The objective of this study is to conduct a comprehensive analysis on the competitiveness of the agribusiness sector in South Africa. Neither a clear definition of competitiveness nor a comprehensive framework for analysing competitiveness has been developed for agriculture in South Africa. Hence, a definition for competitiveness has been formulated as being the ability to compete successfully in order to achieve sustainable growth within the global environment, while earning at least the opportunity cost of returns on resources employed. The definition is driven by factors related to the comparative and competitive advantages of an industry and the manner in which this is manifested by sustainable trade. Five important aspects regarding competitiveness emerged, namely: competitiveness is a dynamic process, and not an absolute state of affairs; competitiveness can only be assessed within a relative sense; competitiveness is a tool to enable a continuously exploitation of the market reality for gain and profits relative to other competitors; competitiveness is a holistic viewpoint on the ability to sustain the gains achieved through trade and it is dependant on certain key success factors and constraints that must be identified and managed; and in order to sustain competitiveness it is important to continuously attract scarce resources from other economic endeavours. A 5-step framework has been developed for measuring and analysing competitiveness in the agribusiness sector. Three instruments emerged from this viz the Agribusiness Competitiveness Status index (ACS) based on the Relative Trade Advantage (RTA) method; the Agribusiness Executive Survey (AES) based on the determinants of competitiveness, as described by Porter; and the Agribusiness Confidence Index (ACI) measuring the status of the decision-making environment in which agribusinesses are positioned to perform The ACS index supports the definition developed on competitiveness. From the measurement it is evident that the South African agribusiness sector is marginally competitive but ever increasing. A definite positive trend is present in the competitiveness of the sector from 1992 onwards. There are, however, varying rates of competitiveness between the different value chains in the sector; some are highly competitive i.e. wine, some are marginally competitive i.e. sunflower and some are not competitive i.e. cotton. A general notion of decreasing competitiveness exists in the value chains - implying that value adding opportunities in the sector are restricted. The AES is used to determine the views and opinions of executives in the agribusiness environment on factors constraining and enhancing competitiveness. The high cost of crime, inflexible labour policy and the competence of the personnel in the public sector are some of the factors constraining the competitiveness of the sector. The production of affordable, high quality products, intense competition in the local market and continuous innovation are some of the important key success factor enhancing the competitiveness of the sector. The sector also demonstrates a positive trend in the determinants of competitiveness. A clear relationship exists between changes in the decision-making environment and the competitiveness performance of the sector. This relationship influences the sustainability of the competitiveness status of the sector. The ACI analysis indicated that trends in the business confidence of the sector are influenced by a complex set of activities and expectations which includes climatic conditions, changes in the exchange and interest rates, economic growth and changes in turnover and nett operating income. The framework developed in this study combine quantitative and qualitative analyses to develop strategies to enhance the competitiveness of the sector. The analytical and empirical content and the resulting findings therefore enable this study to act as a basis for strategic planning, policy development and strategic positioning by the agribusiness sector in South Africa and will allow for future monitory and analysis of competitive performance. A number of agricultural industries i.e. wine, beef, wool have already made use of this framework with good effect. For further research it is recommended that the framework be used to do comprehensive industry analysis on the competitiveness of the most important food chains in Southern Africa. This information can be used to investigate opportunities for supply chain integration in Southern Africa that can provide the agricultural drive required by NEPAD to be successful. / Thesis (PhD (Agricultural Economics))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development / unrestricted

D.Cur. / Limited funds for the delivering of health and social services necessitate the cost-effective utilization of all categories of nursing personnel in old age homes. Professional nurses are being retrenched and supervision over weekends and after hours is being scaled down due to a lack of guidelines for the cost-effective utilization of nursing personnel in old age homes. A combined quantitative-qualitative approach had been applied in this empirical study to explore and describe the utilization of nursing personnel in old age homes. The goal of the study was to compile guidelines for the cost-effective utilization of nursing personnel in old age homes. Data collection and data analysis were conducted during three phases. A survey of the population of old age homes in South Africa was first conducted to determine the composition of the residents and nursing personnel in these old age homes and to explore the cost implications of the personnel composition. The contents of job descriptions of professional nurses working in old age homes were analysed on a computer by the researcher using NUDtIST software during the second phase of the study. The third phase consisted of conducting and analysing focus groups with professional nurses regarding. their expectations of their own duties, tasks and responsibilities and those of nursing auxiliaries and lay caregivers in old age homes. The three phases were conducted simultaneously and the results of the three phases were triangulated and subjected to a limited literature control. The results were verified during visits to nursing homes in the USA, Canada and the UK. A conceptual framework and guidelines for the cost-effective utilization of nursing personnel in old age homes were developed from the findings of this study. Respondents from the first phase of the study and experts verified the guidelines for being applicable, important, clear and accessible. The findings indicated that most of the residents of the old age homes are very old and are in need of 24 hours nursing/care due to their level of frailty. The nursing personnel budget forms a significant portion of the operating budget of the old age homes and managers are of the opinion that professional nurses are expensive but an essential component of the nursing personnel. The duties, tasks and responsibilities of professional nurses were identified as well as those which are shared with nursing auxiliaries and lay caregivers in old age homes. The conceptual framework which was established from the results of the study indicates that the goal, costeffective utilization of nursing personnel, is reached when quality care has been delivered within the constraints of the budget limitations. The process has been described as the compiling of guidelines for all categories of nursing personnel regarding clinical nursing, nursing management and nursing education as well as the handling of non nursing tasks while considering the personnel standards and job descriptions. The role players are the manager, all categories of nursing personnel, lay caregivers, family and volunteers which perform within the restrictions of the personnel composition and the appropriate code of conduct regulations. The context for the utilization of nursing personnel is the old age home where nursing/care giving is delivered on a continuum and the dynamics which influence the cost-effective utilization of nursing personnel include applicable legislation and policies of government departments and non government organizations.

M.A. / Widowhood is a condition of an incomplete family structure resulting from death. Its consequences such as the absence of the father and husband can be aggravated, decreased or neutralised due to the effects of other conditions, relating to the availability of funds, relatives and community services. Widowhood presents problems and difficulties that most widowed people have to face. The elderly widows are faced with learning to live alone; leaving their own homes and adjusting to life with relatives; financial problems; and immediate care and support. The young widows, in addition, are faced with problems relating to decision-making; managing large sums of money; child upbringing; dispute with in-laws, relatives and older children over the death benefits and estate; lack of support and development programmes for young widows. Widows experience multiple problems that are more common in nature and necessitate a more preventative and developmental approach. Widows' problems are often ignored as, in most instances, they are classified as single mothers, like divorced or unmarried mothers, without paying special attention to the specific condition of widows in particular. Special community and organisational programmes to support and empower widows to cope with social, emotional and economic situations are lacking. Delamont (1980:221) argue that, yet not only is the evidence that being widowed catches most women unprepared financially, socially and emotionally, the study of women in this predicament has been neglected. The problems and factors associated with the management of death benefits by widows have also been neglected.

The finance industry is an extremely fast and complex world dominated by the Efficient Markets Hypothesis (EMH). This theory contains many assumptions which include that investors are rational utility maximisers and that market prices reflect all relevant economic information available to the public. However, over the years, a new form of financial literature known as behavioural finance has been gaining momentum. Behavioural finance seeks to bridge the gap between psychology and economics in an attempt to gain a better understanding of how markets react to different situations. Behavioural finance has also gained much attention in recent years due to the EMH’s inability to explain many economic anomalies. This study first considers the differences between behavioural finance theory and EMH theory before explaining how an individual’s mood has the ability to influence one’s risk taking preferences. Mood changes were also found to be linked to changes in the way an individual reacts to different situations, the way they thinks and processes thoughts. Negative events were also found to have a greater influence on an individual’s mood than positive events did, resulting in an asymmetric relationship between positive and negative results. This study then examines numerous studies indicating how non-economic events can have a statistical and significant influence on stock market returns before analysing previous literature where sport was found to influence market prices. The aim of this study is to determine if South African national sporting performance can influence investors in such a way that it has the ability to impact on market returns. Using standard event study methodology, this study determines the constant mean return using the daily All-Share price index on the JSE for the period of 1 January 1990 to 31 December 2010. This study focuses on three of South Africa’s most popular sports, namely soccer, cricket and rugby and examine if these three sports have the ability to influence market returns. Although there is some evidence of a relationship between stock returns and sporting performance in the descriptive analysis, the regression results indicate that sporting performance in South Africa does not significantly explain abnormal market returns on the JSE. The study provides a number of possible reasons for this finding and concludes by suggesting areas for future research.

M.A. / Virtually unheard of two decades ago, AIDS is, at the turn of the century, one of the best known and most talked about disease on the globe. A decade ago, HIV was regarded primarily as a serious health crisis. What had first appeared to be a disease confined to certain well-defined populations such as gay men and haemophiliacs became a disease that threatened everyone, everywhere. AIDS has become a fullblown threat to development and its social and economic consequences are felt widely not only in the workplace but also in the human resource field and the economy in general. The HIV epidemic is the most important challenge facing South Africa since the birth of democracy. The implications of HIV in the workplace are scary. Even though HIV affects all of us, it has become a workplace issue that must be addressed simply because work is one of the most important dimensions in the life of the individual. The workplace can be a scene of prejudice, discrimination, rejection and harassment, for people affected by HIV, and those feelings are fuelled by ignorance and fear of infection. HIV-positive employees suffer high levels of depression, anxiety, fear and a great degree of uncertainty associated with the diagnosis. Instead of rejecting, stigmatising and isolating positive employees, a collective commitment is needed by the workplace to treat positive employees with dignity and respect. Because the workplace is such an important element in the individual's life, it has been demonstrated to be life lengthening and fulfilling for employees to remain in familiar, supportive and productive surroundings even after being diagnosed HIV-positive (Masi, 1993). The researcher examined how HIV affects employee functioning in the work environment. A qualitative research design is followed using a framework based on Straus and Corbin (1990). Purposive, non-probability sampling is used. Data is captured by using an unstructured, open-ended interview schedule. In this study data analysis is completed manually. Literature is reviewed to validate the findings and lastly conclusions and recommendations are presented.

With mobile phones almost being ubiquitous in most communities, the electronic payment industry has realised the potential of using mobile phones as devices that can be used to conduct electronic payments. This realisation has led to an increase in the number of mobile payment solutions, which are being deployed for use by the public. However, these mobile payment solutions have not been widely adopted, especially by the citizens who are residing in the townships. Thus, this study investigates the factors that inhibit township residents from adopting mobile payments. The study was done at the Soshanguve township on the outskirts of Pretoria in Gauteng, South Africa. The study adopted a mixed method approach to collect data. Phase 1 relied on the interviews from a few selected individuals to collect the initial data, once this process was complete; a questionnaire (Phase 2) was developed and distributed to the general community of Soshanguve for data collection, which was qualitatively and quantitatively analysed.the diffusion and use of mobile payments in the townships. Some of the factors are as follows: mobile payments are not easy to use; lack of products to purchase using mobile payments; high costs associated with using mobile payment solutions; lack of trialability of mobile payment solutions; and lack of awareness of mobile payment providers in the townships. The study proposes several guidelines that could help developers and operators of mobile payment solutions to design and deploy their solutions in such a way that they are suitable for consumption by the users in township communities. Proposed guidelines are as follows: (1) when a mobile payment solution is launched, effort should be made to market it to the target market; (2) potential adopters of mobile payments should be able to try it without incurring any financial penalties; (3) mobile payments should be easier to use; (4) mobile payment security features should be apparent to the potential adopters in order to alleviate their fears; (5) mobile payment solutions should be designed according to the needs of the target market as one size fits all does not work; (6) mobile payment solutions should fulfill a need which is not met by the current alternatives or it should offer more value than the existing alternatives; (7) the cost of conducting mobile payments should be affordable; and (8) the regulator should develop legislation that stimulates innovation and competition while ensuring the security of mobile payments. / Computing / M. Sc. (Computing)