Measuring the effectiveness of the women entrepreneurship programme on potential, start-up and established women entrepreneurs in South Africa

The Women Entrepreneurship Programme (WEP) was developed after a need had been identifiedfor such a training intervention. The WEP provides entrepreneurial and business management training to women entrepreneurs. This empirical paper measures the effectiveness of the WEP after the respondents had been through the training intervention. The sample consists of 180 women entrepreneurs, where 116 respondents form the experimental group and 64 respondents the control group. Factor analysis is presented and several statistical tests executed to present the statistically significant differences between the two groups in the sample. The findings highlight the WEP delegates’ acquisition of new entrepreneurial skills and knowledge. Furthermore, the respondents reported an increase in the number of employees, turnover, productivity and profit. It was statistically proven that the WEP is effective in training potential, start-up and established women entrepreneurs in South Africa.

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Gendered Lending Practices: Enabling South African Women Entrepreneurs to Access Start-Up Capital

Journal of Enterprising Culture ◽

10.1142/s0218495814500137 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 22 (03) ◽

pp. 313-330 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Evelyn Derera ◽

Pepukayi Chitakunye ◽

Charles O'Neill ◽

Amandeep Tarkhar-Lail

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

South African ◽

Women Entrepreneurs ◽

Financial Institution ◽

African Women ◽

Future Research ◽

Snowball Sampling ◽

Start Up ◽

South African Women ◽

Depth Interviews

This study explores gendered lending and marketing practices of start-up capital to women entrepreneurs in South Africa. A multi-method research design, comprising of 6 in-depth interviews with experts, and a survey of 50 women entrepreneurs was adopted using convenience and snowball sampling techniques, respectively. The findings revealed that women entrepreneurs are experiencing gendered discriminatory practices embedded in lending practices used by financial institutions, thereby discouraging them to venture into non-traditional industries. Whilst financial providers may know their products well, many emerging women entrepreneurs in South Africa may find it difficult and costly to obtain information on the thousands of financial products available. Hence, women entrepreneurs resort to taking greater risks than necessary in order to get their businesses off the ground. Educating women on financial matters is extremely important if South Africa is to benefit fully from the untapped entrepreneurial talent that women possess. The study adds voice to the discriminatory lending practices faced by women entrepreneurs in developing countries. Future research could explore the feasibility of establishing a financial institution which caters specifically for the needs of women.

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A Resistance Training Intervention for Adults With Intellectual Disability in the Community: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial

Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly ◽

10.1123/apaq.2020-0218 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-23

Author(s):

Iva Obrusnikova ◽

Albert R. Cavalier ◽

Richard R. Suminski ◽

Ashleigh E. Blair ◽

Cora J. Firkin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Intellectual Disability ◽

Resistance Training ◽

Muscular Strength ◽

Functional Performance ◽

Analysis Of Covariance ◽

Training Intervention ◽

Control Group ◽

Community Based ◽

Resistance Training Exercise ◽

Experimental Group

Adults with an intellectual disability have significantly lower levels of fitness compared with the general population. This study examined the effects of a 13-week theoretically guided, community-based, multicomponent resistance training intervention, resistance training for empowerment, on muscular strength and independent functional performance in 24 adults with an intellectual disability, aged 18–44 years. Twelve participants were randomly allocated to an experimental group and 12 to an active control group. An analysis of covariance revealed that the experimental group had significantly greater increases (p < .05) on the chest press and leg press one-repetition maximum tests and the 6-min walk test from the baseline to postintervention compared with the control group. The experimental group correctly and independently performed a significantly greater number of steps of resistance training exercise tasks than the control group. Marginal significance and large effect sizes were found for the prone plank test and the stair climb test. The resistance training for empowerment was effective in promoting muscular strength and independent functional performance among adults with an intellectual disability.

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Christian entrepreneurial activities and micro women entrepreneurship development

Journal of Enterprising Communities People and Places in the Global Economy ◽

10.1108/jec-03-2018-0025 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 12 (5) ◽

pp. 657-676 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Fanny Adams Quagrainie ◽

Abigail Opoku Mensah ◽

Alex Yaw Adom

Keyword(s):

Women Entrepreneurs ◽

Developing Economies ◽

Entrepreneurial Ventures ◽

Women Entrepreneurship ◽

Content Type ◽

Entrepreneurship Development ◽

Emergent Strategy ◽

Start Up ◽

Entrepreneurial Activities ◽

The Church

Purpose Review of literature suggests mixed findings on the relationship between the church and micro women entrepreneurship development. This signals that questions remain about the roles of churches in entrepreneurial development. Thus, this paper aims to explore what entrepreneurial activities are provided by churches to their micro women entrepreneurs and how do these activities influence their entrepreneurial start up and growth. Design/methodology/approach Phenomenological research methodologies were used to purposive collected data from 38 women entrepreneurs and four church administers in Tema. Results were analyzed using the emergent strategy. Findings The results suggest that churches provided four entrepreneurial activities which are categorized as finance, networking, promotion of self-confidence and impartation of ethical values. These factors promoted the growth of women entrepreneurial growth but not the start-up of entrepreneurial ventures. The study concluded that the church should provide more support for new entrepreneurial ventures. Therefore, embeddedness because of membership of a church is a critical part of women entrepreneurship development. Research limitations/implications Further studies will need to replicate these findings with other types of businesses, in other locations. Practical implications This study suggests that policymakers should be working in conjunction with churches in a bid to promote micro women entrepreneurship development. Originality/value Limited research has been conducted on church entrepreneurial activities in the development of micro women entrepreneurs in developing economies such as Ghana. This empirical research provides important insights into this field.

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The Effectiveness of Group Training of CBT-Based Stress Management on Anxiety, Psychological Hardiness and General Self-Efficacy Among University Students

Global Journal of Health Science ◽

10.5539/gjhs.v8n6p47 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 8 (6) ◽

pp. 47 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Hamdam Molla Jafar ◽

Seddigheh Salabifard ◽

Seyedeh Maryam Mousavi ◽

Zahra Sobhani

Keyword(s):

University Students ◽

Stress Management ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Management Training ◽

Sensitive Period ◽

Control Group ◽

Stress Management Training ◽

Psychological Hardiness ◽

General Self Efficacy ◽

Experimental Group

BACKGROUND: Admission to university is a very sensitive period of life for efficient, active, and young workforces in any country, and it is mostly associated with many changes in social and human relationships. These changes lead to anxiety in students. Moreover, humans need certain functions in order to adaptively deal with different life situations and challenges. By training stress management, these functions can help human acquire the required abilities. OBJECTIVE: The present study was aimed at investigating the effectiveness of stress management training in anxiety, psychological hardiness, and general self-efficacy among university students. METHOD: The study was a quasi-experimental intervention (pretest-posttest-follow-up) including a control group, it was a fundamental applied study. The statistical population consisted of all students of Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran. Convenient sampling was employed to select 30 students who were divided into an experimental group (n=15) and a control group (n=15). Before stress management training, both groups filled out Beck Anxiety Inventory, Long and Goulet scale of psychological hardiness, and General Self-efficacy Scale (GSE-10). Afterwards, the experimental group was provided with stress management training. And after the experiment, the abovementioned questionnaires and scales were responded by the two groups. Finally the collected data were analyzed and compared using one-way MANOVA. RESULTS: The results of MANOVA indicated that there was a significant difference between the two groups in terms of anxiety, hardiness, and general self-efficacy (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: According to the results of the present study and those of previous investigations that are in agreement with those of the present study, it can be concluded that stress management among university students cause anxiety to drop; moreover, it enhances their psychological hardiness and self-efficacy. In regard with the role and importance of stress management, training this skill should be included in educational plans of university.

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Cytogenetic biomonitoring of Brazilian dentists occupationally exposed to low doses of X-radiation

Pesquisa Odontológica Brasileira ◽

10.1590/s1517-74912002000300003 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 16 (3) ◽

pp. 196-201 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Cintia Kaori Miyaji ◽

Ilce Mara de Syllos Cólus

Keyword(s):

Statistical Tests ◽

Negative Control Group ◽

Negative Control ◽

Control Group ◽

Low Doses ◽

Confounding Factors ◽

X Rays ◽

Occupationally Exposed ◽

Experimental Group ◽

Personal Questionnaire

Exposure to X-rays (ionizing radiation) may cause chromosomal aberrations (CA) in somatic or germinative cells in exposed individuals, and may lead to manifestations of diseases such as cancer. This study was carried out to assess the CA frequency in lymphocytes obtained by means of temporary culture of peripheral blood from dentists in Londrina, Paraná, Brazil, who have worked for more than ten years with X-rays. The results obtained from the experimental group were compared with a matched negative control group, which had never been exposed to X-rays. All individuals, dentists and controls, answered a personal questionnaire, from which a profile of each group was obtained. Slides, prepared after the cultures, were stained with Giemsa, and 100 to 200 metaphase cells were analyzed per individual. CA frequencies and types were registered and statistical tests were not necessary to evaluate the obtained data. The analysis of mitotic index (MI) did not indicate significant differences (p < 0.05) between the group of individuals exposed to X-rays and the control group. The analyzed confounding factors did not influence the results of MI and CA frequencies.

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Effects of a periodized functional strength training program (FST) on Functional Movement Screen (FMS) in physical education students

Physical Education of Students ◽

10.15561/20755279.2020.0306 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 24 (3) ◽

pp. 162-167

Author(s):

Michał Sawczyn

Keyword(s):

Physical Education ◽

Strength Training ◽

Statistical Significance ◽

Rank Test ◽

Training Intervention ◽

Control Group ◽

Before And After ◽

Signed Rank Test ◽

The Difference ◽

Experimental Group

Background and Study Aim: To examine the effects of periodized functional strength training (FST) on FMS scores of sport university students with higher risk of injury. Material and Methods: Thirty three participants (age 21.6±1.3 years, height 177.8±6.9 m, mass 80.4±7.7 kg) with FMS total score ≤ 14 were selected from eighty two volunteered students of University of Physical Education and Sport in Gdańsk and randomly assigned to experimental group (n=16) and control group (n=17). The FMS test was conducted one week before and one week after the 12 week training intervention. The experimental group participated in FST program through 12 weeks. The control group did not engaged in any additional physical activity than planned in their course of study. The collected data were analysed using Statistica 13.3 pl (StatSoft Inc). Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to establish the statistical significance of the difference between FMS total scores within each group and Mann Whitney U test between groups before and after the 12 week training intervention. Results: 45 % of volunteers in the first FMS testing showed total scores ≤14. The experimental group that participated in FST program changed significantly FMS total scores after 12 weeks (p<0.05). There were also significant differences in FMS total score between groups after the experiment (p<0.05). Conclusions: There is a need for injury prevention programs for students of University of Physical Education and Sport in Gdańsk. It is clear from this study that FST is effective in improving FMS total score in students with cut off score ≤14.

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Evaluation of the Use of Neuro Muscular Taping (NMT) in the Treatment of Postoperative Edema in Acute ACL Repair Surgery

Orthopedic Research & Physiotherapy ◽

10.24966/orp-2052/100051 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Andrea Del Duca

Keyword(s):

Statistical Tests ◽

Cruciate Ligament ◽

Surgical Techniques ◽

Standard Of Care ◽

Treated Group ◽

Rehabilitation Program ◽

Control Group ◽

Acl Repair ◽

Percentage Decrease ◽

Experimental Group

Background: Surgical techniques for the treatment of Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries are exponentially improved in the past few decades. Nevertheless, edema and pain commonly accompany post-surgical procedures and when excessive, can adversely affect the healing course. In recent years, Neuro Muscular Taping (NMT) has been proposed as a new technique for the treatment of post-operative edema. Objective: In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects Neuro Muscular Taping (NMT) in the treatment of edema in the acute and post-acute postoperative phases of ACL repair surgery. Methods: Thirty patients (19 M, 11F; mean age: 27 y/o) with ACL injury were randomly assigned to two groups for the rehabilitation program: (1) An experimental group to receive a NMT treatment; or (2) A control group which underwent the standard-of-care rehabilitation protocols. Both groups where weekly monitored for 4 weeks after the surgery. Swelling was assessed through measurement of the limb circumference; post-operative pain was evaluated with VAS. After collection, data were processed by means of the Mann-Whitney and Wilcoxon statistical tests, through which we evaluated the percentage decrease in knee swelling of the operated limb. Results: In comparison to the control group, the experimental group showed significant improvements in swelling and pain. The circumference of the operated limb registered was: -2.4% ±0.1 in the NMT-treated group and + 0.3% ±0.2 in the control group in the first week (p = 0.030), -3.7% ±0.1 in the NMT-treated group and -0.63% ±0.3 in the control group in the second week (p = 0.038), -4.5% ±0.1 in the NMT-treated group and -1.2% ±0.3 in the control group in the third week (p = 0.019), -5.8% ±0.1 in the NMT-treated group and -2.4% ±0.3 in the control group in the fourth week (p = 0.019). VAS in the first week was 3.11 ±01.05 in NTM-treated group and 4.67 ±0.71 in the control group (p = 0.006). Our data showed a statistically significant reduction of the mean circumference of the lower limb at each time point and the reduction of mean VAS at the first week treated with NMT compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Our results revealed that NMT technique applied in the acute rehabilitation program of ACL surgery is effective in the treatment of postoperative edema.

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Effect of exposure to active allethrin on expression of HSF2 and Ovol1 genes in a rat spermatogenesis

International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences ◽

10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20191315 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 7 (4) ◽

pp. 1145

Author(s):

Retno Putri Sagita ◽

Rosfita Rasyid ◽

Hirowati Ali

Keyword(s):

Statistical Tests ◽

Testicular Tissue ◽

Male Reproduction ◽

Control Group ◽

Control Group Design ◽

Quantitative Calculation ◽

Post Test ◽

Rat Spermatogenesis ◽

Experimental Group ◽

One Way Anova

Background: Heat shock factor protein 2 (HSF 2) and Ovo like transcriptional repressor 1 (Ovol1) genes are found in germ cells that control spermatogenesis. One reason is exposure to mosquito repellent drugs from allethrin. Allethrin is one of the causes of male reproductive dysfunction that affects male reproduction resulting in infertility.Methods: This study was an experimental post-test randomized control group design. Twenty-eight rats given exposure according to the experimental group were K (control), P1 (4 hours exposure), P2 (8hours exposure), and P3 (12hours exposure) for 30 days. Examination of HSF 2 and Ovol1 genes from testicular tissue using real-time PCR with a relatively quantitative calculation method. Implementation of research at animal houses and biomedical laboratories. Data analysis using one-way ANOVA with a significant level of p <0.05.Results: The results of this study found differences in the average number of expressions of the HSF2 and Ovol1 genes. The average expression of the HSF2 control group gene was 3.50, P1: 2.99, P2: 0.62, and P3: 0.49. Whereas in the Ovol1 gene control group were 1.17, P1: 0.80, P2: 0.57, and P3: 0.65. The results of statistical tests using one-way ANOVA are HSF2 (p = 0,000) and Ovol1 (p = 0.045).Conclusions: Based on the results of this study, it was concluded that there was an allethrin effect in decreasing the expression of the HSF 2 and Ovol1 genes in Wistar albino Rattus Novergicus strain.

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A MOTOR INTERVENTION TO PREPARE LEARNING TO WRITE

Education and New Developments 2021 ◽

10.36315/2021end145 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Natalie Lavoie ◽

◽

Émile Lebel ◽

Keyword(s):

Statistical Tests ◽

First Grade ◽

Control Group ◽

Complex Activity ◽

School Students ◽

Visuomotor Integration ◽

Post Test ◽

Quasi Experimental ◽

The Mean ◽

Experimental Group

Writing is a complex activity that requires the automation of graphomotor skills. Unfortunately, 10 to 30% of primary school students have difficulty at this level, which impairs the development of writing skills. It therefore seems judicious to intervene in kindergarten to support motor precision as well as visuomotor capacities, considered as prerequisites for writing by many researchers. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of motor training on visuomotor integration, motor precision and handwriting performance (speed and readability) in 5-year-old children. According to a quasi-experimental design (pretest, post-test with control group), 34 children participated in an intervention in subgroups, twice a week for 6 weeks. The mean and standard deviation were calculated for each of the tasks performed. Statistical tests (t test) were then carried out. The results show that the children in the experimental group improved their motor precision as well as their graphomotor skills compared to those in the control group. This project provides new insights into the benefits of working on basic skills in preparation for learning to write and will equip teachers on how to guide and support graphomotor skills before entering first grade.

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Context Based Mathematics Problem Solving: Cognitive and Affective Effects on BIT and BS VOC-Tech Students

IAMURE International Journal of Education ◽

10.7718/iamure.ije.v5i1.426 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Arlene Demaisip Hortillosa

Keyword(s):

Problem Solving ◽

Content Knowledge ◽

Traditional Approach ◽

Statistical Tests ◽

Control Group ◽

Problem Solving Skills ◽

Mathematics Problem Solving ◽

Experimental Group ◽

Mathematics Problem

This context based Mathematics problem solving has been shown to have direct efforts on students’ bearing. This study compares the cognitive and affective effects of the Context-Based and Traditional approach on voc-tech students from the two programs. Quantitative data were collected using a Pretest and Posttest examination in mathematics problem solving to assess the levels of students’ problem solving performance and an attitude, beliefs and confidence (A-B-C) questionnaire to assess the voc-tech students’ attitude, belief and confidence. For qualitative analysis, the students’ journals, interview responses, and the teacher−observers’ and raters’ notes and comments were analyzed. The results showed that the students have a very low analytic level and limited content knowledge in mathematics prior the intervention. However, the context-based approach enhanced the students’ problem solving skills as exhibited by the numerically higher scores and improvement in the quality of the experimental class’ solutions and responses to the problem solving posttest. After the treatment, statistical tests revealed that the contextbased approach had a significant effect on the voc-tech students on certain topics of mathematics in terms of approach, program and ability level. Results also revealed that the experimental group showed a significant improvement in their attitude and beliefs in mathematics problem solving compared to their counterparts in the control group. Comparing the posttest results by program, the BS students are significantly higher than the BIT students in their overall problem solving scores as well as the BIT and BS students in the experimental class. Keywords - Mathematics, context based, Mathematics problem solving, attitude, belief, confidence, Voc-tech students, Iloilo, Philippines

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