Research design for the South African innovation survey 2001

The University of Pretoria in close cooperation with the Eindhoven University of Technology has decided to conduct a South African Innovation Survey in 2001. The purpose of the survey is twofold; firstly, to get a representative, nationwide picture of the innovative behaviour and performance of South African firms in manufacturing and services, and secondly, to compare the South African situation on innovation to the European one. The South African Innovation Survey will be modelled on the European Community Innovation Survey (CIS) conducted in European Union countries. This paper describes the proposed research design and modifications to the CIS questionnaire to suit the South African environment

TECHNOLOGICAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN EMERGING SOCIETIES: DOES HERITAGE REALLY MATTER?

<p>ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A fundamental topic for researchers in entrepreneurship in recent times has been the question about the extent to which heritage factors such as birth order, family interaction, social class, economic circumstances, and society’s views influence entrepreneurial behaviour. The present body of knowledge was mainly derived from studies conducted on single dominant culture groups in the developed world. While there is strong evidence in the literature to suggest that heritage plays a role in the development of the technological entrepreneur – either through environmental influences or genetic inheritance – the question remains: how strong in fact is this heritage influence in societies that are different from those in the previous studies? Research conducted by the University of Pretoria on technological entrepreneurs in the province of KwaZulu-Natal not only confirms certain existing models, but also provides new insight into the influences of heritage in a multi-cultural society and economically emerging region.</p><p>AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: ’n Fundamentele onderwerp vir navorsers in ondernemerskap is tans die vraag in watter mate herkomsfaktore soos geboortevolgorde, familieinteraksie, sosiale klas, ekonomiese omstandighede, en die sieninge van die samelewing ondernemerskapsgedrag beïnvloed. Die huidige stand van kennis was hoofsaaklik afgelei uit studies van enkel dominante kultuurgroepe in die ontwikkelde wêreld. Terwyl daar sterk bewyse in die literatuur is wat suggereer dat herkoms ’n belangrike rol in die ontwikkeling van tegnologiese ondernemers speel, hetsy deur omgewingsinvloede of genetiese erfenis, bly die vraag steeds: hoe sterk is die herkomsinvloed werklik in samelewings wat verskil van dié in vorige studies? Navorsing is by die Universiteit van Pretoria gedoen oor tegnologiese ondernemers in die Kwa-Zoeloe-Natal provinsie wat nie net sekere bestaande modelle bevestig nie, maar ook nuwe insigte bring van herkomsinvloede in ’n multi-kulturele samelewing en ekonomies ontwikkelende gebied.</p&gt

Updated precision measurement of the average lifetime of B hadrons

The measurement of the average lifetime of B hadrons using inclusively reconstructed secondary vertices has been updated using both an improved processing of previous data and additional statistics from new data. This has reduced the statistical and systematic uncertainties and gives \tau_{\mathrm{B}} = 1.582 \pm 0.011\ \mathrm{(stat.)} \pm 0.027\ \mathrm{(syst.)}\ \mathrm{ps.} Combining this result with the previous result based on charged particle impact parameter distributions yields \tau_{\mathrm{B}} = 1.575 \pm 0.010\ \mathrm{(stat.)} \pm 0.026\ \mathrm{(syst.)}\ \mathrm{ps.

Functional mechanisms underlying pleiotropic risk alleles at the 19p13.1 breast-ovarian cancer susceptibility locus

A locus at 19p13 is associated with breast cancer (BC) and ovarian cancer (OC) risk. Here we analyse 438 SNPs in this region in 46,451 BC and 15,438 OC cases, 15,252 BRCA1 mutation carriers and 73,444 controls and identify 13 candidate causal SNPs associated with serous OC (P=9.2 × 10-20), ER-negative BC (P=1.1 × 10-13), BRCA1-associated BC (P=7.7 × 10-16) and triple negative BC (P-diff=2 × 10-5). Genotype-gene expression associations are identified for candidate target genes ANKLE1 (P=2 × 10-3) and ABHD8 (P<2 × 10-3). Chromosome conformation capture identifies interactions between four candidate SNPs and ABHD8, and luciferase assays indicate six risk alleles increased transactivation of the ADHD8 promoter. Targeted deletion of a region containing risk SNP rs56069439 in a putative enhancer induces ANKLE1 downregulation; and mRNA stability assays indicate functional effects for an ANKLE1 3′-UTR SNP. Altogether, these data suggest that multiple SNPs at 19p13 regulate ABHD8 and perhaps ANKLE1 expression, and indicate common mechanisms underlying breast and ovarian cancer risk

Physical activity, sedentary time and breast cancer risk: a Mendelian randomisation study

Objectives: Physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour are associated with higher breast cancer risk in observational studies, but ascribing causality is difficult. Mendelian randomisation (MR) assesses causality by simulating randomised trial groups using genotype. We assessed whether lifelong physical activity or sedentary time, assessed using genotype, may be causally associated with breast cancer risk overall, pre/post-menopause, and by case-groups defined by tumour characteristics. Methods: We performed two-sample inverse-variance-weighted MR using individual-level Breast Cancer Association Consortium case-control data from 130 957 European-ancestry women (69 838 invasive cases), and published UK Biobank data (n=91 105–377 234). Genetic instruments were single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated in UK Biobank with wrist-worn accelerometer-measured overall physical activity (nsnps=5) or sedentary time (nsnps=6), or accelerometer-measured (nsnps=1) or self-reported (nsnps=5) vigorous physical activity. Results: Greater genetically-predicted overall activity was associated with lower breast cancer overall risk (OR=0.59; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.42 to 0.83 per-standard deviation (SD;~8 milligravities acceleration)) and for most case-groups. Genetically-predicted vigorous activity was associated with lower risk of pre/perimenopausal breast cancer (OR=0.62; 95% CI 0.45 to 0.87,≥3 vs. 0 self-reported days/week), with consistent estimates for most case-groups. Greater genetically-predicted sedentary time was associated with higher hormone-receptor-negative tumour risk (OR=1.77; 95% CI 1.07 to 2.92 per-SD (~7% time spent sedentary)), with elevated estimates for most case-groups. Results were robust to sensitivity analyses examining pleiotropy (including weighted-median-MR, MR-Egger). Conclusion: Our study provides strong evidence that greater overall physical activity, greater vigorous activity, and lower sedentary time are likely to reduce breast cancer risk. More widespread adoption of active lifestyles may reduce the burden from the most common cancer in women

A case-only study to identify genetic modifiers of breast cancer risk for BRCA1/BRCA2 mutation carriers

Breast cancer (BC) risk for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers varies by genetic and familial factors. About 50 common variants have been shown to modify BC risk for mutation carriers. All but three, were identified in general population studies. Other mutation carrier-specific susceptibility variants may exist but studies of mutation carriers have so far been underpowered. We conduct a novel case-only genome-wide association study comparing genotype frequencies between 60,212 general population BC cases and 13,007 cases with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations. We identify robust novel associations for 2 variants with BC for BRCA1 and 3 for BRCA2 mutation carriers, P < 10−8, at 5 loci, which are not associated with risk in the general population. They include rs60882887 at 11p11.2 where MADD, SP11 and EIF1, genes previously implicated in BC biology, are predicted as potential targets. These findings will contribute towards customising BC polygenic risk scores for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers

BEST PRACTICES FOR DEFENCE ACQUISITION REFORM IN SOUTH AFRICA

&lt;p&gt;ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This paper investigates the best practices and acquisition reform initiatives ' in the US Department of Defence that are relevant for the defence acquisition reform process in South . Africa. The first part of the paper gives a short discussion on acquisition methods commonly used by defence departments, briefly defines what acquisition reform is and states the applicable principles that can be used for acquisition reform. The second part gives the advantages and disadvantages of some of the acquisition reform initiatives and best practices that were identified. The relevance of each of these initiatives and best practices to the South African acquisition reform effort is indicated. The last part descr ibes an acquisition reform model that can be used as a basis to make acquisition better, faster and cheaper. Finally, some recommendations are made on the way forward and actions to be taken that will help to speed up the acquisition reform effort in South Africa.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie artikel word die beste praktyke en aanska ffinghervorming inisiatiewe van die VSA Departement van Verdediging, wat relevant is vir die hervorming van verdedingingaanskaffing in Suid-Afrika, ondersoek. Die eerste deel van die artikel bevat 'n kort bespreking van aanskaffingmetodes wat algemeen deur verdedigingsdepartemente gebruik word. Aanskaffinghervorming word kortliks gedefineer en die toepaslike beginsels wat gebruik kan word vir aanskaffinghervorming word uiteengesit. Die tweede deel gee die voor- en nadele van sommige aanskaffinghervonning inisiatiewe en beste praktyke wat geidentifiseer is. Die relevansie van elk van hierdie inisiatiewe en beste praktyke vir aanskaffingherfonning in Suid-Afrika word aangedui. Die laaste deel beskryf 'n aanskaffinghervormingsrnodel wat gebruik kan word as basis om aanskaffing beter, vinniger en goedkoper te maak. Ter slotte word 'n aantal aanbevelings gemaak oor die pad vorentoe en aksies wat geneem kan word om aanskaffinghervorming in Suid-Afrika te bespoedig.&lt;/p&gt

LINKING PROJECTS TO BUSINESS STRATEGY THROUGH PROJECT PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT

&lt;p&gt;ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In many organisations, a chasm exists between the development of strategy and its successful implementation. Failure to cross this chasm may ultimately result in strategy failure and the loss of competitive advantage, profits, and employment. Project Portfolio Management (PPM) is theorised as a management methodology that links a portfolio of projects to the business strategy. However, current literature lacks empirical evidence of the levels of employment, functionality, and success of the Project Portfolio Management approach in South Africa. A survey of respondents in 32 technology organisations was used to analyze the reasons for the following: strategy implementation and project delivery failure in South African technology organisations; the South African situation regarding the chasm that exists in many organisations between strategy development and successful strategy implementation; and the extent to which – and with what success – Project Portfolio Management is employed in South African technology organisations.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In baie organisasies bestaan daar ’n gaping tussen strategie-ontwikkeling en suksesvolle strategie-implementering. Die onvermoë om die gaping te oorbrug sal uiteindelik lei tot strategiefaling en die verlies van mededingende voordeel, winste, en werksgeleenthede. Projekportefeuljebestuur (PPB) word voorgehou as ’n bestuursmetodologie wat ’n portefeulje van projekte koppel aan die besigheidstrategie. Bestaande literatuur gaan egter mank aan empiriese bewyse ten opsigte van die vlakke van indiensneming, funksionaliteit, en sukses van die Projekportefeuljebestuursbenadering in Suid-Afrika. ’n Opname van respondente in 32 tegnologie-organisasies is gebruik om die volgende aspekte te ondersoek: die redes vir falings in strategie-implementering en projekaflewering in Suid-Afrikaanse tegnologie-organisasies; die Suid-Afrikaanse situasie rakende die gaping wat bestaan tussen strategie-ontwikkeling en suksesvolle strategie-implementering; en die mate waartoe en met watter mate van sukses Projekportefeuljebestuur in Suid-Afrikaanse tegnologieorganisasies gebruik word.&lt;/p&gt

A CONCEPTUAL SYSTEMS DYNAMICS MODEL OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES IN SOUTH AFRICA

&lt;p&gt;ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Research and Development (R&amp;amp;D) is one of the key sub-functions of a National System of Innovation (NSI). It is the primary point of entry for new scientific development and a key focus for industrial innovation. Recent trends show evidence of disinvestments and decay of South Africa’s R&amp;amp;D capacity. The problem investigated in this study is the delayed effect and influence R&amp;amp;D investment has on the system’s ability to produce R&amp;amp;D output. System Dynamics modelling is an excellent tool to assess a system’s ability to adjust to change and the impact of new decisions that have to be made. The conceptual design of a System Dynamics model of R&amp;amp;D activities is presented. The theoretical underpinning and main assumptions made in deriving and developing the model are also discussed.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Navorsing en Ontwikkeling (N&amp;amp;O) is een van die sleutelsub-funksies van ‘n Nasionale Stelsel van Innovasie (NSI). Dit is die primêre toegangspunt vir nuwe wetenskaplike ontwikkeling en ‘n sleutelfokus vir industriële innovasie. Onlangse neigings lewer bewyse van disinvestering en agteruitgang in Suid-Afrika se N&amp;amp;Okapasiteit. Die probleem wat in hierdie studie ondersoek word, is die vertraagde effek en invloed wat N&amp;amp;O-investering op die stelsel se vermoë het om N&amp;amp;O-uitsette te lewer. Stelseldinamikamodellering is ‘n uitstekende gereedskapstuk om ‘n stelsel se vermoë om aan te pas by verandering te takseer en die impak van nuwe besluite wat geneem moet word te toets. Die konseptuele ontwerp van ‘n Stelseldinamikamodel van N&amp;amp;O-aktiwiteite word voorgehou. Die teoretiese onderbou en die hoofaannames wat gemaak is in die afleiding en ontwikkeling van die model word ook bespreek.&lt;/p&gt