DSpace Repository

Welcome to the NWU Repository, the open access Institutional Repository of the North-West University (NWU-IR). This is a digital archive that collects, preserves and distributes research material created by members of NWU. The aim of the NWU-IR is to increase the visibility, availability and impact of the research output of the North-West University through Open Access, search engine indexing and harvesting by several initiatives.

Communities in NWU Repository

Select a community to browse its collections.

Now showing 1 - 5 of 20

Recent Submissions

A MANAGEMENT MODEL FOR THE SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF AN INTEGRATED REFINERY INFORMATION SYSTEM
(North-West University, 2001) Christiaan Adriaan Peens; Louis Fourie C.H
Information management plays an increasingly important role in businesses today. This role is to support the business objectives through optimised work processes and improved information availability to support faster decision-making. Information systems were initially developed as isolated applications focussed on a specific function or business process. New business needs however requires a more integrated approach. Integrating information systems can be a costly process requiring large amounts of capital. The process of information systems development and implementation has been studied by various researchers. Many companies however do not apply these research results and the development and implementation of information systems are often late and exceed the budgets allocated to these projects. The purpose of this dissertation is to investigate the process of information systems development and implementation, and to recommend a practical process for information systems development and implementation for relatively small organisations. A theoretical overview is presented of the strategic processes involved in information systems development. General project management and various theoretical models for information systems development are presented. The application of the principles from the theoretical overview are tested by means of a case study on an integrated refinery information system (IRIS) that was recently implemented at the Natref refinery in Sasolburg.This is done by means of an empirical study that focuses on the project execution and change management aspects during the development and implementation of the IRIS project. A questionnaire was developed for each of these focus areas. The response rate for the project execution questionnaire was 87.5% and the response rate for the change management questionnaire was 84.6%. The main conclusions from the dissertation (based on the literature study and the empirical study) are as follows: • A high level of strategic importance was given to information systems at Natref during 1997; • Information systems planning was done well in the beginning of the IRIS project; • There was a general lack of management support during the execution if the IRIS project;• The organisational design was not changed to support the implementation of the IRIS project or its associated changes in business processes; • End user participation were not sufficient, leading to possible end user resistance during the implementation of the IRIS project; • Sufficient effort went into the evaluation of hardware needed for the implementation of the IRIS project; • Software selected during the development and implementation of the IRIS project was well considered; and • Information systems services were considered fairly well during the IRIS project. Recommendations were made based on the conclusions. The main recommendation is an information systems development and implementation model that can be used in practise by relatively small businesses. Proposals were also made regarding the facilitation of the strategic management of information systems and the change management process. Large businesses could also benefit from some of the recommendations.
ROLE OF BOUNDARY LAYER RESISTANCE AND WALL ULTRASTRUCTURE IN DETERMINING DIFFERENTIAL DROUGHT TOLERANCE IN TOBACCO
(North-West University, 2000) Juanita Peacock; Van Rensburg L Kruger H
ROLE OF BOUNDARY LAYER RESISTANCE AND WALL ULTRASTRUCTURE IN DETERMINING DIFFERENTIAL DROUGHT TOLERANCE IN TOBACCO. A holistic approach was followed to propose a new model for the leaf surface of tobacco to explain epidermal wall ultrastructure and permeability with the emphasis on drought stress. Nicotiana tabacum L. leaves of two drought sensitive and two drought tolerant cultivars were used. A triethylene glycol liquid substitution method together with a Flexible Image Process System was found excellent for studying the external micro-morphology of the leaf surface. Differences were found to exist between the leaf micro-morphology parameters quantified for the drought sensitive and drought tolerant cultivars. From these results, it is concluded that plant fitness for tolerating drought stress may be maximised by the carbon gaining capacity of the leaf. Contrary to most permeability studies, freshly harvested epidermal wall strips, with stomata and trichomes, were used. Results are discussed in terms of the limitations when using composite membranes with stomata and trichomes. The differential permeability coefficient values calculated for the transport of water in tobacco epidermal wall strips agreed with those reported for isolated cuticular membranes of various other species. The epidermal wall permeability coefficient seems to have merit as selection criterion for identifying drought tolerant genotypes. The cuticular membrane is not an amorphous layer but consists of small globules (referred to as nitis globules) which group together in the larger globules (referred to as nichrista globules). The tobacco epidermal cell wall has five layers consisting of a matrix and microfibrils with diameters of 4 - 10 nm. The fibrils of the cuticular membrane are possibly a pathway for water, wax and cutin transport. The possibility of resistance factors, other than the soluble cuticular lipids, contributing to water permeability during drought stress, was investigated.
DIE ONTWIKKELING VAN MIDDELVLAKBESTUURDERS IN DIE SUID-AFRIKAANSE POLISIEDIENS IN DIE NOORDWES PROVINSIE
(North-West University, 2001) Willem Albertus Pretorius; Coetsee L.D
The middle manager in the South African Police Service (SAPS) experiences a rapidly changing working environment. The success of the middle level manager when dealing with the management of change and the way he/she conducts his/her role as managers will determine if the community is satisfied with the quality of the service that the SAPS delivers. Focussing on the training and development of middle managers in the SAPS in the North West Province to effectively combat crime in the province, and thereby improve the performance of the managers and their subordinates, will go far to more effectively combat crime in the province. The purposes of this study are:~ To compile a profile of the middle manager in the SAPS in the North West Province~ To identify the development needs of the middle manager in the SAPS in the North West Province~ To present guidelines for the development of a management development programme for middle managers in the SAPS in the North West ProvinceThe method of the study includes a literature study of the following:~ The role of middle managers in the SAPS~ The concepts of management, leadership and management leadership~ The development of middle managers in the SAPS This is followed by an empirical study to determine the biographical profile of middle level managers in the SAPS in the North West Province, to identify their developmental needs and to determine facets of the most effective development programme . The empirical study indicates that middle level managers already have a wide variety of skills. It is therefore recommended that individual middle managers must have the opportunity to choose the skills they wish to develop and that they should not be expected to attend a generic middle level management development programme. Guidelines are proposed for the development of middle level managers in the SAPS in the North West Province , based on the findings of the study.
FISIEKE AKTIWITEIT EN VEROUDERING SE EFFEK OP GESELEKTEERDE GESONDHEIDSPARAMETERS VAN BLANKE MANS
(North-West University, 1998) Stephanie Pretorius; Dreyer L.I Wilders C
Physical activity and the effect of aging on selected health parameters among white males.The aging process effects all individuals. Aging is accompanied by physiological deterioration that can have a negative effect on physical and spiritual health. One of the primary characteristics of aging is that people tend to become physically inactive. Researchers affirm that physical activity provides protection against illness (Wicht., 1984:33; Blair et al., 1989a:122). With regard to this, the ACSM (1995:6) has shown that concrete evidence exists in research literature that proved that physical active people have a lower risk for illness like coronary heart diseases, hypertension, obesity, colon cancer and osteoporosis. With the process of aging, older people tend to suffer more from these previously mentioned illnesses (Wicht, 1984:34; Hagberg, 1995:993-1000; Hurley, 1995:224-229).Total wellness exists of different interrelated dimensions (Dunn, 1959:788; Robbins et ~ 1991:4) such as emotional, social, intellectual, physical, spiritual, psychological, environmental and occupational wellness. The spiritual dimension is regarded as a determinant of values and norms and is consequently also regarded as the catalyst of health or the basis of a healthy lifestyle and good health (Banks et al., 1984:17; Eberst, 1984:101; Sweeting,1990:3). Spiritual well-being (SWB) thus encompasses aspects such as the individual's religious persuasion and affiliation, social environment, social support, values, norms, self-concept, self-esteem, self-image, control orientation and experience of the meaningfulness of life. Spiritual well-being does not only refer to religiousity or religious persuasion, but also has a psychosocial component. The aim of the study was to determine whether regular exercise could delay the effect of aging on physical and spiritual health. The study was done on a group of white males (N=525) inhabitants of Potchefstroom, a city in the North-West Province in South-Africa. Subjects between the age 30-65 years were selected at random according to their street addresses. The following questionnaires were used as research instruments: health status was measured with Wyler' s Illness Rating Scale, spiritual wellbeing with Ellison's Spiritual Well-being Scale and physical activity with Sharkey' s Physical Activity Index (PAI). One-way and two-way variance analysis and the effect size calculation designed by Cohen were used to analyse the data. Aging showed a negative statistical significance (ps0.05) relationship with health status and participation in physical activity. With regard to spiritual well-being no statistical significant was found between aging and level of spiritual well-being. A positive relationship was found between physical activity, health status and aging. The results of the two-way analysis of variance showed that physical active respondents showed a statistically significant (ps0.05) as well as a practically significant (ES~0.5) better health status independent of age than the inactive respondents. A direct relationship was found between physical activity and spiritual wellness independent of age (Van der Merwe, 1995:63). The relationship was not statistically significant (p>0.05) in this study, probably because the groups were too small. The results indicate that aging has a negative effect on physical and spiritual health. The effect, with regard to health status, was however delayed among respondents that were physically active. In the case of spiritual well-being, physical activity showed no significant effect on the older respondents.
The evolution of spatial planning in South Africa: A comparative study
(North-West University (South Africa), 2026) Corbett, Jenna Retha; Drewes, J.E; van Aswegen, M
After the end of apartheid in 1994, South Africa began to reform its spatial planning practices to address the apartheid legacy while promoting social justice, economic development, and spatial integration (Moyo et al., 2021). To counteract the spatial disparities resulting from apartheid legislation, various new planning legislation and policies were introduced at the national, provincial, and municipal levels (Berrisford, 2011). Additionally, South Africa's spatial planning practices have evolved significantly over the last three decades. Understanding the evolution of these practices is essential for assessing their impact on stakeholders and identifying areas that require improvement. However, South African Planners can learn not only from their own spatial planning mistakes, but also from those of other countries experiencing challenges in legislative transformation. Therefore, comparing South Africa's current spatial planning practices with those of other countries provides valuable insight into their effectiveness. This study examines the development of South Africa's post-apartheid spatial planning over the past thirty years in response to widespread spatial inequalities. It assesses how current planning practices address sustainability, equity, and rural and urban development by critically analysing the legacy of apartheid-era planning. By comparing South Africa's planning practices with those of selected developed countries, such as Australia, the Netherlands, and Canada, as well as developing countries like Brazil, India, and Morocco, best practices and lessons learnt can be identified. This study aims to support the development of more efficient, inclusive, and responsive spatial planning by placing South Africa's planning experience within a global comparative framework. Planners, legislators, and academics seeking to address persistent spatial imbalances and promote sustainable, equitable development in transitional contexts can benefit from this study's findings.