scholarly journals Fast-tracking Research Methodology Immersion for Students: Experiences from a Project on Fairwork in the Gig Economy

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. pp84-94
Author(s):  
Marita Turpin ◽  
Jean-Paul Van Belle
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Real World ◽  
Research Methodology ◽  
Academic Community ◽  
Theoretical Research ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Group Project ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Fast Tracking ◽  
Gig Economy

This paper showcases an innovative student research project in a South African taught Masters programme, where students learnt to apply a sound research methodology in the real world, and align their work with a global research project. The Fairwork (https://fair.work) project assesses the extent to which gig work platforms in a number of countries conform to ‘fair work’ principles for their workers. The Fairwork project has a clearly defined and rigorous research methodology used by senior academics around the world to rate labour-broking platforms such as those in e-hailing (Bolt, Uber) or delivery services (UberEats) to rate  their adoption of fair work principles for their workers. The University of Pretoria adopted this research methodology in the context of a student-based group project in a taught 2020 “Digital Economy” Masters programme. Student groups used the same methodology and interviewed South African platform workers to score seven different platforms. The key motivations and intended benefits were that the research methodology was already tried and tested, students should able to apply the skills taught in an earlier (theoretical) research methods course, subject specific knowledge around the gig economy had to be researched and was internalized, each group had the freedom to select its own platform, results could be validated against publicly available ratings, students engaged themselves in real world empirical research, and their research outputs had a real world relevance. In addition, this project turned out to work well under Covid19 partial lockdown circumstances. The student submissions exceeded the expectations of everyone involved, and some groups produced research results which matched the level of highly experienced researchers. This project also provides a strong contribution to the academic community, not only because it provides a validation benchmark and alternative research approach to the Fairwork project, but also because this project is easily portable to similar courses in other country contexts.

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.

scholarly journals Social constructionism and relational practices as a paradigm for organisational psychology in the South African context

2015 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dirk J. Geldenhuys
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Social Constructionism ◽  
Theoretical Research ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
South African Context ◽  
Workplace Relationships ◽  
The South ◽  
Organisation Development ◽  
Relational Practices ◽  
African Context

Orientation: This article is about introducing social constructionism and relational practices as a paradigm perspective to organisational psychology, especially as these are applied in organisation development. Research purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the relevance of social constructionism and relational practices as a paradigm perspective for studying and practising organisational psychology in the South African context. Motivation for the study: The relevance of the paradigm perspective that is currently used in studying and practising organisational psychology in South Africa seems to be biased towards an individual perspective of human behaviour that is incongruent with the African context, which asks for an Afro-centric approach with the emphasis on human relationships. It was argued that social constructionism and relational practices could provide a relevant perspective that can help to transform workplace relationships in the South African context. Research approach, design and method: This study was based on a non-empirical, theoretical research design. Articles written in English and published between 2002 and 2013 using specific keywords relating to social constructionism and organisational psychology were retrieved. This was supplemented by other relevant electronic and hardcopy resources. The main findings are reported and discussed and recommendations made. Main findings: Although the literature on social constructionism and relational practices is limited in organisational psychology, it does provide an additional perspective, not only on the mainstream theory, but also as a practice in organisation development for transforming workplace relationships in the South African context. Practical/managerial implications: Organisational psychology should be cautious about the possibility of constructing a monologue at the expense of introducing new perspectives on behaviour in the workplace. Organisational psychologists should be trained in alternative approaches such as social constructionism in order to facilitate relationships and consider applying relational practices as practical philosophy in dealing with clients, thus changing their role from that of expert to that of relational practitioner, focusing on the relational processes and making use of local contextual knowledge. Contributions/value add: This article contributes to the mainstream literature on organisational psychology, more specifically organisation development as an applied field of organisational psychology, by including social constructionism with its emphasis on relational practices as an alternative approach to the field.

PERCEPTIONS OF SOUTH AFRICAN YOUTH OF LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES: A CASE IN THE LEPELLE-NKUMPI MUNICIPAL AREA

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 77-89
Author(s):  
Matshidiso Kanjere
Keyword(s):  
Leadership Development ◽  
Young People ◽  
South African ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
South Africans ◽  
African Youth ◽  
Multiple Challenges ◽  
The Government

The South African youth faces multiple challenges that range from illiteracy, drug and alcohol abuse, crime and HIV/AIDS, to unemployment. These challenges and many other ills in society have led to interventions by government, and private and other civil societies. The government has established and initiated a number of programmes that aim at building capacity and helping the youth to cope with these multiple challenges. Some of the programmes are aimed at building leadership capacity among the impoverished youth in rural communities. A lot of money is being invested in these programmes, which are meant to develop young South Africans. However, there are some young people who do not participate in these programmes. They are also not in the formal education system, self-employed or employed elsewhere. And they are despondent. The government, private sector and non-governmental organisations are trying hard to bring these youths and others into the developmental arena, so that they can be active participants in the economy of the country in the near future. However, little research has been conducted to assess the broad impact of the various programmes in the country. The contribution that these programmes are making toward improving the livelihoods of young people has to be determined on a larger scale. Nevertheless, this article reports on an investigation that was conducted on a smaller scale, at the Lepelle-Nkumpi Local Municipality. The aim of the research was to explore the perceptions young South Africans have of the leadership development programmes that they have participated in. A mixed research approach was used to collect data and the key findings indicated that knowledge accumulated through participation in the programmes does not always translate into practical applications. However, the programmes were deemed to be valuable in instilling a positive life-view. The study recommends that support systems be established in the rural areas to assist young people with life challenges.

scholarly journals Integrating a Sport-Based Trauma-Sensitive Program in a National Youth-Serving Organization

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Shaikh ◽  
C. Bean ◽  
L. Bergholz ◽  
M. Rojas ◽  
M. Ali ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Program Development ◽  
Program Implementation ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Academic Community ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Community Context ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Prevention Measures ◽  
Action Research Approach ◽  
Interdisciplinary Partnership

AbstractThere is a pressing need to equip youth-serving community organizations to respond to the unique needs of trauma-exposed children. Early prevention measures can be an effective means of redirecting children to self-regulatory healing, while facilitating their transition toward strength-based thriving. Sport can offer a powerful opportunity to reach these children; however there remains little information on how to effectively develop, deliver, evaluate, and sustain trauma-sensitive sport programs in a community context. The purpose of this paper is to outline a case study of integrating sport-based trauma-sensitive practices with BGC Canada’s national Bounce Back League program. An interdisciplinary partnership of academic, community, and practice experts used a community-based participatory action research approach, paired with a knowledge translational approach, to guide the process of program development. Mixed methods (e.g., surveys, logbooks, interviews, focus groups, online communications) were used to generate ongoing insights of staff’s training experiences, successes and challenges of program implementation, and potential impact of program on club members. Several stages of program development are described, including: (a) collaboratively planning the program; (b) piloting the program to three clubs; (c) adapting the program using pilot insights; (d) expanding the adapted program to ten clubs; and (e) creating opportunities to maintain, sustain, and scale-out practices throughout grant duration and beyond. Lessons learned regarding the leadership team’s experiences in terms of developing, adapting, and integrating trauma-sensitive practices in this community context are shared.

scholarly journals Measurement properties of the construct of the code of ethics content: The South African experience

2018 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mercy Mpinganjira ◽  
Mornay Roberts-Lombard ◽  
Goran Svensson ◽  
Greg Wood
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Goodness Of Fit ◽  
Code Of Ethics ◽  
Codes Of Ethics ◽  
Measurement Model ◽  
Measurement Properties ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Sampling Frame

Background: Many organisations develop codes of ethics to help guide business conduct. However, not much is known about the contents of codes of ethics. Objectives: This article aims at investigating the code of ethics content construct and its measurement properties using a sample of firms from South Africa. Method: The study followed a quantitative research approach. The sampling frame consisted of the top 500 companies in South Africa. A structured questionnaire was administered using the telephone survey method. The respondents consisted of company secretaries and heads or managers responsible for ethics in the respective companies. At the end of the data collection period, a total of 222 usable responses were obtained. Results: The findings show that South African top companies have comprehensive codes of ethics as evidenced by the high mean values obtained from all of the content items under investigation. The findings also support the notion that the code of ethics content construct is multidimensional. Seven different dimensions were confirmed in the analysis. The measurement model of the ethics content construct was found to be valid as evidenced by the goodness-of-fit measure and measures of validity. Conclusion: The study shows that the code of ethics construct is multi-dimensional in nature. The framework provided in this study can also be used in developing, evaluating and strengthening existing codes where such need arises. This study contributes to theory on business ethics and presents the first tested measurement model of the code of ethics construct in South Africa.

scholarly journals Mixed-methods research: A tutorial for speech-language therapists and audiologists in South Africa

2018 ◽  
Vol 65 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna-Marie Wium ◽  
Brenda Louw
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
South African ◽  
Mixed Methods Research ◽  
Communication Disorders ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Multiple Perspectives ◽  
Language Therapy ◽  
Research Issues ◽  
Healthcare Professions ◽  
Approach Method

Background: Mixed-methods research (MMR) offers much to healthcare professions on clinical and research levels. Speech-language therapists and audiologists work in both educational and health settings where they deal with real-world problems. Through the nature of their work, they are confronted with multifaceted questions arising from their efforts to provide evidence-based services to individuals of all ages with communication disorders. MMR methods research is eminently suited to addressing such questions. Objective: The aim of this tutorial is to increase awareness of the value of MMR, especially for readers less familiar with this research approach. Method: A literature review was conducted to provide an overview of the key issues in MMR. The tutorial discusses the various issues to be considered in the critical appraisal of MMR, followed by an explanation of the process of conducting MMR. A critical review describes the strengths and challenges in MMR. Results: MMR is less commonly used or published in the fields of speech-language therapy and audiology. Conclusion: Researchers working in teams can draw on the strengths of different disciples and their research approaches. Such collaborative enterprises will contribute to capacity building. Researchers, SLTs and audiologists are encouraged to make use of MMR to address the complex research issues in the multicultural, multifaceted South African context. MMR makes an important contribution to the understanding of individuals with communication disorders, and in turn, researchers in the two disciplinary fields of speech-language therapy and audiology can contribute to the development of this research approach. MMR is well suited to the complexity of South African contexts and its populations, as it can provide multiple perspectives of a topic.

Evaluation of an action research project in workforce development and organisational change: Healthy Ageing—Nutrition

2008 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gwyneth M Jolley
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Workforce Development ◽  
Organisational Change ◽  
Healthy Ageing ◽  
Evaluation Methodology ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Action Research Project ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Action Research Approach

This article reports on the evaluation of an action research project designed to support workforce development in the promotion of healthy nutrition for older people. The evaluation methodology was grounded by the action research approach of the project and focused on case studies of the 10 partner organisations. Findings indicate that the Healthy Ageing—Nutrition Project has resulted in a large increase in awareness and knowledge about healthy ageing and nutrition in the case study organisations, and to a lesser extent, in the broader health and aged care sectors. For the case study organisations it seems likely that transformational change has been made through the project's work of building capacity, mediating and facilitating change and providing resources. Support at board and management level, as well as thoughtful development of the workforce, were critical success factors in bringing about organisational change. The main challenge was identified as time and resources needed. Follow-up evaluation of the health outcomes from nutritional assessment, screening and intervention should also be implemented in order to provide further evidence of the value of this effort.

scholarly journals Motivation sources and leadership styles among middle managers at a South African university

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Crispen Chipunza ◽  
Lerato L. Matsumunyane
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Leadership Styles ◽  
South African ◽  
Middle Managers ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Education Sector ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Leadership Challenges ◽  
African Higher Education ◽  
South African Higher Education

Orientation: Leadership challenges have been evident in the South African higher education sector since 2004. Dealing with these challenges has focused more on external factors at top management level than on the possible contribution of intrinsic factors among other levels of institutional management.Research purpose: The purpose of the research was to determine the relationship between motivation sources and the leadership styles of middle managers in a South African higher education institution.Motivation for the study: The ongoing leadership challenges in the higher education sector in South Africa require not only strategies to deal with them at a national level but also academic efforts that focus on previously neglected areas, such as sources of leadership motivation.Research design, approach and method: The population of the study consisted of 75 middle managers, comprising both academic and non-academic staff. A final sample size of 40, conveniently selected, was achieved. A quantitative research approach was employed using the case study method.Main findings: Results showed a positive relationship between transformational leadership and intrinsic process motivation, self-concept internal motivation and goal internalisation motivation. A negative correlation was found between instrumental motivation and transactional leadership style.Practical and managerial implications: Motivation sources could be used to explain leadership behaviour and assist in the selection and development of specific leadership styles for the different managerial levels within academic institutions through motivation profiling. Sources of motivation may provide one of many pieces of information to consider when making recruitment and leadership development decisions within institution.Contribution or value added: This is the first study of its kind to investigate the two variables within a higher education context. The study makes an invaluable contribution to the broadening of existing knowledge and a scholarly understanding of leadership motivation and behaviour.

scholarly journals Using playful methods to understand children’s digital literacies

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pekka Mertala
Keyword(s):  
Digital Literacy ◽  
Research Data ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
Digital Literacies ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Context Sensitive ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Meaningful Research

This chapter is the final for Section 3 and in many ways stands as an example of how many of the individual elements presented thus far in the book, can come together in a holistic way. This chapter demonstrates how we can adopt play, make it unique to the project and the children and still arrive at meaningful research data. This chapter describes a research project wherein 3- to 6-year-old Finnish children’s digital literacies were studied and supported via playful methods. The key theses this chapter advocates are:-The use of playful methods in early childhood education (ECE) research is one way to acknowledge and respect the characteristics of the research context.-The ambiguity of play should be acknowledged when planning, conducting, and evaluating playful research projects.-Studying and supporting children’s digital literacies do not always require digital devices.The chapter is structured as follows. First, a reflective discussion on the ambiguity of play and the use of playful methods as a context-sensitive research approach is presented. Then, an overview of the research project and its objectives are provided. In the end, three concrete examples of how the children’s digital literacy was studied and supported using playful methods are given.

scholarly journals Factors influencing the adoption of free and open-source software for electronic records management by municipalities in Gauteng Province, South Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 54 ◽  
pp. 43-54
Author(s):  
Mahlatse Shekgola ◽  
Jan Maluleka ◽  
Antonio Rodrigues
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Open Source ◽  
South African ◽  
Open Source Software ◽  
Electronic Records ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Records Management ◽  
The South ◽  
Proprietary Software ◽  
Electronic Records Management

The South African cabinet adopted policy recommendations from the Government Information Technology Officer's Council pertaining to Free and Open-Source Software (FOSS). Even though the South African Cabinet has shown support for the use of FOSS through the enactment of a policy, the adoption of open source software in electronic records management seems to be slow. Proprietary software continues to be adopted and used by most public institutions, including local and provincial municipalities in South Africa. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate factors that may influence the adoption and use of FOSS for electronic records management by South African municipalities. The study adopted a qualitative research approach to collect data from 10 purposively selected municipalities in Gauteng. Data were analysed and presented thematically to address the research question. The findings of this study suggest that municipalities in Gauteng are not adopting FOSS for electronic records management as expected. This study established that top management support, reliability, affordability of the software, inadequate capability, contracts with proprietary software providers, organisational culture and organisational support are some of the factors that contributed to the low uptake when it comes to the adoption of Free and Open-Source Software by the municipalities.

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