No abstract available / Dissertation (MA (Practical Theology))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Practical Theology / unrestricted

This mini dissertation examines the personal and public challenges facing Black women in their quest for leadership in schools. Secondary school leadership remains a male-dominated arena in many schools even after a decade of democracy in the country. This is contrary to the democratic ideals of the country, which include participation in governance, social justice and gender equity in particular. This study seeks to identify the root causes of gender imbalances and to work out strategies to redefine leadership roles in schools. This study was conducted from a critical feminist perspective. It is a qualitative case study and has used individual-based interviews, focus groups and observation in collecting data. It should be mentioned that this study involved male participants as well. They are regarded as the “significant others” who have to play a critical role in re-visioning redefining leadership within their schools. A total of six women and four male participants were included in the study. Participants were purposefully selected. A consent form was sent to all the participants, covering all ethical issues of voluntary participation, confidentiality and anonymity. The major themes that emerged in the study were: · tension between the personal and the public realms · lack of institutional support · non-adherence to policy / Dissertation (MPhil (Education Management and Policy Studies))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Education Management and Policy Studies / unrestricted

This study investigated the performance of rural local government institutions in Zimbabwe and the Beitbridge Rural District Council (BRDC) in particular, between 1993 and 2002. Specific focus was on the BRDC’s effort to enhance democratic participation and empower local communities; its performance in providing services of a local nature; and the level of performance of its management in its bid to infuse and maintain ethos of institutional excellence in the council. Interviews, questionnaires and documentary search were used as instruments for collecting data of both a qualitative and quantitative nature. Consequently, the study does not draw polarity between quantitative and qualitative dimensions of research because of the need to derive benefits from both methodologies. The analysis of data followed a similar approach. The findings of this study are that there is no sufficient community participation in BRDC affairs. Although there is a platform for community participation in the form of VIDCOs and WADCOs, officials of these committees tend to dominate the planning process and consequently, plans reflect the decisions of a minority rather than a majority. Councilors only report back to communities when they feel like and council staff are not responsive to the communities they serve. Thus, the performance of the BRDC in enhancing community participation is below the expectations of communities and this has created a strained relationship between council and the latter. On service provision, the indications are that services are not adequate to meet the demands of communities particularly in housing, recreational facilities, water and transport. Besides, the provision is not responsive to community needs. Inefficiency and ineffectiveness manifest themselves in the process. Council management is bedeviled with several forms of non-performance due to resource wastage, lack of responsiveness and a general lackadaisical attitude. One would conclude that the manner in which the council is performing indicates a lack of economic and administrative rationality in both councilors and council staff. Consequently, there is need to build the capacity of both incumbents and infuse ethos of excellence in running council affairs. This can be done through training and staff development programmes. / Thesis (DAdmin (Public Management and Administration))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / School of Public Management and Administration (SPMA) / unrestricted

The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which the notion of Business Social Responsibility (BSR) has permeated the Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprise (SMME) environment in rural South Africa. It is expected that the determination of the extent of SMME BSR participation will help shed more light on this growing but highly controversial concept. The empirical investigation was preceded by a literature survey. In particular the literature review provided a discussion on the theoretical foundations of BSR that led to the identification of ethics and stakeholder theory as the two pillars upon which BSR rests. Examination of previous studies led to the identification of the community, employee, and customer related issues as key elements of SMME BSR. These elements were used to construct a measurement instrument for SMME BSR. The results of the empirical study show that the concept BSR has permeated the SMME mindset in the Greater Taung Local Municipality (GTLM). In particular it identified key factors to measure the BSR construct and shows that BSR is as much an SMME issue as it is a big business issue. Through discriminant analysis it is possible to classify SMME performance based on the determined factors. The study raises issues which when attended to might increase SMME BSR performance hence increase their contribution to socio economic development especially in rural communities. There is need for the SMME enabling environment to be improved. The level of management within SMMEs also needs to be improved. This requires policy makers to put in place extra support beyond what currently exists. There is also the need to educate businesses especially those in the rural areas on their social responsibilities. This will help create awareness of the concept not only because it is ethical but because of its business imperative. This requires commitment from the highest office of the country. But perhaps more importantly South Africa also needs a Minister for Business Social Responsibility like the UK. / Thesis (PhD (Entrepreneurship))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Business Management / unrestricted

This study focused on the pH dependant mobility of 15 trace elements in river sediments in South Africa. These river sediments originated from the Blesbokspruit (near Witbank in the Mpumalanga Province), the Crocodile River (near Hartebeespoort Dam in the Gauteng Province) and the Olifants River (near Ohrigstad in the Northern Province). A theoretical discussion on the properties of the measured trace elements and the ICP-OES technique were included in this study for the sake of completeness. Three different fractions of river sediment (smaller than 0.2 mm, bigger than 0.2 mm and unsieved) were investigated using two different leaching techniques and a digestion procedure to determine the total trace element content. The sediment was subjected to simulated pollution by trace element through the addition of standard solutions in know concentrations. These results it were evaluated to determine the possible behaviour of trace elements that is not presently present in the river sediment. The results obtained from this study were used to determine the impact that trace elements may have in the pollution of the underground water resources. / Dissertation (MSc (Chemistry))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Chemistry / unrestricted

No research has been done to date on Economic Value Added (EVA) as a performance measure for South African agricultural co-operatives. The main objective of this study is to calculate Economic Value Added for South African agricultural co-operatives. Further objectives are to determine whether co-operatives add value to their members’ interest, whether there exists a correlation between EVA performances over the years under review and between the individual groups of co-operatives. The study aims to determine EVA for the grain and oilseeds, wine, meat, timber, tobacco, fruit and vegetables co-operatives. The study further calculated EVA values for all the groups of co-operatives under changing beta-values to look at the sensitivity of EVA. EVA can be described as a value–based performance measure, an investment decision tool and also a performance measure reflecting the absolute amount of shareholder value created. Three basic inputs are needed in the calculation of EVA, namely return on capital earned on investments, the cost of capital for those investments and the capital invested in them. These three inputs are determined before the calculation of EVA can be applied. The values for the determination of these inputs are obtained from the income statements and balance sheets of the respective agricultural co-operatives. After the calculation of the EVA values for all the separate co-operatives, it could be concluded that no grain and oilseed co-operatives created value. There was only one wine co-operative which created value, five which improved from a negative to a positive EVA, three which had negative but improving EVA values. The rest of the wine co-operatives destroyed value. In the case of meat co-operatives three of the four co-operatives destroyed value, while the other one created value in the first (1998) and last year (2001) under review. The timber co-operatives created value, except for one of the three which destroyed value in 2000 and 2001. The tobacco co-operatives destroyed value over the four years under review. In the case of fruit and vegetable co-operatives, one co-operative created value, while the rest of the co-operatives destroyed value. All of the general co-operatives, as well as all the requisites co-operatives destroyed value. Averages for all the groups of co-operatives were calculated as well. Grain and oilseeds, wine, tobacco, general and requisites co-operatives destroyed value. The average of the meat co-operatives showed that this group destroyed value over the first three years under review, but created value in the last year. Timber, fruit and vegetable co-operatives created value over all four of the years under review. The average for all of the co-operatives showed that co-operatives, in general, destroyed value. From this study it becomes clear that no correlation exists between the EVA values calculated for the co-operatives over the four year period under review. There is no correlation between the individual groups of co-operatives either. This means that the EVA performance of co-operatives are not influenced by external factors, but depends on the effective management and decision-making within the agricultural co-operatives. By increasing and decreasing beta-values by 10% and 20% respectively and then recalculating EVA with these changed beta-values, the sensitivity of EVA could be determined. There were no significant changes in the EVA values after recalculating them. Most negative EVA values stayed negative and the positive EVA values stayed positive after recalculating EVA. It can be said that EVA is not very sensitive to the changing betas. / Dissertation (MSc (Agric))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development / unrestricted

The research on the format and long-term effect of a technique mastering programme in the first year Calculus course involves a group of first year engineering students at the University of Pretoria. Apart from conceptual understanding these students are also expected to master a certain amount of basic knowledge and rote skills in the Calculus course. The process of acquiring and assessing basic knowledge and rote skills (also referred to as must knows and techniques, respectively) is known as the technique mastering programme at the University of Pretoria. This study addresses two research questions. The first question deals with the issue as to whether the paper-based assessment format for the technique mastering programme in first year Calculus can be replaced by computer-based assessment without a significant difference in performance. The second question deals with the long-term effect of the techniques mastering programme and the study investigates which and how much of the knowledge and skills embedded by the technique mastering programme in the first year is retained after a further two years of study. In answer to the first question, the study shows that statistically there is no significant difference in performance in the technique mastering tests when the paper format is replaced by an online format. Yet, for a large group of students the logistics are formidable and the change to the online format under investigation is not practically feasible. The second part of the study shows that, in general, there is a disappointing decline in performance over a period of two years. There are, however, areas in which students performed better after the elapsed period. The research is of diagnostic value in determining the future of the technique mastering program with regard to both its format and contents. / Dissertation (MSc (Mathematics Education))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Mathematics and Applied Mathematics / unrestricted

The paucity of data concerning the etiology and development of coronary heart disease (CHD) and its risk factors prompted this case-control study. The prevalence of CHD and its accompanying CHD-risk factors among black people from Africa during the twentieth century is covered in the literature review. Differences between developed and developings countries and the possible role of multivariate analyses for the recognition of CHD are addressed. The aims and objectives follow the discussion of the literature review. Between 1982 and 1986 we identified 89 black South African patients with CHD, according to > 2 criteria of the World Health Organization (WHO) for CHD. The diagnosis of underlying coronary artery disease (CAD) was confirmed using coronary angiography, and/or necropsy until 1994. Exercise-radionuclide imaging was also used to confirm manifestations of underlying CHD. A control group of 356 black people living in the same study area and with no evidence of underlying CHD (< 2 WHO criteria or no CHD signs/symptoms along with negative and/or questionable exercise-induced/stress electrocardiography) were also selected. The two study groups were stratified according to age, sex and ethnicity. Using Stata Corp 2001 statistical software release 7, and a multiple logistic regression procedure three models with large surfaces under the Receiver Operator Characteristic (ROC)-curve (0,9331, 0,9350 and 0,9592) were built, for the recognition of CHD in black people. According to the Odds Ratios [95% Confidence Interval] the family history (FH) of myocardial infarction (MI; FHMI): 11,55 [2,63; 50,76]; >Gr II retinopathy (KWB): 8,18 [2,45; 27,26]; left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH): 7,13 [3,08; 16,55]; total cholesterol (TC): 6,4 [2,14; 19,09]; peripheral vascular disease (PVD): 3,72 [1,3; 9,99]; renal target organ damage: 3,41 [1,49; 7,78]; family history of hypertension (FHHT): 2,12 [0,89; 5,01]; and personal history of type 2 diabetes mellitus (NIDDM-II): 2,09 [0,65; 6,57] contributed significantly to the development of CHD in urban black people. From the comparisons between the models it can be concluded that the life-long exposure to lifestyle-related CHD risk factors (hypertension, NIDDM-II and elevated cholesterol levels), which were poorly controlled, along with genetic factors (FHMI and FHHT), lead to the development of CHD and target organ damage. It was accompanied by environmental factors such as poor socio-economic background and extended exposutre to urbanisation. The high prevalence rates of the known CHD risk factors resembled those of African American people with confirmed CHD. The Framingham absolute score for selected risk factor categories gave credibility to the risk factor status of both CHD patients as well as the control group. This is the first South-African study confirming the link between atherosclerotic CHD and the traditional CHD risk factors. A separate substudy using age- and sex-adjusted standardised mortality rates (MR) for CHD (ICDC 410-414) for the total white and black South African populations between 1970 and 1980 revealed a possible changing trend. The decline in white CHD MR in the younger age groups contrasts with those of black people. The observed (O) relative to the expected (E) CHD MR exceeded the 100% mark in the younger age groups. This observation is in agreement with the cumulative incidence rate (3,41) with a 95% confidence interval [2,51; 6,53] of this study relative to the study by Seftel et al. (1965-1968). Shortcomings in the reporting of CHD MR and the datasets, as well as inaccurate vital statistics, provide additional evidence of CHD mortality and morbidity in South African black people. The suggestion of a changing trend remains unsure. The two profiles of CHD in South African black people, 30-40 years apart, form the platform for proposed cardiovascular research in African black people. The study concludes with recommendations leveled at the National Department of Health for the treatment and prevention of CHD in South African black people. / Thesis (MD (Internal Medicine))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Internal Medicine / unrestricted

The purpose of this study was to identify the major components of affirmative action (AA) fairness and to develop a valid and reliable measuring instrument, which could be used to measure the perceptions of employees on AA fairness. A literature study and an empirical study were conducted. The literature study focused on fairness principles, outlined AA practices and identified work behaviours related to commitment. On completion of the literature study, a questionnaire was developed to collect information on respondents’ biographical details and their perceptions of the fairness of AA, the treatment of AA employees and employees’ commitment. Using SPSS, principal axis factor analysis was performed on the data, with a Varimax rotation, in order to uncover the different factors related to the three behavioural domains. Four factors for each of the behavioural domains with latent roots greater than unity (Kaiser’s criteria) were extracted from the factor matrix of each domain. The factors postulating the different behavioural domains are as follows: AA fairness: interactional justice, procedural justice (input), procedural justice (criteria) and distributive Justice Treatment of AA employees: task autonomy, respect, responsibility and realistic expectations on the part of supervisors Employees’ commitment: obedience, participation, satisfaction and loyalty The influence and effect of the biographical variables on fairness perceptions were determined by xiv comparing the responses of various employee subsets with one another by means of univariate and multivariate analysis of variance. The results of the t-tests revealed that staff category, marital status and ethnicity have a statistically significant effect on employees’ perceptions of the distributive justice of AA. Decisions such as granting AA employees token positions, paying unrealistically high salaries to AA managers and appointing less-qualified employees, play a key role when managers, married employees and whites form perceptions of the fairness of AA. Women consider procedural fairness, adhering to rules and regulations and loyalty to be of paramount importance. The MANOVAs and associated ANOVAs indicated that ethnicity, staff category and age must be considered for their significant effect on perceptions of distributive justice, autonomy, respect and loyalty. Blacks, contrary to whites, believe that AA employees are not treated with respect and are not accorded autonomy. Older employees and clerical staff tend to be more loyal than their counterparts. Multiple regression statistics were used to predict how the treatment of AA employees relates to perceptions of the fairness of AA. The results indicated that the more task autonomy and respect accorded to employees, the more likely they will perceive decisions about AA to be fair. This study represents a vital step towards a better understanding of the dimensionality of AA fairness and should ultimately contribute to more effective management of AA in the workplace. / Thesis (PhD (Human Resources Management))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Human Resource Management / unrestricted

The primary objective of this study is to decompose the conditional covariance matrix of a system of variables. A structural GARCH model is proposed which makes use of existing multivariate GARCH (MGARCH) models to decompose the covariance matrix. The variables analysed in the study are the All Share index (ALSI) on the Johannesburg stock exchange, the South African Rand/US Dollar exchange rate (R/$) and the South African 90- day Treasury bill interest rate (Tbill). The contemporaneous structural parameters in the system of endogenous variables are identified using heteroscedasticity. Although the structural parameters of the system of variables hold important and interesting information, it is not the main focus of this study. Identifying the structural parameters can be seen as a necessary condition to decompose the conditional variance covariance matrix into an endogenous and exogenous part. The contribution of the study is twofold. The first contribution is methodological in nature, while the second is empirical. The study proposes a methodology that utilises two multivariate GARCH models to decompose the time-varying conditional covariance matrix of a system of assets, without imposing unnecessary constraints on the system. In doing so more information is obtained from decomposing the covariance matrix than what is available from existing or traditional multivariate GARCH models. The information allows the investor to analyse the structural relationships between variables in the system in both the first and the second moments. On an empirical level, the study analyses the structural relationship between financial variables in the South African economy using high-frequency data. The methodology utilised allows for consistent and efficient estimates of the structural contemporaneous relationships between these variables. The study also decomposes the volatility of each individual variable as well as the volatility between the variables. More information is gained on what drives the volatility of these variables, i.e. is volatility generated within the system, alternative to volatility generated from structural innovations or latent factors outside the system. The study finally shows how the information can be utilised in a portfolio management context. / Thesis (PhD (Econometrics))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Economics / unrestricted