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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.

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An Assessment of the Viability of Independent Schools
(North-West University (South Africa), 2002) Verbeek, P A; Nel, I
A master model consisting of six different appendices has generated the necessary basic data in 24 various tables. These tables contain the influence that the four most important variables have on each other. The various appendices form the basis of the data presented and analysed in various tables throughout this chapter. Assuming a certain number of learners as the basis of every table, the four variables (the number of learners, the amount of school fees, the different salaries of the educators and the renting of building of the infrastructure) are viewed according to a specified learner-to-educator ratio. The empirical study confirms that it is possible for an entrepreneur to operate an independent school on a financially viable basis. Assuming that certain variables are held constant it is possible to measure the effect that other variables have on the basic financial viability. The entrepreneur should be aware of the danger of being held at gunpoint by the demands of the learners. The low enrolled numbers have a direct impact on the financial viability. In addition, the educator is an asset to the independent school and should be utilised to draw learners to enrol in the school. The entrepreneur must realise that a delicate management of this asset must lead to future salary increases for the individual educator. A high turnover of educational staff will increase the general perception of academic and managerial problems and will ultimately be detrimental to the financial viability. The various scenarios sketched in this chapter are meant to give the entrepreneur the proverbial food for thought concerning the possible solutions and the effect that they will have on the financial viability of operating an independent school as a business venture. The various tables presented within the scenarios bring to the forefront the basic problem that the entrepreneur faces: how realistic is it to increase the learners from 17 to 22 per educator, and, does the entrepreneur have any indication concerning the possible number of learners that will seek suitable education elsewhere when the school fees are increased?
Spiervolumeverskille tussen Boesman-, Zoeloe- en Blanke Volwasse Mans
(North-West University (South Africa), 1992) Bezuidenhout, Adriana; Van der Walt, T.S.P.; De Ridder, J.H.
During project Antsam (1986) and project Gladiator (1990) comparisons of absolute and proportional muscle volumes were made among European (young, n= 218; old, n= 88), Bushmen (n= 148) and Zulu (n= 156) national servicemen. Muscle volumes for the trunk, upper arm, forearm, thigh and calf, corrected for skinfolds and bone volumes, were calculated according to a formula describing a frustrum of right circular cone with two radii. Comparisons among the test-subjects were made using absolute profiles and proportionality profiles of z-values. Absolute and proportionality assessments were obtained using a phantom strategem. Significant differences (p < 0,05) among the subjects' results were determined through overlap of two standard errors as used in the phantom strategem. With regard to absolute muscle volume measurements for the trunk, upper arm, forearm, thigh and calf the results indicated that the European ( old) group had the biggest muscle volume, while the Bushmen had the smallest muscle volumes. With regard to proportional muscle volume the following results were obtained: FOF the trunk the Zulu had the biggest muscle volume, while the European ( old) group had the smallest muscle volume. For the upper arm the European ( old) group had the biggest muscle volume, while the Bushmen had the smallest volume. For the forearm the European (young) group had the biggest muscle volume, while the Bushmen had the smallest volume. For the thigh the Zulu had the biggest muscle volume, while the European (young) group had the smallest volume. For the calf the European (young) group had the biggest volume, while the Bushmen had the smallest volume. The muscle volume measurement that seemed to be the least affected and which had the fewest differences among the subjects was that of the calf.
Die ontleding van enkele aspekte van stbategiese beplanning van 'n klein hersteldiensonderneming
(North-West University, 1984) Venter, S. J; Havenga, J J D
In South Africa , as well as in the rest of the world , the importance of the small business sector is being recognized and encouraged. An important section of these small businesses is repair service undertakings, that are usually started by technically trained persons . Because they have no training in management and do no long-term planning, their efforts are due to fail . A strategic plan can turn failure of these businesses into success. A small repair business is regarded as an open system with numerous external and internal factors , that either threaten, or offer opportunities to the business. The manager of the small repair business should become acquainted with these facts , in order to manage his business in such a manner that opportunities are exploited to their full extent, and threats can be overcome . This can be done by planning a successful long- term strategy for his business. This strategy should be tested regularly and effectively, to ascertain whether the undertaking is managed optimally in its dynamically changing environment. The small repair business usually does not have the sources available to do an extensive macro arid micro economic study. Therefore , it must rely on the media and commercial organizations to do the economical studies and to explore the environment . The bank of the business can also play an important role in this matter. On the technical side of the business other participants in the industry , and technical publications are important sources of information . Using his own initiative and experience , the manager should determine the influence of the identified factors on his business, and then act accordingly . Usually , an internal examination and resource audit are reletavely simple . However , it is not always so simple to do a forecast of the influence of internal factors on the business, especially not in a growth period. The influence of the internal factors is not easily quantifiable . It should be done, however. Examining his most important competitors is not always easy, especially in a repair business. The success of the different strategies is however quite evident . Therefore he can react accordingly . Identification of various factors and their influence leads to the development of various alternatives and strategies for the small repair business. From these alternatives only one strategy should be developed , that will lead to the optimal attainment of the previously determined goals of a small repair business.
FIBRIN NETWORK CHARACTERISTICS AND RED PALM OIL IN HYPERFIBRINOGENAEMIC, HYPERCHOLESTEROLAEMIC SUBJECTS
(North-West University, 2002) M. Pieters; Jerling J.C
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the leading causes of death world-wide. Extensive research has been done on the many risk factors for CVD in order to prevent and/or treat CVD. A contributing factor that has not received much attention as yet is the structure of the fibrin networks that forms the basis of blood clots. These fibrin fibres that form when coagulation has been activated, have been shown to vary in length and width. These variations lead to alterations in the character of the fibrin network, causing it to be either more atherogenic or more easily lysable. Long, thin fibres are associated with tight, brittle fibrin networks with large amounts of cross-linking and branching, making the clot less permeable to fibrinolytic enzymes, therefore making it more atherogenic. Short, thick fibres on the other hand, form loose, elastic clots with large pores enabling fibrinolytic enzymes to digest the clots more easily resulting in clots with much less atherogenic potential. The fibrin network characteristics (FNC) measured in this thesis included: the permeability of the clot, the mass-length-ratio of the fibres and the compaction of the clot. The fibrin content of the clot itself was also measured in one study. Diet plays an important role in the primary and secondary prevention of CVD. Little is known about the effect of dietary factors on FNC. One of the studies that form part of this thesis was therefore a 4 week dietary intervention, investigating the effect of 25 g of palm oil (PO), red palm oil (RPO) (rich in antioxidants) and sunflower oil ingested daily, on FNC. ·The type of fat in the diet and antioxidants are two dietary factors that have been shown to affect other CVD risk factors. The other study that fo1ms part of this thesis attempted to answer some fundamental, methodological questions. The first fundan1ental question addressed was the effect of freezing on FNC. Currently most plasma samples are stored frozen for different durations until analysis. Therefore it is necessary to know whether the process of freezing and/or frozen storage have any significant effect on FNC. Together with the effects of freezing and frozen storage we also investigated the effect of freeze-drying on FNC since most control plasmas and standards are in lyophilised form. The second fundamental challenge was to incorporate between-day and within-day analytic variation into the interpretation of the results since no commercial standards or control plasmas are available to ensure quality control. We first undertook the methodological study and then incorporated the results into the dietary intervention study. The reader is referred to the abstracts at the beginning of each separate paper (Chapters 3 and 4), for a description of the subjects, study design and analytical methods used in each study. The results of the methodological study showed that: a) Freezedrying was less deleterious on FNC than freezing. The FNC and fibrinogen concentration of the freeze-dried samples compared better with the fresh samples than did the frozen plasma;b) Frozen storage for up to 4 months at - 83 °C resulted in a linear decrease in mass-lengthratio and compaction of the fibrin fibres and a linear increase in the fibrin content of the clot. This indicates that these variables were probably not stable over the 4 month storage period; c) Storage in the freeze-dried form resulted in a significant increase (p < 0.001) in plasma fibrinogen but a significant decrease (p < 0.001) in the fibrin content of the clots. The results of the dietary intervention showed that: a) Changes in plasma fatty acid concentration may influence FNC. It appears as though decreases in plasma saturated fatty acids together withincreases in plasma unsaturated fatty acids significantly increased (p < 0.001) the masslength-ratio of the fibrin fibres. Increased fibre mass-length-ratio is usually associated with less atherogenic fibrin clots; b) Plasma fibrinogen and D-dimer decreased significantly in the sunflower oil group (p = 0.007 and p = 0.04 respectively); c) Significant correlations were found between the FNC and markers of fibrinolysis, indicating that the fibrin clot structuremay play an important role in fibrinolysis. Although the methodology of FNC determination still needs some refinements new methods are currently being developed. These new developments will hopefully establish a clinical role for FNC and help us understand the exact role and importance thereof in the prevention and treatment of CVD.
MOONTLIKE IMPLIKASIES WAT NARRATOLOGIE VIR NARRATIEWE TERAPIE MAG INHOU
(North-West University, 2002) Frans Pieterse; BOTHA K.F.H DU PLOOY H.G.W
The aim of this research was to determine which implications narratology might have for narrative therapy. The research was of a theoretical nature since the literature on narratology and narrative therapy was reviewed, interpreted and integrated to some extent.First an exposition was given of a basic narratological model. It transpired that a narrative can be analyzed on three different levels, viz. the level of the story (plot), that of the narrative and that of the telling. On each of the above-mentioned levels there are certain structures according to which the narrative can be analyzed. In the explanation of the model it was also pointed out that authoritative narrative theoreticians/therapists - possibly without realizing it most of the time - make use of these narratological structures in their theorizing/therapy. Secondly, it is demonstrated according to a hypoth~tical case study, how a narrative therapist could incorporate all the structures of the suggested narratological model in his/her work. It was found that narratology offers an integrating and comprehensive model for narrative therapists dealing with the narratives of their clients. It also provides a certain vocabulary and levels of abstraction for speaking and thinking about the narratives of clients. It is recommended that more narratives be analyzed on the lines of the narratological model and be compared to render future research on narrative therapy more reliable and valid.