Magister Bibliothecologiae - MBibl / The purpose of this study was to investigate plagiarism among undergraduate students at a higher education institution in South Africa. There is evidence from previous studies that plagiarism is increasing world wide among higher education students. The emergence of the Internet has made plagiarizing worse as students can easily copy and paste information from the World Wide Web. This study investigated the occurrence, causes and trends of plagiarism among students in the Faculty of Applied Science at a higher education institution. It also examines student awareness of institutional policies and guidelines regarding plagiarism. The methodology used to achieve the desired outcomes of this study was a quantitative research method. It involved the distribution of questionnaires to undergraduate students to gain information about certain aspects of student plagiarism. The participants were first, second and third year students of the departments of Chemistry and Mathematical Technology within the Faculty of Applied Science. The results of the study confirm that student plagiarism is fairly common within the departments of Chemistry and Mathematical Technology. The study shows that 41% of undergraduate students think that plagiarism is very serious, but plagiarism is still being practiced within these departments. It was also found that 73% of students admit to using the Internet to compile their assignments. This implies that the Internet is the most possible source of plagiarism. Students also used books and journal articles as possible sources to plagiarise. The study made recommendations regarding how a higher education institution can reduce incidences of plagiarism and make students more aware of the implications and penalties involved. Immediate responses that this higher education institution can do to prevent plagiarism, includes teaching students to be information literate, teaching referencing techniques and academic writing. Students must be assisted in understanding plagiarism by being made aware of the different forms of plagiarism and how to avoid being accused thereof. The institution must also fight technology with technology by investing in plagiarism detection software that will help academic staff to identify copied pieces of information. It is the responsibility of any higher education institution to create policies and guidelines regarding plagiarism and to ensure students are aware of their existence. Students should be informed about the procedures that will be implemented when dealing with cases of plagiarism

Employees who choose to leave employment cause significant challenges for organizations. Compounded challenges exist when employee retention strategies are not effective, affecting job satisfaction and personnel replacement costs as the organization continues to lose qualified and valuable staff. This single case study, built on a psychological contract theory framework, was focused on effective employee retention strategies to reduce voluntary turnover in a for-profit, higher education institution located in the Midwestern United States. The population consisted of 12 employees, 6 Student Success employees and 6 Student Success managers, who shared their unique perspectives. Methodological triangulation was achieved through semistructured interviews with the 12 participants, review of the institution's archival data, and examination of the institution's mission statement. The data analysis process consisted of a manual and systematic coding procedure for the 3 sources of inquiry. Three strategies emerged in the findings: relationship management, work environment, and career development. Moreover, participants agreed that the employee-employer relationship was critically important to job satisfaction and developing effective retention strategies. The study has implications for positive social change, in that higher educational institutions may apply the findings to create a more enjoyable work environment and retain happier employees, thereby promoting financial, economic, and social improvements for communities.

There has been an increase in literature involving female academic staff on precarious employment contracts and how they balance their work and family lives. However, research involving male academic staff on insecure contracts with children is limited, particularly within the South African context. My thesis addressed this gap by exploring how precariously employed men in higher education institutions in Cape Town understand the concepts of fatherhood, their own practices of fathering, and what influence their employment has on their involvement with their children. Given that precarious employment in higher education institutions is a salient problem in South Africa, this study investigated the ways in which such employment conditions in higher education shape fathering practices. This study was informed by a broader study, which aimed to understand (a) how men in precarious employment in the formal and informal employment sectors define fatherhood, (b) what practices they associate with fathering, and (c) how, if at all, their employment conditions shape their fathering practices. I conducted a qualitative research study using purposive and snowball sampling methods to procure a sample of seven men aged 34 to 57 years old. Data was collected through individual, semi-structured interviews. I used Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis to understand the fathers' experiences. Findings from the study show that fatherhood is constructed through the participants' ability to provide for their families and be responsible role models to their children. Having a good relationship with their children is important for the men, and they establish these relationships by spending time with their children. The findings also show that participants perceived HEIs as exploitative, relying on PhD students who are in the process of establishing their academic careers for teaching purposes. The income received by the men on these non-permanent contracts is not sufficient for them to provide for themselves and their families, and they therefore work multiple jobs so that they can receive a better income. The fathers' experiences also show that precarious employment conditions in higher education institutions enable some fathers to be involved in their children's care due to flexibility in their working hours. However, for some of the men, father and child co-residence was prohibited by migration, resulting in reduced contact with their children.

Business decisions are increasingly being made in the higher education institution (HEI) based on their impact to university rankings, sometimes to the detriment of the HEI mission. HEIs are not homogenous, and rankings are inadequate on their own in capturing HEI excellence. This dissertation took a three-pronged approach in addressing quality and excellence in the HEI. First, a case study adapted the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) for a Financial Aid office in a public HEI, illustrating that, with a few modifications, the BSC is an appropriate and holistic approach to addressing quality in the HEI. The primary modification was to place mission at the top of the BSC, reflecting that each of the strategic objectives should be made with mission in mind. Next, survey methods were used to gain insight from upper administrators at public four-year HEIs regarding perceived quality factors. According to survey results, respondents rated Graduation and Retention as the most important indicator of quality. These results were further used to calculate weights of importance for each quality factor, further comparing these weighted factors to methodologies of three rankings systems, and found that the perceived quality factors identified by the respondents did not align with rankings methodologies. Finally, historical data was used to consider which HEIs moved most in their U.S. News and World Report (USNWR) rankings and peer scores. Higher-ranked HEIs were found to have less movement, and lower-ranked HEIs had more movement. Peer scores were found to be variable, although only by incremental amounts. Multiple regression analysis was used to compare USNWR rankings and objective data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and Top American Research Universities (TARU) publication, finding graduation rate to have the strongest relationship with rankings. Ultimately, the wise HEI will find an appropriate mix of aiming for higher rankings and a focus on its mission, and ideally both would be in alignment.

Earnings by women in dual income families account for a significant portion of a household’s income, which sustains the financial well-being of their families. Cultural expectations and gender role stereotypes around a woman’s role in the family, pose challenges to career growth and retention. The social perception still occurs that women ought to be main caregivers of family members and households, and are more likely than men to have part-time jobs. The aim of the study was to determine the relationships between flexible work, financial well-being, work-life balance, productivity and job satisfaction of employed women. A cross-sectional survey was used with a convenience sample (n = 252) of female support employees, employed in a higher education institution in the North-West province. Findings of the study indicated statistically significant relations between the variables. Another objective was to determine the impact of flexible work, financial well-being, and work-life balance on productivity and job satisfaction. Results indicated that financial well-being, work-life balance and productivity were statistical significant predictors of job satisfaction, and in addition, subjective experiences of productivity serve as partial mediator in the relationship financial well-being and work-life balance on the one hand and job satisfaction on the other hand. / MBA, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Earnings by women in dual income families account for a significant portion of a household’s income, which sustains the financial well-being of their families. Cultural expectations and gender role stereotypes around a woman’s role in the family, pose challenges to career growth and retention. The social perception still occurs that women ought to be main caregivers of family members and households, and are more likely than men to have part-time jobs. The aim of the study was to determine the relationships between flexible work, financial well-being, work-life balance, productivity and job satisfaction of employed women. A cross-sectional survey was used with a convenience sample (n = 252) of female support employees, employed in a higher education institution in the North-West province. Findings of the study indicated statistically significant relations between the variables. Another objective was to determine the impact of flexible work, financial well-being, and work-life balance on productivity and job satisfaction. Results indicated that financial well-being, work-life balance and productivity were statistical significant predictors of job satisfaction, and in addition, subjective experiences of productivity serve as partial mediator in the relationship financial well-being and work-life balance on the one hand and job satisfaction on the other hand. / MBA, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Verandering vind voortdurend op alle gebiede van mense se lewens plaas. Ten einde met 'n veranderende wereld te kan tred hou en aan die behoeftes van die land en sy mense te voldoen, vind daar ook op onderwysgebied in Suid-Afrika, groot veranderinge plaas. Inrigtings betrokke by onderwysersopleiding het oo k die afgelope paar j aar ingrypende herstrukturering ondergaan. Volgens wetgewing moet aile tersiere onderwysinrigtings by die Hoeronderwys-sektor inskakel, wat inkorporering by 'n universiteit oftechnikon beteken. Hierdie studie fokus daarop om vas te stel hoe die dosente verbonde aan 'n tersiere onderwysinrigting die veranderingsproses beleef. Die navorser maak van die k:walitatiewe navorsingsmetode gebruik deur individuele onderhoude met 'n aantal dosente te voer. Hierdie inligting is met behulp van 'n oudio-bandopnemer opgeneem en verbatim transkripsies is daarvan gemaak. Na die ontleding van die transkripsies is faktore geidentifiseer wat emstige stres by die deelnemers veroorsaak tydens die veranderingsproses. Ten slotte is aanbevelings in hierdie verband gemaak. / Change is a constant in all sphere of people's lives. To keep abreast of the changing world and to meet the needs of its people, vast changes are also being implemented in education in South Mrica. Institutions involved in teacher training have also undergone far-reaching restructuring over the past few years. Legislation requires that tertiary education institutions be incorporated into the Higher education sector, which means incorporation into a university or technikon. This study focuses on establishing how the lecturers employed at a tertiary education institution " experience this process of change. The researcher has used the qualitative research method by conducting individual interviews with a number oflecturers. This information was taped and verbatim transcriptions were made of the interviews. Analysis of these transcriptions made it possible to identify factors that have caused serious stress in participants during the process of change. In the end recommendations were made concerning these factors. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Onderwysbestuur)

Internal marketing and internal communication are essential tools to align em-ployees’ mindsets with the necessary tasks which bring about employee satis-faction and organisational prosperity. Electronic newsletters serve as an internal marketing communication medium which can convey the necessary information to employees regarding the organisation’s goals and objectives. They also act as a medium to build relationships with employees and encourage improved service delivery and customer-oriented employee mindsets. Employees’ willingness to make use of electronic newsletters for the purpose of disseminating organisational information is an indication of employees’ acceptance of the organisational information and use thereof in performing organisational tasks successfully as the organisation intends. The purpose of the current study was to determine employees’ acceptance of electronic newsletters, as an internal marketing communication medium, in order to disseminate organisational information which contributes to the attainment of organisational goals, objectives and success. An empirical study was conducted to determine employees’ acceptance of elec-tronic newsletters by means of an adapted technology acceptance model, self-administered, e-mail survey disseminated to employees of a higher education institution. The study followed a quantitative research approach, utilising re-gression in the analysis of the data. Based on the research results, employees do accept the electronic newsletter for the dissemination of organisational information, albeit with suggestions on how it can be better utilised in future. / Business Management / M. Com (Business Management)

The purpose of this study was to explain and describe the perspectives of student nurses at a private nursing education institution (NEI) in the province of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa, on the use of information technology (IT) in nursing education. A quantitative, non-experimental descriptive research design was selected to determine the respondents’ perspectives on IT and identify challenges that they encountered. The target population included all student nurses registered at the private NEI for the Bridging Programme for Enrolled Nurses leading to registration as a General Nurse (R683) and the Advanced Diploma in Medical and Surgical Nursing Science with specialization in either Critical Care, Trauma and Emergency, or Perioperative Nursing (R212). The researcher developed and used a structured self-administered questionnaire for data collection. Data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study highlighted that the respondents acknowledged the importance and benefits of IT in nursing education and the profession, but encountered challenges in using IT. The study found that the respondents owned at least one IT device, used IT frequently for study and work purposes, reported IT competence, and had positive attitudes to IT. The researcher made recommendations to improve the use of IT in nursing education and for further study. / Health Studies / M.A. (Nursing Science)

Cloud computing popularity has continued to be on the increase side, and it has been significant contributory factor to the of 24/7 365 days business culture of the digital 21st century where data and data centers are accessed via the internet through any connected device, anytime and from anywhere. Higher Education Institutions (HEI) or Tertiary Education Institution (TEI) are also among organisations, medium and large, that are tapping into this trend by gradually adopting this technology to reduce their high budgets in the prevailing face of financial shortage. This has particularly made the technology attractive to TEI in developing countries, and more of them are adopting the services being offered by cloud computing. The adoption of this technology however, affects the way and manner by which IT services are being delivered traditionally by the TEI IT or ICT departments. The objective of this study therefore, is to explore the adoption of this phenomenal technology and its impact on the role of traditional IT department in one of the tertiary education institution in the South Western part of Nigeria. The TOE framework adoption model was used to explore the adoption factors, and interviews conducted within the ICT department of the institution as part of the empirical findings process. In contrary to popular belief, no member of the IT staff has lost his or her job yet based on the adoption despite the impact on the skills and culture in service delivery of the department. IT staffs were encouraged to adapt to the change as quickly as possible with trainings given, and the ICT, thus the HEI have value added as most of the services are now available on a 24-hour basis to users, even while off campus and far remote, a dream very difficult and near impossible in the days of full traditional IT services delivery.