A Theoretical Model to Measure Managerial and Leadership Competence of Business School Managers

A theoretical model to measure managerial competence was developed by evaluating two previous models with similar aims. In addition to the original eight management competencies, another eight competencies were identified and applied to determine the management competencies needed in the Fourth Industrial Revolution with its fast-changing business environment. The article narrows down eleven management competencies and develops measuring criteria for each; in total 42 criteria. The eleven business competencies are leading change, cultural intelligence, team building, conflict management, communication skills, a global leader mindset, emotional intelligence, career awareness, personal value system, and external and ethical influences. The model is a theoretical model and presents management competencies relevant to the modern business environment. The value of this study resides in a strong theoretical basis for postmodern business environmental skills that managers need to maintain completeness of their organizations as well as providing a sound point of departure for other researchers of managerial competence.&nbsp

A Model to Measure the Service Quality of Pharmaceutical Wholesalers

The study constituters a model to measure the service quality of pharmaceutical wholesalers in South Africa. Several pharmaceutical wholesalers distribute medical supplies throughout South Africa in a very regulated and competitive market where high service quality levels are anticipated. In this price-undifferentiated market, service quality can have a significant impact on the competitiveness of a pharmaceutical wholesaler. As a result, the primary objective was to develop a model to measure the service quality levels of large pharmaceutical wholesalers. The literature study compiled an industry profile of the South African pharmaceutical market, analysed service quality and then proposed an adapted SERVQUAL model to measure the service quality. A review of the literature also highlighted the general structure of the pharmaceutical industry and the regulatory framework in the supply of pharmaceutical products. The literature study also focuses specifically on the role and function of the pharmaceutical wholesaler in the supply chain. Data was collected from clients of a pharmaceutical wholesaler using to record the service expectations and perceptions on a seven-point Likert scale. Some 385 of the 4468 clients completed and returned the industry-adapted SERVQUAL survey questionnaires on the electronic platform Google Forms (signifying an 8.6% response rate). The results showed that the data were reliable with a Cronbach alpha coefficient higher than 0.70. The results also show that in five, the service dimensions gap where perceptions and expectations are measured had negative gaps. This means that the clients expected better service quality than what they received. The service dimension Assurance showed the largest gap, while Tangibility had the smallest gap. However, none of these gaps was practically significant. Further analysis using exploratory factor analysis identified three underlying service quality variables, namely Positive employee actions, Business process management and Marketing channels. These factors explained a favourable cumulative variance of 67.7%. The study finally proposes a model to measure service quality in the pharmaceutical wholesale industry

Diversification and Molecular Evolution of ATOH8, a Gene Encoding a bHLH Transcription Factor

ATOH8 is a bHLH domain transcription factor implicated in the development of the nervous system, kidney, pancreas, retina and muscle. In the present study, we collected sequence of ATOH8 orthologues from 18 vertebrate species and 24 invertebrate species. The reconstruction of ATOH8 phylogeny and sequence analysis showed that this gene underwent notable divergences during evolution. For those vertebrate species investigated, we analyzed the gene structure and regulatory elements of ATOH8. We found that the bHLH domain of vertebrate ATOH8 was highly conserved. Mammals retained some specific amino acids in contrast to the non-mammalian orthologues. Mammals also developed another potential isoform, verified by a human expressed sequence tag (EST). Comparative genomic analyses of the regulatory elements revealed a replacement of the ancestral TATA box by CpG-islands in the eutherian mammals and an evolutionary tendency for TATA box reduction in vertebrates in general. We furthermore identified the region of the effective promoter of human ATOH8 which could drive the expression of EGFP reporter in the chicken embryo. In the opossum, both the coding region and regulatory elements of ATOH8 have some special features, such as the unique extended C-terminus encoded by the third exon and absence of both CpG islands and TATA elements in the regulatory region. Our gene mapping data showed that in human, ATOH8 was hosted in one chromosome which is a fusion product of two orthologous chromosomes in non-human primates. This unique chromosomal environment of human ATOH8 probably subjects its expression to the regulation at chromosomal level. We deduce that the great interspecific differences found in both ATOH8 gene sequence and its regulatory elements might be significant for the fine regulation of its spatiotemporal expression and roles of ATOH8, thus orchestrating its function in different tissues and organisms

Neuromuscular disease genetics in under-represented populations: increasing data diversity

Neuromuscular diseases (NMDs) affect ∼15 million people globally. In high income settings DNA-based diagnosis has transformed care pathways and led to gene-specific therapies. However, most affected families are in low-to-middle income countries (LMICs) with limited access to DNA-based diagnosis. Most (86%) published genetic data is derived from European ancestry. This marked genetic data inequality hampers understanding of genetic diversity and hinders accurate genetic diagnosis in all income settings. We developed a cloud-based transcontinental partnership to build diverse, deeply-phenotyped and genetically characterized cohorts to improve genetic architecture knowledge, and potentially advance diagnosis and clinical management. We connected 18 centres in Brazil, India, South Africa, Turkey, Zambia, Netherlands and the UK. We co-developed a cloud-based data solution and trained 17 international neurology fellows in clinical genomic data interpretation. Single gene and whole exome data were analysed via a bespoke bioinformatics pipeline and reviewed alongside clinical and phenotypic data in global webinars to inform genetic outcome decisions. We recruited 6001 participants in the first 43 months. Initial genetic analyses ‘solved’ or ‘possibly solved’ ∼56% probands overall. In-depth genetic data review of the four commonest clinical categories (limb girdle muscular dystrophy, inherited peripheral neuropathies, congenital myopathy/muscular dystrophies and Duchenne/Becker muscular dystrophy) delivered a ∼59% ‘solved’ and ∼13% ‘possibly solved’ outcome. Almost 29% of disease causing variants were novel, increasing diverse pathogenic variant knowledge. Unsolved participants represent a new discovery cohort. The dataset provides a large resource from under-represented populations for genetic and translational research. In conclusion, we established a remote transcontinental partnership to assess genetic architecture of NMDs across diverse populations. It supported DNA-based diagnosis, potentially enabling genetic counselling, care pathways and eligibility for gene-specific trials. Similar virtual partnerships could be adopted by other areas of global genomic neurological practice to reduce genetic data inequality and benefit patients globally

FACTOR IDENTIFICATION - AN ANALYSIS OF BUYER BEHAVIOUR DURING THE ACQUISITION OF AN ADVANCED MECHANIZED IRRIGATION SYSTEM

The article deals with consumer (farming) purchasing behaviour in the advanced mechanized irrigation industry. The consumer decisionmaking model by Engel-Kollat-Blackwell was used as a basis for the theoretical research, and principal factor analysis was the statistical technique employed to analyse the data. Ten factors (explaining an extremely high cumulative variance of 96.8 per cent) were identified from the rotated factor matrix, and ranked in order of importance. The first five factors, which is considered to be the most important factors (explaining a cumulative variance of 71.1 per cent) were labelled as "Financial planning", "Managerial aspects", "Environmental concerns", "Design aspects" and "Production potential". The five factors which is regarded as not so important were labelled "Return on investment", "Operational qualities", "Dealer orientation", "Service qualities" and "Past experience". Three major groups could benefit greatly from understanding buying behaviour within the advanced mechanized irrigation industry. Firstly, agricultural economists, financial institutions and other-advice rendering institutions would be able to increase the quality of their services to potential buyers (farmers). Secondly, farmers would be able to identify the pitfalls within their own reasoning when they consider the acquisition of an advanced mechanized irrigation system, while thirdly, the marketers of these systems would be able to increase the productivity of their sales personnel if they concentrate their sales activities on the more important criteria identified within this article

THE IDENTIFICATION OF FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE FARMERS' BUYING BEHAVIOUR OF NEW AGRICULTURAL TRACTORS

The purchase of tractors by the participants in the various agricultural sectors continues to be problematic due to the high price of tractors and its accompanying implements. The purchase is thus a.. substantial capital investment in equipment that results in a thorough pre-purchase examination of the various alternatives and the choice of a manufacturer. Since the average age of agricultural tractors is constantly increasing, the probability of replacement purchases of tractors is also increasing. This scenario demanded a study in buying behaviour that examined what factors are deemed to be important by the buyers of tractors for agricultural use. Eight factors were identified by means of principle varimax factor analysis. These factors are: Product and service qualities, Operational qualities, Pre-purchase planning, After-sales service, Ergonomics, Ease of operation, Cost of credit and Potential savings. These factors declare a cumulative variance of 55,65 per cent. Three major groups could benefit from the results. First, the buyers of agricultural tractors since it could increase their level of understanding of the important considerations that are connected to the replacement of old tractors. Secondly, agricultural economists and advisors should be able to increase the quality of their advice if they have a better understanding of tractor buying behaviour. Thirdly, financial institutions may benefit by a more in-depth knowledge why a farmer applies for a loan to buy a new tractor

Women and Sexuality in African Cinema

African cultures' views on intimacy and privacy have had an approach to sex, nudity, and eroticism that differs from the openness associated with that of most Western cultures. This is one of the factors that explains the relatively scarce displays of sexuality in African cinema. However, in the past two decades, an increasing number of films made by African filmmakers in the continent and the diaspora have featured stories by women with fluid sexual identities. In these films, women engage in same‐sex relationships as part of their assertion of freedom. The titles include Karmen Geï (dir. Joseph Gaï Ramaka, 2001, Senegal), Les Saignantes (dir. Jean‐Pierre Bekolo, 2007, Cameroon), The World Unseen (dir. Shamim Sarif, 2007, South Africa), and, more recently, Stories of our Lives (dir. Jim Chuchu, 2014, Kenya) and Rafiki (dir. Wanuri Kahiu, 2018, Kenya), whose lead actress, Samantha Mugatsia, won the best actress award in the 50‐year‐old film festival FESPACO (Pan‐African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou) in 2019. African scholars, and more specifically African women scholars, are revisiting gender theories and concepts, in search of a de‐Westernization of the academic terminology able to address the complexity and intersectionality of women's sexuality in African cultures. Similarly, African women filmmakers are contesting patriarchal representations of women in relation to violence, illness, and as victims, with self‐representations of sexuality and redefinitions of identity revolving around pleasure and as subversive to different forms of oppression experienced by African women