The effect of internal marketing on operational effectiveness

No abstract availableGraduate School of Business LeadershipM.B.L

The psychometric properties of the Emotional Quotient Inventory 2.0 in South Africa

Orientation: Psychological assessments require continued refinement, updating and evaluation. Research purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the psychometric properties of the Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i) 2.0 in South Africa. Item response and classical test theory methods are employed to investigate its item functioning and factor structure. Motivation for the study: Although there has been some scientific research published on the EQ-i in South Africa, there has been no research on the revised version, the EQ-i 2.0. In addition, criticism has been levied against the estimation of internal consistency reliability in the field of emotional intelligence. This study aims to fill these gaps in the literature. Research design, approach and method: This study followed a quantitative, non-experimental,cross-sectional design using secondary data. The sample comprised 1144 working adults(570 men and 574 women). The data were collected through an online platform as part of the standardisation process in South Africa. Main findings: Results from Rasch analysis showed that almost all the items fit the model.Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s omega estimates revealed satisfactory reliabilities.Confirmatory factor analysis at the composite level revealed acceptable fit with the exception of the total EQ model. Practical/managerial implications: This study supports the claim of reliability and validity ofthe EQ-i 2.0 in the South African context. Contribution/value-add: The study contributes significantly to the international body of evidence regarding the psychometric properties of the EQ-i 2.0 and provides supporting evidence for the appropriate use of this assessment in South Africa

Motivation for solitude : a cross-cultural examination of adolescents from collectivist and individualist cultures in South Africa

Abstract: Solitude during adolescence is a potentially double edged sword. Involuntary (non-self-determined solitude) is associated with loneliness, which is known to predict many forms of psychological ill-being. In contrast, freely chosen (self-determined solitude) is associated with healthy developmental outcomes. It is possible that cultural attitudes towards solitude could influence the way adolescents think about and engage in solitude. The present study examined whether South African adolescents from individualist and collectivist cultures differ in their motivations for solitude, using the Motivation for Solitude Scale (MSS-SF). Respondents included 426 adolescents from collectivist and 266 from individualist cultures, between 14 and 18 years of age (mean age = 15.7). For valid cross-cultural comparisons, measurement equivalence was established using invariance and differential item functioning analysis. Results for the measurement invariance analysis (MI) marginally failed to support scalar invariance. Given criticism that MI is overly restrictive, Rasch analysis was used to test for uniform DIF, which supported invariance. Next, Bayesian analysis was used to investigate group differences. There was no difference between the cultural groups for non-self-determined solitude, but, adolescents from individualist cultures were less likely to engage in self-determined solitude. Results support the cross-cultural application of the MSS-SF, and point to a possible cultural bias against self-determined solitude in individualist cultures, despite its potential benefits

When “okay” is not okay : acoustic characteristics of single-word prosody conveying reluctance

The present study explored the acoustic characteristics of prosodic cues that indicate a speaker’s reluctance when giving permission or agreement using a single word (“okay”). Eight speakers (four male, four female) produced the recorded materials that were subsequently validated through a listening experiment using 12 normal-hearing listeners. Acoustic analyses revealed that significantly longer word duration was the cue used most consistently across speakers to communicate reluctance. Voice quality, fundamental voice frequency, and intensity cues also differed significantly between the two prosodic conditions, but the manner in which these cues were applied varied greatly across speakers.The research was funded in part by the National Research Foundation of South Africa.http://www.sherpa.ac.uk/romeo/issn/0001-4966/am2017Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineerin

Energy generation from full strength domestic wastewater using a sandwich dual chamber microbial fuel cell with an uncatalyzed mesh current collector cathode

A sandwich domestic wastewater fed dual-chamber microbial fuel cell (MFC) was designed for energy generation and wastewater treatment. Power density for the MFC increased with increasing domestic wastewater concentration, reaching a maximum of 251 mW/m2 for full strength wastewater (3400 mg/L chemical oxygen demand (COD)) at a current density of 0.054 mA/cm2 at an external resistance of 200Ω. These values dropped to 60 mW/m2 (76% lower) and 0.003 mA/cm2 using wastewater 91% diluted to 300 mg/L COD. Maximum removals were: of COD, 89%; nitrite, 60%; nitrate, 77%; total nitrogen, 36%; and phosphate, 26%

Importance of soil legacy effects and successful mutualistic interactions during Australian acacia invasions in nutrient-poor environments

1. Non-native plants often alter environments they invade, favouring their own performance through positive feedbacks. Plant–soil interactions represent one such mechanism, but their complexity (e.g. invader-induced changes in soil nutrients, microbial communities, etc.) makes inferences of the precise mechanisms that benefit invaders difficult. Here we aimed to determine: (1) whether invasion by Australian acacias (genus Acacia Mill.) changes nitrogen-fixing soil rhizobial community diversity and structure, and (2) the importance of available rhizobia and overall invader-induced soil changes as significant facilitators of acacia performance. 2. We sampled soils from various invaded and nearby uninvaded areas in South Africa’s Core Cape Subregion and, using next generation sequencing, compared rhizobial communities between invaded and univaded soils. We then determined the relative importance of soil status (invaded vs. uninvaded), in conjunction with rhizobial addition, to the performance of invasive acacias under common garden conditions. 3. Next generation sequencing data revealed that invaded soils generally harboured lower rhizobial diversity and were compositionally more homogenous compared to uninvaded soils. Bradyrhizobium strains, the most common known rhizobia associated with acacias, were more abundant in invaded than uninvaded sites. Our greenhouse experiment found significantly reduced growth performances of acacias in uninvaded relative to invaded soils for most species by site comparisons, and almost no influence of additional rhizobial inoculum. However, the overall relationship between nodulation and growth kinetics was much steeper for plants grown in uninvaded compared to invaded soils. 4. Despite invasive acacias homogenizing nitrogen-fixing rhizobial community composition and reducing diversity, it appears that mutualist availability poses no significant barrier to acacia establishment. Although acacia-induced changes to soil conditions enhance plant performance, successful nodulation seems important to early growth performance when encountering novel soil conditions. 5. Synthesis. We provide evidence that invasions by Australian acacias affect the diversity and structure of soil rhizobial communities. Although overall soil changes benefit their performance independent of rhizobia addition, forming successful mutualistic interactions is critical during the establishment phase under novel environmental conditions. Taken together, our results indicate that interactions between soil abiotic and biotic conditions work in concert to enhance invader performance through positive feedbacks

Modern African nuclear detector laboratory: Development of state-of-the-art in-house detector facility at the University of the Western Cape

The upcoming detector facility aims at developing new state-of-the-art particle detectors as well as providing hands-on training to postgraduate students using both analog and digital signal processing from nuclear radiation detectors. The project is two-fold and aims at developing: 1) ancillary detectors to be coupled with the new GAMKA array at iThemba LABS. Of particular interest to our group is the determination of nuclear shapes, which depend on the hyperfine splitting of magnetic substates; 2) PET scanners for cancer imaging using a cheaper technology. Performance of NaI(Tl) inorganic scintillator detectors has been evaluated using PIXIE-16 modules from XIA digital electronics. Gamma-ray energy spectra were acquired from 60Co and 137Cs radioactive sources to calculate the detector resolution as well as to optimize the digital parameters. The present study focuses on improving and optimizing the slow and fast filter parameters for NaI(Tl) detectors which can eventually be used in the list mode of data aquisition

Spatial and temporal assessment of organic and black carbon at four sites in the interior of South Africa

Limited data currently exist for atmospheric organic carbon (OC) and black carbon (BC) in South Africa (SA). In this paper OC and BC measured in SA were explored in terms of spatial and temporal patterns, mass fractions of the total aerosol mass, as well as possible sources. PM10 and PM2.5 samples were collected at five sites in SA operated within the Deposition of Biogeochemical Important Trace Species-IGAC DEBITS in Africa (DEBITS-IDAF) network. OC were higher than BC concentrations at all sites in both size fractions, while most OC and BC occurred in the PM2.5 fraction. OC/BC ratios reflected the location of the different sites, as well as possible sources impacting these sites. The OC and BC mass fraction percentages of the total aerosol mass varied up to 24% and 12%, respectively. A relatively well defined seasonal pattern was observed, with higher OC and BC measured from May to October, which coincides with the dry season in the interior of SA. An inverse seasonal pattern was observed for the fractional mass contributions of OC and BC to the total aerosol mass, which indicates substantially higher aerosol load during this time of the year. The relationship between OC and BC concentrations with the distance that air mass back trajectories passed by biomass burning fires and large point sources proved that biomass burning fires contribute significantly to regional OC and BC during the burning season, while large point sources did not contribute that significantly to regional OC and BC. The results from a highly industrialised and populated site also indicated that household combustion for space heating contributed at least to local OC and BC concentrations