The purpose of this study was to evolve how to reduce the manifestation of poor decisions that always produce defects and rework. The purpose of the study is predicated on the fact that good decision-making is a fundamental element of improved project delivery in the construction industry. Such decisions determine the accomplishment of performance parameters in each project. However, suboptimal performance, which is pervasive in the construction industry, is often linked to team decisions. To remedy decision-making pitfalls, the concept of Choosing by Advantages (CBA) is promoted by lean construction researchers. CBA is a decision-making system that assists project parties in deciding a course of action among competing alternatives. Case study research design was used for this project to discover the decision-making process adopted by project teams. The results from the study achieved through cross-case analysis shows that concrete defects and rework is often caused by the project team’s decision-making process, which is influenced by the members of the project team because of lack of experience, poor working conditions, and lack of education. The results also show that the decision-making mechanism of the project teams is influenced by the construction method, specification, cost, quality and time. The outcome of the project team’s decision-making process when choosing a concrete type often causes the concrete defects and rework, which can be eliminated through the application of CBA when choosing a concrete type. The application of CBA when choosing concrete type from two alternatives, ready mixed concrete and site batched concrete is driven by the project team. It was discovered from all three cases that ready-mixed concrete had a better score than site-batched concrete when using CBA to compare these two alternatives. The results show that ready-mixed concrete had less chances of causing concrete defects and rework when used or applied per the correct specifications or methods which are detailed in the engineering drawings of the structure. The study proposes that the project team should adopt CBA to improve their decision-making process on site especially when working with concrete.

In South Africa prior to 1994, community-based care and support services were established for whites only. The majority of older African (black) persons received informal support from their adult children and relatives. This has waned over the years due to the social and economic changes that have put into doubt the continued viability of such support. The Older Persons Act of 2006 requires social workers to establish community-based care and support services for older persons. Hence, the study was conducted to understand the factors that influence social workers in establishing CBCSS for older persons in Bloemfontein in the Free State Province. A qualitative research method was undertaken to accomplish the goal of the study. Purposive and snowball sampling techniques were used to identify suitable participants. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with fifteen social workers who provide services to older persons. The data was analysed through Tesch’s (cited by Creswell, 2009:186) eight steps of qualitative analysis and data verification was conducted following Guba’s (Kreftling, 1991) model. The major finding is that there is a need for social workers to specialise in older persons programmes (gerontology). For the programmes to be a success, it is recommended that the Department of Social Development (DSD) strive to retain social workers who are knowledgeable and experienced in older persons programmes. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Science)

M. Tech. Civil Engineering. / Discusses the main objective of this research was to investigate and develop an integrated catchment modelling of sedimentation processes and management for the Welbedacht reservoir. The specific objectives of the study were: 1. to determine the various sources and rates of sediment transport.; 2. to develop a model for integrated catchment sedimentation processes and 3. to apply the model developed in (2) in order to design integrated catchment sedimentation management strategies for the Welbedacht reservoir.

In South Africa prior to 1994, community-based care and support services were established for whites only. The majority of older African (black) persons received informal support from their adult children and relatives. This has waned over the years due to the social and economic changes that have put into doubt the continued viability of such support. The Older Persons Act of 2006 requires social workers to establish community-based care and support services for older persons. Hence, the study was conducted to understand the factors that influence social workers in establishing CBCSS for older persons in Bloemfontein in the Free State Province. A qualitative research method was undertaken to accomplish the goal of the study. Purposive and snowball sampling techniques were used to identify suitable participants. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with fifteen social workers who provide services to older persons. The data was analysed through Tesch’s (cited by Creswell, 2009:186) eight steps of qualitative analysis and data verification was conducted following Guba’s (Kreftling, 1991) model. The major finding is that there is a need for social workers to specialise in older persons programmes (gerontology). For the programmes to be a success, it is recommended that the Department of Social Development (DSD) strive to retain social workers who are knowledgeable and experienced in older persons programmes. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Science)

Thesis (Phd.) - Central University of Technology, Free State, 2008 / This study investigates whether five former Model C schools in Bloemfontein are inclusive of diverse cultures found among their learner population. In apartheid South Africa segregation on the basis of racial and cultural difference was policy. Therefore, post apartheid legislation and policies, coupled with the fact that inclusion is not always understood or welcomed where people are used to segregated systems necessitated this investigation. The study was qualitative in nature and Buskens-Meulenberg’s Free Attitude Interview (FAI) was used as a main source of data collection. Principals of the five former Model C schools that formed part of this study and three university students who are former Model C schools learners were interviewed using open ended questions. It was important to employ the Free Attitude Interview because it meant the interviewees were free to talk about anything they felt like, as long as it was within the framework of the starting question. Secondly, it allowed for reflection on the dominant discourse and also gave a voice to the dominated discourse. To arrive at the findings data was analyzed and interpreted using Fairclough’s Textual Oriented Discourse Analysis (TODA). This method of analysis allowed the researcher to look not only at the text of the interviews but also at their discursive practices. The following findings emerged from the data analysis. The general finding from the data collected from both the principals and students was that these schools expected learners from diverse cultural backgrounds to adapt to the existing ‘school culture’ which is white middle class. The curriculum delivery, staff provisioning, and everything within the schools was found to reflect ‘white middle class culture’. The interviews from both the principals and students indicated that instead of being inclusive of all learners these schools go out of their way to assimilate children from other cultures especially black children. While this is the case it is also clear that the two groups of respondents view this differently. To the white school principals this is an accepted and normal way consciously encouraged and promoted. On the other hand this is a sore point to the black students which led them to feel that they did not belong in these schools and left them with feelings of alienation. I therefore argue that in spite of the rhetoric endorsing equity, redress, justice and respect for difference including cultural diversity, little has changed in terms of educational outcomes. Young black children who go to these former Model C schools still face exclusionary practices despite the fact that these schools have been open to all racial groups and they are physically there. While I have taken care not to generalize from the findings, – since this was never the intention of the study - I nevertheless drew the conclusion that these schools are actually not inclusive of learners from diverse cultural backgrounds. Adhering to the ‘ethos’ of the school and thereby maintaining the status quo seems to be the main objective of the schools (principals). In-fact black learners in these schools continue to experience exclusion and explicit racism. The study concludes that power structures in these schools – management and governance -, curriculum and the way it is delivered and all other activities within the school are used to reinforce domination of the learners from cultural backgrounds other than that of the school. From the findings the study recommend that for these schools to be truly inclusive of learners from diverse cultural backgrounds the Department of Education should take a leading role in ensuring that transformation takes place in these schools and they become inclusive of all learners. For this nation to be a true rainbow nation the Department of Education should not leave the transformation of these schools to the School Management Teams and Governing Bodies. Recommendations on what schools themselves can do to ensure that they accommodate, acknowledge and reflect cultural diversity and as such are inclusive of all learners are also given. Furthermore suggestions for relevant future research, based on the findings are made.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship that exists between academic self-concept, motivation and academic achievement at the University of the Free State. The primary aim of this study was to determine if academic self-concept and motivation of quantity surveying students at the University of the Free State could predict their level of academic achievement. The sample was selected by means of convenience sampling. Relevant literature indicated that there are contrasting findings about whether a relationship exists between students’ academic self-concepts and motivation, and academic achievement. The empirical investigation revealed that there are only significant correlations between academic self-concept, motivation and academic achievement in some of the study year levels and not in all of them. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Adult education)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship that exists between academic self-concept, motivation and academic achievement at the University of the Free State. The primary aim of this study was to determine if academic self-concept and motivation of quantity surveying students at the University of the Free State could predict their level of academic achievement. The sample was selected by means of convenience sampling. Relevant literature indicated that there are contrasting findings about whether a relationship exists between students’ academic self-concepts and motivation, and academic achievement. The empirical investigation revealed that there are only significant correlations between academic self-concept, motivation and academic achievement in some of the study year levels and not in all of them. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Adult education)

Thesis (M. Tech)(Education) -- Central university of Technology, Free State, 2007 / The aim of the study is to determine the impediments to parental involvement in the governance of selected primary schools in the Bloemfontein area. It also examines the impact of the principals’ attitudes as perceived by the parents towards their involvement in the governance of the school; the means of communication between the school and parents; whether co-operation between the principal and parents affects school governance; and whether familiarity with parents’ roles as stipulated in the South African Schools Act affects their participation in school governance. The literature was consulted on the segregated education of the previously disadvantaged people under apartheid. The transition from apartheid to education under the new political dispensation, as set out in the South African Schools Act 84 of 1996 also received attention. The study further addresses the issue of parents’ reluctance to participate in school governance and the views of teachers and parents on their roles in school governance. Ministerial investigation into the effectiveness of school governing bodies is presented and an international perspective on school governing bodies is also provided. A quantitative method using survey research method was employed in this study and a questionnaire was used to collect data. The aim was to elicit responses from the parents in as far as impediments to parental involvement in the governance of schools is concerned. It was revealed, however, that despite the parents’ reluctance to take part in school governance, principals’ attitudes were found to have a positive effect on parental participation in school governance. Methods of communication between the school and the parents were found to be effective, though a suggestion is made for improvement. Parents were found to be willing to co-operate with one another for the betterment of the school. Furthermore, parents were found to be familiar with the roles of members of the school governing body, irrespective of whether they are members of the school governing body or not.

Thesis (M. Tech.) - Central University of Technology, Free State, 2006 / Women Education managers are still in the minority in primary schools in Bloemfontein, despite the many changes education has undergone in recent years. It is against this background that the researcher found it imperative to investigate the problems women education managers might experience in carrying out their managerial duties and responsibilities. The study further sought to investigate the training needs of women education managers. On the basis of the perceptions held by educators, findings of research studies and the little South African literature that exists, the research questions crystallise as follows: What managerial problems do women education managers experience in carrying out their managerial duties? Do women education managers experience problems other than managerial problems in carrying out their duties? What training do they require? The purpose of this investigation was to gain an insight into the problems women education managers in primary schools in Bloemfontein experience in carrying out their managerial duties. The literature review provided a focus as the framework on which this study is based. In order to collect factual information about the managerial problems women education managers in primary schools in Bloemfontein encounter, questionnaires were distributed amongst the target group. Women education managers experience problems in performing their managerial duties. These problems include delegation, finance management, human resource management, planning, formulation of objectives, policy formulation, decision making, problem solving and allocation of time. There are some factors other than managerial competence and leadership style that have an influence on the way women education managers perform their duties. These factors include workplace discrimination, sexual harassment, negative attitudes towards women, emotional influences, promotion myths, lack of self-confidence, lack of support, role models and positive reinforcement, cultural socialization as well as allocation of duties. Other organisational factors women experience include: difficulty to cope with the demands of the post, too much workload, human relations, division of work in the department and when acting as principal when he/she is absent. Based on the findings of the study, it is imperative that relevant training programmes that would address the particular needs of women education managers in primary schools in Bloemfontein, be developed. These training programmes should address the various areas of management which are problematic to women education managers. As education managers, women should seize every opportunity to leave behind the gender discrimination which is still prevalent in the sphere of education and commit themselves to undergo management training to successfully execute their managerial duties. As education managers, women also need training in various organisational issues in which they experience problems. These problems also have an influence on the way women execute their managerial duties. Recommendations for the study: By providing women education managers with the necessary managerial skills, the different areas of management in which women experience problems can be eradicated. They will have to undergo relevant training. Workshops and in-service training sessions need to be conducted to address the managerial areas in which women education managers experience problems. The findings of this study are not representative of the Free State province and further research needs to be conducted in the entire province or even all over South Africa.

Thesis (M. Tech. (Civil Engineering)) -- Central University of Technology, free State, 2013 / According to the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) of South Africa, a large number of accidents involving motor vehicles occur annually on the arterial roads passing through the suburban residential areas of the cities of South Africa. This problem warrants planning and design interventions for the reduction of vehicular accidents and the consequent improvement of road safety on these city roads. Based on this premise, an investigation was conducted to explore the major causes of vehicular accidents, and to develop a set of urban planning and design guidelines to reduce vehicular accidents in suburban arterial roads of a city and to improve the road safety appreciably. The investigation was conducted by considering the suburban areas of Bloemfontein city of Free State, South Africa as the study area. A survey research methodology was followed for this purpose, and data was collected from both primary and secondary sources. Sample surveys were conducted in four different suburban areas of the city to collect primary data and to acquire firsthand information for understanding the scenario at grassroots level. The surveys included household surveys, in order to understand the demographic, socio-economic, and perceptual infrastructural conditions of the study area and their influence on vehicular accidents; road geometrical design parameter surveys; and traffic surveys to understand the road geometry and traffic-related scenarios in the city. In addition, structured statistical data was collected from secondary sources, such as published and unpublished literature and a range of other documents. The data collected was analysed statistically to find the major control parameters influencing vehicular accidents in the suburban arterial roads, and to establish relationships between vehicular accidents and the major control parameters. Based on the analyses, a theoretical linear multiple regression model establishing relationships between the vehicular accidents as the dependent variable and vehicular traffic-related variables (speed of vehicles and average daily traffic), road geometry design variables (road width and median width), and spatial variables (land use and land form in the form of the number of access points from residential areas to arterial routes), was developed to observe the number of accidents under varied simulated scenarios. The simulated model results were employed to develop various policy scenarios to reduce accidents and to improve road safety in the study area. The investigation revealed that, under the composite scenario of the reduction of number of accesses from residential areas to arterial roads, speed, and average daily traffic along with the increase of road width and median width, the occurrence of vehicular accidents in the arterial roads of suburban areas of the city would be reduced and road safety would be improved significantly. It was also observed that residential areas with limited vehicular access from residential areas to arterial roads would have fewer vehicular accidents than residential areas having unrestricted access. Consequently, the number of access points from residential areas to arterial roads in suburban areas of the city would need to be limited, depending on the functions and land use of the area, to improve road safety.