Convergence, the resulting new business and emerging leadership, regulated environment and strategy, telecoms costs as barrier to entry, enablement of global market places. / The market environment of telecommunications in South Africa is such that currently there is only one provider of fixed-line services. This has contributed to much claims of prices of incumbent being too high. The government has licensed operators and service providers to compete with Telkom in an attempt to lower the costs of telecommunications in South Africa. The purpose of this research is to understand the relevance and nature of pricing policies, critically evaluate the management of pricing policies, research literature, theory and also the impact that these pricing policies have had on the business of Telkom. The research was conducted by analysing Telkom pricing related documents, financial statements and conducting interviews. The research found that the price-cap regulation has restricted flexibility in the pricing policies and that Telkom has adopted a short-term based approach to management of the pricing policies.

Survivors of critical illness suffer from a range of problems affecting physical, psychological and social well-being (Needham et al 2011). Weakness, fatigue and malnutrition are highly prevalent during the months following a critical illness. Few studies have systematically and comprehensively explored the factors that influence nutritional recovery or ways to overcome them. The aim of this study was to provide a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing nutritional recovery, and the relationship between them, in post intensive care (ICU) patients. A model of care was then developed to improve current management of nutrition for patients recovering from critical illness. Grounded theory methodology was used with a mixed method research design. Nutritional status and intake were assessed on discharge from ICU and at three months post ICU discharge. The process of nutritional recovery during the first three months post ICU discharge was explored from a patient perspective and at the level of ward organisation of care, through observation of practice and interviewing patients and staff. Seventeen patients, who had required greater than 48 hours ventilation, were recruited on discharge from the ICU. On transfer to the ward 9 of the 17 patients were assessed as well-nourished and 8 were malnourished using Subjective Global Assessment. At three months post ICU discharge 14 patients were followed up (1 lost to follow up, 1 incapacitated following illness and 1 went overseas). Seven of these were classified as well-nourished and the other 7 were malnourished. Patients universally failed to meet their nutritional targets during their ward stay and although intakes had improved by three months post ICU discharge, the majority of patients were still not achieving their nutritional requirements. Qualitative data revealed that patients' nutritional intake was influenced by interrelated system breakdowns during the recovery process; this emerged as the overarching core theme. Three sub-themes were ‘experiencing a dysfunctional body’, ‘experiencing socio-cultural changes in relation to eating and ‘encountering organisational nutritional care delivery failures’. This study identified connections and interrelations between these concepts and provided new insights into the factors that influence the nutritional care of post ICU patients. In order to optimise nutritional rehabilitation in this patient group a model of care has been developed which addresses the identified organisational and patient related factors that were shown to influence the nutritional recovery of patients after critical illness. This nutritional strategy will need to be evaluated in clinical trials or quality improvement programmes.

This study examined whether the critical power (CP) and anaerobic work capacity (AWC) estimates from the CP 3-min all-out (CP3min) test were affected by the percentage of body weight used to set the resistance on a Monark cycle ergometer. Twenty-one subjects (11 women and 10 men) were placed into one of three groups (n=7) based on activity level; recreationally trained (REC), aerobic and anaerobic sport (SPORT), and endurance trained (END). The CP3min test was conducted at 4.5% of body weight (CP4.5%) and at a resistance setting based on group activity level (CPACT; REC = 3%, SPORT = 4%, and END = 5% of body weight). There were no differences between the CP4.5% or CPACT estimates in any of the three training groups. The AWC3% estimates were significantly lower than the AWC4.5% for the REC group, but there were no differences in the AWC4.5% and AWCACT for the SPORT or END groups.The principal finding of this study was that a resistance of 4.5% of body weight for CP3-min test may be used to estimate CP and AWC, without regard to the training status of the subjects.

published_or_final_version / Law / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

This thesis contains multiple-case studies of how critical thinking was conceptualised and operationalised by five academics from different disciplines in a university in Hong Kong. In response to the current literature that is characterised by prevalent dependence on academics’ self-reports to investigate perceptions and pedagogical practice for promoting critical thinking, the data in this research were obtained through non-participant observations, semi-structured interviews, and document collection. Using a framework underpinned by Argyris and Schön’s (1974) theory of action as well as Lave and Wenger’s (1991) notion of situated activity, the espoused beliefs and actual practice of case participants were analysed inductively through the constant comparison method. The findings contribute to a model of pedagogical engagement with critical thinking that elucidates the relationship between academics’ conceptions and practice. Pedagogy that encourages thinking development can be understood as engagement with critical thinking in three forms, namely, critical thinking as integral, critical thinking as incidental, and critical thinking as instrumental. These forms of engagement are associated with three factors, which are dimensions of academics’ implicit theories: expectations of students, the perceived relevance of critical thinking, and knowledge of critical thinking. The model of pedagogical engagement advances the argument that instruction for critical thinking development is individual academics’ personal constructions that are constantly negotiated between their latent beliefs and awareness of context. The thesis concludes with implications for policy planners, practitioners, and researchers, offering suggestions towards promoting critical thinking both as a key learning outcome in universities and the hallmark of higher education. / published_or_final_version / Education / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

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The challenge of the South African government and economic policy is to achieve sustainable growth. Sufficient jobs are not being created after the political change that occurred in 1994. To address these challenges economic policy of government are analysed relative to theory, to lessons learned from East Asia (international best practice) and to recommendations of international economic organizations. This study is divided into 8 chapters. Chapter 1 comprises a general introduction to economic policy which addresses a particular economic phenomenon and explains the nature of the relationships between different economic variables, the research problem and the objectives of the study. Chapter 2 an overview of the theories of growth is described. The theories of economic policy are also described as well as a chronological outlay of all economic policies that influenced growth since the new political dispensation in 1994. In chapter 3 the first article analyses all the macroeconomic policies and reasons are sought why sufficient jobs are not being created after the 1994 political change that occurred. In chapter 4 the second article focuses on monetary policy. Against price stability as the primary objective of inflation targeting, the role of COSATU is analysed regarding the relation between inflation and growth. In chapter 5 the third article analyses the reasons for volatility and the macro prudential measures available to monetary authorities. The consequence of the 2008 financial crisis was reduced growth in the world and currency volatility. In chapter 6 the fourth article analyses the limitations in applying existing instruments to achieve financial stability. A new perspective is debated to reduce inflation to counter the negative impact of a volatile exchange rate towards economic growth. In chapter 7 the fifth article analyses the causes and challenges of high government debt created by counter cyclical fiscal policy. This high government debt neutralizes the sustainability of a stimulatory stance of fiscal policy which is needed in South Africa. In chapter 8 the conclusions and recommendations are presented about important policy aspects to ensure financial stability and sustained growth. Unemployment has always been a concern in less developed countries and the concern increased after the USA financial crisis of 2008. Probable reasons for unemployment in less developed countries are a lack of resources, a lack of capital and a lack of skills. The peculiar economic scenario of South Africa is analysed. South Africa possesses very high unemployment rates according to international standards. The probable solution is high sustainable growth. Before 1994 South Africa could not attract foreign capital to finance growth because of the prevailing political dispensation. After 1994 South Africa attracted substantial foreign capital (however volatile in nature) which did not create sustainable growth. Regardless of this bigger volatile capital inflow, national saving as a percentage of GDP continued to deteriorate. There exist numerous structural problems in the South African economy. A new and fresh viewpoint regarding the application of policies is debated to address imbalances in the economy and to create sustainable growth. The unacceptable low levels of growth and low levels of employment have to be addressed in a new manner to create long term solutions. The answer to these problems cannot be found in short term economic- and short term political activities of the authorities. The cornerstones for development are anchored in the new strategic plan of the Department of Planning. Elements of various theories, for example the Neoclassical growth model and elements of policy theories are addressed. The developments in East Asia are addressed as well as recommendations of international economic organizations. Answers are sought to create sustainable growth in South Africa. / Thesis (PhD (Economics))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2013

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