A DECISION-SUPPORT TOOL FOR DEMOLITION SALE OF A VESSEL

The fundamental goal of any business is to create value for its owners. In shipping, the value is not only created with freight income, but also with the trade of the vessel itself. A ship has a limited lifetime and can be traded in different markets. The lowest value it will ever receive is its scrap price. An owner may decide to sell a vessel to scrap due to various reasons together with her physical condition and age. In this paper, a fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process based decision model is used to provide practitioners with a decision support tool for demolition sale versus further trading of a vessel. The usage of the tool is further illustrated with five actual cases

A theoretical and practical approach to a persuasive agent model for change behaviour in oral care and hygiene

There is an increased use of the persuasive agent in behaviour change interventions due to the agent‘s features of sociable, reactive, autonomy, and proactive. However, many interventions have been unsuccessful, particularly in the domain of oral care. The psychological reactance has been identified as one of the major reasons for these unsuccessful behaviour change interventions. This study proposes a formal persuasive agent model that leads to psychological reactance reduction in order to achieve an improved behaviour change intervention in oral care and hygiene. Agent-based simulation methodology is adopted for the development of the proposed model. Evaluation of the model was conducted in two phases that include verification and validation. The verification process involves simulation trace and stability analysis. On the other hand, the validation was carried out using user-centred approach by developing an agent-based application based on belief-desire-intention architecture. This study contributes an agent model which is made up of interrelated cognitive and behavioural factors. Furthermore, the simulation traces provide some insights on the interactions among the identified factors in order to comprehend their roles in behaviour change intervention. The simulation result showed that as time increases, the psychological reactance decreases towards zero. Similarly, the model validation result showed that the percentage of respondents‘ who experienced psychological reactance towards behaviour change in oral care and hygiene was reduced from 100 percent to 3 percent. The contribution made in this thesis would enable agent application and behaviour change intervention designers to make scientific reasoning and predictions. Likewise, it provides a guideline for software designers on the development of agent-based applications that may not have psychological reactance

Career capital components and their accrual : a senior management and executive perspective

The specialised knowledge and skills of an organisationÕs human capital, which enable organisations to compete within the largely knowledge-based, global economy, have become the main source of sustained competitive advantage for organisations. Senior Managers and Executives, in carrying out their mandate of providing strategic direction to and managing the aforementioned human capital, rely on a portfolio of skills and competencies, amassed throughout their careers, collectively termed career capital, to enable them to effectively fulfil their roles. The aim of this study was: (i) to identify the career capital components of Senior Managers and Executives: (ii) to identify the methods used in the accrual of these career capital components; and (iii) to identify the career capital components that have been instrumental in enabling the career advancement of Senior Managers and Executives. A qualitative, exploratory research study was carried out using semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with nine Executives and ten Senior Managers of a large South African manufacturing entity. These individuals were either based at the organisationÕs head office or at one of the organisationÕs operating hubs. Data was analysed using the content and frequency analysis technique which involved the gathering and compressing of large interview data into specific and identifiable content categories and drawing inferences from the analysis thereof. The final outcomes of the study were illustrated in an adapted model, the CCCP model, which relates career capital to generic organisational career pipeline levels; these include Senior Manager and Executive levels. Presented in this model are key career capital components required at the various organisational pipeline levels, the most effective methods used in the acquisition thereof per level and career capital components which serve as enablers for career advancement per pipeline level. The study adds to the findings of existing career capital and leadership development literature.Mini Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2017.nk2018Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS)MBAUnrestricte

The career advancement experiences of female managers in the ICT sector

A considerable amount of research effort has been invested in investigating the under-representation of women and their career advancement in traditionally male dominated sectors. Although it is widely recognised that females’ participation at all levels of management as well as in the economy has increased substantially over the years, more than half of the economically active women in South Africa are still found in occupations which are extensions of the traditional female role. The technology sector is regarded as one of the vital sectors to the economic development and sustainability of any country, therefore, attracting and retaining women in the sector is an imperative. Despite initiatives to address inequalities in the workplace, attracting and retaining women in the ICT sector nevertheless remains a challenge. Thus, the aim of this research was to explore the career advancement experiences of female managers in the ICT sector. An exploratory qualitative study approach was adopted to gain insights into the said career advancement experiences of female managers at different levels in an ICT company. Semi-structured interviews were administered to ten female managers in the company. Insights from the interviews formed the basis of the data analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Integrating the participants’ experiences with pertinent literature provided an in-depth understanding of female managers’ career advancement experiences. Literature and findings of the research indicate that various factors combine to give effect to the so-called glass ceiling, which denies women access to opportunities crucial for their career advancement. Lack of role models, mentoring and networking opportunities, work/family conflict, working hours, training and development and organisational culture were identified as factors that inhibit the advancement of women into senior leadership positions. In addition, the findings further revealed that commitment to ongoing development, mentorship, an enabling organisational culture and flexible work environment are career advancement enablers. The outcome of the study confirms that there is an imbalance in the representation of women at senior management levels in the participating organisation (at the time the study was done) and, while numerous studies have sought to analyse the trends in employment and retention, in South Africa very little is known about the factors that influence the retention and advancement of women, specifically in the ICT sector. The study thus highlights the interventions required to attract, develop and retain women in the ICT sector as a means for organisations gaining a competitive advantage.Industrial and Organisational PsychologyM. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology

What influences nurses' career decisions?

Background This inquiry explores the career stories of nurses, to establish what influences their career decisions. The Nursing and Midwifery Council has over half a million nurses on its register, mostly employed within the National Health Service. There are increasing opportunities within this varied and extensive profession for fulfilling careers, yet many nurses leave the profession early. Research aims This inquiry aimed to provide evidence about the influences on nurses’ career decisions. It will establish an evidence-base for those who endeavour to assist nurses’ career progression. Methods A narrative review into existing literature concerning nursing careers was undertaken. This demonstrated careers are much researched and there is a significant theoretical basis, but careers in nursing are a novel area of research. Ethics approval was granted for a narrative inquiry amongst twenty experienced London nurses and ex-nurses. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to elicit their career stories. Three nurse managers and three nurse educators also participated. The emerging ideas were tested with a survey, sent to all participants. Analysis From the transcripts of the interviews, the career stories of the nurse and ex-nurse participants were derived. These were coded and the codes grouped to form narratives. Some of these were tested using an online survey of participants. Results Multiple complex challenges, priorities, and fears were revealed which influence nurses’ career decisions. These are presented as five narratives. The most important of these to nurses is relationships. These have been overlooked in much career research, yet this inquiry showed relationships at work, especially with other nurses, are a source of enjoyment and discourage career moves. The other narratives are job satisfaction, finding the right job, stress, and work-life balance. Conclusion The nursing career structure can be obscure and information difficult to obtain. Relationships at work are an important source of guidance as well as being enjoyable. This thesis concludes by proposing a graphic and two tools. The graphic depicts the five narratives and could aid nurses to visualise their sources of career fulfilment. The first tool is for nurses to reflect upon their careers and the second helps managers evaluate nursing posts and may be particularly useful if a post is likely to be difficult to fill