scholarly journals Risky localities: Exploring a methodology for measuring socio-economic characteristics of high murder areas

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lizette Lancaster ◽  
Ellen Kamman
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Social Cohesion ◽  
Crime Rates ◽  
Demographic Characteristics ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Violence Reduction ◽  
Murder Rate ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Initial Results

Every day on average, more than 49 people are murdered in South Africa. A better understanding of the demographics of locations with high murder and other crime rates could assist in the development of effective initiatives to effectively reduce our murder rate. It provides the foundations on which to build research into the impact of social cohesion on violence reduction. This article explores the hypothesis that the risk for murder is associated with certain demographic characteristics of particular locations. This paper proposes a method to analyse the demographic characteristics of police precincts in relation to the murder rate for that police precinct. It provides an explanation of the method used and a summary of initial results. The paper concludes with a discussion on the benefits of this research approach and considerations for future research as well as the need for more indepth analysis on social cohesion.

scholarly journals Risky localities: Exploring a methodology for measuring socio-economic characteristics of high murder areas

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lizette Lancaster ◽  
Ellen Kamman
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Social Cohesion ◽  
Crime Rates ◽  
Demographic Characteristics ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Violence Reduction ◽  
Murder Rate ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Initial Results

Every day on average, more than 49 people are murdered in South Africa. A better understanding of the demographics of locations with high murder and other crime rates could assist in the development of effective initiatives to effectively reduce our murder rate. It provides the foundations on which to build research into the impact of social cohesion on violence reduction. This article explores the hypothesis that the risk for murder is associated with certain demographic characteristics of particular locations. This paper proposes a method to analyse the demographic characteristics of police precincts in relation to the murder rate for that police precinct. It provides an explanation of the method used and a summary of initial results. The paper concludes with a discussion on the benefits of this research approach and considerations for future research as well as the need for more indepth analysis on social cohesion.

CEO statements on racial inequity – (how) do they matter to shareholders?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pyemo Afego ◽  
Imhotep Alagidede
Keyword(s):  
Chief Executive Officers ◽  
Social Issues ◽  
Chief Executive ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Racial Injustice ◽  
Communication Decisions ◽  
Executive Officers ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore how citizen protests against perceived acts of racial injustice impact on share prices of companies who weigh in on the protests. In particular, corporate statements that directly address the issues around the protests are identified and possible mechanisms underlying how these may impact shareholder value are discussed. Design/methodology/approach The authors first use a qualitative research approach of content and sentiment analysis to track how companies or their chief executive officers (CEOs) present their stance against racial injustice, as represented by their use of linguistic markers. Then, the authors use an event study methodology to assess the response from stock market participants. Findings The findings suggest that CEOs primarily convey their stance using language that is emotive and empathic. In addition, shareholders earn a significant abnormal return of 2.13%, on average, in the three days following the release of the statements. Research limitations/implications This study considered only US-listed companies. The sample size, also, is relatively small. Institutional and cultural differences across countries may also vary. Thus, future research could explore the extent to which the findings generalize to other contexts. Practical implications Results provide insights to top managers who communicate with various stakeholders on emotionally charged social issues. Findings also offer insights on the timing of trades for investors and arbitrageurs. Social implications Findings contribute to the understanding of corporate behaviour in times of social upheaval. Insights from the study may also be used to inform corporate communication decisions about important social issues. Originality/value This study brings into focus the role that affective appeal and moral emotion can play in evoking motivation for corporate activism, and the impact that this has on investor opinions’ formation process.

A conceptual framework for using social innovation as an approach to local economic development

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pontso Chomane ◽  
Maréve I. Biljohn
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
South African ◽  
Social Innovation ◽  
Local Economic Development ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Antecedents And Consequences ◽  
The Impact

Background: Approaches such as social innovation were visible during many of the responses that public-sector organisations, civil society, communities, and the private sector collaboratively implemented to address the issues of unemployment and the impact of economic challenges during the global COVID-19 pandemic. The use of social innovation as an approach to local economic development by South African municipalities, however, reveals a research gap in terms of a conceptual framework for enabling such use.Aim: This article explores a conceptual framework for using social innovation as an approach to local economic development by South African municipalities.Setting: Conventional top-down local economic development approaches by South African municipalities have become inadequate for dealing with contemporary local economic development challenges. Such inadequacy calls for municipalities to rethink and adapt their approach to dealing with economic challenges and to developing and implementing their local economic development strategies.Methods: Through an interpretivist paradigm, the adopted methodology is underpinned by a qualitative research approach. Content analysis was performed of relevant research documents concerning social innovation and local economic development. From this content analysis, a conceptual framework was developed through an inductive approach.Results: The findings illustrate that the praxis for using this conceptual framework is vested in the interconnected nature of its attributes, antecedents, and consequences, which will contribute to the achievement of certain local economic development outcomes.Conclusion: This article suggests that a conceptual framework could contribute to stimulating future research concerning the phenomenon and can serve as an impetus and direction for research inquiry.

scholarly journals A micro-level outcomes evaluation of a skills capacity intervention within the South African public service: Towards an impact evaluation

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Petronella Jonck ◽  
Riaan De Coning ◽  
Paul S. Radikonyana
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Public Service ◽  
Research Methodology ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
The South ◽  
Training Interventions ◽  
Outcomes Evaluation ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Previous Training

Orientation: Interest in measuring the impact of skills development interventions has increased in recent years. Research purpose: This article reports on an outcomes evaluation under the ambit of an impact assessment with reference to a research methodology workshop. Motivation of the study: A paucity of studies could be found measuring the workshop outcomes, especially within the public service as it pertains to training interventions. Research approach/design and method: A pretest–post-test research design was implemented. A paired-sample t-test was used to measure the knowledge increase while controlling for the influence of previous training by means of an analysis of variance and multiple regression analysis. Main findings: Results indicated that the increase in research methodology knowledge was statistically significant. Previous training influenced the model only by 0.8%, which was not statistically significant. Practical/managerial implications: It is recommended that the suggested framework and methodology be utilised in future research as well as in monitoring and evaluation endeavours covering various training interventions. Contribution/value add: The study provides evidence of the impact generated by a training intervention, within the South African Public Service. Thus, addressing a research gap in the corpus of knowledge.

An analysis of the solar service provider industry in the Western Cape, South Africa

2014 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 70-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roman Votteler ◽  
Johan Hough ◽  
Chanel Venter
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Service Provider ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Electricity Production ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Stakeholder Satisfaction

Scientists agree that rising electricity usage of the rapidly growing human race to improve its standard of living is negatively affecting the environment. To create a sustainable environment for future generations, renewable and environmentally friendly resources have to be exchanged for the present finite resources. In South Africa, coal plants are responsible for more than 90% of electricity production. This means that action has to be taken now to start a process of change to sustainable electricity resources.This paper focuses on the South African solar industry. Due to the high sun radiation levels, solar technology is one of the renewable energy sources with the greatest potential. The industry is in its infancy, characterised by accelerated growth expectancy and fuelled by factors such as government subsidies, the fluctuations of fossil fuel prices and the increasing focus on economical long-term sustainability. The expected growth necessitates a focus on the market positioning of solar service providers in the Western Cape, with the aim of taking full advantage of the opportunities associated with this industry.The main objective is to determine the current structure of the solar service provider value chain and subsequently areas of improvement to increase growth, stakeholder satisfaction and sustainability. A literature review was conducted to address the research objective, relevant approaches and the broader electricity industry. Porter’s Value Chain approach was used as a foundation for the adaptation to the solar service provider value chain. Porter’s Five Forces model was also used as a secondary approach, which analysed the competitive environment of the solar service provider industry in the Western Cape. The methodology entailed a qualitative research approach in the form of semi-structured interviews. All respondents were general managers or owners of a solar service provider, who were interviewed face to face. The research focused on the entire population of solar service providers in the Western Cape. Seventy-seven different service providers were targeted, of which 18 were interviewed. The interviews were transcribed and analysed using content and frequency analysis. To guarantee reliability, a pilot study was conducted to ensure that the respondents understood the questionnaire. The findings show that customer service is the foremost value driver for solar service providers. This entails the actual installation of the product as well as the people skills of the installation team. As most customers only have to be served once due to the long life span of the products, marketing also plays an obvious role in attracting new customers. The most important outcome of this paper is the determination and a better understanding of the solar service provider value chain in South Africa. The recommendations, especially with regard to marketing and service elements, could improve the performance of solar service providers. The consequence could be an increase in stakeholder satisfaction and an enhanced usage of solar energy in South Africa. Future research should focus on customers to reveal preferences and opportunities for marketing approaches.

Organisational Culture and Environmental Performance of Hospitality Firms in South Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 575 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olawale FATOKI
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Environmental Performance ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Organisational Culture ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Hospitality Sector ◽  
Sustainability Initiatives ◽  
The Impact

The purpose of the study is to investigate the impact of organisational culture on firm environmental performance in the context of the hospitality sector. The study used the quantitative research approach with descriptive and causal research design. The Denison organisational culture questionnaire was used to measure organisational culture. The Denison questionnaire contains four traits namely involvement, consistency, adaptability and mission. The questionnaire was distributed among 500 owner/managers of formal hotels and guest accommodations in South Africa. Data gathered were analysed using descriptive statistics and structural equation modelling. The results of the study indicate that the four traits of organisational culture (involvement, consistency, adaptability and mission) have significant positive impacts on the environmental performance of firms in the hospitality sector. The findings of the study can assist firms in the hospitality sector to understand the significance of internal intangible factors such as the organisational culture in the implementation of environmental sustainability initiatives.

scholarly journals Developing Graphic Messages for Vaping Prevention Among Black and Latino Adolescents: Participatory Research Approach

10.2196/29945 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. e29945
Author(s):  
Francisco Cartujano-Barrera ◽  
Chiamaka Azogini ◽  
Scott McIntosh ◽  
Maansi Bansal-Travers ◽  
Deborah J Ossip ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Participatory Research ◽  
Minority Groups ◽  
Latino Adolescents ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
User Centered Design ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Iterative Feedback ◽  
Linguistically Appropriate ◽  
Black And Latino

Background As an important transition stage in human development, adolescence is a critical window for vaping prevention. There is a substantial gap in communication research on vaping prevention among racial and ethnic minority groups. Their representation is essential to develop, implement, and disseminate innovative and effective interventions for vaping prevention. Objective The aim of this study is to describe the participatory research (PR) procedures used with Black and Latino adolescents to develop culturally and linguistically appropriate graphic messages for vaping prevention. Methods This PR study used a qualitative, user-centered design method. We conducted a series of focus groups with 16 Black and Latino adolescents to develop culturally and linguistically appropriate graphic messages for vaping prevention. The biobehavioral model of nicotine addiction provided a framework for the development of the graphic messages. Participants met 4 times to provide iterative feedback on the graphic messages until they reached a consensus on overall quality and content. Results At baseline, the participants’ mean age was 15.4 years (SD 1.4). Of the participants, 50% (8/16) were female, 88% (14/16) were heterosexual, 56% (9/16) were Black/African American, and 44% (7/16) were Hispanic/Latino. A total of 12 of the 16 participants (75%) chose to participate in the English sessions. Participants decided to create four types of graphic messages: (1) financial reward, (2) health reward, (3) social norms, and (4) self-efficacy. Meeting 4 times with the 4 groups provided sufficient opportunities for iterative feedback on the graphic messages to reach a consensus on overall quality and content. Conclusions It is feasible and practical to build PR among Black and Latino adolescents focused on vaping prevention. Adolescents added innovation and creativity to the development of culturally and linguistically appropriate graphic messages for vaping prevention. Appropriate staffing, funding, and approaches are key for successful PR efforts among Black and Latino adolescents. Future research is needed to evaluate the impact of the graphic messages on vaping prevention.

scholarly journals A Narrative Systematic Review of the Mental Toughness Programme Offered by the National Youth Development Agency

2022 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 280
Author(s):  
Thulani Andrew Chauke ◽  
Khashane Stephen Malatji
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
Development Programme ◽  
Mental Toughness ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Youth Workers ◽  
Development Agency ◽  
Youth Service ◽  
Research Division ◽  
The Impact

The rapid increase of poverty, crime, and unemployment in South Africa results in youth vulnerability. Youth not in employment, not in education, and not in training are most vulnerable to life setbacks, find it difficult dealing with criticism, rejection, and failure. Thus, youth workers responsible for the coordination of youth service programme need to design an autonomy-supportive programme that can prepare youth mentally before youth are placed in a youth development programme that seeks to enhance youth employability. The National Youth Development Agency in South Africa under the National Youth Service Programme has developed a mental toughness programme curriculum that NYS volunteers undergo before participating in youth skill development programme or community service programme for a minimum of five days. The aim of the study is to explore the impact of the Mental Toughness Programme on the positive development of youth through youth lived experience in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. This study made use of a qualitative research approach, non-probability sampling to sample eight youth who participated in the Mental Toughness Programme offered by the National Youth Development Agency. In this study, we recommend that the National Youth Development Agency knowledge and research division should conduct a longitudinal study that can evaluate the impact of the Mental Toughness Programme on positive youth development in South Africa. The National Youth Development Agency should revise the mental toughness programme curriculum in a way that the programme goes beyond five days and physical toughness should be cooperated in the curriculum to enhance social cohesion.   Received: 27 July 2021 / Accepted: 6 October 2021 / Published: 3 January 2022

scholarly journals COVID-19 Daily Realities for Families: A South African Sample

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 221
Author(s):  
Kezia Ruth October ◽  
Lisa Rene’ Petersen ◽  
Babatope Adebiyi ◽  
Edna Rich ◽  
Nicolette Vanessa Roman
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Financial Management ◽  
Good Health ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Family Structures ◽  
Family Time ◽  
Daily Routines ◽  
African Families ◽  
The Impact

The COVID-19 pandemic affected families globally. Empirical research has been explored to understand the impact of COVID-19 on families across countries, however, there are limited findings of how COVID-19 has affected the daily realities of families in South Africa. This study used an exploratory qualitative research approach to explore the experiences of COVID-19 for South African families. Findings suggest that the negative outcomes of COVID-19 experienced by South African families included a shift in the daily routines, restrictions on family events, lack of socialization and loss of connections, family conflicts, financial constraints as well as psychological impacts. On the contrary, the positive outcomes included increased family time and communication, cleanliness, and good health status, and improved financial management. Implications for future research should include research focused on the health impacts of COVID-19 on diverse family structures, family compositions, and family dynamics. In-depth research and findings can assist in developing policies and interventions for families.

Fear of Crime

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole Rader
Keyword(s):  
Fear Of Crime ◽  
Crime Rates ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Neighborhood Disorder ◽  
New Techniques ◽  
Daily Lives ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Time Period ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
The Impact

Fear of crime has been a serious social problem studied for almost 40 years. Early researchers focused on operationalization and conceptualization of fear of crime, specifically focusing on what fear of crime was (and was not) and how to best tap into the fear of crime construct. This research also found that while crime rates had been declining, fear of crime rates had stayed relatively stable. Nearly 40% of Americans indicated they were afraid of crime, even though crime was declining during the same time period. This finding led researchers to study the paradox of fear of crime. In other words, why does fear of crime not match up with actual chances of victimization? Several explanations were put forth including a focus on vulnerability (e.g., individuals felt vulnerable to crime even if they were not vulnerable) and a focus on differences in groups (e.g., women were more afraid of crime than men, even though they were less likely to be victims). Thus, many studies began to consider the predictors of fear of crime. Researchers since this time have spent most time studying these fear of crime predictors including individual level predictors (i.e., sex, race, age, social class), contextual predictors (neighborhood disorder, incivilities, and social cohesion), along with the consequences of fear of crime (psychological and behavioral). Such results have provided guidance on what individuals fear, why they fear, and what impact it has on the daily lives of Americans. Future research will continue to focus on groups little is known about, such as Hispanics, and also on the impact of behavior on fear of crime. This future research will likely also benefit from new techniques in survey research that analyzes longitudinal data to determine causality between fear of crime and other predictors such as risk and behavior.

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