Employing the Internal Marketing Theory to Explain How Knowledge Dissemination Can Be Enhanced in Organizations

Knowledge dissemination has been found to contribute positively to a firm’s performance. The internal marketing theory was employed to investigate how knowledge can be effectively disseminated in organizations to enhance organizational performance and innovation. The results indicated that a social learning environment is imperative to the knowledge dissemination process

An Evaluation of the effectiveness of public libraries in providing information to school children :A Case study of the Queenstown public library , Eastern Cape Province

This study took the form of an evaluative study of the effectiveness of public libraries as a means of providing information to school children, and was conducted at the Queenstown Public Library in the province of the Eastern Cape in South Africa. The research endeavoured to evaluate the effectiveness of public libraries in the role which they play to provide information to school children, despite the widespread belief that the role of libraries is now being replaced by Information and Communication Technologies, or ICTs. This study is also significant for the factors which contribute towards school children being prevented from receiving the full range of benefits which libraries have to offer and the recommendations which it makes to improve the effectiveness of the role played by libraries in this respect. The study could also be of benefit to the staff of libraries, as it could serve to inform them with respect to what needs to be done in order to improve the ways in which libraries make information available to school children. In this respect the research could also provide valuable insights into the strategies which need to be developed and adopted in order to make public libraries more effective providers of various types and forms of information to school children. It is to be hoped that the study will also make a valuable contribution to the existing body of knowledge concerning public libraries as a means of providing information to school children. It is the fervent wish of this researcher to make a credible and articulate case for the great value which public libraries have for school children, despite the fact that general perceptions no longer accord libraries the value which they were once commonly held to possess

Geostatistical evaluation of the eastern ore field one (EF1) orebody, Rosh Pinah zinc mine, Namibia

A Dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, School of Mining Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2018The geometry, size and quality of a deposit are key parameters required for decision-making regarding mining methods, capital investments or divestments, economic viability and processing methods. The dissertation uses a quantitative approach to assess three geological modelling methods for orebody geometry. It applies Principal Components Analysis (PCA) in order to understand the variability and correlation in the data. The dissertation aims to determine the significance of increasing the composite size to 3 m for grade estimation and to estimate the tonnes and grades of the Eastern Ore Field 1 in-situ resource as on 31 December 2016. A MineSight, a Leapfrog and a hybrid of MineSight and Leapfrog modelling method were assessed, aiming to reduce the modelling time. The Minesight and Leapfrog hybrid model is recommended for modelling complex sedimentary exhalative deposits. The PCA was carried out using Matlab. Based on the correlation of 0.998, the first principal component increases with increasing Ag, Zn and Pb and it correlates most strongly with Ag. The second principal component increases with Zn, with a correlation of 0.985. With a correlation of 0.927, the third component increases with Mg. A 3 m composite size is recommended for estimating EF1 because the generated block-model estimates have lower means, standard deviations, variances and numbers of extreme outliers. The 3 m composite size is closer to the SMU at Rosh Pinah, and produces a better block estimate than 1.5 m composites, the later gives more tonnes and higher grade due to the volume-variance effect, which ultimately leads to overestimation of the mineral deposit. The total in-situ EF1 resource estimated using the Ordinary Kriging interpolation method as on 31 December 2016 was 814,100 tonnes at 8.58% Zn, 3.19% Pb and 79.22 ppm Ag.MT201

An evaluation of the implementation of the performance management and development system : a case study of the Department of Home Affairs in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal.

Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.In government, mere traditional administration focuses on executing government tasks. However, the question of efficient and effective performance management has not been addressed, in spite of it assuming more importance today in driving the goals and objectives of organisations. As such, this study centers on the Performance Management and Development System (PMDS) in the public sector in general and in the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), in particular, to assess the effectiveness and how the system is being implemented. The qualitative research design was conducted through a case study approach underpinned by a performance management system model as a conceptual framework of the study which draws on key performance dimensions including the setting of objectives, measuring performance, feedback of performance results, reward system, as well as amendments to performance objectives and activities. The study site was DHA in the Durban offices. Data was collected through interviews and analysed through content and thematic data analysis techniques. The general view emanating from this study is that there is not enough knowledge of the PMDS even amongst senior members of management. Amongst those with enough understanding and knowledge, implementation of the system has not been effective, since there are elements of mistrust, misconceptions, and lack of interest, as the exercise is viewed by some as a mere formality which does not impact on the employee and service delivery. Overall, the study discovered that the ‘business-as-usual’ attitude pervades the DHA. Finally, the study recommends that the DHA should hire more manpower within the organization in order to ensure segregation of duties and avoid officials multitasking which makes it difficult to assess them as there are no clear boundaries of duties. It is further recommended in the study that it should be made compulsory for employees to understand and appreciate the vision, mission, as well as the strategic objective of the DHA for every period under review, in order to ensure that performance objectives set are attained. Furthermore, it is recommended that continuous training on PMDS be maintained as an organisation culture

Development of a functional goat cheese: exploring bioactive and preservation effects of arthrocnemum macrostachyum

This work explored the influence of biomass from the halophyte species Arthrocnemum macrostachyum as salt substitute in fresh goat cheese. Biomass was evaluated for mineral contents. The radical scavenging activity towards the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate free radical, and the total phenolics and flavonoids contents of ethanol extracts of the dried biomass of Arthrocnemum macrostachyum, and cheese, were also evaluated. Fresh and dried biomass from Arthrocnemum macrostachyum were evaluated for microbial quality, as well as functionalized cheese. Cheese was also analyzed in terms of microbiological, physicochemical, bioactive, and functional properties, in different preservation periods. Dried biomass (4g/L) was added to cheese, together with 8 g salt /L (B1) and 4 g salt/L (B2). Cheese with 12 g of salt was used as control (C). Cheese was analyzed at days 0(t0), 4(t4) and 8(t8) of storage at 4C. Ethanol extracts of Arthrocnemum macrostachyum dried biomass were evaluated for antioxidant activity by the DPPH presented half maximal effective concentration of 4 mg/mL. Total phenolic (TPC) and flavonoid (TFC) contents, with values of 23.76 GAE/g DW and 10.35 mg QE/g DW, respectively. The minerals Na, K, Mg, Ca, and Fe were the most abundant. Ethanol extracts were prepared from dried cheeses supplemented with Arthrocnemum macrostachyum, and evaluated for DPPH, TPC and TFC. No antioxidant activity was detected in the cheese extract. Cheese with biomass 8 g salt/L had TPC of 15.17 (t0), 17.12 (t4) and 26.39 (t8) GAE/g DW, cheeses with 4 g salt/L increased from 19.38(t0), 18.90(t4) and 39.94 (t8) mg GAE/g DW. TFC in cheese with 8 g salt increased from 2.80 (t0) to 4.37 (t4) and decreased to 1.88(t8) mg QE/g DW. TFC increased from t4 to t8 in cheese with biomass 4 g salt. B2 was the best cheese in terms of functional and physicochemical properties. Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus coagulase positive were not present in the samples. Microorganisms at 30 °C for fresh and dry samples were 2.37 and 3.50 log CFU/g, respectively. In dry biomass, molds counts were 3.14 log CFU/g, whereas no molds were found in fresh biomass. No yeasts were found in both fresh and dry biomass. There were significant differences between L*, a*, b*, and C* of the cheeses at different storage times. Water activity and fat content were not significantly different (P˃0.05) except for fats in cheese with biomass 4 g salt/L during the first week, pH and dry weight were significantly different (P˂0,05) during the storage. Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus coagulase positive were absent. Salmonella and Listeria monocytogene were not detected in the cheeses. Yeast counts were higher than 5 log CFU/g with no molds.Cada vez mais se observa uma tendência mundial para consumir alimentos considerados saudáveis acrescidos de conservantes, ingredientes naturais ou ambos. Normalmente utilizam-se produtos com os quais os consumidores já estão familiarizados, como é o caso do queijo. A utilização de plantas halófitas como fonte de novos aditivos alimentares para a conservação e produção de alimentos funcionais também tem vindo a ganhar a atenção do sector alimentar, devido à sua composição em compostos antioxidantes que os tornam interessantes para a saúde humana e indústria alimentar. Neste contexto, este trabalho visou explorar o efeito da substituição de parte do sal por biomassa seca da espécie halofita Arthrocnemum macrostachyum, e os eventuais efeitos bioativos e de conservação do queijo de cabra fresco durante um período de armazenamento. Os queijos foram produzidos no laboratório de Processamento de Alimentos do Instituto Superior de Engenharia, da Universidade do Algarve, utilizando leite de cabra pasteurizado e coalho de origem microbiana. Foram testadas várias condições de produção e, após prova sensorial, foram escolhidas: queijo controlo, com uma concentração de sal de 12 g/L, sem qualquer adição de biomassa; queijo B1 com adição de 4 g biomassa por litro e 8 g sal/L; e queijo B2 com adição de 4 g biomassa por litro e 4 g sal/L. Os queijos foram conservados em condições de refrigeração durante 8 dias, tendo-se feito colheitas de amostras para análise no dia da produção (t=0), no quarto dia (t=4) e no último dia (t=8). Antes da sua incorporação no queijo, a biomassa foi avaliada em termos de teor de minerais (por espectrofotometria de absorção atómica), potencial antioxidante (contra os radicais 1,1-difenil-2-picril-hidrazilo, DPPH), e composição em fenólicos e flavonoides totais (pelo método de Folin Ciocalteau e AlCl3, respetivamente). Estas duas últimas determinações foram feitas num extrato etanólico preparado a partir da biomassa seca. Os queijos aditivados com a biomassa, bem como os queijos controlo, foram avaliados quanto a cor, qualidade microbiológica, capacidade antioxidante e composição em fenólicos totais (também em extrato etanólico preparado a partir da biomassa seca de queijo). Relativamente ao teor de minerais na biomassa seca, verificou-se que que os elementos sódio (Na), potássio (K), magnésio (Mg), cálcio (Ca) e ferro (Fe) foram os mais abundantes, especialmente o Na (24,78 ± 2,21 mg/g peso seco). O extrato de etanol da biomassa apresentou uma capacidade moderada de neutralização do radical DPPH (IC50 = 4,15 ± 0,57 mg/mL). Os teores de fenólicos e flavonoides totais foram de 23,76 ± 1,01 mg GAE/g peso seco e de 10,35 ± 0,74 mg QE/g peso seco, respetivamente. O rendimento queijeiro variou entre 28,87 % nos queijos controlo, 34,22% em queijos com adição de biomassa e 4 g de sal /L, e 36 % nos queijos com biomassa e 8 g de sal/L. Quando testados para a atividade antioxidante (mesmo método utilizado para a biomassa), os queijos não apresentaram qualquer atividade antioxidante na máxima concentração testada (50 mg/mL). Relativamente ao teor de compostos fenólicos e de flavonoides, verificaram-se diferenças significativas com a adição de biomassa, especialmente nos primeiros dias de conservação. O teor de fenólicos totais aumentou ao longo do tempo de conservação em todos os casos, enquanto que o de flavonoides totais não apresentou variação consistente. Relativamente à cor dos queijos, verificou-se uma diminuição do valor do parâmetro L* (luminosidade) em todos os queijos durante o período de armazenamento, enquanto que os parâmetros a* [verde (-); vermelho (+)], b* [azul(-); amarelo(+)]e C* (intensidade) aumentaram em todas as amostras testadas durante o mesmo período. Os níveis de aW e gordura não sofreram alterações significativas (p>0,05) ao longo do tempo, exceto no caso da gordura da amostra B2, que aumentou durante a primeira semana. O pH e o peso seco sofreram alterações estatisticamente significativas (p˂0,05) ao longo do tempo. O pH do queijo de controlo aumentou na primeira semana e diminuiu durante a última semana de armazenamento. Resultados semelhantes foram obtidos nos queijos B2, enquanto o resultado contrário foi observado nos queijos B1, onde o pH aumentou ao longo do tempo em estudo. Fazendo a comparação entre os queijos com diferentes concentrações de sal no início do período de conservação (t=0), verificou-se que o aW e a gordura apresentaram os mesmos valores nos queijos de controlo e nos queijos B2. Os queijos B1 apresentaram um aW ligeiramente inferior (0,96 ± 0,004) e um teor de gordura ligeiramente superior (13,00 ± 1,00) aos restantes. Relativamente ao peso seco, não foram verificadas diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre as diferentes condições. Já o pH apresentou ligeiras diferenças, variando entre 6,40 ± 0,04 para o queijo controlo e 6,57 ± 0,01 para o queijo B1. Foi ainda realizada uma avaliação microbiológica de amostras de plantas frescas e secas de Arthrocnemum macrostachyum para Escherichia coli (ISO 16649-1:2018), Staphylococcus coagulase positivo (ISO 6888-1:2021), bolores e leveduras (ISO 21527-1:2008) e microrganismos a 30 ˚C (ISO 4833:2013). Os microrganismos Escherichia coli e Staphylococcus coagulase positivos não foram encontrados em nenhuma das amostras, atestando as boas condições de higiene utilizadas durante a colheita e armazenamento desta matéria-prima. A amostra de biomassa fresca apresentou 2,73 ± 0,28 log UFC/g para microrganismos a 30 °C e a amostra de biomassa seca apresentou 3,50 ± 0,48 log UFC/g, o que são valores considerados normais para este tipo produto. Os bolores e leveduras presentes na amostra fresca foram inferiores a 10 UFC/g, enquanto que na biomassa seca as leveduras apresentavam valores inferiores a 10 UFC/g e os bolores 3,14 ± 0,09 log UFC/g. A resistência dos bolores a ambientes com baixa humidade, pode explicar a presença destes microrganismos na amostra da planta seca, mesmo considerando as boas condições de armazenamento. A avaliação microbiológica não detetou Escherichia coli, nem Staphylococcus coagulase-positivo, durante o período em estudo, nem Salmonella spp ou Listeria monocytogenes no final desse período. As amostras de queijo com biomassa apresentaram valores para leveduras superiores a 5 log UFC/g, mas não apresentaram bolores. O valor mais elevado para os microrganismos a 30 °C foi registado aos 8 dias na amostra B1 (9,40 ± 0,07 log UFC/g)

Constructing Black Mothers as Educational Leaders: A Source of Knowledge and Theory

Constructing Black Mothers as Educational Leaders: A Source of Knowledge and Theor

Opioid Usage in Pregnant Women

Women have a heightened sense of health during pregnancy, especially first pregnancies. They often pay closer attention to taking medications (both over the counter and prescribed). Some discontinue smoking and choose healthier diet choices. The question or hypothesis of this research is to examine if this heightened sense of health during pregnancy has any effect on the choice to use recreational drugs during pregnancy

Alcohol marketing: Grooming the next generation

First paragraph: If protecting children from harm is the hallmark of a civilised society, the United Kingdom is failing the test when it comes to alcohol marketing. A new analysis conducted by the RAND Corporation for the European Commission shows that British regulatory structures are so flawed that teenagers, far from being shielded from alcohol promotion, are more exposed to it than are adults.1 It shows, for example, that 10-15 year olds in the UK see 10% more alcohol advertising on TV than their parents do. Even more shocking, when it comes to the specific sector of alcopops, they see 50% more.Output Type: Editoria