Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Technology: Public Management in the Faculty of Business at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology 2014 / Thousands of refugees fleeing from surrounding war-torn and destitute African countries come to South Africa hoping to live in safety. Refugee service providers play a major role in providing services to help refugees achieve self-sufficiency soon after entering the country, and the support and assistance required to rebuild their lives and integrate into South African society. The study investigated issues facing refugees in South Africa, particularly in Cape Town, and how service providers assist them in overcoming the hardships of being unprepared in a foreign country. The researcher followed a mixed methods approach, implementing both qualitative and quantitative research methods to explore services provided to refugees in Cape Town by three refugee service providers, namely the Agency for Refugee Education, Skills Training and Advocacy (ARESTA), Cape Town Refugee Centre (CTRC) and Scalabrini Centre of Cape Town (SCCT). Quantitative data was collected by administering a survey questionnaire to 120 refugees, all clients of the selected service providers, to obtain their perceptions about the services they receive. The researcher also conducted semi-structured interviews with senior staff of two of the service providers to gain insight into the services offered and challenges they face in assisting their clients. The study revealed that the majority of clients received assistance, with 75 percent of respondents reporting having received assistance and only 6.67 percent reporting not having received the requested assistance. However, some who had received services indicated too few services were on offer for them to choose from; they took what was offered although these may not have been what they really required. Reasons some refugees do not get services include lack of proper documentation and problems related to the non-availability of the services required by refugees. This is largely due to insufficient funding to provide needed services, and results in refugee service providers either serving only a few people or providing insufficient aid. The study highlights good practices, suggests improvements and concludes with recommendations for the key stakeholders concerned.

Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Magister of Technologiae: PUBLIC MANAGEMENT in the Faculty of BUSINESS at the CAPE PENINSULA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY 2013 / Investment Promotion Agencies act as economic development conduits which seek not only just to undertake promotion, but also to improve the wider environment for investors by liaising and initiating change. As a result, worldwide governments have set up Investment Promotion Agencies (IPAs) to advance investment goals and by extension economic development in the context of a dynamic and competitive environment. Yet, little empirical research is done, especially in the developing world with a view to enhance the working practices of IPAs. This study investigated the effectiveness and quality of services provided by Mozambique’s Centre for the Promotion of Investment (CPI) from the perspective of both local and foreign investors. A quantitative approach by way of an online questionnaire was employed in the study. The data generated was analysed with the assistance of a registered statistician. The study found that most of the participants (local and foreign investors in Mozambique) do not make use of the services which the CPI is mandated to offer such as company registration; registration with the Fiscal Department and the publishing of company constitution in the government gazette, to name but a few. Furthermore, investors who have accessed the above services indicated a lack of service quality by the CPI. In the wider environment, the study found areas of concern such as an inadequate accounting system and a lack of proper coordination among the stakeholders involved in the process of setting up a business in Mozambique.

Dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Technology: Office Management and Technology in the Faculty of Business at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology 2013 / Employees are important to any business and without them businesses could be unsuccessful. This is particularly the case with micro retail businesses where employees are in direct contact with customers and more often than not, generate most of the revenue. Staff turnover on the other hand, may play a significant role and have an impact on business performance especially, in micro retail businesses. The success of micro retail businesses may be in understanding the possible causes of staff turnover and explored in this research. The aim of this research is to ascertain what causes staff turnover within micro retail businesses in Cape Town, South Africa, and how this can be reduced or prevented. To satisfy this goal, the research problem formulated as: It is unknown what interventions are needed for micro retail businesses to retain their staff The researcher conducted extensive literature analysis to understand the theoretical background and the possible factors that cause high staff turnover in micro retail businesses. Thereafter, the researcher uncovers the drivers causing staff turnover in micro retail businesses using a survey study. The research population is micro retail businesses in Cape Town, South Africa. Due to the nature of this research, a purposive sampling method is found to be the most appropriate. Questionnaires are used to collect primary data, whereas literature analysis assists with obtaining secondary data. The researcher found that remuneration, physical and employment working conditions and working hours are the top three most likely causes of staff turnover in micro retail businesses in Cape Town, South Africa. The researcher recommended that businesses should offer relevant and competitive remuneration packages, provide safe and secure working environments and arrange fair shift patterns. These would assist micro retail businesses to prevent or at least reduce high staff turnover.

Dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Technology: Internal Auditing in the Faculty of Business at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology 2013 / At present, South African Small Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) play an important role in the stimulation of the national economy. Despite the above, prior research shows that the failure rate of these entities is exceedingly high. Several factors which impact on SMME sustainability have been identified by prior research and as a result SMME sustainability has received attention from both local- and national Government. One of the factors, which is perceived as a major contributor towards the high failure rate of SMMEs, is the lack of proper internal controls. The responsibility to implement internal controls and internal control frameworks, including the task to ensure that these controls are optimally used, lies with management. In essence, it can be said that a business that is uncontrollable, is ultimately, unmanageable. The analogy was made by the author that “SMMEs are perceived as not sustainable owing to the utilisation of inadequate internal controls”. With the absence of adequate internal controls, an environment would be created where a business is susceptible to all kinds of detrimental risks (for example, fraud risk). When these risks are realised within a small business environment the overall sustainability of such a business will, more often than not, be negatively impacted upon. The main objective of this study was to determine the degree to which the implementation of an adequate system of internal controls can help to improve SMMEs’ sustainability. The research that was conducted was empirical in nature and fell within the ambit of the positivistic research paradigm. The logical stance that was undertaken in this study was that of deductive reasoning and, furthermore, this research was regarded as applied research which incorporated quantitative research characteristics. To achieve the above dispensation, questionnaires were administered and distributed to 110 owners and/or managers of SMMEs which operated within the fast moving consumer goods industry, situated in the Cape Peninsula. The non-probability sampling technique that was executed comprised of purposive sampling, and data that were collected from this research was analysed by deploying descriptive and inferential statistics. Lastly, the research conducted found that SMMEs have implemented internal controls as part of their business measures; however, the issue remains that a majority of these SMMEs are not aware of formal internal control frameworks to further enhance their existing internal control processes. To remedy the above concern, the author was of the perception that respondents should be trained on formal internal control frameworks in order to address the concern of limited awareness of existing internal control frameworks.

Thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Technology: Human Resource Management In The Faculty of Business At The Cape Peninsula University of Technology 2013 / This paper aims to determine if there is a relationship between performance management and organisational performance owing to a lack of staff motivation. If there is such a relationship the paper aims to investigate implementation of performance management for a selected company in the construction industry. The paper begins by outlining the background and history of the construction industry and presents a review of literature of performance management which provides insight into the topic. The paper examined different views of performance management from both practitioners and organisations and discusses the aims, benefits and shortcomings of performance management. Additionally, different evaluation methods and performance measurement methods were investigated to provide an in-depth understanding of the topic. The background and overview of the selected company in the construction industry was discussed. The paper used a case study and qualitative research approach. The results of the research prove that there is an inverse relationship between performance management and the lack of motivation that affects organisational performance. The paper concludes by showing that the selected company is in need of a performance management system and suggesting the development of a performance management system that should support a culture, which is based on feedback and communication. A framework is presented which ensures that effective strategies are deployed to adopt a performance management system.

DISSERTATION Submitted in partial (50%) fulfilment of the requirements for the degree MAGISTER TECHNOLOGIAE in BUSINESS INFORMATION SYSTEMS in the FACULTY OF BUSINESS INFORMATICS at the CAPE PENINSULA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY 2005 / The growth of the World Wide Web has spawned a wide collection of new information sources, which has also left users with the daunting task of determining which sources are valid. Most users rely on the web because of the low cost of information retrieval. Other advantages of the web include the convenience in terms of time and access as well as the ability to easily record results. It is also claimed that the web has evolved into a powerful business tool. Examples include highly popular business services such as Amazon.com and Kalahari.net. It is estimated that around 80% of users utilise search engines to locate information on the Internet. This of course places emphasis on the underlying importance of webpages being listed on search engines indices. It is in the interest of any company to pursue a strategy for ensuring a high search engine ranking for their e-Commerce website. This will result in more visits from users and possibly more sales. One of the strategies for ensuring a high search engine ranking is the placement of keywords in the body text section of a webpage. Empirical evidence that the placement of keywords in certain areas of the body text will have an influence on the websites’ visibility to search engines could not be found. The author set out to prove or disprove that keywords in the body text of a webpage will have a measurable effect on the visibility of a website to search engine crawlers. From the findings of this research it will be possible to create a guide for e- Commerce website authors on the usage, placing and density of keywords within their websites. This guide, although it will only focus on one aspect of search engine visibility, could help e-Commerce websites to attract more visitors and to become more profitable.

Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Technology: Business Information Systems in the Faculty of Business at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology 2013 / Event management is a very competitive field; therefore, event managers must work hard to distinguish themselves from other event management companies. One way of doing this is by using event management software to provide a holistic service which allows for better efficiency in the workplace. Technology is constantly changing; therefore it is imperative to keep abreast of trends in technology in order to improve one’s business and services. As an event manager, one should also consider what it takes in order to organise a successful event. The internationally accredited Event Management Body of Knowledge (EMBOK) has identified several areas that are crucial for an event manager to constantly control and manage in order to create an exceptional event, and these domain areas encompass a set of guidelines to ensure successful event projects. However, one should determine if the software is able to assist event managers with all the necessary features and functions required to organise a successful event as per the outline from EMBOK. The research aimed to analyse the software in terms of its capabilities and compare it to the EMBOK guidelines. The aim of the study was to further identify whether the software is able to complete all the tasks outlined by EMBOK and if not, what else would be needed to fill the gaps. The research also reviewed what impact the software has on events, that is, how it assists or improves tasks conducted or how it does not assist or becomes problematic in accomplishing the various phases and tasks. Qualitative research was selected as the appropriate method in order to gain an understanding of the events managers’ point of view with regards to the software. The research required detailed descriptions and narratives of the software as well as the experiences and opinions of the user. For this reason it was determined that qualitative research would best suit the needs of the research. In order to get detailed answers a semi-structured in-depth interview guide was used and the answers transcribed in order to analyse and get results. The software was selected based on its international usability and because of its use by South African government departments such as the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRC) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). The Cape Town-based individuals from the software’s client list were contacted and selected to participate in the study. The research was conducted with five representatives with previous experience of the software in the events industry in Cape Town. The interview guides were compiled with Likert-scale questions and open-ended questions. The questions were carefully compiled to link the functionality of the software and the criteria as identified by EMBOK. The answers were recorded and transcribed to analyse and determine the opinions of the representatives on the functionality and comprehensiveness of the software to be used for event management. The interviews established that the move towards technology is preferable as it creates efficiency in the workplace. The software assists in alleviating the workload of event managers; however, the interviews also indicated that the software does not always fulfil the requirements for all the tasks. Several tasks required the use of combinations of software; in some instances, the manager preferred to do the task manually. It was concluded that the software does not provide the level of flexibility required in event management, which is a vital criterion, owing to the field’s changing nature.

Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Technology: Business Administration (Entrepreneurship) in the Faculty of Business at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology 2014 / The world’s population continues to grow, while job creation opportunities shrink, particularly among young people. Youth unemployment is among key global challenges that may continue to persist for many years. Recently, the unemployment rate among youth in South Africa was estimated at 70 percent. This could mean that thousands and thousands of young people are living under poverty conditions in this country, which may result in a generation of poverty if this position remains unobserved. Interestingly, entrepreneurship has been adopted world over as a strategic approach to facilitate economic participation among youth. Their engagement in entrepreneurship helps them to achieve economic independence, increase their self-esteem, improve their standards of living, to reduce their dependence on state welfare and improve their emotional intelligence. At the same time, job creation opportunities and a decline in criminal activities as a result of unemployment, will ensure development of economic growth. Despite the above mentioned entrepreneurship benefits, youth in Khayelitsha, where this study is based, may be reluctant in pursuing careers in entrepreneurship, owing to inadequate entrepreneurship development services among them, which appear to the case. The objectives of this study were to find out specific factors that discourage the youth from pursuing entrepreneurship careers, to investigate particular challenges that inhibit expansion of their entrepreneurial ventures, and to describe specific prospects of youth entrepreneurship development in Khayelitsha. The current study adopted a descriptive research design. A quantitative empirical research approach was employed with the help of self-administered questionnaires. A sample of 132 subjects was randomly drawn from a population of 200 youth entrepreneurs who operate and are formally registered as SMMEs within various industries that are registered on the database of a local organisation known as Khayelitsha Youth In Business (KYIB), which promotes and develops entrepreneurship among youth in Khayelitsha. The data that was collected from participants of the current study was captured and analysed with the help of a Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software, based on 77 questionnaires that were returned. The findings were illustrated in tables, bars and pie charts, and the objectives of the study were achieved. It was found that it was not the case that young people in Khayelitsha do not want to pursue careers in entrepreneurship, but rather it was that youth entrepreneurship development is lacking in this community. The current study also revealed that a major factor that inhibits youth entrepreneurship development was the lack of awareness and inaccessibility of entrepreneurship support structures and initiatives in this community. Interestingly though, this hindrance does not appear to have a negative bearing on the identified growing enthusiasm of youth to engage in entrepreneurial activities. Overall, on the basis of the challenges and prospects revealed, recommendations to improve the current situation were made. This study is an applied research effort and its relevance is linked to the fact that it provides a rare insight into the state of youth entrepreneurship in a large but under-researched township community in the Western Cape. The findings and recommendations therefore bear far-reaching ramifications for all stakeholders who are concerned about developing youth entrepreneurship in this society.

Thesis Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Magister Educationis in the Faculty of Education and Social Sciences at the CAPE PENINSULA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY 2007 / When C2005 was introduced in South Africa, teacher training had to be restructured, to be in accordance with Outcomes Based Education. In 2002, C2005 was replaced by the Revised National Curriculum Statement as a refinement of C2005. From 2005, the Curriculum is called National Curriculum Statement (NCS). A close study of the NCS revealed the fact that the Learning Area Arts and Culture provides opportunities for rich and varied learning experiences to take place. The concern of this study is how teachers are dealing with this educational potential, especially in the Visual Arts. Pending the outcome of the research, the possibility of aligning the training of student teachers could be considered, to ascertain that the full potential of the learning area Arts and Culture is accomplished. The outcome of the study could also initiate future research into the possibility of supplementary training for the educators already in practise.

Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Education in the Faculty of Education at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology 2013 / The purpose of this study was to explore teachers‟ perspectives on school bullying with insights from two primary schools in Cape Town. The topic of „bullying‟ is not a new one in research; however this study investigated the factors affecting teachers‟ perspectives on school bullying and how these perspectives affect the way teachers responded to incidents of bullying. The concepts of habitus, capital and field were used to provide a theoretical lens through which to examine the topic. The study was based on a small sample of 31 teachers drawn from two primary schools. The study employed a mixed-method approach in which quantitative and qualitative principles were applied. The study consisted of two phases in which data collection took place. The first was a questionnaire, while the second involved interviews. The application of two data- collecting instruments helped to ensure triangulation, thereby enhancing the credibility of the process. Findings indicated that teachers have various conceptions of bullying; this is partly determined by their gender, but also by the way in which they grew up and experienced bullying themselves as children.