https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/2734 2026-05-05T15:30:42Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32397 The Effect of Socio-Economic and Energy-Related Factors on Environmental Degradation in South Africa: An Autoregressive Distributed Lag Model Approach Mafeta, Lehlohonolo Godfrey; Madiba, Amahle; Tjano, Robert Nicky Over the past two decades, the world has experienced significant and relentless increase in environmental degradation, measured through carbon emissions (CO2). These emissions have been one of the persistent global concerns. South Africa boosts abundance of natural resources and some of the world’s most substantial mineral deposits endowment in the form of precious metals, diamonds and gold. The paper aims to examine impact of socio-economic and energy-related factors on environmental degradation from South African perspective. Using multivariate annual data spanning from 1991 to 2022, Autoregressive Distributed Lag Model (ADRL) was employed to determine both short-run and long-run impact of financial development (FD), renewable energy(RE), non-renewable energy (NRE), unemployment rate (UNE), economic growth (GDPPC), and population growth (PoPG) on CO2 emission. The results show that FD, RE, GDPPC, and PoPG promote environmental quality in the long run while NRE has opposite impact. The study thus calls for actions by relevant policymakers to stimulate economic growth and promote access to climate change finance, thereby encouraging investment in green energy technologies and consumption, to enhance and promote environmental quality in South Africa 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32354 The impact of marketing communication strategies on the performance of small independent retailers in Soweto, South Africa Makhubela, Vincent Funani Small independent retailers in Soweto, a township of Johannesburg in South Africa, are losing business due to the emergence of large retailers in the township area. These large retailers are taking customers away from small independent retailers. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of marketing communication strategies on the performance of small independent retailers in Soweto, South Africa. The study employed a descriptive research methodology that involved a quantitative research design. 300 small independent retailers in three townships in Soweto, namely, Meadowlands, Dobsonville and Protea North were targeted, and the self-administered printed questionnaires were distributed to these retailers. Data was analysed by means of descriptive statistical analysis, factor analysis, regression analysis and ANOVA. The results depict that small independent retailers have a positive attitude towards marketing communication strategies. Small independent retailers were found to utilise word-of-mouth content and personal selling more in their businesses, while moderately using internet and social media. The results of the research study further revealed that marketing communication strategies (digital marketing, advertising, internet and social media) have a positive impact on the performance of small independent retailers. The study also found that the major challenges experienced by small independent retailers are electricity outages (load-shedding), the high cost of marketing communication tools, crime, and selecting the right location for the business. The key recommendation stemming from the study is that there is a need for more research on small independent retailers to identify the marketing communication strategies preferred by their customers. The study should be from the customer’s perspective. Future studies should employ different research methodologies in order to delve deeper into determining why small independent retailers in Soweto do not utilise digital marketing, advertising, direct marketing, sales promotion, and word-of-mouth message involvement. 2019-03-11T00:00:00Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32333 An organisational climate framework for educator-tutors from a college of open learning Munyika, Aveshe David This study aimed to develop a conceptual framework that captures the Organisational Climate (OC) as perceived by educator-tutors within a college of open learning, specifically the Namibian College of Open Learning (NAMCOL). The framework seeks to illustrate how the provision of adequate job satisfaction, motivation, and well-being can enhance the OC, thereby strengthening both employee performance and institutional effectiveness. Creating a conducive OC is critical for any institution, yet it remains a persistent challenge, particularly within Open and Distance Learning (ODL) environments where educator-tutors often face distinctive pressures. OC influences intrinsic factors such as employee commitment, loyalty, and job satisfaction, as well as extrinsic factors, including professional conduct and workplace experience. A comprehensive literature review highlighted that OC affects employee performance, behaviour, and the underlying cultural values of institutions. It also serves as a strategic mechanism for addressing complex challenges such as increased competition, technological advancements, and evolving organisational structures. This study employed an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design across four NAMCOL regions, incorporating 60 tutorial centres. Phase 1 involved a quantitative analysis using a structured questionnaire distributed electronically to educator-tutors. Data analysis included Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), conducted using the IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 28. The validity and reliability of the instrument were ensured through established trustworthiness strategies and literature-based instrument selection. Phase 2 employed qualitative methods, drawing on insights from the quantitative phase to develop an interview guide. In-depth interviews were conducted with selected educator-tutors and heads of centres across the four regions. Thematic analysis was used to interpret qualitative data. The integration of Phases 1 (quantitative) and 2 (qualitative) informed the final conceptual framework, which addresses a significant gap in the literature by presenting the first systematic model of OC to the best of the researcher’s knowledge as experienced by educator-tutors in the Namibian ODL context. The study revealed that job satisfaction is foundational to motivation and well-being within this conceptual iv framework. Recognition, professional growth, and empowerment significantly enhance job satisfaction, even though inadequate remuneration remains a concern. Motivation is strengthened by collaborative work environments, manageable workloads, and a sense of achievement. Well-being, on the other hand, emerges from the interaction between job satisfaction and motivation, supported by collegial trust and emotional support. Strengthening these interlinked constructs (job satisfaction, motivation, and well-being) is essential for fostering a positive OC that benefits both educator-tutors and students. This offers practical implications for improving institutional support and educational outcomes in ODL settings. 2026-02-12T00:00:00Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32307 Junior doctors’ sense-making of strategic decisions in public healthcare : a phenomenological study Samson, Shereen Judith By adopting the theoretical perspectives of strategy-as-practice and sense-making, this study explored micro-level social activity in a particular context. As implementers of strategic decisions emanating from the upper echelons in public healthcare, junior doctors are confronted with the realities of deliberate, intended strategic policy decisions in their daily practice. The study focused on front-line lower-level employees at the periphery as opposed to the traditional focus on top and middle management. The micro-level activity, explored across multiple public hospitals in South Africa as an emerging economy, was the study context. A qualitative phenomenological study within an interpretive constructivist approach was adopted in two phases (e-interviews and face-to-face interviews). Cross-sectional data was gathered from 16 healthcare practitioners doing their internship and community service. An inductive grounded approach through iterative, co-coding digital analysis techniques contributed to a thematic content analysis which informed the findings of the study. The findings contribute to an understanding of strategising to reconceptualise how strategising emerges from patterned phronetic practices by peripheral organisational actors who are not usually considered strategists. The findings are that peripheral organisational actors employ unintentional strategising through accumulated, everyday, tacit practices in a bottom-up dwelling perspective through retrospective embodied sense-making to cohere contextual complexity in practice. A further finding is that peripheral organisational actors employ cognitive and emotional appraisal through embodied sense-making to influence and shape retrospective sense-making of mid-level contextual factors. Lastly, prospective sense-making manifests through consequential suggesting from patterned phronetic retrospective sense-making, especially of socio-material artefacts. The study expands knowledge on strategising and the consequences of unintentional strategising in practice from peripheral organisational actors using sense-making through an SAP perspective, as well as strategy processes and practices, and strategy-in-practice perspectives. Additionally, sense-making becomes utilitarian in its contribution to the body of knowledge on micro retrospective, prospective and embodied sense-making of mid-level contextual factors and macro strategic decisions by peripheral organisational actors.; Deur die teoretiese perspektiewe van strategie-as-praktyk en sinvorming aan te neem, het hierdie studie mikro-vlak sosiale aktiwiteit in ’n spesifieke konteks ondersoek. Junior dokters, as implementeerders van strategiese besluite wat uit die hoër range in openbare gesondheidsorg kom, word in hulle daaglikse praktyk met die realiteite van doelbewuste, beoogde strategiese beleidsbesluite gekonfronteer. Die studie het gefokus op frontlinie-laervlak-werknemers aan die periferie in teenstelling met die tradisionele fokus op top- en middelvlakbestuur. Die mikrovlak-aktiwiteit, wat in verskeie openbare hospitale in Suid-Afrika as ’n opkomende ekonomie ondersoek is, was die studiekonteks. ’n Kwalitatiewe fenomenologiese studie binne ’n vertolkende konstruktivistiese benadering is in twee fases aangeneem (e-onderhoude en persoonlike onderhoude). Deursnee-data is ingesamel by 16 gesondheidsorgpraktisyns wat hulle internskap en gemeenskapsdiens gedoen het. ’n Induktiewe, gegronde benadering deur middel van iteratiewe, ko-koderende digitale analisetegnieke het bygedra tot ’n tematiese inhoudsanalise wat die bevindinge van die studie beïnvloed het. Die bevindinge dra by tot ’n begrip van strategisering om te herkonseptualiseer hoe strategisering voortspruit uit gepatroneerde fronetiese praktyke deur perifere organisatoriese akteurs wat nie gewoonlik as strateë beskou word nie. Die bevindinge is dat perifere organisatoriese akteurs onopsetlike strategisering gebruik deur opgehoopte, alledaagse, stilswyende praktyke in ’n onder-na-bo-woonperspektief deur retrospektiewe beliggaamde sinvorming om kontekstuele kompleksiteit in die praktyk saam te hang. ’n Verdere bevinding is dat perifere organisatoriese akteurs kognitiewe en emosionele waardering deur middel van beliggaamde sinvorming gebruik om retrospektiewe sinvorming van middelvlak- kontekstuele faktore te beïnvloed en te vorm. Laastens manifesteer prospektiewe sinvorming deur gevolglike voorstel van gepatroneerde fronetiese retrospektiewe sinvorming, veral van sosio-materiële artefakte. Die studie brei kennis oor strategisering en die gevolge van onbedoelde strategisering uit van perifere organisatoriese akteurs deur sinvorming deur ’n SAP-perspektief, sowel as strategieprosesse en -praktyke en strategie-in-praktyk-perspektiewe. Daarbenewens word sinvorming utilitaristies in sy bydrae tot die kennisbasis oor mikro-retrospektiewe, prospektiewe en beliggaamde sinvorming van middelvlak- kontekstuele faktore en makro-strategiese besluite deur perifere organisatoriese akteurs.; Olu phando-nzulu luphonononga umsebenzi wecandelo elithile loluntu lusebenzisa iimbono zethiyori zokucwangcisa okungumsebenzi kwakunye nokunika ingqiqo. Oogqirha abakwinqanaba elisezantsi ngabo abamilisela izigqibo ezinobuchule ezicwangciswa ngabo babaphetheyo kwicandelo lezempilo likarhulumente, ngoko ke mihla le bahlangabezana ngqo neziphumo ezingangxengwanga zezi zigqibo zemigaqo-nkqubo ezenziwe ngabaphathi. Olu phando-nzulu lugxininise kubasebenzi abakumanqanaba asezantsi, alujoliswanga kubaphathi abaphakathi nabaphezulu njengoko kuhlala kusenzeka. Owona mxholo wolu phando-nzulu ngumsebenzi owenziwa ngabasebenzi abakwinqanaba elisezantsi kuzo zonke izibhedlele zikarhulumente eziseMzantsi Afrika nobonwa njengoqoqosho olusakhulayo. Kwenziwe uphando-nzulu lomgangatho lwezinto ezenzekayo ngendlela echazayo neyakhayo, oluzigaba zibini (udliwano-ndlebe lwe-intanethi kunye nodliwano-ndlebe ngqo ubuso ngobuso). Ingcombolo iqokelelwe kumagosa ezempilo ali-16 avela kumacandelo awohlukeneyo aqeqeshelwa umsebenzi kunye nalawo akwinkqubo yokunika uluntu iinkonzo. Indlela emiliselwe ekufundiseni ngokuphindaphinda, neenkqubo zohlalutyo lwedijithali lokukhowuda kwakhona zibe negalelo kuhlalutyo lomxholo oluncedise ngamandla kwiziphumo zolu phando-nzulu. Iziphumo zinegalelo ekuqondeni izicwangciso zengcamango yendlela ekuvela ngayo ukucwangcisa kwizinto zephronetiki ezilungelelanisiweyo ezenziwa ngabasebenzi beziko abakumanqanaba asezantsi abangathatyathwa njengabantu abaziingcali. Iziphumo zibonisa ukuba abasebenzi abakumanqanaba asezantsi kumaziko basebenzisa ubuchule bengaqondanga yonke imihla xa besenza imisebenzi yabo yemihla ngemihla kwiinkalo abasebenzela kuzo, besebenzisa ingqiqo equlathiweyo neyokubuyel’ umva ukuze kuconjululwe ukuntsokotha komsebenzi. Esinye isiphumo sibonisa ukuba abasebenzi abakumanqanaba asezantsi kwiziko basebenzisa uvandlakanyo lwengqondo nolweemvakalelo ngengqiqo equlethweyo ukuze baphembelele yaye babumbe ukwenziwa kwengqiqo kwizinto ezikwinqanaba eliphakathi. Okokugqibela, ukwenziwa kwengqiqo okulindelekileyo kuvela kwiimbono ezinesiphumo ezilungelelanisiweyo zephronetiki ebuyela umva yokwenza ingqiqo, ingakumbi kwizinto eziphathekayo zoluntu. Olu phando-nzulu lutyebisa ulwazi malunga nokucwangcisa nangeziphumo zokucwangcisa ngokungazimiselanga okwenziwa ngabasebenzi abakumanqanaba asezantsi besebenzisa ukwenziwa kwengqiqo ngendlela yeSAP, kwakunye neenkqubo zocwangciso nemisebenzi kunye neendlela zokucwangcisa okungumsebenzi. Ngaphaya koko, ukwenza ingqiqo kuba luncedo xa kufakwe kulwazi lokwenza ingqiqo okuncinane okubuyel’ umva, okulindelweyo nokuqulethweyo kwakunye nokwenza ingqiqo okuqulethweyo kwizinto ezikwinqanaba eliphakathi kwakunye nezigqibo ezikhulu ezinobuchule ezenziwa ngabasebenzi abakumanqanaba asezantsi. Abstract in English, Afrikaans and IsiXhosa 2025-09-01T00:00:00Z