Assessing platelet function using a novel microtitre platelet aggregation assay

Assessing platelet function using a novel microtitre platelet aggregation assa

Investigating climate change intervention strategies in opencast mining contracting and plant hire companies: a case of mutual construction company group of companies, South Africa

Climate change has come to be understood as a deleterious phenomenon, which threatens business, society and ecological systems, thus making it imperative to understand its impact on human, social and economic activities as well as the impact of these activities on climate change. Against this background, this research sought to determine climate change intervention strategies in the mining supply chain in general, specifically focussing on opencast mining contracting and plant hire companies’ practices. This focus on the mining industry was driven by its importance in South Africa and globally, despite its significant direct and indirect contribution to climatic changes. The mixed-methods multiple case study focused on the climate change management of the Mutual Construction Company Group of Companies (MCCGC), an open cast toll mining firm and equipment supplier. Limited to two sites, Pilanesberg Platinum Mines (PPM) and Tharisa Minerals (Tharisa) Mines, the researcher gathered data through interviews, questionnaires, observations and document review. Data was analysed through deductive content analysis. The research made three major findings: (i) the MCCGC, like its principals PPM and Tharisa, does not have an explicit climate change management strategy. Instead, climate change is managed indirectly through implicit strategies seeking to manage environment, health and safety concerns of the mines, (ii) as a contractor, the MCCGC has had to adopt PPM and Tharisa’s implicit approach to climate change management strategies to meet contractual obligations, instead of an explicit approach and, (iii) the MCCGC and its principals’ commitment to environment, health and safety management, and implicitly climate change management, is not mere rhetoric but is being put into practice. The research concluded that MCCGC’s lack of expressed climate change management intentions and practices exposed the firm to climate change risks, most notably financial risks and reputation risks. Financial risks arise from possible ex post climate change liability. In addition, MCCGC is risking its contract tenures, particularly if the two mines change ownership and the new owners insist on an explicit rather than implied climate change strategy with all its suppliers. Reputational risks arise from the possible failure to attract new clientele and investors who may perceive MCCGC as a risky partner, due to an inept climate change intervention strategyCollege of Agriculture and Environmental SciencesM. Sc. (Environmental Management

An application of AHP and fuzzy entropy-TOPSIS methods to optimize upstream petroleum investment in representative African basins.

The growing demand of China for petroleum heightens the complexities and prospects in worldwide investments, necessitating refined and strategic investment approaches. Evaluating the potential of different hydrocarbon-potential areas needs more comprehensive scientific evaluation models. This study aims to establish a Comprehensive Investment Potential of Petroleum (CIPP) framework for targeted sedimentary basins by using an integrated approach that combines the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and the Entropy-Weighted Fuzzy TOPSIS models. We focus particularly on representative African basins to inform strategic decision-making for the Chinese overseas petroleum enterprises. We firstly interpret the geological condition of these petroleum basins by researching multiple databases and proprietary research data. Then, we use a combined approach of ranking-classification-correlation analysis to evaluate 17 representative basins, taking into account both overall and individual key performance indicators. Our findings suggest the Illizi Basin and the Offshore Côte d'Ivoire Basin could be the most favorable for investment and development. Those like Southwest African Basin warrant cautious consideration. The new evaluation model and computational workflow offer an effective workflow for assessing multiple petroleum basins. This work provides not just practical investment strategies for companies aiming for African petroleum basins, but also a transferable methodology for optimizing investment decisions. [Abstract copyright: © 2024. The Author(s).