Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / The South African healthcare industry has undergone numerous changes over the last two decades in both the public and private sectors. These changes have influenced the regulatory landscape of both sectors with the aim of improving accessibility to healthcare services and providers, and making healthcare more affordable for the South African public. The South African government introduced the Medical Schemes Act No. 131 of 1998, in response to issues faced in the medical scheme industry. The act allowed for a board of trustees to regulate medical schemes in their governance (McIntyre, Thiede, Nkosi, Mutyambizi, Castilo-Riquelme, Gilson, Erasmus & Goudge, 2007). The main aim was to ensure medical schemes were able to maintain solvency levels and maintain benefits offered to beneficiaries. The pharmaceutical industry saw legislative changes governing the pricing of medicines, generic substitution of medicines and open ownership of pharmacies. The researcher aimed to provide the medical scheme industry with valuable insight into the challenges experienced by pharmacists, when processing and submitting claims for medical scheme members and their beneficiaries. The intention was to enable the medical scheme industry to improve service quality and efficiency in provider relationships, and customer relationships. The research consisted of qualitative and quantitative research methods. A focus group interview consisted of the initial phase, producing qualitative data. The researcher utilised the qualitative data to construct an online questionnaire, which he then sent out through email, to a larger group of retail pharmacists in KwaZulu-Natal. The majority of retail pharmacists who participated in the research had a limited knowledge of all medical schemes and the different options available in South Africa. The majority of pharmacists in both groups were of the opinion that the redesigning and simplification of computer programmes, utilised for submitting prescriptions, would improve efficiency in service delivery. The research further found that the dissemination of information, on a variety of topics, from medical schemes to their members and service providers, should improve to increase efficiency in service delivery and foster better relationships.

LL.M. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

LL.M. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.A. ( Information studies) / Information and knowledge are the new wealth of our time. Knowledge is a resource that is valuable to an organisation's ability to innovate and compete. As every business has to operate in an increasingly competitive and dynamic environment, business managers should base all decisions on their competitive standing in the world economy and the competitiveness of their knowledge competencies. The ability of a company to mobilise and exploit its intangible and invisible assets has become far more important than investing and managing physical, tangible assets ...

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Applied Ethics For Professionals, July 2017 / Health and, by extension, healthcare is accepted to be a valuable and important social good that is both a good in and of itself, as well as necessary to achieve life’s goals. Its fair distribution is therefore properly the subject of ethical concern and in the era of modern medicine where costs and potentially limitless treatments exceed available resources, rationing healthcare has become an unavoidable necessity. Since such rationing implies that not everyone’s needs or preferences can be met, a fair and just way of rationing healthcare is a widely debated and controversial topic that, to date, remains unresolved. Where third-party private funding organisations are tasked with these rationing responsibilities, the ethical complexities are compounded by perceived conflicts between the ethical frameworks that govern corporate organisations versus those that govern healthcare. Given the apparent inability of normative theories to resolve the problem of how to ration healthcare fairly, there has been a shift in thinking to considerations of procedural justice and a dominant model, Accountability for Reasonableness (AFR), has emerged as the favoured procedure for healthcare decision-making. The report shows why health is an important social value and examines the key models and principles that dominate the rationing debate as well as why the conflict between healthcare ethics and organisational ethics create additional complexities that must be considered when making these funding decisions. Furthermore it explores the rationales for resorting to procedural accounts with specific emphasis on the parameters and validity of AFR. The report concludes that even though the AFR framework may be a legitimate and just process that can effectively frame decision-making and provide a platform to drive transparency and consistency, like most procedural accounts, it does not guarantee that the outcomes it produces are necessarily fair or just. Therefore a straightforward application of AFR cannot resolve the healthcare rationing debate which should, given its ethical complexity, continue to appeal to the important ethical principles that currently govern the field. / XL2018

The study aims to investigate the current perceptions of the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIP) for domestic workers in a township called KwaNdengezi, a Durban Metro area, Pretoria section. The study used qualitative research methods to gather and interpret data. A sample consisting of 13 domestic workers, 10 employers of domestic workers, Department of Labour (UIF official) and representative from the South African Domestic and Allied Workers Union (SADAWU) were interviewed. The study found that there are negative perceptions about the policy due to the fact that people (employers and domestic workers) do not understand the policy objectives and how the policy tries to meet these objectives. The study also found that SADAWU was participated in setting the agenda for policy by identifying the problems of domestic workers and petitioning government to address them. Lastly, the study highlighted that the main problem with the implementation of the policy was that it was not communicated clearly enough which has led to many misinterpretations of the policy. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2004.

The research centred around the fact that the existing methods of distributing life and investment products was inefficient and it was decided to research the issue to determine whether a more suitable cost effective method could be developed. Currently the distribution of life and investment products is very expensive and therefore an alternate method of distribution was being explored. This was also endorsed in a survey conducted by the Financial Services Board were it was found that in order for financial services company to survive and compete new models need to be developed to compete in this increasingly globalised industry. Life assurance and investment products in South Africa and elsewhere in the world is sold by agents who are employed by the life assurance and investment companies. More recently other distribution channels have emerged and these include the internet, direct mail and call centres. The share of business that is obtained through these means is also an interesting feature to explore when investigating the methods used by new entrants to this multi billion rand industry. The situation prevailing in the local industry is that independent brokers secures a contract with the life company's and this places the broker in a position to market the company's products through the use of business consultants. There are significant costs associated with the current model of distributing the companies' products. These are broker consultant salaries, car allowances and traveling expenses, entertainment expenses, overriding commission on the business sold by the broker they servIce, management and support staff expenses and related expenses. The proposed model will have following characteristics. • Have distribution contracts with all independent brokers. • Using the franchise methods of training and recruiting business consultants. • Variable costing methods in determining payments for service delivered. • This method would also significantly reduce the cost of distribution by the new entrants into this multi billion rand industry. In the final analysis it was shown that the third party distributor would make a difference to the manner in which life and investments products is distributed in this dynamically changing industry. / Theses (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2006.

The Department of Health (DOH) has embarked on a noble initiative to address the disproportionate distribution of resources and spending within the public and private healthcare sectors. Social Health Insurance (SHI) has thus been mooted as the vehicle to obtain a more equitable healthcare dispensation. This thesis explores the state of preparedness of the DOH, for the implementation of SHI. Ten aspects of health have been identified which will assist in determining if sufficient reforms have been implemented to facilitate the successful implementation of SHI. The prospective mechanism of financing of SHI is compared to the highly acclaimed model employed by the Australian Department of Health. Two research methodologies have been utilized viz. the case study approach and semi structured interviews, to provide comprehensive data. This enabled the researcher to adequately answer the research question. The responses from the respondents on the 10 aspects of healthcare have been arranged into themes to facilitate a greater understanding of the issues being highlighted. Established strategic management instruments have been utilized to analyze the data obtained and evaluate the preparedness of the DOH for the implementation of SHI. Following the data analysis, recommendations are proposed that would facilitate the successful implementation of SHI, thereby promoting its viability and sustainability in providing quality healthcare to all who call South Africa home. / Thesis (MBA)--University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2006.

Thesis submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master Technologiae: Biomedical Technology In the Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences At the CAPE PENINSULA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY 2014 / Over the past few decades, it has been shown that various critical diseases including heart disease, cancer, and diabetes associated with free radical generation and low endogenous antioxidant capacity, lead to oxidative stress and cell injury. In recent years, numerous studies have also reported that antioxidants, present in various beverages, vegetables and some foods have attracted a significant research interest due to their potential benefits to human health. However, epidemiological evidence shows a correlation between the intake of food rich in antioxidants and the reduced incidence of some mortality of chronic diseases, certain cancers and coronary heart disease. The aims of this study were to determine the effects of rooibos teas (fermented and unfermented) and green tea as a comparison on the biochemical parameters and the trace element absorption in a rat model. In this study 4 groups of experimental animals were used. All groups had ad libitum access to standard rat chow. Group A, the controls (11 animals), were fed with tap water; group B (11 animals) were fed with the liquid extract of fermented rooibos tea; group C (9 animals) were fed with the liquid extracts of unfermented rooibos and group D (9 animals) were fed with the liquid extract of green tea. All groups were fed for a period of 10 weeks. After the feeding period, the animals were sacrificed by euthanization with intraperitoneal injections of pentobarbital. Blood was sampled by cardiac puncture and centrifuged to obtain the serum. Some elemental analyses were performed with X-ray emission and backscattering. ICP-OES was used to determine the magnesium content. For X-ray emission, backscattering and ICP-OES analyses, 100 μL of each serum sample in a group were added to 2 mL freeze-drying tube. Of the combined specimen, 100 μL was used for the magnesium determination by ICP-OES. The remainder of the combined serum specimens for each group were freeze-dried at -80 ºC and then pressed into a pellet. The pellet was coated with carbon and analyzed using X-ray emission and backscattering. The elemental X-rays of P, S, Ca, Mn, Fe, Cu, Co, Zn, Mo, Ca and Se emitted were quantified to obtain the respective concentrations. Biochemical chemistry analyses were performed on each serum sample of each animal. The biochemical parameters tested for were total protein, albumin, globulin, total bilirubin, lactate dehydrogenase, blood urea nitrogen, uric acid, total cholesterol, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, creatine phosphokinase and creatinine. The P concentration increased (p=0.028) when fed with the fermented rooibos tea liquid extract and S content increased when fed with the - the unfermented tea liquid extract (p=0.041). The concentrations of Cl and Cr were not affected (p>0.05) by any of tea liquid extracts. The unfermented rooibos tea liquid extract and the green tea indicated a decrease in the concentrations of Fe (p=0.031 and p=0.032, respectively) and Mn (p=0.041 and p=0.034, respectively). The concentrations of Fe, Zn and Cu in the serum increased when feeding with fermented rooibos tea liquid extract (p=0.024; p=0.030 and p=0.015, respectively) while Se, Mo and Mg concentrations were decreased by the liquid extracts of the fermented, unfermented and green teas (p=0.014, p=0.017 and p=0.011; p=0.024, p=0.026 and p=0.019; p=0.031, p=0.034 and p=0.025, respectively). Concerning the biochemical parameters, the total protein, globulin and the uric acid contents in the serum sample were slightly affected with the green tea extract (p=0.041, p=0.039 and p=0.047 respectively). The albumin, lactate dehydrogenase, blood urea nitrogen, the total cholesterol, the alanine aminotransferase and the aspartate aminotransferase concentrations were not affected (p>0) by any of the tea liquid extracts. However, the total bilirubin content was decreased (p=0.012) when feeding with the fermented rooibos group while the creatine phosphokinase and the creatinine contents were decreased (p=0.042 and p=0.033, respectively) when feeding with the unfermented rooibos tea liquid extract.

Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Technology Project Management in the Faculty of Business at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology 2014 / In past, the impact of communication on project quality did not receive considerable attention, perhaps since the inception of project management as the field of enquiry. This is in spite of the fact that the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) has nine knowledge areas, and amongst these elements, communication is regarded as an integral part of these aspects of project quality. While (in principle) communication is regarded as a core element of project quality, in practice, the four core elements, which are used to determine the success of the project are time, cost, scope, and quality. This study aims to investigate the effects of communication on project quality with reference to the Facilities Management Project at a the Life Assurance Company located in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa. The services, which are offered by facility management companies differ across the spectrum of companies, but most of these services include build operations, maintenance, real estate, human and environmental factors , project management, space planning, basic management activities, finance, quality assessment, communication and general administrative support. The major question that the study seeks to address is to determine if stakeholder communication impacts on the quality of projects at all. The research used qualitative methodology research design to approach data collection and analysis, which was supported by survey questionnaires to analyse the effect of communication on Facility Management project quality. In this context, project quality is determined by the extent to which project outcomes meet the needs and expectations of project-end users. The researcher argues that these expectations must be communicated in order to improve the success of the project (i.e. project quality). With regard to the FMU project at the Life Assurance Company, the study revealed that stakeholder communication is crucial and hence it is a core essential element, which affects the quality of FMU projects. The study also revealed that in recent years, tenants have expressed their dissatisfaction about projects that are executed by the facility management division. The major problem for the tenant’s dissatisfaction appeared to stem from the lack of stakeholder communication during facility management projects. This dissatisfaction has led to tenants rating facility management projects quality as poor. In view of these challenges, the study thus concludes with an analysis of stakeholder communication at the life assurance company and its impact on the quality of facility management projects. The findings of the study suggest that communication amongst stakeholders is crucial and can affect the quality of projects. Even though tenants were the custodians of the facility management projects, they only received limited information during the project life cycle. In some instances, communication in the form of layout design, held desk and telephone, were identified as major communication channels that are used to facilitate communication. However, there was a lack of communication with respect to decision-making about the project across the project lifecycle and thus the study recommended that stakeholder communication should occur in all project phases.