Management modelling behaviour: An important prerequisite for the implementation of business ethics

Researchers agree that ethics and ethical behaviour have become two of the most important topics of the new millennium. Reasons for this can include changing business conditions as well as the growing public demand for quality services, reasonable prices and honest treatment. Furthermore, the present wave of corruption in South African business makes it important to focus on management-related factors that seem to influence employees’ decisions to behave ethically at work. These phenomena will be used as a basis to make practical suggestions on how to improve the situation

Magnetoplasmon excitations in an array of periodically modulated quantum wires

Motivated by the recent experiment of Hochgraefe et al., we have investigated the magnetoplasmon excitations in a periodic array of quantum wires with a periodic modulation along the wire direction. The equilibrium and dynamic properties of the system are treated self-consistently within the Thomas-Fermi-Dirac-von Weizsaecker approximation. A calculation of the dynamical response of the system to a far-infrared radiation field reveals a resonant anticrossing between the Kohn mode and a finite-wavevector longitudinal excitation which is induced by the density modulation along the wires. Our theoretical calculations are found to be in excellent agreement with experiment.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figure

Farmers' perceptions of the lay health worker on farms in the Western Cape, South Africa

This study is focussed on farms situated in the Boland health district of the Cape Winelands, South Africa. The aim was to explore, understand, and describe the perceptions of farmers of having a trained lay health worker (LHW) on the farm. A qualitative study design was applied. Data were collected during six in-depth interviews and two focus group discussions with participating farmers. The results show that farmers remained positive about the concept of having a trained LHW on the farm, but became frustrated with the lack of recognition of their and the LHWs' contribution by the public health service. Farmers who are willing to participate and remain active are key to introducing a farm community-based LHW intervention. Sustainable LHW interventions are dependent on public health sector support and recognition of all role players.Farm Management,

The relationship between locus of control and ethical behaviour among employees in the financial sector

Unethical behaviour is a rapidly escalating trend in the current work situation, where – within organisations – there appears to be a decrease in ethical behaviour at a national as well as international level. Employees within the financial sector form a specific area of interest concerning ethical behaviour in South Africa. Various incidents of unethical conduct are reported within the financial sector, necessitating a specific focus on factors which may influence ethical behaviour. Current research supports a person-situation-interaction approach to ethical decision-making, where both individual and situational factors influence the decisions of individuals. Research indicate that individual factors such as locus of control may influence ethical behaviour. The way these variables are related among employees in the financial sector in South Africa, however, has not as yet been demonstrated. In order to determine the relationship between locus of control and ethical behaviour, Schepers’Locus of Control Questionnaire and the Work Beliefs Questionnaire were administered to 100 employees in the financial sector in Bloemfontein. Statistically significant relationships(p?0,05) were found between internal locus of control and ethical behaviour, external locus of control and ethical behaviour, as well as autonomy and ethical behaviour. Recommendations were made in the light of the results regarding the development of strategies and interventions to minimise unethical behaviour within organisations

The outcome at 12 months of very-Iow-birth-weight infants ventilated at Tygerberg Hospital

Objective. To determine the outcome at 1 year of age of a group of very-Iow-birth-weight (VLBW) infants, from urban and rural communities, ventilated at Tygerberg Hospital, W. Cape. Study design. Prospective descriptive study in which the prevalence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), sensorineural deafness, intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH), retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and abnormal motor developmental outcomes were determined in 153 ventilated VLBW infants from rural and urban areas. Of these, 69% were from lower socio-economic backgrounds. Main outcome measures. Attrition rates for rural and urban babies, BPD, ROP, IVH and abnormal motor development. Study population and setting. All ventilated VLBW infants discharged from the neonatal intensive care unit at Tygerberg Hospital over a 1-year period were followed up at 3-monthly intervals for 12 months. Results. BPD was diagnosed in 19% of the babies, with significantly more babies with birth weights under 1 000 g and gestational ages under 28 weeks having BPD. Of the babies with BPD, 25% had abnormal motor development at 1 year of age. Seven per cent of the babies had grade 3 or 4 ROP and 2,6% had sensorineural hearing loss. One hundred and seventeen (79%) of the infants attended the follow-up clinic until 12 months of age (corrected for prematurity). There were no significant differences in the number of babies followed up from rural or urban areas. Fourteen (11,9%) of the babies had abnormal motor development. A disturbing finding was that so many babies had spastic qiJadriplegia (8; 57%) versus diplegia (6; 43%).S Afr Med J 1995; 8