The need to establish baseline artisan productivities in the South African employmentintensive construction sector stems from the fact that these productivity norms have not been reviewed on a frequent basis. To others, these productivity norms hardly exist. With both scenarios, it is difficult to compare artisan productivity trends in the last fifty years to the trend of international standards. Constructive efforts have been made in this document to highlight the productivity norms that have existed within the building industry since the 1950’s. A similar exercise has been done for the USA and other European countries, notably the UK. A comparison of these trends of productivity norms has revealed that the current artisan productivity figures in South Africa are the lowest since the 1950’s. Again, they are the lowest amongst these countries. In the 1950’s, the artisan productivity norms in South Africa were quite close and thus comparable to the European countries but the gap has widened thereafter. The USA has generally experienced a continuous improvement in their productivity norms on an annual basis and this has been due partly to the improvement in the working tools of artisans. Another important factor is the poor quality of artisanship. The constructive effort being made by the South African government towards ensuring the sustainability of small and emerging contractors in employment-intensive construction is not in balance; the Contractor learnership programme of the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) must go hand-in- hand with an artisan learnership programme. Key words: baseline artisan productivity, task-group, work-study, construction, face & stock-bricks, plastering, painting and tiling.

This thesis shows the results of an experiment in order to test the validity of Methods Time Measurement (MTM) data. MTM, developed in 1948, is one of the most commonly used Predetermined Motion Time Systems to calculate standard time for a task. However, there is limited research on the validity of the MTM data in the literature. Today&rsquo / s technology provides new computerized tools to perform time studies. One of such tools is Real Time Method Study (RTMS). RTMS is a computerized method study tool being developed in METU Technopolis, which uses Image Processing and Machine Learning to conduct time studies automatically. RTMS uses MTM data as a benchmark data to compare observed performance results / therefore validity of MTM data is an important issue for it. In order to test the validity of MTM data an experiment conducted in the Ergonomics Laboratory of the METU Industrial Engineering Department. In this experiment 40 undergraduate students performed four different tasks. These tasks were recorded by a video camera and analyzed frame by frame to calculate normal times for basic motions of MTM. Results are compared with the original MTM data and it is shown that MTM times do not fit the observed data. This study in the end suggests updating MTM data or constructing a new standard time database by using a tool like RTMS.

There is growing concern surrounding the detrimental effect of term-time employment on university students’ academic success. The narrow focus of previous studies has resulted in the literature being characterised by mixed results. This study sought to clarify the effects by comprehensively investigating and controlling for a large number of variables across a diverse range of university students (N = 1841). Students completed an online survey during the first semester of study (2010) and their responses were later matched to their academic records for that semester. The results show that the majority of working students reported working out of financial necessity. There was no difference in grades between employed and non-employed students; however, hours worked had a direct negative linear effect on the grades of employed students. Analysis indicated that employed students would have had significantly higher grades than the non-employed subsample, if they had not worked during term. The variable ‘reported negative effects of work on study’ partially mediated the effect of hours worked on grades. Studying engineering moderated the effect; when engineering students worked, the negative effect on grades was greater than for those studying other subjects. In addition, hours spent in employment partially mediated the effects of age, debt and financial pressure on GPA. Students also reported that work affected other areas of their life (time spent socialising/relaxing, in leisure/sport, sleeping and with family). Just over a fifth of the working students reported feeling that the university did not make it possible to combine work and study. These findings have implications for students, student supporters and academic institutions. Students should be aware of the negative effects of work on academic performance and seek to minimise the amount they work. Supporters may be able to relieve financial pressure on students, encourage realistic perceptions about students’ financial needs, and encourage students to limit the number of hours they work. Finally, academic institutions can also assist students in balancing work and study by providing a flexible learning environment.

Magister Educationis - MEd / This study does an in-depth exploration of how students experience full-time study and part-time employment, focusing on participants in the work-study programme of the University of the Western Cape. By means of the work-study programme, the university provides on-campus term-work opportunities for students in teaching, research, administration and other support services. In particular this study looks at: the reasons why students partake in the work-study programme and the benefits they gain; the type of work that students do; how demanding the work is; the number of hours they work; and the way this impacts on students' experience of higher education. It further looks at the kinds of challenges students face while participating in the work-study programme and the strategies that they use in order to balance working and studying. Student employment is not a new phenomenon but there is limited knowledge available on the students' experiences of campus employment. According to Metcalf (2003:316), research into part-time work of full-time students is important because of the "potential impact [of term-work] on the nature and effectiveness of higher education and equality of provision of higher education". Existing research shows that students who take part in part-time work are as diverse as the situations that compel them to work and study. It further highlights that students of all genders, ages and class have been observed as taking part in part-time work while pursuing full-time studies. Moreover, there are diverse reasons why students take part in term-work: to pay tuition fees and for their subsistence; to maintain their lifestyle; or to gain work experience. The literature also shows that students experience various challenges because of term-work, mainly due to their multiple time commitments. The effect is that working students may find it difficult to meet academic demands and succeed at the same level as non-working students. As a way of studying student experiences on the UWC work-study programme, this study will use quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection by means of a two-stage methodology. The first stage will involve an electronic survey that will provide baseline data on the students in the programme. This stage lays the ground for the second, qualitative stage of the methodology where the researcher will conduct in-depth interviews with some students involved in the programme. The findings show that students’ reasons for participating in the work-study programme are not necessarily about addressing their financial needs, but also about gaining work experience which puts them a step ahead of their peers. Students from the work-study programme worked varying hours. The number of hours was influenced by students’ classes, and also by the number of hours they were allowed to work, as the work timetable is designed around their academic work. The challenges that students experienced were both positive and negative, depending on their personal situation. Furthermore, the students reported many ways of coping and balancing working, studying and maintaining a social life. In terms of benefits, students indicated that they thought that both the students and the university were benefiting from the work-study programme. After the data was collected, analysed and discussed, a student experience typology in relation to the students on the programme was created. The empirical findings in this study provide a new understanding concerning students who are employed on campus. The study found that students, depending on various variables, were finding ways to manage academic demands, social lives and working part-time on campus. Taken together, the findings suggest an added role for work-study programmes in enhancing students’ university experience As a way of studying student experiences on the UWC work-study programme, this study will use quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection by means of a two-stage methodology. The first stage will involve an electronic survey that will provide baseline data on the students in the programme. This stage lays the ground for the second, qualitative stage of the methodology where the researcher will conduct in-depth interviews with some students involved in the programme. The findings show that students’ reasons for participating in the work-study programme are not necessarily about addressing their financial needs, but also about gaining work experience which puts them a step ahead of their peers. Students from the work-study programme worked varying hours. The number of hours was influenced by students’ classes, and also by the number of hours they were allowed to work, as the work timetable is designed around their academic work. The challenges that students experienced were both positive and negative, depending on their personal situation. Furthermore, the students reported many ways of coping and balancing working, studying and maintaining a social life. In terms of benefits, students indicated that they thought that both the students and the university were benefiting from the work-study programme. After the data was collected, analysed and discussed, a student experience typology in relation to the students on the programme was created. The empirical findings in this study provide a new understanding concerning students who are employed on campus. The study found that students, depending on various variables, were finding ways to manage academic demands, social lives and working part-time on campus. Taken together, the findings suggest an added role for work-study programmes in enhancing students' university experience.

El presente proyecto de investigación se encuentra estructurado en cuatro capítulos los cuales son: Marco teórico y estado del arte, descripción y análisis del proceso actual, propuesta de mejora, validación de la propuesta de mejora, además de conclusiones y recomendaciones. La presente investigación está enfocada en la elaboración de un modelo de gestión la producción para la empresa Pinturas Tricolor Pintri S.A.C, la cual se dedica a la producción y comercialización de pinturas, con una demanda anual promedio de 108130 galones, siendo su producto patrón el “esmalte anticorrosivo”. El objetivo principal de la presente investigación es elaborar la propuesta de un plan de mejoras basadas en la filosofía de manufactura esbelta, para incrementar la eficiencia productiva de la empresa, que actualmente se encuentra en 66.50% situándose por debajo del promedio del sector químico que tiene un valor de 71.70%. Es por ello que se propone la implementación de las técnicas de estudio del trabajo, 5s y gestión por procesos con el objetivo de reducir tiempos muertos y reprocesos involucrados en la producción, siendo estos los principales causantes del problema. Entre los resultados de esta investigación se encuentra una reducción del 58.70% en reprocesos y una disminución del tiempo total de 0.97 h⁄cil a 0.82 h⁄cil, además, se logró incrementar a 81.51% la eficiencia actual del proceso de la empresa. La inversión para la implementación, tiene un periodo de recuperación equivalente a un 4.15 bimestres, siendo este viable, en donde se recupera la inversión y se obtienen ganancias. / This research project is structured in four chapters which are: Theoretical framework and state of the art, description and analysis of the current process, improvement proposal, validation of the improvement proposal, as well as conclusions and recommendations. The present investigation is focused on the elaboration of a production management model for the company Pinturas Tricolor Pintri SAC, which is dedicated to the production and commercialization of paints, with an average annual demand of 108,130 gallons, its standard product being “ anticorrosive enamel ”. The main objective of this research is to develop a proposal for an improvement plan based on the philosophy of lean manufacturing, to increase the productive efficiency of the company, which is currently at 66.50%, being below the average of the chemical sector that has a value of 71.70%. That is why the implementation of work study techniques, 5s and process management is proposed in order to reduce downtime and rework involved in production, these being the main causes of the problem. Among the results of this research is a reduction of 58.70% in reprocesses and a decrease in total time from 0.97 h⁄cil to 0.82 h⁄cil, in addition, it was possible to increase the current efficiency of the company's process to 81.51%. The investment for the implementation has a recovery period equivalent to 4.15 two-month periods, this being viable, where the investment is recovered and profits are obtained. / Trabajo de Suficiencia Profesional

The problem with which this investigation is concerned is the effect of work-study method instruction upon the achievement of students in fifth grade social studies. The purpose of this investigation is to determine the effects of the SQ3R (Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review) Study Method instruction upon the achievement of students in fifth grade social studies. The subjects ranged in age from ten years two months to thirteen years three months. Th I.Q. for the subjects ranged from 70 to 135. Of the 102 subjects involved in the study, 42 were male and 60 were female. The I.Q. score from the California Test of Mental Maturity, S Form was used to structure the subjects into three intelligence levels. Fifty-four subjects served as the experimental group, and forty-eight served as the control group. The instrument used to obtain pretest and posttest scores on the variable relating to achievement was the SRA Assessment Survey, Blue Level. Form E was used for the pretest, and Form F was used for the posttest. The subjects were assigned to four classes which were near equal. Two classes were selected by the principal to serve as the experimental group. The other two classes served as the control group. The investigator spent equal time with the control and the experimental group. The four classroom teachers rotated between experimental and control groups on an equal basis. Students in the experimental group met nineteen times during the study for a thirty-minute period. During these sessions, the experimental subjects used the SQ3R Study Method to do social studies assignments. The control group met for the same number of sessions and for an equal amount of time. They worked with the same content but without using the SQ3R Study Method. The analysis of covariance was employed with pretest scores as the covariant.

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Sciences

There is a likelihood of stress in working students' struggles to manage work, family, studies, and personal life, yet little is known about differences in stress levels between male and female online students. Previous studies suggested that more men than women balanced work and family owing to women's asymmetrical family responsibilities. The purpose of this study was to examine the moderating effects of gender on the relationships of work-life balance and work-study interface of working online students and their perceived stress and satisfaction with life. In this quantitative study, the theoretical framework included social role theory and spillover theory. A convenience sample of 80 working online students (aged 20-60+ years) participated in an online survey. Particpants completed a demographic survey, work-life balance scale, work-study interface scale, perceived stress scale, and satisfaction with life scale. Collected data were analyzed using regression analysis. The results indicated that in both work-life balance and work-study interface, working female online students had higher levels of perceived stress than males, and women had a lower level of satisfaction with life than men in work-study interface. Understanding spillover experiences and gender social roles of working online students in their work-life balance and work-study interface may lead to positive social change by providing useful information for policy makers to support online students. The study may also provide an understanding of the dynamic of the work-life-study balance for the students themselves.

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

Diss. (sammanfattning) Umeå : Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet, 2007. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.