Transformational leadership influences on organisational justice and employee commitment in a customer service organisation

Orientation: Organisations are facing several challenges pertaining to effective leadership, fairness and loyalty of employees. The moderating influence of transformational leadership (TL) on the relationship between justice and employee commitment is still largely unknown and needs to be explored further, especially within the customer service industry. Research purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between organisational justice and employee commitment and to examine the moderating effect of TL on the relationship between organisational justice and employee commitment in a customer service organisation. Motivation for the study: The research setting of this study is a customer service organisation. This organisation calls for a role model leadership approach, such as TL, to create a just, fair workplace and ultimately increase the level of employee commitment. Research approach/design and method: A quantitative cross-sectional survey design was used to collect the data from a sample of 111 permanently employed staff in a South African customer service organisation. Main findings: The findings indicate that TL had a significant positive relationship with organisational justice and employee commitment. Furthermore, the results indicate that TL moderated the relationship between organisational justice and employee commitment. Practical/managerial implications: The findings showed that TL could be vital as an effective leadership approach that can enhance justice perceptions and psychological attachment in the workplace. Contribution/value-add: This study contributes to the theoretical debate on TL, workplace fairness and psychological attachment by providing empirical support on the effect of TL on the relationship between justice and commitment perceptions

Rotavirus Genotypes in Hospitalized Children With Acute Gastroenteritis Before and After Rotavirus Vaccine Introduction in Blantyre, Malawi, 1997-2019

BACKGROUND: Rotavirus vaccine (Rotarix [RV1]) has reduced diarrhea-associated hospitalizations and deaths in Malawi. We examined the trends in circulating rotavirus genotypes in Malawi over a 22-year period to assess the impact of RV1 introduction on strain distribution. METHODS: Data on rotavirus-positive stool specimens among children aged <5 years hospitalized with diarrhea in Blantyre, Malawi before (July 1997-October 2012, n = 1765) and after (November 2012-October 2019, n = 934) RV1 introduction were analyzed. Rotavirus G and P genotypes were assigned using reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: A rich rotavirus strain diversity circulated throughout the 22-year period; Shannon (H') and Simpson diversity (D') indices did not differ between the pre- and postvaccine periods (H' P < .149; D' P < .287). Overall, G1 (n = 268/924 [28.7%]), G2 (n = 308/924 [33.0%]), G3 (n = 72/924 [7.7%]), and G12 (n = 109/924 [11.8%]) were the most prevalent genotypes identified following RV1 introduction. The prevalence of G1P[8] and G2P[4] genotypes declined each successive year following RV1 introduction, and were not detected after 2018. Genotype G3 reemerged and became the predominant genotype from 2017 onward. No evidence of genotype selection was observed 7 years post-RV1 introduction. CONCLUSIONS: Rotavirus strain diversity and genotype variation in Malawi are likely driven by natural mechanisms rather than vaccine pressure

Distinct clinical and immunological profiles of patients with evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in sub-Saharan Africa

Clinical management of COVID-19 in resource-poor settings has distinct challenges and detailed patient characterisation is needed. Here, the authors describe the clinical and immunological profiles of patients at a hospital in Malawi with confirmed and suspected COVID-19

TRAV1-2⁺ CD8⁺ T-cells including oligoconal expansions of MAIT cells are enriched in the airways in human tuberculosis

Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells typically express a TRAV1-2+ semi-invariant TCRα that enables recognition of bacterial, mycobacterial, and fungal riboflavin metabolites presented by MR1. MAIT cells are associated with immune control of bacterial and mycobacterial infections in murine models. Here, we report that a population of pro-inflammatory TRAV1-2+ CD8+ T cells are present in the airways and lungs of healthy individuals and are enriched in bronchoalveolar fluid of patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). High-throughput T cell receptor analysis reveals oligoclonal expansions of canonical and donor-unique TRAV1-2+ MAIT-consistent TCRα sequences within this population. Some of these cells demonstrate MR1-restricted mycobacterial reactivity and phenotypes suggestive of MAIT cell identity. These findings demonstrate enrichment of TRAV1-2+ CD8+ T cells with MAIT or MAIT-like features in the airways during active TB and suggest a role for these cells in the human pulmonary immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis

An evaluation of WIL training for Durban University OF Technology Civil Engineering ‒ employer and student experience: Lessons for the new programme

The Durban University of Technology (DUT) previously offered the now phased-out National Diploma in Civil Engineering, incorporating a two-year academic enrolment and a year-long work-integrated learning programme (WIL). The support offered by the University lecturers was essential in the WIL, to ensure that the engineering tasks assigned to students aligned with the DUT curriculum; any concerns or comments expressed were investigated further and addressed appropriately. In 2017 and 2018 interviews were conducted, generating 918 structured comments by employers. These included 304 general comments (with no academic value) and 593 comments specific to disciplines by students, of which 346 were general comments. This exploratory study aims to determine critical feedback that should be considered when enrolling for the new qualification: Bachelor of Engineering Technology Degree in Civil Engineering (B Eng Tech degree). The data received helped to discover and understand the experiences, perspectives and thoughts of the participants who responded to open-ended questions (i.e., comments about their experiences, without any limitations). The data collected were presented and evaluated using the thematic analysis method to discover patterns and to develop subjects for discussion. Findings show that employers were generally happy with the quality of the students from DUT, however, they found professionalism among the DUT students to be a major concern. They also requested that the institution communicates with employers regarding the curriculum so that employers might properly align the WIL with it. Most students were challenged by the new work environment they had entered. The most common factor that made the experience more challenging was the exposure to the state-of-the-art equipment used in the workplace

Effective Coverage of Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care Services in Africa: A Scoping Review

Mihiretu Alemayehu,1,2 Bereket Yakob,1,3 Nelisiwe Khuzwayo2 1School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences and Medicine, Wolaita Sodo University, Wolaita Sodo, Ethiopia; 2School of Nursing and Public Health, Discipline of Public Health, University of Kwazulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa; 3School of Population and Public Health, the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, CanadaCorrespondence: Mihiretu Alemayehu, PO Box: 138, Wolaita Sodo, Ethiopia, Tel +251913213443, Fax +251465515113, Email [email protected]: This scoping review aimed to map the evidence of effective coverage (EC) of EmONC (Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care) services and associated factors in Africa.Methodology: The review used PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis extension for Scoping Reviews) checklist to select, appraise, and report the findings. We searched four databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Scopus) and grey literature published between Jan 01, 2011 – Dec 31, 2020. The search terms included “emergency”, “obstetric”, “newborn”, “effective coverage”, and “quality” with Boolean terms, AND and OR. The review was conducted using title, abstract, and full-article screenings. The results were analyzed thematically using NVivo v12 qualitative research data analysis software.Results: Of the 1811 searched studies, 32 met the eligibility criteria for review. The majority of the studies were from East (56.3%) and Western (28.1%) Africa. Most studies were cross-sectional, had targeted health facilities, and combined two or more data collection techniques. The thematic analysis yielded three themes: EmONC service utilization, quality of EmONC service, and factors associated with the quality of EmONC services. The review showed a scarcity of evidence and variations regarding the crude coverage, quality of care, and factors affecting the quality of EmONC services in Africa.Conclusion: The review reported that the utilization of EmONC services was below the WHO-recommended 100% in all studies, though some reported improvements over time. Disparities in EmONC services quality were paramount across studies and contexts. However, the methodological and analytical incongruity across studies brought difficulties in tracing and comparing the progress made in EmONC services utilizations.Registration: This scoping review protocol was first registered on the Open Science Framework (OSF) on Aug 27, 2021 (https://osf.io/khcte/).Keywords: maternal health, newborn health, obstetric care, perinatal care, emergency medicin

Granting learners an authentic voice in the mathematics classroom for the benefit of both the teacher and the learner

An important aspect of democratic education is the value it places on providing spaces for disagreement and argument as opportunities for learning. This is unlike an ‘occupation of the minds’ philosophy, which denies people the right to see alternatives. In this article we explore one aspect of this area of democratic education: the issue of providing opportunities for learners’ voices. We acknowledge the importance of this, even if the voices are dissenting; such dissent is important for teachers to learn more about the learners. We subsequently look at the kind of listening that a teacher can do in order to learn, and consider some cases from literature about teachers who struggle to listen and what happens when they learn to listen to their learners. Finally, we argue that a perspective aligned with preparing learners to contribute to a democratic society advises a rethink of the construct of mathematical knowledge for teaching. By learning how to listen in a respectful manner and as part of a negotiation and co-evolution of shared understanding, teachers can deepen and shift their understanding of mathematics, their understanding of learners and their understanding of their own learning

Tradition and the culture of rights at the crossroads: A literary perspective

Using cultural theories, this article focuses on a literary text that presents a fresh perspective on one of the cultural practices of disposing of a dead body, namely cremation. The scarcity of burial sites is increasingly becoming a concern for municipalities, yet traditional ways of thinking are strongly against cremation. The liberty to investigate the burning issue of cremation as an alternative burial method in this way derives from the fact that through the ages literature (oral and written) has been effectively used by creative writers to offer an allusive quality and fictitious setting which has allowed them to comment on contemporary issues without blatantly seeming to do so. In this sense, the novel Intando kamufi (“Will of the deceased”) by S. Mathaba contributes to various discourses on cremation, either reinforcing or critiquing it