Loading...
Journal Article
Work integrated learning (WIL): solution to entrepreneurial challenges in rural South Africa
Faculty: Faculty of Education
Attachments [1]
Issue Date: 2020
Language: English
More Detail
Abstract:
Entrepreneurship remains a major subject considered relevant to proffering solutions to challenges of unemployment across various continents of the world, South Africa inclusive. However, in spite of the need for entrepreneurship, the approach with which entrepreneurial activities are conducted contributes to the success or challenges experienced in various entrepreneurial spaces. This study explores the role of role of Work Integrated Learning (WIL) in proffering solution and contributing to the success of entrepreneurial activities in developing nations, using rural areas in South Africa as a case study. Relevant literatures were reviewed in relation to the subject matter. The findings of the study show amongst others that Work Integrated Learning aids collaboration between institutions of learning and firms within and around the host communities of the universities. Also, such collaborations tend to help students practically in their academic pursuits. Hence, the study recommends that Work Integrated Learning should be promoted in various higher institutions of learning.
Citation: Uleanya, C., Uleanya, M.O. and Gamede, B.T. 2020. Work integrated learning (WIL): solution to entrepreneurial challenges in rural South Africa. Journal of Entrepreneurship Education, 23(6), pp.1-8.
Publication Place: United Kingdom
Journal Title: Journal of Entrepreneurship Education
Journal Issue / Part Number: 23 / 6
Peer reviewed: Yes
ISSN: 1528-2651 (online)
Publisher: Allied Business Academies
Related items (Items from the same collection.)
Now showing 1 - 20 of 1597
- Background: Death and loss are inevitable, and life changes profoundly for those left behind. A General Household Survey by Statistics South Africa indicated that 94.2% of orphans aged 7–18 years were still attending school. With no parental and often familial support, learners often had to turn to their teachers for support. Vukuzakhe, a non-governmental organisation, saw the need for a grief programme in schools. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate how the school-based grief programme is perceived by different stakeholders (grieving children, educators and programme facilitators). Setting: The grief programme is being implemented in four primary schools in Underberg and Himeville, rural KwaZulu-Natal, and this study will conduct an evaluation at all four sites. Methods: Appreciative Inquiry, based on a four-dimensional cycle, was used to evaluate a grief programme offered in selected primary schools in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Three stakeholder groups (grief support programme facilitators [n = 4], grieving children [n = 6] and educators [n = 2]) from four schools were asked three open-ended questions to ascertain the programme’s value. Results: Nine key themes were identified: healing, insight, relationships, growth, skills, support, enjoyment, collaboration and value of the programme. All stakeholders noted positive outcomes resulting from participation in the programme and held it in high regard. Conclusion: Improvements for its future development were suggested and recommendations made for its further implementation at schools throughout South Africa.
- 1
- 3
- 0
- A chamber-pot or its equivalent in a work of literature is a generic indicator, prohibiting a text from membership of a high genre. Such objects have appeared in novels from the beginning, but they have not traditionally featured in poetic genres other than satire. While in satire a chamber-pot's function is usually to evoke disgust, in the realist novel its presence is a signal of the completeness of the material world and the full humanity of the characters. When chamber-pots start to appear in narrative poems, transgressing the rules of the high poetic genres, they mark these narratives as verse-novels, belonging to both poetic and novel genres.
- 1
- 2
- 0
- Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450s) found in all domains of life are known for their catalytic versatility and stereo- and regio-specific activity. While the impact of lifestyle on P450 evolution was reported in many eukaryotes, this remains to be addressed in bacteria. In this report, Streptomyces and Mycobacterium, belonging to the phylum Actinobacteria, were studied owing to their contrasting lifestyles and impacts on human. Analyses of all P450s and those predicted to be associated with secondary metabolism have revealed that different lifestyles have affected the evolution of P450s in these bacterial genera. We have found that while species in both genera have essentially the same number of P450s in the genome, Streptomyces P450s are much more diverse than those of Mycobacterium. Moreover, despite both belonging to Actinobacteria, only 21 P450 families were common, and 123 and 56 families were found to be unique to Streptomyces and Mycobacterium, respectively. The presence of a large and diverse number of P450s in Streptomyces secondary metabolism contributes to antibiotic diversity, helping to secure the niche. Conversely, based on the currently available functional data, types of secondary metabolic pathways and associated P450s, mycobacterial P450s seem to play a role in utilization or synthesis of lipids.
- 1
- 3
- 0
- Public libraries require an expanding set of discipline specific, as well as generic knowledge, skills and attitudes from Library and Information Science (LIS) graduates, for their services in this evolving and constantly changing knowledge society. Guided by the core competency theory of Selznick (1957), this paper reviews literature on the competencies required of LIS graduates and the challenges they face in public libraries. Knowledge of cataloguing, collection development, interpersonal relationship, communication, technology, and customer services skills are noted significant in the public library context. Also noted are skills gap: lack of training programmes; drastic changes in the LIS market, which eventually demand curricula revision and re-orientation; and several challenges facing LIS professionals and the public libraries themselves. Identified challenges include: lack of funding, lack of trained/skilled staff, and ICT resources. The reviewed literature is significant for providing theoretical background for the development of research in the following domains: public libraries, LIS curriculum, LIS educators and LIS graduates/professionals.
- 1
- 1
- 0
- 2021| Journal of Internati...Novel 1,4-bis(5-phenyl-1H-pyrazol-3-yl)benzene, 1,4-bis(1,5-diphenyl-1H-pyrazol-3-yl)benzene and 1,4-bis(5-phenylisoxazol-3-yl)benzene have been synthesized by taking MgFe2O4 MNP’s as heterogeneous catalyst to yield reported novel products in good yields in short reaction time. The synthesized compounds were characterized by analytical techniques and evaluated for antifungal and antibacterial activities. Bis-pyrazole showed significant antibacterial activity while bis-isoxazole showed antifungal activity compared to standard drug ciprofloxacin and clotrimazole respectively. © 2021 World Research Association. All rights reserved.
- 1
- 2
- 0
- Background: Didymoplexis verrucosa is a cryptic, leafless, saprophytic ground or chid (~70 mm tall) growing on the coastal forest floors of southern Zululand and classified as Vulnerable (D2). As part of a population monitoring programme, 960 man-hours of species-specific searching over five consecutive flowering seasons were conducted, yielding only one individual plant. Objective: The aim of this study was to increase detection rate by developing a profile of environmental indicators for the accurate identification of suitable habitat. Methods: A detailed description of suitable habitat was compiled based on the Braun-Blanquet approach. Results: The results showed that key attributes shared by localities include similar topographic position in the landscape, hydrology, soils, vegetation composition and structure, forest age, leaf-litter composition of the forest floor, the co-occurrence of Isoglossa woodii, and a similar degree of protection from sunlight, wind and desiccation. Conclusion: This profile of essential habitat characteristics can be used as a surrogate in the absence of actual locality data when identifying target conservation areas and compiling management strategies for this very cryptic species. A by-product of this habitat analysis was the discovery of a long list of impacts on the long term survival of D. verrucosa. The combination of these stochastic and deterministic events will drive habitat change at rates beyond the species’ ability to adapt. Managing these variables forms the crux of its successful conservation. A re vision of the conservation status, based on the formal IUCN criteria, indicates that D. verrucosa should be reclassified as Critically Endangered Category B2a and D.
- 1
- 2
- 0
- COVID-19 pandemic is currently decimating the world's most advanced technologies and largest economies and making its way to the continent of Africa. Weak medical infrastructure and over-reliance on medical aids may eventually predict worse out comes in Africa. To reverse this trend, Africa must re-evaluate the only area with strategic advantage; phytotherapy. One of the many plants with previous antiviral potency is against RNA viruses is Aframomum melegueta. In this study, one hundred (100) A. melegueta secondary metabolites have been mined and computational evalu ated for inhibition of host furin, and SARS-COV-2 targets including 3C-like protein ase (Mpro/3CLpro), 20 -O-ribose methyltransferase (nsp16) and surface glycoprotein/ ACE2 receptor interface. Silica-gel column partitioning of A. melegueta fruit/seed resulted in 6 fractions tested against furin activity. Diarylheptanoid (Letestuianin A), phenylpropanoid (4-Cinnamoyl-3-hydroxy-spiro[furan-5,20 -(10 H)-indene]-10 ,2,30 (20 H,5H)- trione), flavonoids (Quercetin, Apigenin and Tectochrysin) have been identified as high-binding compounds to SARS-COV-2 targets in a polypharmacology manner. Di ethyl-ether (IC50 = 0.03 mg/L), acetone (IC50 = 1.564 mg/L), ethyl-acetate (IC50 = 0.382 mg/L) and methanol (IC50 = 0.438 mg/L) fractions demonstrated the best inhibi tion in kinetic assay while DEF, ASF and MEF completely inhibited furin-recognition sequence containing Ebola virus-pre-glycoprotein. In conclusion, A. melegueta and its secondary metabolites have potential for addressing the therapeutic needs of African population during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- 1
- 3
- 0
- This study discusses the Lie Symmetry Analysis of Black-Scholes equation via a modified local one-parameter transformations. It can be argued that the transformation of the Black-Scholes equation is firstly obtained by means of riskless rate. Thereafter, the corresponding determining equations to the reduced equation are found. Furthermore, new symmetries of the Black-Scholes equation are constructed and lead to invariant solutions.
- 1
- 5
- 0
- Purpose The ameliorative potential of aqueous leave extract of Sterculia tragacantha on renal gene expression and biochemical parameters in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats were assessed. Methods Forty albino rats (out of fifty) were intraperitoneally induced using 35 mg/kg of streptozotocin, and then grouped into normal control, diabetic control, diabetic animals received 150 and 300 mg/kg of aqueous extract of S. tragacantha leaves (AESTL) and diabetic animals placed on 200 mg/kg of metformin. This experiment lasted for two weeks, animals were sacrificed, and a series of biochemical indices were evaluated. Results Diabetic rats receiving AESTL revealed a momentous decline in fasting blood glucose, urea, creatinine, uric acid, and alkaline phosphatase levels. Administration of AESTL to diabetic animals considerably improved the activities of SOD, CAT, GPx, GST, and GSH with a decline in MDA levels. Also, AESTL reversed abnormalities in mRNA gene expressions of IL-1β, TGF-1β, KIM-1, EPO and CASP 6 in diabetic rats placed on AESTL treatment. The excellent results of diabetic rats maintained on AESTL were supported by histological findings in this study. Conclusion Hence, AESTL may have beneficial effects in controlling nephropathy associated with diabetes mellitus.
- 1
- 3
- 0
- 2021| World Scientific Pub...In this paper we investigate an observable universe in Bianchi type V space-time by taking into account the cosmological constant as the source of energy. We have performed a χ 2 test to obtain the best fit values of the model parameters of the universe in the derived model. We have used two types of data sets, viz: i) 31 values of the Hubble parameter and ii) the 1048 Phanteon data set of various supernovae distance moduli and apparent magnitudes. From both the data sets, we have estimated the current values of the Hubble constant, density parameters (Ωm)0 and (ΩΛ)0. The present value of deceleration parameter of the universe in derived model is obtained as q0 = 0.59+0.04 −0.03 and 0.59+0.02 −0.03 in accordance with H(z) and Pantheon data respectively. Also we observe that there is a signature flipping in the sign of deceleration parameter from positive to negative and transition red-shift exists. Thus, the universe in derived model represents a transitioning universe which is in accelerated phase of expansion at present epoch. We have estimated the current age of the universe (t0) and present value of jerk parameter (j0). Our obtained values of t0 and j0 are in good agreement with its values estimated by Plank collaborations and WMAP observations.
- 1
- 4
- 0
- This work reports the enantioresolution of (RS)-acebutolol (ACB) by a thin-layer chromatographic method involving colistin sulfate (CS) as chiral selector. For this purpose, glass plates of dimension (12 cm × 4 cm × 0.4 cm) were prepared and used in four different approaches. The chiral selector was used in four different approaches before or during the chromatographic processes. Out of several mobile phase systems tried, the mobile phase system MeCN–MeOH−H2O (5.5:2.5:1.0, V/V) was found to be successful for better resolution (RS = 2.2). To confirm the elution order, the chromatograms of (RS)-ACB were developed along with the pure enantiomer of ACB, i.e., (R)-ACB, and it was concluded that (R)-ACB eluted before (S) enantiomer. The detection limit for each enantiomer of ACB was found in the range 12−15 μg spot−1. The developed method can be applied for the enantioresolution of ACB and its analogs in dosage formulations.
- 1
- 4
- 0
- As the global financial system evolves towards a technology-enabled financial solution Fintech, its implication to the future of the financial system becomes a policy concern. This study investigates non-linear/inverted U-shaped Fintech adoption process among a panel of 32 African countries spanning from 2002–2018. The study argues that Fintech adoption in Africa will continue to rise and not follow the inverted U-shaped process if sustained through greater trade openness. The dynamic system GMM techniques found a strong evidence for an inverted U- shaped adoption process for the 32 African markets and 24 frontier African markets but violated among the emerging (N = 3) and fragile (N = 5) groups. The first lag of Fintech compatibility and the contemporaneous levels of relative advantage, complexity, trial-ability and observe-ability were its main determinants. The study concludes that Fintech will be replaced with new innovations in future irrespective of possible sustainability strategy. The need to strengthen African financial markets’ innovativeness to have a competitive edge on Fintech’s replacement is stressed.
- 1
- 6
- 0
- Jacoby last multiplier and group theoretic approaches to a model describing breast cancer stem cellsDespite the complexity of tumour cells population, which is well known as difficult to control. Mathematical modelling has been identified as a powerful tool to understand complex dynamics and integrations of tumour cells population. In this paper, the technique of Jacobi Last Multiplier is employed to build linear Lagrangians of cancer stem cells (CSC) which describe the development dynamic of CSC population in vitro as well as in vivo. Additionally, the use of Noether’s theorem facilitate in achieving conservation laws of the reduced two dimensional nonlinear system. The technique of Lie Symmetry is applied to a model and helps to point out the correlation between parameters. As a result, the system has been linearized and the corresponding analytical as well as numerical solutions were provided.
- 1
- 6
- 0
- Cobalt ferrite nanocomposite was synthesized and characterized by analytical techniques such as FESEM, EDS and XRD. The average crystallite size was found to be in the range of 10–12 nm with a cubic structure. Further, the nanocomposite was used for the detection of guanine (GU) and uric acid (UA) and found to be an efficient electrode modifier. The lower limit of detection for GU and UA was found to be 300 nM and 400 nM, respectively.
- 1
- 3
- 0
- Antimicrobial resistance has been increasing globally, which negatively affects food safety, veterinary, and human medicine. Ineffective antibiotics may cause treatment failure, which results in prolonged hospitalisation, increased mortality, and consequently, increased health care costs. Staphylococcus aureus causes a diverse range of infections including septicaemia and endocarditis. However, in food, it mainly causes food poisoning by the production of enterotoxins. With the discovery of methicillin-resistant S. aureus strains that have a separate reservoir in livestock animals, which were termed as livestock-associated methicillin-resistant S. aureus (LA-MRSA) in 2005, it became clear that animals may pose another health risk. Though LA-MRSA is mainly transferred by direct contact, food transmission cannot be excluded. While the current strains are not very pathogenic, mitigation is advisable, as they may acquire new virulence genes, becoming more pathogenic, and may transfer their resistance genes. Control of LA-MRSA poses significant problems, and only Norway has an active mitigation strategy. There is limited information about LA-MRSA, MRSA in general, and other S. aureus infections from African countries. In this review, we discuss the prevalence and characteristics of antimicrobial susceptible and resistant S. aureus (with a focus on MRSA) from meat and meat products in African countries and compare it to the situation in the rest of the world.
- 1
- 2
- 0
- Biolocculants are gaining attention in research due to their environmental friendliness and innocuousness to human in comparison to the conventional flocculants. The present study aimed to investigate the ability of fungi from Kombucha tea SCOBY to produce effective bioflocculant in bulk. A 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis was utilized to identify the isolate. The medium composition (carbon and nitrogen sources) and culture conditions (inoculum size, temperature, shaking speed, pH, and time) were optimized using one-factor-at-a-time method. The functional groups, morphology, and crystallinity of the bioflocculant were evaluated using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), scan electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffractometry (XRD). The fungus was found to be Pichia kudriavzevii MH545928.1. It produced a bioflocculant with flocculating activity of 99.1% under optimum conditions; 1% (v/v) inoculum size, glucose and peptone as nutrient sources, 35 °C, pH 7 and the shaking speed of 140 rpm for 60 h. A cumulus-like structure was revealed by SEM; FT-IR displayed the presence of hydroxyl, carboxyl, amine, and thiocynates. The XRD analysis demonstrated the bioflocculant to have big particles with diffraction peaks at 10° and 40° indicating its crystallinity. Based on the obtained results, P. kudriavzevii MH545928.1 has potential industrial applicability as a bioflocculant producer.
- 1
- 3
- 0
- The current study investigated the physiological effects of flavonoids found in daily consumed rooibos tea, aspalathin, isoorientin, and orientin on improving processes involved in mitochondrial function in C2C12 myotubes. To achieve this, C2C12 myotubes were exposed to a mitochondrial channel blocker, antimycin A (6.25 µM), for 12 h to induce mitochondrial dysfunction. Thereafter, cells were treated with aspalathin, isoorientin, and orientin (10 µM) for 4 h, while metformin (1 µM) and insulin (1 µM) were used as comparators. Relevant bioassays and real-time PCR were conducted to assess the impact of treatment compounds on some markers of mitochondrial function. Our results showed that antimycin A induced alterations in the mitochondrial respiration process and mRNA levels of genes involved in energy production. In fact, aspalathin, isoorientin, and orientin reversed such effects leading to the reduced production of intracellular reactive oxygen species. These flavonoids further enhanced the expression of genes involved in mitochondrial function, such as Ucp 2, Complex 1/3, Sirt 1, Nrf 1, and Tfam. Overall, the current study showed that dietary flavonoids, aspalathin, isoorientin, and orientin, have the potential to be as effective as established pharmacological drugs such as metformin and insulin in protecting against mitochondrial dysfunction in a preclinical setting; however, such information should be confirmed in well-established in vivo disease models.
- 1
- 4
- 0
- Cucurbita argyrosperma has edible shoots, flowers, fruits and seeds that are rich in nutrients and minerals. However, it is scarcely grown by local farmers in South Africa. This study aimed at establishing fertilizer requirements for its improved growth and yield under large scale farming. Plants were grown under different quantities of 2 : 3 : 4 (30) NPK basal fertilizer and nitrogen (LAN at 28% N) top-dressing. Shoots and leaves of C. argyrosperma plants treated with 300 NPK basal fertilizer at varying nitrogen top dressing, grew faster from 42 to 49 days after planting (DAP). Plants treated with the same fertilizer combinations had thicker stems, numerous leaves, higher leaf total chlorophyll content, heavier fresh shoots, numerous staminate and pistillate flowers, at 49 DAP. At harvest, the same fertilizer treatments resulted in higher number, mass and size of fruits and seeds. The majority of traits had positive correlation amongst each other but shoot moisture content correlated negatively with all traits. Almost all traits were positively defined in both principal component analysis and scatter plot. In a scatter plot, fertilizer treatments grouped themselves based on NPK basal fertilizer, with 300 NPK fertilizer at varying nitrogen being defined positively.
- 1
- 6
- 0
- 2019| Gaurav PublicationsCorchorus olitorius is an underutilized, but nutrient-rich leafy vegetable. However, the nutritive value and micronutrient bioavailability of this vegetable has not been well researched in South Africa. Therefore, this study aimed at using a novel breeding technique, that is, utilization of colchicine treatment on mineral content of C. olitorius leaves. C. olitorius seeds were treated with 0, 0.025, 0.05, 0.075 and 0.1 g/l of colchicine for 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 h. Treated seeds were sown in pots and laid out in a completely randomized design with three replications. Tender leaves were harvested at 49 days after planting for mineral content analysis using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Data were subjected to ANOVA, principal component analysis and cluster analysis. Treatment with 0.025 g/l of colchicine for 2 h resulted in the highest nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, aluminium and iron content in C. olitorius leaves. Other studied leaf minerals decreased with an increase in colchicine concentration and prolonged treatment duration. All minerals were correlated positively with each other, but sodium, manganese and copper had an exclusive association with one another. Again, all minerals were positively associated with first principal component, while Na, Mn and Cu were associated with the second principal component. Biplot and dendrogram grouped treatments mainly according to treatment duration. The study also demonstrated high levels of variation among the colchicine treatments in the nutritional traits evaluated. This implies that colchicine has the potential to induce genetic variability which can be used for future C. olitorius crop improvement.
- 1
- 4
- 0
- A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence, risk factors, and molecular characteristics of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in 12 beef abattoirs in Gauteng province, South Africa. The rela tionship between STEC contamination and aerobic bacterial counts on carcasses at various stages of processing was investigated. Multiplex PCR was used to detect virulence genes in broth-enriched samples, to determine O- serogroups in all samples positive for Shiga toxin-encoding genes (stx), and to characterize isolates of STEC. The overall prevalence of STEC determined by PCR in 419 selective enrichment broth samples was 35.1% (147/419), and was significantly higher (P = 0.037) in perineum hide swabs (50%) than in 24 h chilled carcass swabs (20%). The maximum total aerobic plate count (TAPC) was 3.8 log 2 10 CFU/100 cm for carcass swabs, but was below the South African microbiological standard for meat export at all stages of carcass processing. There was no sig nificant association between TAPC and STEC contamination. Serogroup O113 was the most prevalent serogroup (13.6%; 20/147) detected. Only 33 isolates, all non-O157 STEC, were recovered, amongst which six different genotype combinations were observed. Additionally, the clinically important serogroups O117, O8, and O2 were isolated. Multivariable logistic regression revealed that the odds of STEC contamination was lower in post-wash (OR = 0.42; 95% CI: 0.18–0.98; P = 0.045) and 24 h chilled (OR = 0.33; 95% CI: 0.12–0.91; P = 0.033) carcass swabs compared to pre- and post-evisceration swabs. It was concluded that non-O157 STEC serogroups more frequently colonize beef cattle slaughtered at abattoirs in our study area than O157 STEC, and therefore have a higher potential to enter the food chain during carcass processing, with food safety implications.
- 1
- 4
- 0
Select desired time period