemingly imperceptible vicissitudes of change are indeed appreciable.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: Crafford, Melody
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Child psychotherapy -- Case studies , Psychotherapist and patient , Attachment behavior in children
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2955 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002464 , Child psychotherapy -- Case studies , Psychotherapist and patient , Attachment behavior in children
- Description: The overall objective of this study was to delve into the intricacies of the therapeutic process and the therapeutic relationship from an attachment perspective. A single retrospective child case study was conducted, which entailed the construction of a narrative synopsis of the process. The hermeneutic approach of a Reading Guide Method was applied, and through a repeated re-reading of the narrative, pertinent themes emerged that shed light on therapy as a process in motion. Specifically, the motion of the therapeutic process manifested through a scrutiny of the therapeutic relationship in view of the participant’s attachment style. The results of this study revealed the capacity of the participant to move away from an avoidant and somewhat ambivalent organisation of defences by virtue of establishing a secure base and exercising her faculty for emotional and self-expression. Accordingly, it can be established that in view of psychotherapy from an attachment perspective, the seemingly imperceptible vicissitudes of change are indeed appreciable.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
A framework for responsive content adaptation in electronic display networks
- Authors: West, Philip
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Computer networks , Cell phone systems , Wireless communication systems , Mobile communication systems , HTML (Document markup language) , XML (Document markup language)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4589 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004824 , Computer networks , Cell phone systems , Wireless communication systems , Mobile communication systems , HTML (Document markup language) , XML (Document markup language)
- Description: Recent trends show an increase in the availability and functionality of handheld devices, wireless network technology, and electronic display networks. We propose the novel integration of these technologies to provide wireless access to content delivered to large-screen display systems. Content adaptation is used as a method of reformatting web pages to display more appropriately on handheld devices, and to remove unwanted content. A framework is presented that facilitates content adaptation, implemented as an adaptation layer, which is extended to provide personalization of adaptation settings and response to network conditions. The framework is implemented as a proxy server for a wireless network, and handles HTML and XML documents. Once a document has been requested by a user, the HTML/XML is retrieved and parsed, creating a Document Object Model tree representation. It is then altered according to the user’s personal settings or predefined settings, based on current network usage and the network resources available. Three adaptation techniques were implemented; spatial representation, which generates an image map of the document, text summarization, which creates a tree view representation of a document, and tag extraction, which replaces specific tags with links. Three proof-of-concept systems were developed in order to test the robustness of the framework. A system for use with digital slide shows, a digital signage system, and a generalized system for use with the internet were implemented. Testing was performed by accessing sample web pages through the content adaptation proxy server. Tag extraction works correctly for all HTML and XML document structures, whereas spatial representation and text summarization are limited to a controlled subset. Results indicate that the adaptive system has the ability to reduce average bandwidth usage, by decreasing the amount of data on the network, thereby allowing a greater number of users access to content. This suggests that responsive content adaptation has a positive influence on network performance metrics.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: West, Philip
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Computer networks , Cell phone systems , Wireless communication systems , Mobile communication systems , HTML (Document markup language) , XML (Document markup language)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4589 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004824 , Computer networks , Cell phone systems , Wireless communication systems , Mobile communication systems , HTML (Document markup language) , XML (Document markup language)
- Description: Recent trends show an increase in the availability and functionality of handheld devices, wireless network technology, and electronic display networks. We propose the novel integration of these technologies to provide wireless access to content delivered to large-screen display systems. Content adaptation is used as a method of reformatting web pages to display more appropriately on handheld devices, and to remove unwanted content. A framework is presented that facilitates content adaptation, implemented as an adaptation layer, which is extended to provide personalization of adaptation settings and response to network conditions. The framework is implemented as a proxy server for a wireless network, and handles HTML and XML documents. Once a document has been requested by a user, the HTML/XML is retrieved and parsed, creating a Document Object Model tree representation. It is then altered according to the user’s personal settings or predefined settings, based on current network usage and the network resources available. Three adaptation techniques were implemented; spatial representation, which generates an image map of the document, text summarization, which creates a tree view representation of a document, and tag extraction, which replaces specific tags with links. Three proof-of-concept systems were developed in order to test the robustness of the framework. A system for use with digital slide shows, a digital signage system, and a generalized system for use with the internet were implemented. Testing was performed by accessing sample web pages through the content adaptation proxy server. Tag extraction works correctly for all HTML and XML document structures, whereas spatial representation and text summarization are limited to a controlled subset. Results indicate that the adaptive system has the ability to reduce average bandwidth usage, by decreasing the amount of data on the network, thereby allowing a greater number of users access to content. This suggests that responsive content adaptation has a positive influence on network performance metrics.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
Using experiential learning to facilitate pharmacy students' understanding of patients' medication practice in chronic illness
- Authors: Williams, Kevin
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Chronic diseases -- Chemotherapy Chronically ill -- Care Pharmacy -- Study and teaching Pharmacy -- Practice Social medicine Health -- Sociological aspects Diseases -- Sociological aspects Health -- Psychological aspects
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:1322 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003955
- Description: This study originates from experiences which led me to question the way pharmacists are equipped to advise and support the medicine-taking practice of patients using chronic medication. The study offers a critical theoretical consideration of underlying perspectives informing pharmacy education. I propose following a critical realist ontological perspective, a social realist understanding of social structure and human agency, and a sociocultural epistemology. Based on these perspectives, I consider a sociological critique of ‘health’, ‘disease’, ‘illness’ and ‘sickness’ perspectives on medicine-taking, and of pharmacy as a profession. I then propose an experiential learning approach, with an emphasis on developing reflexivity through affective learning. I follow this with an illustrative case study. Following a critical discourse analysis of student texts from the case study, I conclude that there is evidence that experiential learning may prove useful in developing pharmacy students’ reflexive competency to support the provision of pharmaceutical care to patients using chronic medications.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: Williams, Kevin
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Chronic diseases -- Chemotherapy Chronically ill -- Care Pharmacy -- Study and teaching Pharmacy -- Practice Social medicine Health -- Sociological aspects Diseases -- Sociological aspects Health -- Psychological aspects
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:1322 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003955
- Description: This study originates from experiences which led me to question the way pharmacists are equipped to advise and support the medicine-taking practice of patients using chronic medication. The study offers a critical theoretical consideration of underlying perspectives informing pharmacy education. I propose following a critical realist ontological perspective, a social realist understanding of social structure and human agency, and a sociocultural epistemology. Based on these perspectives, I consider a sociological critique of ‘health’, ‘disease’, ‘illness’ and ‘sickness’ perspectives on medicine-taking, and of pharmacy as a profession. I then propose an experiential learning approach, with an emphasis on developing reflexivity through affective learning. I follow this with an illustrative case study. Following a critical discourse analysis of student texts from the case study, I conclude that there is evidence that experiential learning may prove useful in developing pharmacy students’ reflexive competency to support the provision of pharmaceutical care to patients using chronic medications.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
Making the Invisible Visible: Ameliorating Poverty through Natural Resource Commercialisation
- Authors: Shackleton, Sheona E
- Date: 2009
- Language: English
- Type: text
- Identifier: vital:6618 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1016226
- Description: [From Introduction] The majority of households in South Africa, especially those in the rural communal areas, live in abject poverty. Some 70% of rural households can be classified as poor, while 18-24% fall into the chronically poor category. Unlike many other developing nations, South Africa's rural communal areas are characterised by relatively poor availability of agricultural land, with only about 40% of rural households involved in field cropping. This results in high levels of integration and dependence on the cash economy. Unemployment levels are amongst the highest in the world at about 30%. Unemployment amongst women tends to be greater than amongst men resulting in a poverty rate amongst rural female-headed households of over 60%; double that of male-headed households. The scourge of HIV/AIDS is devastating already poor households' ability to cope. More than half of HIV/AIDS affected households have insufficient food (UNDP 2003). Impacts of the pandemic include not only the loss of income, but also increased expenditure particularly on medical care and funerals. The need to care for ill household members or orphaned children also limits the choices of occupation that other household members can pursue, and may restrict labour availability for food production. Household assets are often sold for cash eroding the few safety nets people have. HIV/AIDS is expected to contribute to a chronic impoverishment of 26-33% more households than would be the case in its absence (Aliber 2003). , Endnote: This policy brief is based on the original brief made available for a workshop in August 2006. It is derived, amongst other sources, from the findings of nine case studies of local natural resource commercialisation undertaken as part of a project funded by the South Africa-Netherlands Programme on Alternatives in Development (SANPAD), BP South Africa and the National Research Foundation (NRF). Case studies on woodcraft, furniture production, weaving, broom production and the sale of wild foods and traditional marula beer were completed by Zwoitwa Makhado (UWC), Sibongile Mavimbela (Rhodes), Taryn Pereira (Rhodes), Sheona Shackleton (Rhodes) and Jabulile Sithole (WSU). CIFOR with support from SIDA, provided the funding to share these findings with key stakeholders. The opinions expressed in these policy briefs are those of the author and research team and should not necessarily be attributed to funders and partner institutions.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
- Authors: Shackleton, Sheona E
- Date: 2009
- Language: English
- Type: text
- Identifier: vital:6618 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1016226
- Description: [From Introduction] The majority of households in South Africa, especially those in the rural communal areas, live in abject poverty. Some 70% of rural households can be classified as poor, while 18-24% fall into the chronically poor category. Unlike many other developing nations, South Africa's rural communal areas are characterised by relatively poor availability of agricultural land, with only about 40% of rural households involved in field cropping. This results in high levels of integration and dependence on the cash economy. Unemployment levels are amongst the highest in the world at about 30%. Unemployment amongst women tends to be greater than amongst men resulting in a poverty rate amongst rural female-headed households of over 60%; double that of male-headed households. The scourge of HIV/AIDS is devastating already poor households' ability to cope. More than half of HIV/AIDS affected households have insufficient food (UNDP 2003). Impacts of the pandemic include not only the loss of income, but also increased expenditure particularly on medical care and funerals. The need to care for ill household members or orphaned children also limits the choices of occupation that other household members can pursue, and may restrict labour availability for food production. Household assets are often sold for cash eroding the few safety nets people have. HIV/AIDS is expected to contribute to a chronic impoverishment of 26-33% more households than would be the case in its absence (Aliber 2003). , Endnote: This policy brief is based on the original brief made available for a workshop in August 2006. It is derived, amongst other sources, from the findings of nine case studies of local natural resource commercialisation undertaken as part of a project funded by the South Africa-Netherlands Programme on Alternatives in Development (SANPAD), BP South Africa and the National Research Foundation (NRF). Case studies on woodcraft, furniture production, weaving, broom production and the sale of wild foods and traditional marula beer were completed by Zwoitwa Makhado (UWC), Sibongile Mavimbela (Rhodes), Taryn Pereira (Rhodes), Sheona Shackleton (Rhodes) and Jabulile Sithole (WSU). CIFOR with support from SIDA, provided the funding to share these findings with key stakeholders. The opinions expressed in these policy briefs are those of the author and research team and should not necessarily be attributed to funders and partner institutions.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
How the internet supports the consumer decision process: the case study of McCarthy Call-a-Car
- Authors: Limbada, Suhayl
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: McCarthy Call-a Car , Automobile dealers -- South Africa , Automobile industry and trade , Internet marketing , Consumer behavior , Customer services , Consumer satisfaction
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:1171 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002787 , McCarthy Call-a Car , Automobile dealers -- South Africa , Automobile industry and trade , Internet marketing , Consumer behavior , Customer services , Consumer satisfaction
- Description: This thesis aims to provide a better understanding of the ways in which the Internet supports the consumer decision process of potential customers in an online car retail environment. The thesis is mainly focused on how this can be done in South Africa. A case study approach was adopted in investigating the case of McCarthy Call-a-Car. Interviews were carried out with McCarthy Call-a-Car employees and documents and the Call-a-Car website, were analysed. It was revealed that Call-a-Car focuses on using the Internet to support customers in the pre-purchase phase only. The purchase and post-purchase phases are carried out offline at its dealership network and Club McCarthy respectively. The findings showed that Call-a-Car views the Internet as a marketing tool that provides convenience to customers searching for product information in the pre-purchase phase. The interviews revealed that due to Call-a-Car's strategy, as well as practical problems of selling online, the customer will still have to visit a dealership to conclude a purchase and for post-purchase support. From this research it appears that there are three main issues arising out of Call-a-Car's usage of the Internet in the customer buying process: firstly, the research revealed that instead of cutting out the middle-man, the Internet has created new types of intermediaries called "cybermediaries" and that Call-a-Car is one such intermediary. Secondly, it was revealed that trust is crucial in the online environment and that Call-a-Car builds trust through branding. Thirdly, the Internet has not affected prices online, despite theoretical estimations that the Internet would induce lower prices. The main recommendations for future research are empirical studies to investigate if the cybermediary model is unique to the car industry and whether this business model could be applied to other look and feel industries such as real estate. Future studies could also investigate the mechanics of trust-building and brand-building in the online environment and finally, studies from the customer perspective considering what Internet tools the customer would like to see online to support them during their buying decision process.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: Limbada, Suhayl
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: McCarthy Call-a Car , Automobile dealers -- South Africa , Automobile industry and trade , Internet marketing , Consumer behavior , Customer services , Consumer satisfaction
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:1171 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002787 , McCarthy Call-a Car , Automobile dealers -- South Africa , Automobile industry and trade , Internet marketing , Consumer behavior , Customer services , Consumer satisfaction
- Description: This thesis aims to provide a better understanding of the ways in which the Internet supports the consumer decision process of potential customers in an online car retail environment. The thesis is mainly focused on how this can be done in South Africa. A case study approach was adopted in investigating the case of McCarthy Call-a-Car. Interviews were carried out with McCarthy Call-a-Car employees and documents and the Call-a-Car website, were analysed. It was revealed that Call-a-Car focuses on using the Internet to support customers in the pre-purchase phase only. The purchase and post-purchase phases are carried out offline at its dealership network and Club McCarthy respectively. The findings showed that Call-a-Car views the Internet as a marketing tool that provides convenience to customers searching for product information in the pre-purchase phase. The interviews revealed that due to Call-a-Car's strategy, as well as practical problems of selling online, the customer will still have to visit a dealership to conclude a purchase and for post-purchase support. From this research it appears that there are three main issues arising out of Call-a-Car's usage of the Internet in the customer buying process: firstly, the research revealed that instead of cutting out the middle-man, the Internet has created new types of intermediaries called "cybermediaries" and that Call-a-Car is one such intermediary. Secondly, it was revealed that trust is crucial in the online environment and that Call-a-Car builds trust through branding. Thirdly, the Internet has not affected prices online, despite theoretical estimations that the Internet would induce lower prices. The main recommendations for future research are empirical studies to investigate if the cybermediary model is unique to the car industry and whether this business model could be applied to other look and feel industries such as real estate. Future studies could also investigate the mechanics of trust-building and brand-building in the online environment and finally, studies from the customer perspective considering what Internet tools the customer would like to see online to support them during their buying decision process.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
Frozen in time to reclaiming one's life: the evaluation of the Ehlers and Clark Cognitive Therapy Model in the assessment and treatment of a hijacking survivor
- Authors: Smith, Tracy-Ann
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Cognitive therapy -- Methods , Post-traumatic stress disorder -- Patients -- Rehabilitation -- South Africa , Post-traumatic stress disorder -- Patients -- Case studies -- South Africa , Post-traumatic stress disorder -- Treatment -- South Africa , Victims of crimes -- Counseling of
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3060 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002569 , Cognitive therapy -- Methods , Post-traumatic stress disorder -- Patients -- Rehabilitation -- South Africa , Post-traumatic stress disorder -- Patients -- Case studies -- South Africa , Post-traumatic stress disorder -- Treatment -- South Africa , Victims of crimes -- Counseling of
- Description: The aim of this research study was achieved by providing support for the effectiveness and the transportability of the Ehlers and Clark (2000) cognitive therapy model for the assessment and treatment of PTSD. Furthermore, the contextual factors which were important in this case were investigated and documented. However, research within the social sciences will inevitably produce various limitations due to the unique individuals and dynamic phenomena that are studied.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: Smith, Tracy-Ann
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Cognitive therapy -- Methods , Post-traumatic stress disorder -- Patients -- Rehabilitation -- South Africa , Post-traumatic stress disorder -- Patients -- Case studies -- South Africa , Post-traumatic stress disorder -- Treatment -- South Africa , Victims of crimes -- Counseling of
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3060 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002569 , Cognitive therapy -- Methods , Post-traumatic stress disorder -- Patients -- Rehabilitation -- South Africa , Post-traumatic stress disorder -- Patients -- Case studies -- South Africa , Post-traumatic stress disorder -- Treatment -- South Africa , Victims of crimes -- Counseling of
- Description: The aim of this research study was achieved by providing support for the effectiveness and the transportability of the Ehlers and Clark (2000) cognitive therapy model for the assessment and treatment of PTSD. Furthermore, the contextual factors which were important in this case were investigated and documented. However, research within the social sciences will inevitably produce various limitations due to the unique individuals and dynamic phenomena that are studied.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
Vice Chancellor New staff welcome address, 2006
- Authors: Badat, Saleem
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Rhodes University
- Language: English
- Type: text
- Identifier: vital:7645 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1015773
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: Badat, Saleem
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Rhodes University
- Language: English
- Type: text
- Identifier: vital:7645 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1015773
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
The role of salinity as an abiotic driver of ecological condition in a rural agricultural catchment
- Authors: Lerotholi, Sekhonyana
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Soils, Salts in -- South Africa -- Kat River , Water salinization -- South Africa -- Kat River , Water quality -- South Africa -- Kat River , Salinization -- Control -- South Africa -- Kat River , Agricultural pollution -- South Africa -- Kat River , Aquatic ecology -- South Africa -- Kat River , Salinity -- South Africa -- Kat River
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4852 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005528 , Soils, Salts in -- South Africa -- Kat River , Water salinization -- South Africa -- Kat River , Water quality -- South Africa -- Kat River , Salinization -- Control -- South Africa -- Kat River , Agricultural pollution -- South Africa -- Kat River , Aquatic ecology -- South Africa -- Kat River , Salinity -- South Africa -- Kat River
- Description: The Kat River is an agricultural catchment that drains salt rich geology. Potential salinity impacts on ecological condition of the river were investigated. Monthly salt concentrations and flow discharges were monitored at ten sites along the Kat River below the Kat Dam. Monthly salt loads were computed to relate salinity to land use and ionic data used to assess the toxicity of major salts using the TIMS model. Concentration duration curves for sodium chloride were derived from flow concentration relationships, representing sodium chloride concentrations to which the aquatic ecosystem had been exposed. The ecological condition was assessed at nineteen sites using SASS5 biotic index over four seasons. Finally, the modelled instream salt concentrations and bioasessments were evaluated in terms of the modelled level of species protection afforded at different salt concentrations. Species Sensitivity Distributions (SSDs) were used for this exercise. There was a general downstream increase in salinity with the minimum concentrations recorded at the Fairbain tributary (84 mg/L) and maximum levels at the sewage outfall in Fort Beaufort (1222 mg/L). There was evidence that citrus irrigation upstream of Fort Beaufort increased salinisation. Sodium chloride, and to a lesser extent magnesium sulphate, were the dominant salts in the Kat River catchment, with the latter being more toxic. However these had little or no impact on the aquatic ecosystem. Flow-derived sodium chloride concentrations showed that both the Balfour and Blinkwater tributaries were in a fair/ poor condition. However with regard to ecological condition, it was demonstrated that the river is generally in a good state except for the Blinkwater River and the lower catchment. Degraded habitat condition at the Blinkwater was responsible for poor ecological condition. Integrating SSD derived classes, sodium chloride classes and ecological condition indicated that sodium chloride is a driver of ecological condition at the sewage treatment works and the subsequent site (only two of nineteen biomonitoring sites).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: Lerotholi, Sekhonyana
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Soils, Salts in -- South Africa -- Kat River , Water salinization -- South Africa -- Kat River , Water quality -- South Africa -- Kat River , Salinization -- Control -- South Africa -- Kat River , Agricultural pollution -- South Africa -- Kat River , Aquatic ecology -- South Africa -- Kat River , Salinity -- South Africa -- Kat River
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4852 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005528 , Soils, Salts in -- South Africa -- Kat River , Water salinization -- South Africa -- Kat River , Water quality -- South Africa -- Kat River , Salinization -- Control -- South Africa -- Kat River , Agricultural pollution -- South Africa -- Kat River , Aquatic ecology -- South Africa -- Kat River , Salinity -- South Africa -- Kat River
- Description: The Kat River is an agricultural catchment that drains salt rich geology. Potential salinity impacts on ecological condition of the river were investigated. Monthly salt concentrations and flow discharges were monitored at ten sites along the Kat River below the Kat Dam. Monthly salt loads were computed to relate salinity to land use and ionic data used to assess the toxicity of major salts using the TIMS model. Concentration duration curves for sodium chloride were derived from flow concentration relationships, representing sodium chloride concentrations to which the aquatic ecosystem had been exposed. The ecological condition was assessed at nineteen sites using SASS5 biotic index over four seasons. Finally, the modelled instream salt concentrations and bioasessments were evaluated in terms of the modelled level of species protection afforded at different salt concentrations. Species Sensitivity Distributions (SSDs) were used for this exercise. There was a general downstream increase in salinity with the minimum concentrations recorded at the Fairbain tributary (84 mg/L) and maximum levels at the sewage outfall in Fort Beaufort (1222 mg/L). There was evidence that citrus irrigation upstream of Fort Beaufort increased salinisation. Sodium chloride, and to a lesser extent magnesium sulphate, were the dominant salts in the Kat River catchment, with the latter being more toxic. However these had little or no impact on the aquatic ecosystem. Flow-derived sodium chloride concentrations showed that both the Balfour and Blinkwater tributaries were in a fair/ poor condition. However with regard to ecological condition, it was demonstrated that the river is generally in a good state except for the Blinkwater River and the lower catchment. Degraded habitat condition at the Blinkwater was responsible for poor ecological condition. Integrating SSD derived classes, sodium chloride classes and ecological condition indicated that sodium chloride is a driver of ecological condition at the sewage treatment works and the subsequent site (only two of nineteen biomonitoring sites).
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- Date Issued: 2006