Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: With the advent of Globalisation, the need for improved competitiveness ill agriculture, as in all sectors, has become increasingly important in obtaining satisfactory levels of growth and development. International producers are competing for South African markets while local producers must not only defend these markets, but also seek out opportunities globally. Agricultural research has been identified as one of the more important agricultural support services contributing towards the goal of increased competitiveness. Innovation and new technology are central towards achieving satisfactory competitiveness, and in order for these to be adequately available, the agricultural research system in place must be effective and efficient in its tasks and responsibilities. The objective of this study was to determine whether or not the agricultural research systems of KwaZulu Natal and the Western Cape conform to the current challenges presented by the market, technology and economic environments. The effectiveness and efficiency of these systems regarding structural interactions, research investments and the involvement of the private sector was critically analysed with regard to the stakeholders within the system, namely: producers, co-operatives, private sector agribusiness companies and agricultural research institutes. The findings are discussed in terms of their implications for the agricultural sectors concerned and recommendations made for potential improvements and future areas of research. It was found that most of the structural interactions between the various stakeholders investigated were conducted inefficiently and have thus resulted in a lack of cooperation, poor relationship building, and sub-optimum productivity and growth. Furthermore, it was established that investment in agricultural research is too low. Although research expenditure growth rates and expenditure per fulltime researcher are high, most of the growth rates are on the decline and most of the organizations do not employ fulltime researchers, while the actual total amounts invested are low. Investment in market research for current products is satisfactory, while investment in market research prior to conducting research is poor. Finally, increased private sector involvement has not been realized. Incentives for greater private sector involvement based on profitability, have not been adequately developed. Of those companies who have recognized the need for increased commitment to research, all but one have predicted zero to low increases in research expenditure for the future, while current research expenditures are also low. There are many areas in which the agricultural research systems of the two provinces concerned must improve. A culture inductive of greater research spending and private sector participation should be fostered to overcome the causes and motives behind these problem areas. Currently, the research systems investigated seem incapable of effectively and efficiently supplying the agricultural sectors concerned with the much needed new technologies, innovations and research management necessary to adequately increase competitiveness. However, if all the shortcomings of the system are recognized and a new demand driven orientation adopted, the research systems of South Africa will in the future be more likely to promote increased productivity and growth in agriculture through greater competitiveness. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Met die koms van In verenigde wêreldmark, het dit noodsaaklik geword dat die landbou - net soos ander bedryfsektore - mededingend moet wees vir bevredigende groei en ontwikkeling in dié sektor. Internasionale produsente ding mee om Suid- Afrikaanse markte, terwyl plaaslike produsente nie net hierdie markte moet verdedig nie, maar ook nuwe geleenthede in die buiteland moet soek. Landbounavorsing is as een van die belangrikste landbou-ondersteuningsdienste geïdentifiseer om mededingendheid te verhoog. Om voldoende mededingend te wees, is vernuwing en nuwe tegnologie van wesenlike belang. Vir dié doel moet die bestaande landbounavorsingstelsel doeltreffend funksioneer en sy take en verantwoordelikhede behoorlik nakom. Die doel van hierdie studie is om te bepaal of die landbounavorsingstelsels van KwaZulu/Natal en die Wes-Kaap die uitdagings van die huidige mark-, tegnologiese en ekonomiese omgewings die hoof kan bied. Die doeltreffendheid van strukturele interaksies, beleggings in navorsing en die betrokkenheid van die privaatsektor is krities ontleed aan die hand van die belangegroepe binne die stelsel, te wete produsente, kooperasies, private maatskappye en landbounavorsingsinstitute. Die implikasies van die resultate is vervolgens bespreek en aanbevelings is gedoen vir moontlike verbeterings en toekomstige navorsingsgebiede. Daar is bevind dat die meeste strukturele interaksies tussen die onderskeie belangegroepe wat bestudeer is, ondoeltreffend is. Daar is te min samewerking, weinig sprake van verhoudings bou, produktiwiteit is te laag en daar is te min groei. Daar is verder vasgestel dat daar te min in landbou-navorsing belê word. Alhoewel die groeikoerse van navorsingsuitgawes en uitgawes per voltydse navorser hoog is, is die meeste groeikoerse aan die daal, die meeste organisasies neem geen voltydse navorsers in diens nie en die totale besteding is laag. Belegging in marknavorsing vir bestaande produkte is bevredigend, maar belegging in marknavorsing voor navorsing aangepak word, is onbevredigend. Laastens is die privaatsektor nog nie voldoende betrokke nie. Daar bestaan egter nie genoeg aansporingsmaatreëls om die privaatsektor se betrokkenheid te verhoog nie. Van dié maatskappye wat wel die noodsaaklikheid van 'n groter verbintenis tot navorsing erken het, het almal behalwe een, nul tot lae verhogings in navorsingsuitgawes vir die toekoms voorsien, terwyl hulle huidige navorsingsuitgawes alreeds laag is. Daar is baie opsigte waann die landbounavorsingstelsels van die twee betrokke provinsies moet verbeter. Daar moet 'n kultuur ontstaan waar meer bestee word aan navorsing. Verder moet die privaatsektor meer betrokke raak om die omstandighede wat aanleiding gee tot die probleme, die hoof te help bied. Tans wil dit voorkom of die navorsingstelsels wat ondersoek is, nie daarin slaag om die betrokke landbousektore van die nuwe tegnologie, vernuwings en navorsingsbestuur te voorsien wat noodsaaklik is om mededingendheid te verhoog nie. Indien al die tekortkominge van die stelsel erken word en die korrekte aanpassings gemaak word, sal die navorsingstelsels van Suid Afrika in die toekoms 'n groter bydrae kan lewer om produktiwiteit te laat styg en groei in die landbou teweeg te bring.

M.Phil. / This research focuses on aspects of burnout amongst ministers of religion in the Dutch • Reformed Church ("NG Kerk") Synod of Southern Transvaal. Burnout is a common metaphor for a state of mental exhaustion, usually work-related. It is described as a syndrome of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and reduced personal accomplishment that can occur among individuals who do 'people work' of some kind. Research literature describes the general symptomatology of the syndrome, its preconditions, as well as the domain in which it occurs. From the literature it becomes apparent that burnout is a persistent, negative, work-related state of mind in 'normal' individuals that is primarily characterised by exhaustion, which is accompanied by distress, a sense of reduced effectiveness, decreased motivation, and the development of dysfunctional attitudes and behaviours at work. This psychological condition develops gradually but may remain unnoticed for a long time by the individual involved. It results from a misfit between intentions and reality at the job. Often burnout is selfperpetuating because of inadequate coping strategies that are associated with the syndrome. The research design can be typified as exploratory, descriptive and quantitative. The central hypothesis of this study is that burnout is the product of specific factors in the person-work environment interaction of ministers in the Dutch Reformed Church. With the aim of the study in mind, the following research process was followed: A literature review as theoretical grounding for burnout in general, as well as the analysis of literature specifically on burnout amongst ministers of religion. The development of a questionnaire, based on the review of literature, as self-report measure for burnout amongst ministers. After a field investigation, with the questionnaire as a method of data collection (on two occasions, 20 months apart), the data were analysed, consolidated, displayed and interpreted. The consolidated data were also interpreted in the broader perspective of the theoretical framework and recommendations were made about aspects of burnout amongst ministers in the Dutch Reformed Church. Possible causes, negative outcomes, ways of coping, interventions and support were explicated. The most important findings on aspects of burnout amongst ministers of the Dutch Reformed Church, as shown in this study, are: low horizontal mobility, quantitative work overload, time pressure, negative personal experience of the work situation, a negative evaluation of training and the negative evaluation of personal well-being because of the work situation. It can be concluded that ministers of the Dutch Reformed Church are at risk of burnout, caused by unique stressors in their work environment.

M.A. (Psychology) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

D.Litt et Phil. / Questions relating to organisational roles in industry are studied in terms of personality factors as well as the associated group behaviours. A two dimensional model is conceptually constructed according to which eight role sets can be placed in relation to Introversion vs Extroversion on one axis and Group vs Self Orientation on the other. The research is aimed at establishing the homogeneity of natural work groups and comparing the preferred team role profiles of different groups with one another. By means of the procedure and methodology used in the study it becomes possible to analyse group compositions, establish role requirements and to compare these role requirements with an individual's role preferences. A questionnaire, that measures a person's predisposition towards these roles, was used for ranking the order of 1415 respondent's role preferences. The statistical significance of the homogeneity of 40 organisational job groups are calculated by means of the Kendall Coefficient of Concordance and reported in the study. The different group profiles are compared using the Chi-square statistic for 2x2 tables. By means of this comparison, the similarities and differences between job groups are indicated in terms of status level, hierarchical relationships, titles and job types. Significant homogeneity, below the 0.05% level, is reported for 90% of the job-related groups selected for the study. Of these homogeneous groups, 75% indicated significance levels below 0.001%. The similarities and differences between groups were identified for each role set and meaningful conclusions could be reached regarding the reasons why these differences were observed. The conclusions drawn from the study are that job-related groups are homogeneous in terms of role composition, that differences between groups are significant, and that the extent of a person's adaptation to meet the requirements of another role can be judged according to his predispositions towards that role.

M.A. / The research describes the different methods followed by traditional healers and western professionals in dealing with mental illness. The study is intended to provide an in-depth analysis of the process involved when the mentally ill patient consult a traditional healer in the community and a western professional at the local clinic in Emzinoni. The study also intends to examine whether or not the two approaches can complement each other. In this research, it was found that the mentally ill patient would consult either a traditional healer or a western professional worker. In some cases, when the patient has consulted the traditional healer and his/her condition does not improve, he/she resorts to western medicine. The same applies to the patients, who have consulted a western professional. If his/her condition does not improve, he/she consults the traditional healer. The study showed that patients who are mentally ill do not use medicines from both traditional healers and western professional at the same time. The patient chooses the treatment that makes him/her become better. It was recommended in the study that traditional healers and western professionals should develop a referral system.

M.A.(Psychological Research) / Child maltreatment has occurred over the ages, but has been recognised as such only during the present century. The concept of maltreatment is culturally bound and therefore dependent on value judgements within a community. What is acceptable in one society may be rejected in another. Medical professionals discovered skeletal injuries in young children that was eventually traced to harsh treatment by parents. Physical abuse was thus identified, resulting in public and professional awareness and involvement. Later neglect and sexual abuse was identified as variations of maltreatment and legislation was instituted for the protection of children. Maltreated children manifest symptoms of behavioural, emotional and scholastic problems, and antisocial behaviour such as crime is being ascribed to child abuse. Research shows a tendency of placing emotional factors at the centre of maltreatment and the concept of psychological maltreatment was thus born. The present study was an attempt at indicating the relationship between maltreatment by parents and their children's ability at forming personal attachments. A questionnaire was developed in an attempt to operationalize the concept of psychological maltreatment and make it quantifiable. A comparison between this questionnaire and the PHSF relationship questionnaire indicated that a damaged capacity to form personal attachments may be traced back to psychological maltreatment. The implications of these findings were briefly discussed.

M.A. / The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether patients suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) differed from non-IBS clients in terms of their coping styles. Gastrointestinal disorders are among the most common of all illnesses; half of the population suffers from acute gastrointestinal illnesses every year (Read, 1985). More than 10% have chronic illnesses, and these illnesses are a major cause of absenteeism from work. In view of this it is surprising that there is such a faucity of psychological and psychophysiological research focusing on gastrointestinal activity. Perhaps one reason for this is that investigators conceptualise the gastrointestinal tract as a system that is unresponsive to psychological intervention. Another reason may be the widespread belief that adequate techniques are not available for studying gastrointestinal psychology and psychophysiology (Haynes & Gannon, 1981). Today there is consensus that IBS is a psychosomatic disorder that accounts for between 40 to 70% of referrals to gastroenterologists. Unfortunately, this is a very misunderstood disorder. Sufferers are often misinformed or poorly educated by their physicians. Misunderstanding and lack of patient education often results in increased anxiety and physical distress. There are cases in which unnecessary surgery, expensive diagnostic procedures and addictive pain killers are mistakenly employed. In addition, IBS patients represent an expensive group because they use up a considerable amount of medical resources in money and time (Moser, 1986).

M.Ed. (Psychology of Education) / The purpose of this study is to determine whether adulthood is indeed influenced by essential family responsibilities. Therefore, an investigation into this facet to adulthood is necessitated.The family unit is responsible for the child's development to adulthood. According to research literature, the responsible parent in the family unit should respectively see to the emotional and material needs of the family on both an individual level as well as a communal level. These responsibilities also include : the creation of a secure environment based on u~conditional love, respect and acceptance; the setting of a good moral example which children may identify with; the emphasis of faithfulness in the marital role; and the creation of and participation in constructive, recreational family activities.These responsibilities will enable parents to fulfill their multi-dimensional educational role. The problem investigated was to ascertain how important these family responsibilities are deemed to be for the development to acceptable adulthood in the Republic of South Africa. Research was therefore undertaken to investigate certain family responsibilities featured prominently in the literature studied. The empirical component of the investigation was based on the implementation of a questionnaire. Concerning validity and reliability, a principal component analysis (PCA) was followed by a principal factor analysis (PFA) in the first order analysis. This was followed by a second order PCA and PFA...

M.Sc., Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, 2011 / Biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs), in the presence of nitrogen oxide gases (NOx), play a role in the production of tropospheric ozone (O3) which is an effective greenhouse gas and is hazardous to human health (Haagen-Smit, 1952, Chameides et al, 1988, Atkinson, 2000, Kanakidou et al, 2004). Isoprene is a single BVOC that accounts for over 50% of all emitted BVOCs. Isoprene emissions are species specific and vary according to temperature, light and leaf area index. Climate change studies predict that the geographic distribution of species, temperature ranges, light intensity and leaf area index will shift, thus altering future isoprene emissions. Several attempts to model BVOC emissions have been undertaken in an effort to quantify BVOC emission rates and the impact on ozone formation. The most widely used and empirically tested emission algorithms to date were developed by Guenther et al (1993) and are incorporated into the emission model Model of Emissions of Gases and Aerosols from Nature (MEGAN). MEGAN is used in this study to model isoprene emission rates over southern Africa under current and future climate conditions. Current and future climate conditions are taken from the regional climate model, Conformal-Cubic Atmospheric Model (C-CAM), which has been shown to simulate current climate well for the region. Emissions were modelled for January and July only, to represent summer and winter conditions. January isoprene emission rates for the current climate range from 0 to 1.41 gm-2month-1 and total 0.938 Tg of isoprene for the study domain. The highest emission rates are caused by combinations of driving variables which are: high temperature only; high temperature and high leaf area index; high emission factor and high leaf area index. Emission rates effectively shut down in July due to low temperatures and low leaf area index. July emission rates range from 0 to 0.61 gm-2month-1 and total 0.208 Tg of isoprene. Temperature is shown to cause the greatest variation in isoprene emission rates, and thus future scenarios represent an increase in temperature only. The spatial distribution of future emission rates does not shift when compared to current emission rates, but does show an increase in magnitude. Future emission totals for January increase iv by 34% to 1.259 Tg of isoprene and the July emission total increases by 38% to 0.289 Tg of isoprene. Future emission rates responded to temperature as expected, increasing in magnitude, rate of change and range of temperature over which the greatest rate of change occurs. Three areas demonstrating the highest increase in emission rates and highest future emission rates were identified. As temperature was the only variable altered in future scenarios, these areas can be deemed as areas most sensitive to changes in temperature. These areas are situated near the Angola-Namibia border, the Northern Interior of South Africa and the low-lying areas of Mozambique.

This thesis is an examination of the relationship between the institutional and practical workings of the late Apartheid state's Chemical and Biological Weapons Research Programme, code-named Project Coast. It is written against the background of the changing nature of the South African state in that period, and presents a partial picture of that change. The greatest part of the thesis, however, is a history of the Research Programme itself. The Programme's institutional structure was developed around the charismatic figure of Dr Wouter Basson: following Weberian arguments, it is clear that his charisma was used, within the bureaucratic structure of the Programme, to legitimate the scientific research projects undertaken. Two of these projects are examined in the body of this thesis: the first of these is an attempt to develop a new form of tear gas, the second is the attempt to develop a new form of contraceptive. The animating ideologies of these research projects are compared to each other, and to the supposedly hegemonic ideologies of the changing state, revealing discrepancies between these grand structures and their local workings. The importance of Basson's charismatic authority is emphasised by the rapid dissolution of Project Coast following his withdrawal from his leadership position at the end of the 1980s. By the end of the thesis, then, it seems clear that, within the legitimating aura of Basson's authority, the scientists at Project Coast developed a set of racial and political ideologies that more little to no substantive relationship to the seemingly hegemonic ideologies of the late Apartheid state, of which Project Coast was an organ. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2002.