The 21st century has witnessed a radical change in the status of sexual minorities, the world over, with this change having a profound impact in the global North, in particular. A series of landmark United Nations, regional and national court decisions, inspired by the increasing effective lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual (LGBT) lobby, are progressively announcing the end of institutionalised discrimination which had been the lot of homosexual persons for centuries in many part of the world. However, while there has been a statutory shift towards the welcoming of homosexual persons in the West and in parts of Latin America, thus gradually recognising the injustice synonymous with discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, African states remain less likely to respect homosexual persons' rights. The Nigerian LGBT experience exemplifies the regressive position in many African states. Not only have laws been enacted that criminalise homosexuality in Nigeria; existing laws have in 2014 been strengthened by newer, ever more stringent anti-homosexuality legislation. The most notable anti-homosexuality law is the Same-Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act, (SSMPA) 2013, signed into law in January 2014 by then President Goodluck Jonathan. Unlike the anti-sodomy provisions in the criminal and penal codes inherited from the British colonial rulers and the provisions of the Sharia legal codes in operation in some of the states of northern Nigeria, the controversial SSMPA explicitly criminalises same-sex marriage and goes further by also criminalising broader categories of homosexual related conduct throughout the territory of Nigeria. This thesis argues that Nigerian laws criminalising consensual adult homosexual conduct prima facie violate the human rights provision of the Nigerian Constitution and Nigeria’s international law obligations. The thesis takes a holistic view of the major cultural, religious and moral arguments proposed by opponents of sexual minority rights in their efforts to justify the continued discrimination of homosexual persons and same-sex consensual sexual conduct in Nigeria. The study aims to contest the validity of these arguments by presenting a case for the decriminalisation of homosexual acts in Nigeria through such instruments as judicial intervention, legislative enactment, executive action and sexual minorities’ rights activism. This study highlights the fact that people do not choose their sexual orientation and that consensual adult homosexual conduct is no more inherently harmful to others than heterosexual acts. Contrary to the widespread belief in Nigeria that consensual adult homosexual conduct is based on imported Western values, this study underlines that homosexuality has been an undeniable fact of human existence predating colonialism – also in what today is Nigeria. In this regard, by demonstrating the surprising tolerance toward homosexuals in pre-colonial Idomaland, this study further confirms the notion that consensual adult homosexual conduct is not a Western import. In the process, this study sheds new light on pre-colonial attitudes to homosexuality in Idomaland, North Central Nigeria, where no prior field research has been conducted. The study further discredits the religious objection to consensual adult homosexual conduct by adopting a contextual reading of Islam and Christianity, the two dominant religions in Nigeria, thus allowing for the co-existence of religious beliefs and the protection of sexual minorities. This study affirms that the moral objection to consensual adult homosexual acts fails for the very reason that such practices do not cause harm to either society or other individuals. This study fits Isaiah Berlin’s conception of liberty as individual autonomy into the argument for the liberalisation of Nigerian sexual minorities’ environment. The application of Berlin’s concept of negative liberty to the Nigerian homosexual environment supports the affirmation of sexual minority rights as fundamental human rights. / Thesis (LLD)--University of Pretoria, 2018. / Centre for Human Rights / LLD / Unrestricted

The ability of the spatial orientation of the reptiles is not fully researched yet. It is unknown if reptiles use only simple types of navigation, for example cue learning (one key mark), or more difficult types, for example allothetic navigation (combination of marks) or cognitive map (mental representation of the area). The main aim of this thesis was examine the possibility of the spatial orientation in lizard leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius) in modificated Morris water maze (MWM). Design of the experiments was based on Parallel Map Theory, a theory which describes using spatial information from more navigation frames. The leopard gecko preferences of orientation frames were tested . That means the ability to combinate the spatial information from the bearing maps (one mark and gradient) and the sketch maps (local marks). This ability is prerequisite for creating the integrated map. The research was also focused on the significance of the simple cue learning strategy and cognitive more difficult allothetic navigation for the orientation of leopard gecko. Leopard geckos can use the combination of information from the navigation frames, which indicate the possibility of integrated map creation. Usage of navigation strategies is individual. Keywords: reptiles, leopard gecko, spatial...

Prior research defines brand orientation as an approach in which the processes of the organization revolve around the creation, development and protection of brand identity in an ongoing interaction with target customers with the aim of achieving lasting competitive advantages in the form of brands (Urde, 1999). This research paper examines how marketing managers perceive corporate brand orientation with a Financial services company, namely Standard Bank Group Limited (Standard Bank) and what influence cross-functional integration has in enhancing the level of brand orientation. The study design was non-experimental and convenience sampling used. The data was collected within the Group and South African marketing functions of Standard Bank both of which are located within South Africa. The survey was delivered to 131 respondents across 30 marketing functions with the unit of analysis being each employee within their respective teams. The research results indicate that cross-functional integration variables of compensation, multifunctional training and cross-functional teams have a positive influence on brand orientation. The findings from this research can contribute to the body of knowledge within the domain of building corporate brand orientation within the financial services industry, specifically with regards to implications for marketing leadership in terms of improving the performance of the marketing department. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

Unrestricted Abstract The collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War resulted in dramatic changes in the international arena, and the American-led liberal hegemonic order declared its triumph against Warsaw Pact which it had struggled against since the post-World War II era. However, this newly formed unipolar international political system intrinsically contained the nucleus of the transition period to the ascendant multipolar world order. On the contrary to static characteristics of the Cold War period, the post-Cold War atmosphere was more dynamic. Therefore, the United States had been trying to adapt itself to these challenging circumstances at the crack of dawn of a multipolar world order which will be based on power struggle against global and regional rivals like Russia, China, India, the European Union, Iran or Turkey. In this regard, countries such as Turkey, who would like to obtain tangible benefits from these global and regional vacuums of power as a result of power struggle among various countries which is imminently stemming from rivalries in the new global context, review their traditional security alliances and seek new foreign policy alternatives in order to balance these power relations and to adapt themselves to the new international situation. Hence, this thesis focuses on...

A positive relationship between economic growth and entrepreneurship has been established as derived from the body of knowledge in the domain of entrepreneurship. In acknowledgement of this relationship, governments have embarked on schemes and policies that encourage entrepreneurship in their economic development policies. The individual entrepreneur is a key player in new entrepreneurial venture process. The entire society is responsible for shaping an environment within which a behaviour pattern that promotes or hinders entrepreneurship is developed. The study mainly focused on understanding the behavioural phenomenon which is termed entrepreneurial orientation (EO) of engineers within the South African context. The assumed EO of entrepreneurial engineers was expected to be higher than that of non-entrepreneurial engineers. Cronbach Alpha’s tests found the prestructured EO scale to be reliable. T-test results for mean difference confirmed that entrepreneurs have a higher EO on the overal EO construct as well as on the autonomy, proactiveness and risk taking dimemensions.Factor analysis results supported the view that the EO construct is unidimensional. Situational factors that shaped the social environment alluded to above were studied as a secondary objective. Chi-square tests did not confirm the expectation that entrepreneurial engineers would be exposed to situational factors that promote entrepreneurship than their non-entrepreneurial counter parts. Lack of entrepreneurial education and finance have been identified as the key factors that hamper entrepreneurship. Recommendations are included in this report.Copyright / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

To streamline and improce their service delivery systems, service organizations have much to learn from their manufacturing counterparts in the use of quality and process improvement tools. The purpose of this article is to present a practical framework which integrates these tools in order to enhance the efficiency and customer orientation of service delivery systems. Two examples are used to illustrate the application of the framework. Also practical guidelines to facilitate the implementation of the proposed framework are offered.

This study empirically examines the impact of quality effort orientation on the financial performance of certified Portuguese firms. The results of factor analysis revealed four quality efforts orientation factors. The results of cluster analysis revealed the existence of three distinct groups of firms with regard to quality efforts orientation and performance. The analysis of variance results revealed that firms with a quality efforts orientation focusing on the customer tends to outperform firms utilising other quality efforts orientation with regard to net profit after taxes.

Purpose: This paper seeks to examine the nature of relationships between six organizational support mechanisms, a personal resource, and selected psychological and behavioral work outcomes. A related objective of the study is to uncover whether these relationships exhibit similar patterns between employees with different characteristics. Design/methodology/approach: Data for the study were collected from the employees of a large bank in New Zealand. Usable responses were obtained from 530 employees. Findings: Results show that supervisory support is most closely associated with psychological work outcomes. On the other hand, job performance is more susceptible to influences of service technology and empowerment. Also customer orientation, as a personal resource, impacts job performance. Research limitations/implications: Using multiple-informants (e.g. measuring frontline employees' job performance on the basis of their supervisors' or customers' assessments) would help minimize common-method variance. To cross-validate our results, replication studies among other samples of frontline employees in banking as well as other service settings are in order. Practical implications: To fuel greater affective organizational commitment and job satisfaction among frontline employees and to reduce their turnover intentions, management must take proactive actions for the frontline employees to receive support and encouragement from their supervisors. Instituting a structured mentoring program and providing training programs to supervisors in support skills can also pay dividends. Originality/value: The study shows that an undifferentiated approach is warranted in managing employees. Similar strategies would be equally effective in inducing favorable and reducing negative affective and performance outcomes among employees with different demographic characteristics.

This study expands upon previous research on the antecedents (job demands and job resources) and outcomes of frontline employee burnout, and examines the role of customer orientation (CO) in the burnout process. Using data from frontline bank employees in New Zealand, we investigate both the direct relationships of CO to burnout and job outcomes (job performance and turnover intentions) and the buffering role of CO concerning the relationships between job demands, burnout, and job outcomes. The study results show that burnout mediates the effects of job demands and job resources on job performance and turnover intentions. Besides being directly related to burnout and job performance, CO also buffers the dysfunctional effects of job demands on burnout and job outcomes. Implications of the results are discussed and future research avenues are offered.

Sleep problems are robust suicide risk correlates. According to the interpersonal theory of suicide, thwarted belongingness (TB) and perceived burdensomeness (PB) may explain the link between sleep problems and suicide risk. This study examined these relationships among 331 community-dwelling adults identifying as sexual and/or gender minorities. Self-report measures of sleep problems, TB, PB, suicide risk, and anxiety were completed. Bootstrap mediation analyses were conducted to test TB and PB as interacting, individual, and parallel explanatory factors linking sleep problems and suicide risk. Sleep problems were associated with greater TB, PB, and suicide risk. TB and PB, in parallel and individually, accounted for the relationship between sleep problems and suicide risk, beyond age and anxiety. In contrast to the interpersonal theory, the indirect effect of PB was stronger at lower levels of TB and the indirect effect of TB was stronger at lower levels of PB. Exploratory analyses indicated significant differences between sexual minorities, gender minorities, and individuals identifying as both sexual and gender minorities: the indirect effect of sleep problems on suicide risk through PB was descriptively strongest among sexual minorities, and the indirect effect through TB was descriptively stronger among gender minorities and individuals identifying with both minority groups. Findings suggest that intervening upon TB and PB may thwart the trajectory from sleep problems to suicide risk among sexual and gender minorities. Further work is needed to determine whether suicide risk pathways differ across minority groups.