Consumers' subjective and objective consumerism knowledge and subsequent complaint behaviour concerning consumer electronics : a South African perspective

Although there is immense international support for consumer protection, the notion exists that consumer protection can only exist in developed countries with ample fiscal resources and expertise to properly act in the interest of consumers. This conception leaves consumers in emerging and transitional economies in a difficult position as these economies indeed generally lack sufficient funding and the required capacity to educate consumers on their rights. With the South African Consumer Protection Act that came into effect in 2011, South African consumers can now claim to be among the best protected consumers in the world. However, many consumers are still not aware of their consumer rights, and do not have the necessary knowledge to pursue redress when they are dissatisfied. The objective of this research was therefore to explore and describe the relationship between consumers‟ knowledge of consumerism (consumer protection) and their consumer complaint behaviour (CCB) concerning their dissatisfaction with a technologically advanced product, in this case, a consumer electronic product. This study attempts to differentiate between subjective consumerism knowledge and objective consumerism knowledge and by extension the measures employed. In addition, we explored and described the relationship between demographic variables and levels of subjective and objective consumerism knowledge as well as the combined effect of the two types of knowledge on consumer complaint behaviour. The findings revealed that the respondents had a reasonable level of subjective consumerism knowledge relative to a low level of objective consumerism knowledge. No significant relationship was found between subjective consumerism knowledge and demographic variables. However, the factors of race, gender and level of income were related to objective knowledge. A higher level of subjective knowledge could be associated with public action. Respondents with reasonable levels of objective knowledge were also better equipped to take private and public action. CHAID (Chi-Square Automatic Interaction Detection) analysis highlighted that a combination of subjective and objective knowledge was the best predictor of taking public action only and of taking both private and public complaint action. The study has implications for policy makers, consumer protection organisations, retailers and the individual consumer. Our approach to measuring knowledge of consumerism could possibly be applied in other emerging contexts where consumers generally lack awareness of consumer protection.http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1470-64312017-07-31hb2017Consumer ScienceStatistic

Animal organ dissections in high schools : is there more than just cutting?

In Life Sciences education internationally, including South Africa, the study of animal and organ morphology has traditionally involved dissections since the early nineteenth century. The major purpose of this study was to investigate how the engagement of learners with animal organ dissections may influence the development of problem-solving skills and how teachers use animal dissections to develop these skills of Grade 11 learners in Life Sciences (Biology) education. A mixed-methods research design was used for this study. Data were collected from a pre-test and a post-test (which had predominantly problem-solving questions), a learner questionnaire, lesson observations and teacher interviews. Tests and questionnaires were administered to 224 Grade 11 Life Sciences learners. Six Grade 11 Life Sciences teachers at four high schools from different environments participated in the study. The pre-test and post-test scores were compared using a parametric matched t-test. The comparison for the five cognitive levels including rote learning and problem-solving as well as the total calculation were all highly significant with p-values <0.0001. The learners’ responses in the questionnaire and the teachers’ responses during the interviews indicate their acknowledgement that animal organ dissection may be used to develop problem-solving skills. The results show that there is more to animal organ dissection than just cutting and drawing; it may be used as a problem-solving teaching strategy. The level of learner engagement with animal organ dissections can determine the level of development of problem-solving skills. This study recommends that teachers should be encouraged to link animal organ dissections to specific anatomical and physiological problems where applicable, and to allow learners to solve these problems when performing the dissections; they should not merely let the learners cut, draw and label the organ.http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rmse202016-06-03am201

TRY plant trait database – enhanced coverage and open access

Plant traits - the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants - determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystem properties and their benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area of research spanning from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management, restoration, biogeography and earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Increasingly, the TRY database also supports new frontiers of trait‐based plant research, including the identification of data gaps and the subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we evaluate the extent of the trait data compiled in TRY and analyse emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traits - almost complete coverage for ‘plant growth form’. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modelling are characterized by continuous intraspecific variation and trait–environmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment. Despite unprecedented data coverage, we observe a humbling lack of completeness and representativeness of these continuous traits in many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements. This can only be achieved in collaboration with other initiatives

A sequential methods study describing the perceptions of environmental barriers and the employment of persons with disabilities on a private healthcare company

Thesis (MScMedSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Persons with disabilities face many barriers in the workplace due to their disabilities as well as because of the impact of their environment. The purpose of the study was to identify the environmental barriers, and to understand the factors related to the employment of persons with disabilities in one private healthcare company in South Africa, where employees with disabilities make up 0.93% of the entire workforce. Methodology This was a phased, descriptive study using both quantitative and qualitative methods. During the first phase, all employees with disabilities employed by the Company in 2011 were requested to complete questionnaires, which included the Craig Hospital Inventory of Environmental Factors (CHIEF) form, used to quantify environmental barriers into five domains of functioning. Managers of employees with disabilities were also requested to complete a questionnaire, which included limited sections of the CHIEF form, as well as questions to explore their knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and practices regarding persons with disabilities. Purposive, convenience sampling was done for the second phase, where Company employees with disabilities and Company managers were interviewed. Results Results were obtained from 40 Company employees with disabilities and 57 managers. Of the Company employees with disabilities, 41% had physical disabilities, 15% visual and 13% hearing disabilities. Seventy-one per cent were employed in the two lowest job categories (unskilled and semi-skilled), compared to 61% in the entire Company workforce employed in these categories. Thirteen per cent worked in active nursing and 22% in related nursing positions. Eighty-seven per cent of employees with disabilities identified at least one barrier across the CHIEF domains, and 56% identified barriers in four or five domains. Domains 1-3 (namely attitudes and support; services and assistance; and physical and structural) were the most significant, based on frequency (p=0.00000) and magnitude (p=0.00005) (Kruskal Wallis test). Primary barriers identified by both managers and Company employees with disabilities were attitudes at work, transport and surroundings. Eighty-one per cent of managers were willing to re-employ the employee with a disability again. Findings from the qualitative study supported quantitative results. Company employees with disabilities valued their contributions and recommended reducing barriers associated with recruitment practices and negative attitudes. Managers generally experienced positive interaction with Company employees with disabilities. Managers felt that the Company could do more to reduce recruitment barriers. Managers require more knowledge and support regarding recruitment and performance management of persons with disabilities. Conclusions Significant environmental barriers exist in the private healthcare employment environment. Reducing environmental barriers could lead to greater success in the employment of persons with disabilities. Recommendations The conceptual framework that was developed as part of the study should be implemented to increase focus on the employment of persons with disabilities. Employees must be encouraged to disclose their disabilities. Poor attitudes across all employees should be addressed by training and sensitisation. Recruitment practices, including advertising, engagement with disability employment companies, and interview processes, should be improved. The Company should implement experiential learnerships. Managers should receive training and assistance with performance management of persons with disabilities.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Inleiding Mense met gestremdhede ondervind probleme in die werkplek, nie net as gevolg van die gestremdheid self nie, maar ook as gevolg van hindernisse wat veroorsaak word deur die omgewing waarin hulle werk. Die doel van die studie was om hierdie hindernisse te identifiseer en ook die verwante probleme wat mense met gestremdhede in die werkplek ondervind, te verstaan. Die studie is uitgevoer in „n private gesondheidsorgmaatskappy waar mense met gestremdhede 0.93% van die totale werkerskorps uitmaak. Metodologie Dit was „n gefaseerde, beskrywende studie waar kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe metodes gebruik is. Gedurende die eerste fase van die studie is inligting verkry van werkers met gestremdhede deur middel van vraelyste wat ook die Craig Hospital Inventory of Environmental Factors (CHIEF) vorm ingesluit het wat omgewingshindernisse in 5 groepe van funksionering kwantifiseer. Bestuurders se vraelys het dele van die CHIEF ingesluit, asook vrae om hulle kennis, houdings, praktyke en gelowe oor mense met gestremdhede te toets. In die tweede deel van die studie is onderhoude gevoer met werkers met gestremdhede en hulle bestuurders wat deur middel van doelgerigte, gerieflikheidseleksie geïdentifiseer is. Resultate Veertig mense met gestremdhede en 57 bestuurders het aan die studie deelgeneem. Sewe-en-veertig persent van werkers met gestremdhede het „n fisiese gestremdheid gehad, 15% „n visuele gestremdheid en 13% was gehoorgestremd. Een-en-sewentig persent van werkers het die laagste twee poskategorieë beklee (ongeskool en semi-geskool) in vergelyking met 61% van die algemene werkerskorps in daardie poskategorieë. Dertien persent werkers het in verpleegposte gewerk, en 22% in verpleegverwante posisies. Sewe-en-tagtig persent van werkers met gestremdhede het ten minste een hindernis in een CHIEF-groep geïdentifiseer, en 56% het ten minste een hindernis in vier of vyf van die CHIEF-groepe geïdentifiseer. Die drie primêre CHIEF-groepe wat geïdentifiseer is, was houdings en ondersteuning; diens en hulp; en fisiese en strukturele groepe, gebaseer op frekwensie (p=0.00000) en grootte (p=0.00005) (Kruskal Wallis toets). Die belangrikste hindernisse wat deur werkers met gestremdhede genoem is, was negatiewe houdings in die werkplek, vervoer en die omgewing. Een-en-tagtig persent van bestuurders was bereid om weer dieselfde werkers met gestremdhede in diens te neem. Die bevindings in die kwantitatiewe studie is deur die kwalitatiewe resultate ondersteun. Werkers met gestremdhede het gevoel dat hulle waardevolle bydraes lewer, Die vermindering van hindernisse, insluitend indiensnemingspraktyke en die verbetering van houdings die indiensneming van mense met gestremdhede sal verbeter. Bestuurders van mense met gestremdhede het oor die algemeen positiewe ervarings met mense met gestremdhede ervaar en het gevoel dat die Maatskappy meer kan doen om indeniensnemingshindernisse te verminder. Bestuurders benodig meer kennis en ondersteuning gedurende indiensneming en prestasiebestuur van mense met gestremdhede. Gevolgtrekking Omgewingshindernisse is teenwoordig in die private gesondheidsorgomgewing. Die vermindering van omgewingshindernisse mag tot groter sukses lei gedurende die indiensneming van mense met gestremdhede. Aanbevelings Die raamwerk vir die formalisering van die indiensneming van mense met gestremdhede wat ontwikkel is moet geïmplementeer word. Werkers moet aangemoedig word om hulle gestremdhede bekend te maak. Swak houdings teenoor mense met gestremdhede moet deur opleiding en sensitisering aangespreek word. Indiensnemingspraktyke moet verbeter. Internskappe moet geïmplementeer word. Bestuurders moet opleiding en hulp met die bestuur van mense met gestremdhede ontvang

Multivariate normal estimation : the case (n < p)

Estimation in the multivariate context when the number of observations available is less than the number of variables is a classical theoretical problem. In order to ensure estimability, one has to assume certain constraints on the parameters. A method for maximum likelihood estimation under constraints is proposed to solve this problem. Even in the extreme case where only a single multivariate observation is available, this may provide a feasible solution. It simultaneously provides a simple, straightforward methodology to allow for specific structures within and between covariance matrices of several populations. This methodology yields exact maximum likelihood estimates.http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/lsta202018-09-21hj2017Statistic

Differences between Black and White South Africans in product failure attributions, anger and complaint behaviour

The purpose of this research is to extend an understanding of how Black and White South African consumers' causal attributions for major household appliance performance failures impact on their anger and subsequent complaint behaviour. A survey was administered to Black and White South African consumers who were dissatisfied with the performance of a major household appliance item. Respondents resided in a major metropolitan area. The findings showed that, compared to Whites, the Black South Africans felt a low but significantly higher external locus of causality and lower control, and experienced a higher level of anger regarding product failure. The level of anger determined the decision to take complaint action, but racial group determined the type of action taken. Blacks complained more actively to retailers and engaged more in private complaint action than Whites. These findings may show that Black South Africans are developing a more individualistic orientation as consumers. Therefore, researchers should consider the effect of cultural swapping when researching consumer behaviour in multi-cultural countries. Implications for retailers in terms of complaint handling are indicated

TRY plant trait database - enhanced coverage and open access

10.1111/gcb.14904GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY261119-18