A socio-cultural perspective on transformation of gender roles and relations, and non-change in energy-health perceptions following electrification in rural South Africa : case study for Gender and Energy World Development Report Background Paper

This case study draws on a PhD which used an ethnographic approach in data collection and analysis. It is informed by extensive periods of observation and interviews by the researcher embedded in two villages, Cutwini and Tsilitwa in rural South Africa. Cutwini had no electricity or modern infrastructure such as a clinic and piped water while Tsilitwa had electricity, a clinic, piped water, and three modern schools. While this case study focuses on Tsilitwa, occasional references will be made to Cutwini to provide additional insights and to support findings. Both villages are largely inhabited by the Xhosa ethnic group allowing for a common cultural reference frame and therefore for comparison of some findings. The case study illustrates that gender relations are a significant factor in understanding whether and how technologies such as electricity and electrical appliances affect women and men´s lives. (Xhosa) Culture, while always changing, continues to affect daily life and perspectives. Therefore, understanding emic practices and their meanings is key to understanding the expected and unexpected changes that occur due to the introduction of an energy intervention such as electricity. The emic approach also offers explanations for the responses to an energy intervention. The findings of this study show that activities such as collecting firewood and cooking are meaningful beyond their utility functions. As a result, what an etic observer might interpret as a harmful activity or behaviour -such as collecting firewood- might from the emic perspective be a necessary part of being a „good woman‟ according to the pervading culture, an opportunity to socialise or a way of accumulating symbolic capital3. This case study also pays attention to women's and men's agency4 in acquiring electrical appliances; the endowments that women and men use to optimise the benefits of electricity; the role of formal and informal institutions in shaping the interactions that women and men have with electricity and electrical appliances; and the transformatory changes in gender relations, awareness of indoor air pollution (IAP) and how perceptions of smoke by both firewood users and nurses in the area affect action related to IAP

Energy poverty: have we got the measure of it?

At the macro-level it has long been accepted that there is a strong relationship between energy and economic growth (IDS, 2003). In the 1990s, the development discourse began to focus on the effects that economic growth has had on poverty. However, an interest in the links between energy and poverty took more time to emerge$^2$ Indeed, energy as an enabling factor in social transformations at the micro-level has not played a major role in the development discourse. Energy, unlike other infrastructure-related sectors such as water, transport and ICT, has also not been a central topic within the social sciences, including anthropology. The recent interest in climate change has focused on energy as the problem not part of the solution, particularly for the poor

Tech-Savvy Educators’ Perceptions of Using Smartphones for Self-Directed Professional Development

The proliferation of the smartphone has encouraged educators, particularly the tech savvy, to seek personalized learning options in lieu of the absence of individualized professional development (PD) offerings provided by their academic institutions that are not based on short-term whole group instruction. Although smartphone use has attracted the attention of researchers, not much has been examined about how educators use the device to enhance their learning. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to investigate the perceptions of tech-savvy educators regarding smartphone use for informal self-directed PD. The conceptual framework of the study was the 3 x 3 model of 21st century learning. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 13 self-described tech-savvy K–16 educators. Data were analyzed using a priori and inductive codes. Findings indicated that tech-savvy educators’ smartphone use for informal PD was driven by a curiosity to pursue desired interests and the autonomy to access information in real time. Participants perceived the smartphone as indispensable because it allows instant collaboration and access to other professional perspectives. Findings may be used to promote alternative methods of delivering PD opportunities and may provide evidence that the smartphone can be a conduit for inexpensive opportunities for underprivileged educators to pursue informal PD

Lean manufacturing as a tool for optimisation of the South African fast moving consumer goods industry

Abstract: Over the past decades, the South African Fast Moving Consumer Goods sector has been facing various challenges than in other developing countries. the reason to this crisis has been largely attributed to failure of implementing the policy which need to be applied but it is not being implemented properly to minimise corruption in the sector and to improve Lean Manufacturing (LM) in the sector, to alleviate corruption, to create more productivity by utilising minimum resources and trying to minimise waste in the industry while will minimise all kinds of pollution and practice all the principles of lean and create more employment. To this end, the overall research aim of this study was the implementation of Lean manufacturing as a tool for optimisation of the South African fast moving consumer goods industry. To achieve this goal, this study made use of two-fold research approaches, firstly the study critically scrutinized a set of existing studies developed on lean phenomena in various organisational sectors over the past decades. This process led to the identification of gap within the existing literature. Secondly, this study employed a single methodology quantitative research to address the identified flaw as mentioned in the above lines. The research findings demonstrated that Lack of top management commitment; Obsoleted process control techniques; Lack of resources; Poor worker participation; Poor project selection; Not enough training provided; Not enough knowledge; Poor supplier involvement; Internal resistance; Variability in raw material supply and quality; High variation of composition, goods, processing techniques and recipes; Variety of product structure; Short throughput time for batches are the main barriers preventing the implementation of Lean manufacturing in the South African Fast Moving Consumers Goods. In light of the above findings, a conclusion was drawn up in this study. Noting that decision makers should start with the implementation of Lean in the Fast Moving Consumers Goods in order to address the current productivity short fall that the sector is facing with.M.Tech. (Quality and Operations Management

Gender equity in access to and benefits from modern energy and improved energy technologies:world development report background paper

This background paper has been commissioned as a contribution to the preparation of the World Development Report 2012 which will focus on development and gender equality. It is a companion paper to two other papers which examine gender issues in relation to common property resources and economic dimensions of gender and energy. Gender, as a concept, refers to the socially determined ideas and practices of what it is to be female or male. It contrasts with the concept of sex which uses biological attributes to categorise someone as male or female (Reeves and Baden, 2000). This paper focuses on the socio-cultural dimensions that influence and shape gender equity in terms of access to and benefits from access to modern energy1 and improved energy technologies2. Gender equity recognises that women and men have different needs and interests, and that to achieve equality in life outcomes, a redistribution of power and resources is required (Reeves and Baden, 2000)

Analyzing the implementation of lean in the fast-moving consumer goods sector : critical review

Abstract: The Fast-Moving Consumer Goods sector has been facing various challenges in South Africa and other developing countries. the FMCG sector has policy which need to be applied but it is not being implemented properly to minimise corruption in the sector and to improve Lean Manufacturing (LM) in the sector, to alleviate corruption, to create more productivity by utilising minimum resources and trying to minimise waste in the industry while will minimise all kinds of pollution and practice all the principles of lean and create more employment. Aalthough a number of studies have been conducted over the past two decades, to address these issues but they is still a gap in the current review, therefore the aim of this paper aimed to theoretically assess Lean in the Fast Moving Consumer goods sector. The result of the critical analysis of current literature clearly indicated that they are flaws related to lack of lean implementation in the Small-Medium enterprises in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods sector and majority of the research was conducted in qualitative