Reasoning processes involved in ICT-mediated design communication

Conversational interaction is central to architectural design practice. New information and communication technologies (ICT) change the designer’s traditional way of communicating and interacting. In this paper we investigate how communication in the design process might be supported using ICT. With this aim, we study a text-based Skype conversation between a design teacher and a design student. We consider this conversation as part of an architectural design process and analyse it using linkography. From the linkograph analysis, specific features are identified that apply specifically to text-based Skype interactions. We conclude that online text-based Skype interaction can be one of the many possible interactions by means of communication media (sketching, conversation, modelling, and so forth) during the design process, and provides a distinct set of characteristics that might be considered by the designer

The influence of leadership styles (as per Lewin) on the strategy-formulation-implementation-performance gap : An exploratory case study of selected organisations in the South African wine industry

Purpose: The strategy-to-performance gap is a contemporary problem that causes organisations to perform less than optimal or fail. Leadership, strategy and performance are complex areas of research on the topic with lack of conclusive results, and solutions to the issue remain elusive. This study offered a clearer understanding of the problem. Design: This qualitative study explored leadership style in the context of strategy execution with the objective of offering a better understanding of performance and the strategy-to-performance gap. The study is a case study of selected organisations in the wine industry in South Africa. Data were collected via interviews on leadership figures and employees. Data were analysed qualitatively. Findings: The study confirmed the existence and issues surrounding the strategy-to-performance gap. Some findings concurred with previous studies on the gap and confirmed that it is intertwined with leadership and strategy execution issues. New themes were identified that contributed to the field of study and could prove to be valuable to narrow the strategy-to-performance gap in future. Value: Leadership is linked with performance in literature but there was limited research found on leadership style specifically in the context of the strategy-to-performance gap. This study confirmed issues surrounding the gap and it was found that the issue is a contemporary problem affecting organisational performance in various ways. This contributed to a better understanding of the problem. New themes that emerged could prove valuable to further research. Leadership and specifically leadership styles (as per Lewin) were found to influence and be interwoven with the strategy-to-performance gap. This study is original as it is the first study that explored leadership styles specifically in the context of the other key themes: strategy and the strategy-to-performance gap. The new themes that emerged are leadership style requirements from an employee satisfaction perspective as well as specific skills suggested to improve performance, all highlighted in the findings. Recommendations: Further research could explore leadership styles in more detail with regard to the strategy-to-performance gap. New themes in the context of strategy execution and leadership style could also be valuable. Future studies could also potentially evaluate the key themes with other measurement instruments such as different leadership styles or different performance criteriaBusiness ManagementM. Com. (Business Management

An agricultural high school for Ceres

It is essential for this country that a progressive policy shall be adopted in the field of agriculture for it can be said that the agricultural industry of the Republic plays a leading part in the development of its potential resources and is of great importance to the country's wellbeing. It is the backbone of the country's economic structure, being equalled to in importance only by our mining industry

Central Bank Transparency and Bank Lending rates: Australian Evidence

In the past fifteen years central banks have been taking steps towards greater monetary policy transparency. This paper uses a vector error correction model (VECM) to investigate the role transparency has had on changing the dynamics of the credit channel of the Australian monetary policy transmission mechanism. The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) lifted all interest rate restrictions in 1986, and then started to announce changes in the cash rate in January 1990 giving the financial system a clearly defined indication of its monetary policy stance. Furthermore, the RBA formalised its inflation targeting operating objective in 1996. This paper gives a clear indication of how a more transparent framework has affected the setting of bank lending rates over three distinct periods. Our results show that responsiveness of bank lending rates to monetary policy changes improved in each period corresponding to an innovation in monetary policy transparency. Moreover, Anticipation effects in banking lending rates are evident only in the period after the RBA formalised its inflation targeting operating objective in 1996. This suggests that Banks only changed lending rates once they had learnt that the RBA was communicating a credible commitment to change the path of future short-term interest rates. However, other results show that price discrimination has been evident between the business and household sectors. To our knowledge, this analysis is the first study that looks at the issue of central bank transparency on bank lending rates.Interest rates; monetary policy; central bank transparency; vector error correction model; variance decomposition

Decoupling of Corporate Social Investment in South Africa: Optics over Impact

Examining corporate social investment (CSI) in South Africa through a lens of institutional theory, this study investigates the validity of criticisms found in literature and society of the practice of CSI in the country. Using a two-phase explanatory sequential research design, an initial quantitative study of archival data provides insights into the current state of CSI in South Africa. Regression and principal component analysis are then used to investigate the relationship between CSI levels and indicators for corporate financial performance and social need. A subsequent qualitative study utilising thematic analysis of interview data addresses questions arising from the quantitative analysis. Semi-structured interviews are conducted with leading corporate executives and academics in the field of CSI regarding their perceptions of the efficacy of CSI and the motivations driving corporate funding of CSI, including their concerns regarding CSI and suggestions for improvements. This study reveals profound concerns amongst corporate practitioners and in academia regarding the practice of CSI, including perceptions that the social impact of CSI is low and that the quality of many CSI programmes is poor. The motivations behind the funding of CSI were also seen to be largely inauthentic, with companies driven primarily by regulation or self-interest in their funding of CSI, rather than a sense of moral imperative. Companies appear to embrace CSI in an attempt to adhere to the social expectations and laws of society, thereby gaining legitimacy, stability, and improved long-term survival prospects. The formal structures and rhetoric surrounding CSI have become decoupled from the underlying activities that characterise its practice, however, a result of relative corporate indifference to its social impact. This ceremonial commitment to the practice of CSI has led to an emphasis on the optics rather than the impact of CSI activities. The results of this study suggest that enhanced incentives or disincentives and greater accountability may be required in order to make CSI contributions more impactful, as may improvements to best practices in the field

The factors associated with cigarette smoking among young adults (16-25 years) in South Africa.

Masters in population studies university of KwaZulu-Natal Howard College campus Durban,2018.Cigarette smoking is a worldwide health concern and evidence of the impact it has on the health of smokers and non-smokers is indisputable. Young adults are a “risk prone” segment of populations, as young smokers may underestimate the risk of tobacco addiction and are often uninformed about the dangers of smoking. In addition, tobacco smoking in developing countries is a bourgeoning epidemic that requires further research. The study design of this dissertation was a secondary analysis of the existing National Income Dynamics Survey (NIDS) data. The first nationally representative cohort study (wave 1) was conducted in South Africa in 2008, with wave 3 in 2012. A sample of 5528 for wave 1 and 6155 for wave 3 of young adults (aged 16-25) was used. The dependent variable was reporting to have “Ever smoked regularly” and independent variables included age, gender, population group, geographic location, education and economic variables. The study found that among young adults in South Africa, the percentage of young smokers has remained relatively unchanged between the two NIDS waves. Participants reported that they started smoking in their mid- to late- teens, and smoked an average of 7 cigarettes a day. Smoking was more prevalent in males and was positively associated with age. Smoking was particular prevalent among the Coloured population group. People in urban areas were more likely to smoke and education had a mitigating effect on smoking prevalence. Smoking in young adults remains an important problem in South Africa and there is an urgent need for further research into developing creative anti-smoking strategies and interventions that are culturally and linguistically appropriate. Research that informs these programmes can reduce youth smoking and have long-term benefits for public health

The just-in-time system and its applicability in South Africa

This thesis discusses the philosophy and techniques of the Japanese Just-in-Time manufacturing system and its applicability in South Africa. The Japanese system consists of two types of procedures and techniques. They pertain to: 1) productivity; (2) quality. The aspect of the system dealing most directly with productivity is known as the just-in-time system. Just-in-Time addresses the material cost component of productivity. The diverse indirect effects are even more pronounced. Just-in-Time partially covers Japanese quality improvements but there are a host of other Japanese quality improvement concepts and procedures. Total quality control describes the set of Japanese quality improvement procedures which in turn encompasses some of the Just-in-Time techniques and improves productivity through the avoidance of waste. The two entities of the Japanese manufacturing system overlap

Architecture studios for sustainable cities and communities : a radically inclusive perspective : a response to SDG 11 : sustainable cities and communities

"Sustainability is not just about energy efficiency, but rather a complex and overarching multidisciplinary field that requires appropriate expertise, as well as a moral obligation and an opportunity for inspired architecture." (Almonte (ed).2012:17) Cities are collectives of buildings that "are complex socio-technical entities, embedded in a social–cultural–economic–climatic context" (Passe 2020:566). The design and development of cities and hence the quality of lives of resident communities are directly impacted by the practices of the architectural profession.Our aim with this chapter is to explore the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within architectural education with specific attention given to the architectural studio. Although there have been many actions taken and attempts made to include sustainability in architectural curricula and guidelines provided for the inclusion of the SDGs there is limited research that provides a perspective of sustainability in architectural schools globally. Our perspective is from the position of the Radically Inclusive Studio (Gorman et al.2021) which we conceptualise as part of the cities and communities and ultimately the world that we live in. The Radically Inclusive Studio is not an isolated space, but forms part of an ecosystem, defined as "a system of people, content, technology, culture, and strategy, existing both within and outside … which has an impact on both … formal and informal learning" (Eudy 2018:3), in which it supports and is simultaneously supported. We present the Radically Inclusive Studio and its structuring 6S Conceptual Framework of Inclusive Contexts (Gorman et al. in-press) as a theoretical framework for conceptually (re)organising the SDGs and for exploring the Radically Inclusive Studio principles that could serve as guidelines for sustainable development in architectural and other education. We use an integrative literature review to investigate articles, books, and other published texts with the "aim to assess, critique, and synthesize the literature ... in a way that enables new theoretical frameworks and perspectives to emerge" (Snyder 2019:335). We include sustainable architectural solutions from both practice and education to present an overview of how architectural projects address the SDGs. As authors we present aspects of our own work and we propose that the pedagogic principles of the Radically Inclusive Studio could serve as a guideline for sustainable development education

Q-switched neodymium-doped phosphate glass fibre lasers

The operation of a short-pulse, Q-switched, neodymium-doped fiber laser operating at 1.054µm is described experimentally and theoretically. The laser is efficiently pumped with a single-stripe AlGaAs laser diode and emits &gt;1kW pulses. It is seen that due to high gain, short pulses with high energy extraction efficiency can be obtained. The feature of broad emission lines associated with rare-earth-doped glasses is exploited to demonstrate tunable, Q-switched operation over a 40 nm tuning range. <br/