A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of requirements for the degree of Master of Commerce. Johannesburg 1991. / This dissertation has studied the past and present problems together with the advances associated with the affordability of special residential housing for middle-income whites in the private sector, residing in the Republic of South Africa. The emphasis of this study has been in the assessment of the problem from the viewpoint of the specific factors which tend to influence affordability for a potential purchaser specifically when involved in a first-time homeownership situation. [Abbreviated Abstract. Open document to view full version]

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce. University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Commerce. / Accounting is a human creation designed to satisfy human need, and which must therefore, above all be useful. Financial statements should, therefore, provide information that is useful in making economic decisions. Academics and practitioners are however critical of the output of the accounting information system and propose that accounting profitability is of limited economic significance. They claim it is no longer sufficient to provide antiquated historical cost data. that in Joost respects cannot be processed further. There is no urgent need to develop both analytical systems for thinking about and anticipating changes in the business world and the mechanisms and structures to assure that we respond appropriately from that standpoint of useful financial reporting 'The Accounting Rate of Return (ARR) may assist in evolving the usefulness of financial reporting. In the report the usefulness of the Accounting Rate of Return is established. The purpose of this report is achieved through normative and empirical studies. The result of comparing the ARR to the opportunity cost of capital has been suggested to be absolute. but in reality this is not feasible. Investors would use the ARR, as an input in rather than the decisive factor for deciding whether to buy. hold or sell investment. The proposals advocated in the paper communicate relevant and useful information for the purposes of investment performance appraisal. / Andrew Chakane 2018

A Research Report submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts, Applied Ethics for Professionals Johannesburg, 2016 / This research sought to defend the proposition that not only do corporations have a moral right to lobby, corporations also have a moral duty to influence public policy through lobbying. The research has considered the ethics of corporate lobbying within the context of the extent literature in Business Ethics and from a South African perspective. An argument for corporate moral personhood has been advanced as the basis for a corporation’s moral right to lobby. The rights and duties of corporations as citizens have also been considered, and a case has been made for a normative theory of corporations as political actors with an associated moral obligation to seek to influence public policy to promote public interests. A set of ethical principles to guide responsible lobbying has been articulated as a morally justified basis for restricting a corporation’s moral right to lobby which arises from its status as a type of moral person to ensure that the power of corporations is harnessed in service of society. / MT2017

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management (Business and Executive Coaching) April, 2017 / Professional Service Firms (PSFs) contribute significantly to employment and professional development in South Africa and to global economics. People are a PSF’s greatest asset; however, there is little empirical evidence on the implementation of a Leader-as-Coach (L-A-C) approach in PSFs in South Africa. The research aims to establish a framework for the implementation of an L-A-C approach in PSFs in South Africa. Using a qualitative multiple-case study method, the research examines the benefits of implementing an L-A-C approach within a PSF, determines the organisational factors affecting the implementation of an LA- C approach in a PSF and clarifies the individual factors affecting the implementation of an L-A-C approach in a PSF. There are clear reasons for implementing an L-A-C approach within PSFs and benefits range from ensuring a leadership pipeline for organisations, improving client and employee retention, and enhancing the firm’s success due to increased productivity. These benefits, in turn, foster positive benefits for the L-A-Cs (the managers who are coaches) and the employees (the coachees who receive coaching from their managers). Organisational factors include a culture of people-centricity which clearly enables an L-A-C approach, whilst a matrix structure which commonly exists within PSFs is an inhibitor of an L-A-C approach, with mitigating processes recommended for addressing this. The key processes which enable an L-A-C approach are the firm’s approach to: learning and development of L-A-C skills, ensuring tools and support are in place for the L-ACs, and linking coaching to the human resources (HR) performance management and enabling technology. A final key process is recognising effective coaching behaviours through monetary and non-monetary rewards. In addition, the individual skills and attitudes of the L-A-Cs, the attitudes of the coachees, and importantly, the relationship between the L-A-C and the coachee, all influence the L-A-C approach. An integrated and holistic framework is proposed for PSFs wishing to implement an L-A-C approach. This framework suggests that a firm should begin with the organisational strategic drivers, and the clear reasons for implementation of an L-A-C approach, followed by an enabling structure and processes, including the development of individual skills. However, overarching these organisational factors, is the necessity of having an organisational culture of learning and development. / MT2017

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management in Strategic Marketing 2016 / The purpose of this research was to identify the effectiveness of branded content integration as a marketing and communication strategy. The main objective was to find out whether the branded content integration in soap operas had an effect on consumer attitudes and purchase intent. A quantitative experiment was designed for the study using customers that watch TV soap operas and those who do not watch soap operas. A total of 150 respondents were used for the experiment. The data was analysed using a Chi Squared test to accept or reject the hypothesis. The findings of the study revealed that branded content integration has a positive influence when characters of a soap opera use a brand familiar to the viewers. The implications of the results of the study are that marketers are able to use branded content to create a positive change in consumer attitudes and to drive purchase intent. Using branded content integration as a marketing communication tool in soap operas can have a positive impact on how messaging is displayed. / GR2018

Thesis (M.M. (Public and Development Management))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, Wits School of Governance, 2016. / The political and constitutional changes in South Africa brought about fundamental features through the transformation agenda in the public service. Of primary importance is that the South African political transformation processes have been characterised by a culture of transparency, participation and accountability. These values are in direct contrast to what presently obtains in the Department of Health’s exmineworker compensation system. Within this context it emerged as a concern that that the system of governance that managed the compensation system was not responsive to the needs of ex-mineworkers. Ex-mineworkers experienced serious delays in time before accessing government compensation. There were claimants that were deceased whilst awaiting an outcome of their applications for compensation. The enormity and complexity of the system was underestimated by government departments. Legal firms and related professionals handling the cases of ex-mineworkers earned more than £1.3-billion in fees for taking up the cases of claimants. The costs of administration in the handling of claims surpassed the actual amounts paid out to claimants eventually. At the centre of the civil service management in South Africa, was the Department of Public Service and Administration. It was here that policies on governance were developed. The Department of Public Service and Administration was responsible for the establishment of norms and standards for the entire Public Service. Under the auspices of this centralised function, service delivery mechanisms were ensured, there was access to integrated systems, the framework for human resources management was developed, and in the development of policies focus was given to the needs of the citizens. ii The purpose of this study was to explore reasons for the low compensation uptake, and to examine systems and inform changes that would allow exmineworkers in the Eastern Cape, Oliver Tambo District to better manage their access to government compensation. The mining industry plays a significant role in the South African economy long after the discovery of gold in 1886. With little evidence of policy and legislative reform, and after 22 years into South Africa’s democracy, the scourge of failing respiratory health amongst ex-mineworkers has not decreased. miners face an epidemic of occupational lung disease. The challenge of tracking and tracing ex-miners to capacitate them on their rights and benefits of compensation, owed and owing to them, forms the basis of this study. The governance of the system of compensation for ex-miners is not bringing the large numbers closer to easy access. Whilst the challenges may well be present, this study is intended to raise awareness of the problem, investigate the cause/s and offer recommendations that will provide relief to a population in South Africa that could be seemingly lost if not told of what benefits are available to themselves (if alive) and nominated beneficiaries (in the case of those who are deceased). This study was concerned with gaining a better understanding of why exmineworkers in the OR Tambo District of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa were not accessing their compensation benefits, rather than to measure certain outputs and outcomes. It was primarily interested in gaining an in-depth understanding of how information is being disseminated and how it is being influenced by different variables. A qualitative approach was chosen in order to portray the detailed understanding and specific dynamics experienced by ex-mineworkers in accessing compensation benefits from the Department of Health. iii The importance of good governance in improving service delivery was explained and spoke to what constituted good governance, the importance of proper planning during periods of transition and why governance should be a continuous activity as well as the importance of planning in public institutions. In this study, the need for good governance to improve service delivery, were identified, with specific reference to those aspects of good governance that could better equip the ex-mineworkers in the Eastern Cape to better understand the compensation and in so doing would guide the research process. / GR2018

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Johannesburg, March 2017 / This thesis focuses on group of poorer white South Africans who have settled, informally and illegally, in a former caravan park on the West Rand of Johannesburg, The King Edward Park. It is enthographic study that explores the socio-economic genealogies of the poorer white residents of the park, the everyday practices of making livelihoods, and attempt to produce ideologies of South African blackness. [Abbreviated Abstract. Open document to view full version] / MT 2018

A report on a research study presented to the Department of Social Work School of Human and Community Development, Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand in partial fulfilment of the requirement for a degree Master of Arts in Social Work, March 2017 / This research report explores how male Wits university students, who are actively involved in SASCO, a student organisation that advocates for amongst other things, none sexist society, perceive gender transformation and equality. The research approach utilised was qualitative and exploratory in nature with a broad aim of explaining the perceptions of the male students. Informal interaction and semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with ten male student activists and a key informant as methods of data collection. The data, in the form of interview transcripts was than analysed using the IPA approach. Although the participant’s perceptions of gender transformation and equality varied, it was evident, however, that all of the participants agreed that women have been previously and currently disadvantaged in society. The main findings that show the concepts of gender transformation and equality are much more digestible on paper and policies but difficult to implement. It becomes unreasonable to aspect individuals when they get into institutions of higher learning to now unlearn patriarchy and disown patriarchal privileges and benefits that they have enjoyed for most of the lives. The introduction of sustainable gender transformation and equality needs a complete overhaul of gendered societies and societal injustices. Gender injustices should be afforded the same attention that is given to economic inequalities, access to education and political instabilities. / XL2018

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Education, University of the Witwatersrand in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education. / The research, conducted as part of a project aimed at improving teachers' English .skills, set out to answer the question: What are the needs of farm school teachers in relation to the use of English as the medium of instruction? Clarification of this question involved the examination of teachers' English proficiency, the teaching of English as a subject and the.observation of the learning/teaching situation in the farm school classroom. The research raised questions concerning the underlying assumption that an English language intervention could bring about major change in the classroom. As a result, further enquiries into the socio-economic context-of the schools were instituted. In addition, the learning/teaching situation was examined in the light of theories of cognition and change. A range of research methods involving both quantitative and qualitative approaches were utilized to penetrate this highly complex situation. The findings indicated a clear need on the. part of ihe teachers for an English proficiency course. At the same time. the findings also indicated most strongly that a fundamental change is needed in tne teachers' understanding of their role if they are to become agents of significant change. / Andrew Chakane 2019

Suicidal behaviour is a serious public health problem. Globally and in South Africa prevalence rates are increasing particularly amongst young adults, highlighting a need for preventative measures. One way to assist with these efforts is to enhance our understanding of suicide by investigating young adult’s views towards suicidal behaviour. To date, limited research exists in the South African context on views towards suicide. The purpose of this study was to explore young adult’s views about suicidal behaviour within the context of culture and religion. A qualitative research design was adopted using semi-structured individual interviews. The participants were ten students from the University of the Witwatersrand between the ages of twenty and twenty-five. The results were analysed using thematic content analysis. The results revealed that participants predominantly identified psychological, social and cultural risk factors for suicidal behaviour, ignoring the influence of psychopathology. The participants also highlighted the influence of the social and cultural context on shaping not only their own views, but those of their family, culture and community. The results indicated that unlike their families, religions and communities, the participants did not hold negative views towards suicide. Instead they appeared to have a great deal of sympathy towards those who had attempted or committed suicide and seemed to denounce the negative views of those around them. Lastly, the results illustrated that role of gender was central to explanations gender differences in suicidal behaviour. Implications of the findings for future research and prevention are discussed.