The twenty first century has identified knowledge, as opposed to labour, raw materials or capital, as the key resource required by firms. This has created a shift of ownership in relationships between employees and employers since employees own the tools of production through the knowledge they hold (Kinnear & Sutherland, 2000). The employment relationship is undergoing fundamental changes due to international competition, de-regularisation and globalisation which have major implications for attraction, motivation and retention of talented employees (De Vos & Meganck, 2009). Organisations face great challenges and intense competition with almost all strategies being easily replicable by competitors. This has led organisations to begin realising that people are in fact the only real differentiator that can gain the organisation competitive advantage (Munsamy & Bosch Venter, 2009). Turnover of employees costs South Africa millions of rands per annum through decreased productivity, increased accidents and quality problems. Specifically, loss of knowledge workers are identified through costs of hiring and training new employees, loss of institutional knowledge, lower office morale, loss of talent and customer dissatisfaction. It is therefore essential to understand the reasons why employees leave organisations in order to discover how to retain them (Mendes & Stander, 2011; Gaylard, Sutherland & Viedge, 2005). Employee turnover can have several negative consequences. It can be difficult to replace the departed employees and the cost of replacing employees can be exhaustive. Remaining employees can be left feeling demoralised from the loss of valued co-workers and work patterns can be disrupted until replacements are found (Newstrom and Davis, 1997). Bilal, Zia-ur-Rehman, and Raza, (2010) add to this list of negative consequences of turnover as turnover can increase recruitment and training costs, loss of productivity as projects lose continuity, interruption of key activities, increase in mistakes made, or even hiring the wrong person for the position.

In a fast-paced dynamic world, the key to success lies in the ability to accept change and to rapidly respond to demands placed by ever increasing competitive environments. In business, the impact of products and services in meeting or exceeding customer’s expectations in such environments is measured by customer satisfaction and the importance thereof cannot be downplayed, thus providing management with a metric that guides and augments change. Subsequently, these dynamic competitive forces are pushing sectors such as Higher Education into the realm of service industries, where stakeholders such as students and alumni are viewed as customers. Correspondingly, measuring their satisfaction has become important as this provides strategic insight, whilst enhancing academic programmes and the student experience. The purpose of this research study was to identify the factors that determined satisfaction with the MBA programme as viewed by students and the alumni of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University Business School. Furthermore, it advanced the field of stakeholder theory by identifying alumni as a key stakeholder in business schools. Consequently, the research was exploratory and consisted of quantitative and literature components where hypotheses were developed and relationships between factors analysed, in addition to the literature reviewed. The literature introduced key concepts to this study, such as alumni as stakeholder, alumni satisfaction, satisfaction with the MBA programme, measuring alumni satisfaction, MBA alumni networks and alumni communication. The factors that determined alumni satisfaction were identified by means of a statistical analysis of the data collected by the research instruments. Correspondingly, the findings indicate various factors determine satisfaction with the independent variables highlighted in this study, which are the Facilities, the MBA Programme, the Social Experience, the NMMU Business School Alumni Chapter, the NMMU Business School brand and Communication. Furthermore, it was established that there is a significant link between Social Experience, the NMMU Business School Alumni Chapter, the NMMU Business School Brand, Communication and Alumni Satisfaction.As services industries such as Higher Educational Institutions get exposed to competitive pressure, customer satisfaction comes to the fore and there are certain factors that need to be addressed to enhance satisfaction. Subsequently, this study highlights this pressure and satisfaction levels can certainly be improved by the institution across all the independent variables identified, especially in areas such as the NMMU Business School Alumni Chapter and Communication. Consequently, the NMMU Business School, for the first time have metrics to identify the factors that determine satisfaction with the MBA programme as viewed by their alumni and resultantly can strategically benefit by taking the views of their most important stakeholder into account.

From the abstract: Fairy tales aside this study is an analysis of Port Elizabeth harbour development during its first half century from 1820-70. Despite the fact that Port Elizabeth quickly came to dominate Cape trade very little was actually done to improve its port facilities. Superficially the impression one gains from the available material is that everything was done by government not to develop a harbour at Algoa Bay. But the real question is: was harbour development really necessary at Port Elizabeth during the period under consideration? The answer must be no. The lack of facilities certainly did not hinder the massive expansion of wool exports that took place before 1870.

The unique physical features of the child with Down syndrome (DS) may lead to stigmatization and social isolation of the child, as well as their entire families. A child with DS may require some help and constant attention from the primary caregiver and may even be permanently dependent, depending on the severity of DS. The researcher has explored and described the experiences of primary caregivers of children with DS in the Kwazakhele community while caring for these children. The research study employed a qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design. The research population included primary caregivers of children with DS who were between ages of two years and older because a DS diagnosis can be delayed and only be discovered later in life. Purposive sampling was used to select the research participants. The data was collected using in-depth one-on-one interviews, and all interviews were recorded using a voice recorder. Thematic analysis as a version of content analysis was used, meaning the researcher used themes and sub-themes to analyze data with the help of an independent coder. A pilot study was conducted before undertaking the actual research using the same methods and designs as those of the main study. Strategies were implemented throughout the study to ensure trustworthiness and adherence to ethical principles. The study findings revealed that the participants experienced diverse emotions upon initially finding out that their child has DS. The participants indicated that they had to modify their lives including having to give up their personal lives just to ensure that their children got the best care and their full attention. It appeared that some participants got full support from their partners and families, while other participants had no support system. With further exploration, it emerged that the study participants shared some positive experiences with their children with DS. However, they indicated a need for relevant education facilities for their children as well as community support. Recommendations were made with regard to nursing education, nursing practice and nursing research.

Estuaries serve as nursery areas for a large number of estuary-associated fish species. Some of these taxa also use river catchments as nursery areas. During the upstream migration of this latter group, the juveniles are prone to predation by native and alien predatory fish inhabiting the system. The rate of invasion of ecosystems by alien organisms can be directly linked to anthropogenic influences, including both intentional and unintentional introductions by alien organisms into new regions. The largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides, is a facultative piscivorous fish that has been successfully introduced worldwide for the main purpose of sport fishing. Where introduced, it has been found to negatively impact native fish and invertebrate species through predation, competitive exclusion and displacement of indigenous fish species. The aim of this thesis was to investigate the predatory impact of largemouth bass on the estuary-associated Cape moony Monodactylus falciformis, Cape stumpnose Rhabdosargus holubi and freshwater mullet Myxus capensis in the lower Kowie River of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. A combination of approaches was employed during this study. Stomach contents, stable isotopes and fatty acid analyses were employed for the reconstruction of the diet of largemouth bass. Acoustic telemetry was used to elucidate largemouth bass movements, particularly their ability to enter the upper reaches of the Kowie Estuary. Stomach contents and stable isotopes analyses showed that M. salmoides exhibit an ontogenic shift in diet, with small and medium sized individuals consuming the higher proportion of fish prey, while large sized individuals mostly consumed invertebrates such as crabs (Potamonautes sidneyi) and Odonata larvae, while consuming only a small proportion of estuary-associated fish. Fatty acid analysis only showed a direct connection between the fatty acid profiles of largemouth bass and those of M. capensis and M. falciformis. The acoustic telemetry results indicated that some M. salmoides individuals periodically move into the upper reaches of the estuary following river flood events. The results obtained from all these approaches highlight the risk posed by largemouth bass introductions on indigenous fish species, particularly those that enter the areas occupied by these top predators.

In this study an exploration was conducted of change and transformation at an institution of higher education in South Africa using Anstey’s conceptual framework. This framework incorporated the work of major change theorists as well as the balanced scorecard of Kaplan and Norton. A quantitative and exploratory approach was used. The research question for this study was formulated as follows: How successful was the organizational transformation process at the newly established university in the period 2003 – 2007? The first objective of the study was to describe the organizational transformation process as it unfolded at the newly established university. The second objective was to evaluate the success of the organizational transformation process by using Anstey’s conceptual framework. Eight factors were identified in Anstey’s framework according to which the success of the merger was analyzed. These factors were: constructive unease; harnessed urgency; clear purpose; challenging vision with clear measurable objectives; champions at all levels; culture and community; competitive competencies; coherent strategy, and communication and consultation. A computerized survey tool was utilized to design a structured questionnaire with both fixed response and open-ended questions. Some 13 percent of the employees responded to the questionnaire. The internal consistency of the scores derived from the instrument was confirmed using Cronbach’s alpha. Descriptive statistics revealed that 62.5 percent of factor scores were neutral and 37.5 percent negative with regard to staffs’ perceptions of the merger. Inferential statistics disclosed that academic staff viewed the merger more negatively on factor 3 challenging vision with clear measurable objectives than their administrative colleagues. The total success of the merger can be summarized by the following statement of one of the participants ‘If the NMMU merger is compared to other mergers in Higher Education in South Africa then it is clear that, from a systems and procedural perspective, it was managed satisfactory. Unfortunately the ‘people’ dimension of the merger did not feature as a priority and many staff members were alienated as a result of this.’ The limitation of the study was the small sample size. This study was also contextual in nature, meaning that it focused on the transformation process as it unfolded at a specific university in South African between the years 2003 – 2007. No results generated in this study can be generalized as they only presented a shot-in-time reflecting the transformation process at a particular organization at a particular period in time. This study also confirmed the usefulness of Anstey’s conceptual framework in assessing transformation at an institution of higher education.

This thesis investigates the challenges facing developmental local government in South Africa, using the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality as a reference. The thesis comprises eight chapters. The study is based on the assumption that the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality, like other municipalities in South Africa, is confronted by numerous challenges in implementing its constitutional developmental mandate conferred on it by the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Act 108 of 1996. It is vital that local government understands and contextualises these challenges, so that appropriate interventions may be developed. The widespread recent service delivery protests which, in many instances, have turned violent, have sounded an alarm that cannot be ignored. If local government is already struggling to fulfill its traditional mandate of service delivery, then it would find it difficult to spearhead social and economic transformation and development. This study proposes to provide a brief historical background on the evolution and transformation of local government in South Africa. Issues such as the new status and developmental mandate of local government, the extent to which local government has succeeded in complying with its developmental mandate, as well as the challenges it has encountered along the way, will be addressed. Recommendations are presented on how the existing status quo can be changed to enhance service delivery and development and enable low government to fulfil its developmental role more efficient and effectively, with particular reference to the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality. The empirical survey and research methodology employed in the study is described. This is followed by the operationalisation of the survey questionnaire used for gathering the data needed for analysis. The research findings of the empirical survey are then statistically analysed and reported. The concept of models is introduced, and selected models are explained. This is followed by an explanation of the proposed normative model for monitoring and evaluating service delivery and development in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality, for possible replication in other South African municipalities. Various recommendations flowing from the results of the empirical study, namely the responses made by the respondents during the empirical survey, are proposed in the final chapter. If adopted, these recommendations will enable the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality to deal with the developmental challenges facing it, ultimately rendering the Municipality a more efficient and effective developmental agent.

The study aimed to explore and describe the forced migration experiences of Somali refugees living in Port Elizabeth, South Africa and the impact of refugee-specific trauma on this population. A mixed method triangulation research design with a quantitative weighting was employed and purposive snowball, non-probability sampling was used to construct a sample of 30 adult Somali refugees from Port Elizabeth’s Korsten community. Participants were included in the study if they fulfilled the pre-defined inclusion criteria of having successfully applied for refugee status, having resided in South Africa for at least six months and being 18 years or older. A semi-structured interview questionnaire was developed by the researcher to operationalise the constructs being measured. The questionnaire comprised a biographical and antecedent event(s) questionnaires as well as sections of the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire Revised Version. Data was then analysed via exploratory descriptive statistics and correlation coefficients. The research found that the majority of Somali refugees cited conflict, insecurity and instability as the mainn reasons for leaving their country of origin, suggesting the basic need for safety and security was unmet. One third of the sample reported that the main reason for leaving was the same as their most traumatic life event. The average participant had experienced 16 traumatic events and experienced 23 trauma symptoms on average, demonstrating high levels of trauma among the study population. The study recommends that the link between the main reason for forced migration and refugee trauma be explored.

This study is an investigation into the stereotypes used in advertisements designed to appeal to university students’ sense of having a social identity, taking the situation at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) as being representative of university campuses as, among other things, social and cultural space. The study assumes that a university is a site of cultural negotiation, and as such may be viewed as a place where identities are formed and readjusted to conform to stereotypes popularised by influential social models as portrayed in the media. Moreover, with the process of globalization, which distributes stereotypical images globally, one would assume that advertising at NMMU functions in a similar way to its mode of functioning in most parts of the world. Although such media (advertisements) exist in various forms, the scope of the research for this study was limited to print advertisements. Advertisements relevant to the concerns of this study are found everywhere at South African universities. Today, the latest trend for companies like Mr. Price, Standard Bank, Truworths, Red Bull, and Axe, among others, is to sponsor university events, that way creating the opportunity to advertise their products or services to students. Moreover, the notice boards of South African universities are filled with posters advertising new products in the market. In addition to all this, the general South African goods and services market is flooded with magazines that contain stereotype-promoting advertisements targeting students or, in general, young adults. For the purposes of this study, a ‘stereotype’ is understood as an iconic site of identification which functions as a generalized model for social behaviour. In this sense, a ‘stereotype’ may also be understood as a representation of an ‘ideal self’. The purpose of this study is threefold: firstly, to show how and why students may be vulnerable to the stereotypes identified in terms of Lacan’s theory of the ‘mirror stage’; secondly, to identify and categorize the various stereotypes used in advertising to appeal to the student’s sense of social identity, and thirdly, to show that advertisements can be misleading in so far as stereotyping ignores the specificity of every student’s personal social situation and creates false expectations on the part of the target students.

Educational underachievement is a big problem in all schools, but it is especially prevalent in poverty stricken areas. The main objective of this research was to investigate the possible reasons for, consequences of and strategies to address the problem of educational underachievement in poverty stricken areas. The research conducted was based on the interpretive paradigm and a qualitative approach was used to gather data. A case study approach was used as a research design. The data collection methods were questionnaires, interviews and observations. The study found that the home conditions, individual factors, family and psychological factors are the main reasons for academic underachievement. The main consequences of academic underachievement were found to be unemployment, behavioural problems, a negative self-perception, high failure rates, high drop-out rates and teenage pregnancies. The main strategies to address the problem which the study revealed are: teachers familiarising themselves with the home conditions of the child, addressing the problem of overcrowding, and poverty, involving the parents in the education of their children, enhancing the self-esteem of learners, improving teaching, implementing cooperative learning and providing study facilities for these learners at the school after hours.