The shortage of specialist Physics teachers in senior secondary schools in Swaziland has, for years, been one of the nagging issues for the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET). This led MoET to exploiting the services of non-specialists, thus undermining the quality of learners who graduate from the system. Therefore, the study ascertained the causes of the shortage of specialist Physics teachers in senior secondary schools in Swaziland, how they could be retained and how their number could be increased. A positivist-interpretive quantitative research approach was utilised to obtain reliable and valid results in this study. The quantitative research was a survey consisting of a questionnaire that was completed by Physics teachers in senior secondary schools. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics. The study, based on the findings, concluded with some recommendations that could be used to retain and increase the number of Physics teachers in senior secondary schools. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

The shortage of specialist Physics teachers in senior secondary schools in Swaziland has, for years, been one of the nagging issues for the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET). This led MoET to exploiting the services of non-specialists, thus undermining the quality of learners who graduate from the system. Therefore, the study ascertained the causes of the shortage of specialist Physics teachers in senior secondary schools in Swaziland, how they could be retained and how their number could be increased. A positivist-interpretive quantitative research approach was utilised to obtain reliable and valid results in this study. The quantitative research was a survey consisting of a questionnaire that was completed by Physics teachers in senior secondary schools. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics. The study, based on the findings, concluded with some recommendations that could be used to retain and increase the number of Physics teachers in senior secondary schools. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

Abstracts in English, Zulu and Afrikaans / A qualitative study was conducted on the causes of teacher attrition from urban schools in the Gauteng and Western Cape provinces of South Africa. Besides identifying the causes of attrition, the study intended to determine what needs to be changed to entice teachers who have left the profession to return. The rationale of the study was founded on the teacher shortage in South Africa and the alarming rate of teacher attrition from the profession, coupled with the growing number of learners needing education. Albert Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory, with a consideration of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, formed the conceptual framework of the research. Fourteen participants, comprising seven teachers who have left the profession from each province, were interviewed using semi-structured interviews to inform the findings. From the data analysis, five factors were identified as the main causes of attrition. Recommendations on what should be done to encourage a return to the profession were based on the identified causes of teacher attrition and input from the participants. / Kwenziwe ucwaningo lwe-qualitative ngezimbangela zokuncipha kothisha ezikoleni zaseGauteng kanye naseNtshonalanga Kapa eNingizimu Afrika. Nangaphandle kokubheka izimbangela zokuncipha kothisha, ucwaningo belunenhloso yokubheka izinguquko ezidingekayo ukuhuha othisha abashiye iprofeshini ukubuyela ezikoleni. Isizathu socwaningo bekuwukusweleka kothisha eNingizimu Afrika kanye nezinga eliphezulu lokuncipha kwabo ezikoleni okuhambisana nenani elikhulayo labafundi abadinga imfundo. Ithiyori ka-Albert Bandura ye-self-efficacy kanye ne-Maslow's hierarcy of needs zibe wuhlaka lomqondo wocwaningo. Kwenziwa ama-interview nababambiqhaza abayishumi nane, abebequka othisha abayisikhombisa asebeshiye iprofeshini kwiprovinsi ngayinye ebalulwe ngenhla, ngokusebenzisa ama-semistructured interview ukuthola imiphumela. Ngokulandela ulwazi oluhlaziyiwe, kuphawulwe izinto ezinhlanu njengezimbangela ezinkulu zokuncipha kothisha. Kwenziwe izincomo ngokuthi yini okumele kwenziwe ukukhuthaza othisha ukubuyela kwiprofeshini ngokulandela izimbangela zokuncipha kothisha kanye nemibono evela kulabo ababambe iqhaza. / Daar is ’n kwalitatiewe studie uitgevoer oor die oorsake van natuurlike poste-afname van onderwysers in stedelike skole in die provinsies van Gauteng en die Wes-Kaap in Suid-Afrika. Buiten om die oorsake van natuurlike poste-afname te identifiseer, was die doel van die studie om te bepaal watter veranderinge nodig is om onderwysers wat die beroep verlaat het, oor te haal om terug te keer. Die beweegrede vir die studie was die tekort aan onderwysers in Suid-Afrika en die skrikwekkende tempo van die natuurlike poste-afname van onderwysers, tesame met die toenemende aantal leerders wat onderrig benodig. Albert Bandura se selfdoeltreffendheidsteorie en Maslow se hiërargie van behoeftes het die konseptuele raamwerk van die navorsing gevorm. Daar is onderhoude gevoer met ’n totaal van 14 deelnemers, bestaande uit sewe onderwysers wat die beroep verlaat het in elkeen van die bogenoemde provinsies. Halfgestruktureerde onderhoude is gebruik om die bevindings mee te deel. Uit die dataontleding is daar vyf faktore geïdentifiseer as die hoofoorsake van natuurlike poste-afname. Aanbevelings oor wat gedoen kan word om ’n terugkeer na die beroep aan te moedig is gebaseer op die geïdentifiseerde oorsake van natuurlike poste-afname en insette van die deelnemers. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

The study analysed the management constraints in the distribution of qualified mathematics and science teachers in a post-1994 education system of South Africa. The study was qualitative and 14 participants were purposively sampled and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from the identified participants. The interview transcripts were constantly compared and analysed and the data was classified into three main categories of management constraints and patterns: beliefs, experiences on management constraints and strategies for the elimination of management constraints. Turning vision into practice (TVP) framework was used to explain the relationship between its seven pillars of managing teacher recruitment and the links in the development, adoption, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of a teacher deployment system, focusing on mathematics and science. Findings of this study suggest that the current hybrid post establishment model is generic and focuses more on cost curtailment than on the supply of qualified mathematics and science teachers. The shortcomings of the model are exacerbated by the transgressions of the Employment of Educators Act. Contrary to the Employment of Educators Act, entry-level vacancies are not advertised in the province. In addition, the appointment and service conditions of qualified teachers are differential. While teachers from government bursary schemes are appointed immediately on permanent status and without probation, other qualified and long-serving mathematics and science teachers remain on temporary status for almost two years and without fringe benefits. The differential treatment leads to job insecurity and facilitates the exit of these qualified mathematics and science teachers from the profession. Moreover, schools horde and use qualified mathematics and science teachers in subjects they are not qualified to teach. It is recommended that through the suggested TVP framework, the current teacher recruitment and deployment strategies be revisited regularly to ensure effectiveness of teacher usage in mathematics and science. It is further recommended that school principals and other educational leaders should be provided with personnel management skills to ensure maximum effective recruitment and deployment of qualified mathematics and science teachers, particularly to the impoverished schools. / Educational Management and Leadership / D. Ed. (Education Management)

The study analysed the management constraints in the distribution of qualified mathematics and science teachers in a post-1994 education system of South Africa. The study was qualitative and 14 participants were purposively sampled and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from the identified participants. The interview transcripts were constantly compared and analysed and the data was classified into three main categories of management constraints and patterns: beliefs, experiences on management constraints and strategies for the elimination of management constraints. Turning vision into practice (TVP) framework was used to explain the relationship between its seven pillars of managing teacher recruitment and the links in the development, adoption, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of a teacher deployment system, focusing on mathematics and science. Findings of this study suggest that the current hybrid post establishment model is generic and focuses more on cost curtailment than on the supply of qualified mathematics and science teachers. The shortcomings of the model are exacerbated by the transgressions of the Employment of Educators Act. Contrary to the Employment of Educators Act, entry-level vacancies are not advertised in the province. In addition, the appointment and service conditions of qualified teachers are differential. While teachers from government bursary schemes are appointed immediately on permanent status and without probation, other qualified and long-serving mathematics and science teachers remain on temporary status for almost two years and without fringe benefits. The differential treatment leads to job insecurity and facilitates the exit of these qualified mathematics and science teachers from the profession. Moreover, schools horde and use qualified mathematics and science teachers in subjects they are not qualified to teach. It is recommended that through the suggested TVP framework, the current teacher recruitment and deployment strategies be revisited regularly to ensure effectiveness of teacher usage in mathematics and science. It is further recommended that school principals and other educational leaders should be provided with personnel management skills to ensure maximum effective recruitment and deployment of qualified mathematics and science teachers, particularly to the impoverished schools. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)

This research examines the impact of purchasing constraints and demand variability on working capital balances. The working capital accounts considered are creditors, debtors and raw material inventories. Purchasing constraints and demand uncertainty are defined. The supply chain of the South African cable industry, and one manufacturer in particular, and the challenges faced in the cable manufacturing process are discussed. To quantify the influences, a comparison between working capital accounts in the case of economic order quantity and actual purchasing practices is performed. A simulation model is developed to reproduce a larger sample of demand data, matching the cumulative probability density function of each cable type contained in the annual sales budget. The results show, that the working capital accounts react differently to changes in purchasing conditions and variations in demand, the most sensitive being raw material inventories. The study quantifies the influence of purchasing constraints on each working capital value. / Business Management / M.Com. (Business Management)

The purpose of the study was to explore the lived experiences of nurses on the implementation of occupational specific dispensation (OSD). Qualitative research using hermeneutic phenomenology was conducted in the three selected public hospitals in the Umgungundlovu district in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). Data was collected by means of in-depth interviews with professional nurses, enrolled nurses and nursing assistants and focus group discussions with nurse managers purposively selected at the public hospitals in the Umgungundlovu district. Parse’s extraction synthesis analysis of data was done and seven (7) themes emerged from the participants’ dialogical conversation exploring the experiences of the implementation of OSD. The findings suggested that nurses viewed OSD as unfair labour practice because it divided nurses; there are those who grossly benefitted and those who benefitted less. The researcher concluded that the study will assist the authorities in the department of health both nationally and provincially to review OSD for nurses and close the gaps identified during the implementation as they were the pilot group. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Technology: Fashion at the Durban University of Technology, 2014. / Over the past 20 years, it has become necessary for South African clothing companies to raise their operational standards to keep up with international competitiveness. Consequently, it was necessary for companies to invest in technology to improve turnaround time, a case in point being computer-aided design (CAD) pattern-making technology. However, currently, a skills shortage exists in the area of trained CAD pattern-makers. Therefore, the intention of this study was to address the skills shortage of CAD pattern- makers in the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) clothing industry. A concurrent-nested mixed-methods research method was carried out within a constructivist worldview. These methods were used to, firstly, establish what skills are necessary for CAD pattern-making, and, secondly, to identify the reasons for the skills shortage of CAD pattern-makers in the KZN clothing industry. Different role players from the clothing industry participated in the study. The participants indicated that CAD pattern-making requires a diverse set of skills, which they ranked in order of importance. These skills can now be used as a guide by lecturers, trainers and clothing companies to identify individuals with the required potential to be trained as CAD pattern-makers. The reasons identified by the industry participants for the skills shortage of CAD pattern-makers, needs to be addressed through education, training and remuneration. Since companies have purchased the necessary CAD software, without skilled pattern-makers, the system is underutilized, thereby affecting their profitability and costing the companies reduced profit margins.

Thesis (MBA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / Healthcare systems of the world’s poorer nations have been heavily impacted by economic globalisation. This has resulted in a steady deterioration of working conditions, resulted in less job security and has led to an increase in the spread of communicable diseases in developing countries such as South Africa. It is factors such as these, against the backdrop of a global recession, that have contributed to the escalation in global healthcare costs which has itself augmented the strain on already strained hospital resources in developing economies (Issues paper: Economic Globalisation, 2009). The current workplace faces complicated challenges which extend beyond the effects of the global recession. One of these challenges is the task of managing the diversity of the modern day workforce. This includes differences in gender, race, religion, culture, language, physical and mental ability, sexual orientation as well as generational differences. As a result, organisations that choose to exploit these differences are able to leverage a competitive advantage from them. This ability is however determined by the flexibility of organisations’ policies and practices. Furthermore, adapting an organisation’s human resource policies and practices pertaining to attracting, retaining, developing, promoting and managing a generational diverse workforce is only possible once these cohorts have been clearly identified, analysed and understood (Manion, 2009). Nurses are the pillar of healthcare systems throughout the world. In South Africa, however, the high staff turnover of nurses compared to the relatively small number of new recruits is of great concern due to its impact on the South African government’s capacity to provide a healthcare model of sustainable service delivery (Mokoka, 2007). The reality of the decline in the number of newly qualified nurses was clearly evident in the results of this study. Twenty-eight percent of the current community service nurses had previously considered leaving the profession, eight percent reported that they were considering leaving the profession within the next year and 20 percent intended leaving the public health sector after completing community service. The purpose of this qualitative study was to determine factors that preclude better remuneration that would influence community service nurses’ decision to remain employed in the public health sector. According to the Western Cape Nursing directorate, 270 nurses were registered to complete community service in the Western Cape in 2010. The 25 registered nurses who were scheduled to complete community service at Groote Schuur Hospital at the end of 2010 constituted the study sample. A self-administered questionnaire was used as the instrument for data collection from this fixed, convenient sample. Confidentiality of the participants was assured throughout the study and findings were reported as combined facts and figures using histograms. The majority of the participants were between the age of 20 and 25 years (48%). Furthermore, 88 percent of the participants were below the age of 35 years, largely representative of Generation X and the Millennials, Generation Y. The results of this study suggested an extremely complex interplay between intrinsic and extrinsic motivators, in influencing the decision of whether or not to remain employed in the public health sector. It was further evident that most of the factors that were rated to be of high importance were strongly self-centred, largely geared at personal reward and recognition. This finding is in clear agreement with literature published by Manion (2009) who supports the thinking that generations representative of Generation X and Y have a strong need for personal achievement and reward. Eighty percent of participants indicated a dire need for hospital management to recognise and manage generational diversity in the current workforce as this presented a daily challenge in the workplace. It was perceived that fundamental differences in needs, work ethic and values exist between Generations X and Y, compared to those of nurse and hospital managers who were representative of Baby Boomers. Consequently, there appeared to be a mismatch in the expectations and opportunities presented in the current workplace among the three generations. These findings merit further discussion on whether the permanent multi-disciplinary team at hospitals understand the influential role that they have on the complex task of retaining community service nurses in the public health service. Furthermore, 92 percent of community service nurses highlighted the need for mandatory orientation and induction programmes in each ward prior to commencing duty. This in itself was identified as a huge cause for anxiety and discord. In conclusion, even though this study was designed to establish factors that preclude better remuneration which could influence the decision of community service nurses to remain employed in the public health sector, it found that more than half the participants of this study recommended that receiving a more competitive salary was still an important issue for government to prioritise. However, it did not appear to be the overshadowing theme of dissatisfaction amongst community service nurses.

Thesis (MBA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / There is a global scarcity of health care workers (Boseley, 2011: 1). There has been global competition for the scarce resource, with developing countries competing for their own health care workers (Padarath et al., 2004: 5). The health outcomes of a country have been directly correlated with the quantity and quality of its health human resources (Dolea et al., 2005: 3). Pharmacists, who were ranked as the third scarcest professional group in the world, are the most accessible of all health workers (Chan & Wuliji, 2006: 7). The shortage of pharmacists has resulted in inaccessibility to drug treatment, prevention and care, resulting in an insurmountable number of preventable deaths and disease. The number of pharmacists in KwaZulu-Natal province is currently 383, with a 76% vacancy rate (Avery, 2011). The aim of the present study was to define a retention strategy for public sector pharmacists in KwaZulu-Natal province. This self-administered questionnaire survey was participated in by 103 pharmacists. Pharmaceutical services were found predominantly to have been rendered by young (with 32% falling in the age group 22–29 years of age and 36% falling in the age group 30–39 years), Indian (74%), female (82%) pharmacists. Many (68%) of the pharmacists concerned were new entrants (having been in employ for a period of 0–5 years) in the public sector, with just over half (36%) being new entrants into the pharmacy profession, meaning that two-thirds of the public sector pharmaceutical workforce lacked the experience and expertise to make the desired service delivery changes in said environment. The top three motivations for job changes were found to be financial (27%), working conditions (26%) and career advancement opportunities (22%). A third of the respondents were found to be satisfied with the Occupation-specific Dispensation. The remainder of the pharmacists were equally divided about whether they regarded the payout to be inadequate or fair. Nonetheless, 20 per cent had definite intentions to leave, with 40 per cent having no intention to leave, and 40 per cent being uncertain about doing so. Such a finding correlated well with the fact that 24% of the respondents indicated that they felt that they were earning inadequate salaries. The finding did not correlate with the overwhelming response (83%) that money was not the most important consideration in making the choice. The pharmacists were divided regarding career-advancing opportunities in the public sector. Such a finding was echoed in a comparable division of who had access to information on career-advancing opportunities. Two-thirds of the respondents neither shared their goals regarding career progression with their supervisors, nor applied for any such posts. The top three factors that pharmacists liked about their jobs were financial, resources and congenial working conditions. Resources, working conditions and lack of career progression factors were disliked; resources, career progression and financial factors could result in turnover. In summary, money, career progression and resources matter. The pharmacists in the province were found to be satisfied with their earnings. They wanted to be rewarded on merit and were prepared to move to receive this and support in career progression. The National Department of Health (KwaZulu-Natal) must drive recruitment efforts to address the skills shortage, improve working conditions and ensure that salaries keep pace with inflation to create long-term wins for the public health sector.