South African higher institutions of learning are engaged in rapid transformation processes. Some of the consequences are that an increasing proportion of the postgraduate student body is from previously disadvantaged backgrounds and that the body of academic staff has also been transformed. In general, students have limited experience of independent research work as well as using library and other research facilities. However, quality research needs to be maintained. It is of great importance that academics should have the knowledge and skills to supervise research. However, preliminary research indicates that very little is done to equip academic staff in the skills of supervising research.A literature study is done to determine the nature of postgraduate supervision as well as the role of the supervisor and the student. From this investigation an interview schedule, consisting of open-ended questions, was composed to use in focus group interviews with academics from various local and international universities.The interviews revealed that seasoned supervisors experience the guidance of postgraduate students as quite satisfactory although a number of pitfalls were raised by supervisors with less experience in the field. None of the interviewees indicated that they have been formally trained to act as a supervisor. It was also indicated that students need much support and training in scientific formulation and writing. It seems that a definite need exists for newer academic staff to be schooled in research supervision.Keywords: dissertation; postgraduate; report writing; research; research supervision; thesis BACKGROUNDThe task of a university rests on three pillars, namely research, tuition, and community service. The relative importance of each of the three is influenced by the subsidy formula being used by the government from time to time as well as various other factors. Ngcongo (2001:53) maintains that "... supervision and promotion of Masters', Doctoral or PhD students is an important activity through which University staff perform their teaching and research roles". The purpose of this paper is to focus on one aspect of the three pillars, namely research, and more specifically, the supervision of research.For the sake of clarity and understanding of the terms used, the following meanings are imbedded in these terms. Postgraduate refers to higher degrees, namely on Masters and Doctoral level. On Doctoral level, the terms thesis and promoter are used, and similarly the terms dissertation and supervisor are used on Masters level. The generic term research supervision (or supervision for short) will be used to include all interventions and interactions from the staff member (academic or supervisor) in the research process to guide the researcher (postgraduate student, also referred to as candidate).Since the underlying principles are the same for the various research studies, very little differentiation will be made in the discussion between Doctoral and Masters research, as well as between a thesis (dissert...
Companies have become very disillusioned with Total Quality Management (TQM) as a solution to their quality related problems. Part of the problem has been that companies' expectations from TQM is as a solution to their existing problems rather than as a new philosophy towards creating value for shareholders, employees, and customers. Employee involvement is usually the element in the TQM philosophy that is most difficult to manage.Central to employee participation within the TQM philosophy is teamwork. In the attempt to facilitate total quality management, this article explores specific South African challenges to achieving this. These are § affirmative action and divers ity management § skills shortages, training and development § low levels of employee well-being.Working with people requires fundamental understanding of the uniqueness of each individual with their own identity and set of preferences. It also requires an understanding of teams and the mechanisms of making a group of individuals work well or poorly together. This will assist managers to realise active participation, quality output from their workers through individualised, and team based motivational processes.
The global money system should from a biblical perspective be based on a true weight. However, the existing global money system is based on a false weight. To track the use of a false weight in the US, the total US debt to gross domestic product (GDP) and the Dow Jones are compared from 1950 to 17 November 2004. From 1950 to 14 January 2000 there was a positive correlation between total US debt to GDP and the nominal value of the Dow Jones. From 14 January 2000 added false weight to the system did not increase the nominal value of the Dow Jones beyond the high of 14 January 2004. According to this research the US and the global money system is set to implode.
The development of Biotechnology is aimed at creating improved products. Without the acceptance of biotechnology enhancements by consumers, the development of new products will be hampered. Consumers in different countries perceive genetic engineering differently. In this article the views of foreign and local consumers are investigated.
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