4. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - Faculties submissions

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    Ndim Lo, Masidlale: A critical exploration of the importance of culture and diversity in South African Drama Therapy spaces
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Mkhize, Mawande
    The Anglo-Saxon word “plega” is the concept of playing which means battle, fight, game, or sport (Weiskopf, 1982). In most cases play is believed to have a biological, cultural, and psychological function that is seen as essential to the development of a person from a young age (Cohen, 1987). The founder of psychoanalysis known as Freud describes play as having an important role in the emotional development in people, development that is seen to take place from their early years of life and throughout their lifespan (Johnson, Christie, & Yawkey, 1987). Johnson (1987) states that in relation to Freud's view that suggests that play has its place that takes place mainly in childhood and is abandoned in adulthood, in the name of one being too old for playing. Evidence shows that playfulness in both children as well as adults plays a role in personality characteristics essentially for mental health, imagination, and creativity (Johnson, et al, 1987). Research has shown (Cohen, 1987) that play is not just activities done for fun, but rather there is more to it, it goes as far as having influence on the growth and development of those who choose to partake in the process of play. People play in different ways, in most cases the environment(s) that they grew up in expose them to the way that they are familiar with or may prefer to engage. For instance, for the Black Indigenous community, indigenous games to many may seem more preferable than other methods of play because of their familiarity. According to Burnett and Hollander (2004) indigenous games are viewed as being recreational and characterized by organized play that follows a certain structure and works in accordance with the rules that those involved agreed on that reflect a socio-cultural dimension of reasoning and behaviour. The term indigenous has a strong connection to cultural and historical context (Burnett & Hollander, 2004: 11). Playing indigenous games has an influence on developing positive character traits from an early age by reinforcing African values such as cooperation, communication, strategy, and problem-solving abilities. In South Africa, there are various people with varying beliefs and cultures, these differences are part of what makes the country unique (Gibson, 2003). I believe that none of these matters more than others, and they are all part of what makes it special. People's stories are affected by these differences (Gibson, 2003), these stories can be told based on how they were raised and 6 | M . M k h i z e how they have experienced life. This study explores the various ways in which Black indigenous people engage with play, and ways in which it can be implemented in South African Drama Therapy spaces. Understanding the various forms and ranges of client experiences is very important in order to develop effective therapeutic skills (Elliot, 2008), this process can also help therapists improve their understanding of their clients.
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    Effects of diversity in senior management teams on corporate sustainability of South African publicly listed companies
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Mtshwane, Busisiwe; Mati, Jacob
    This study examines the effects of diversity within senior management teams on corporate sustainability of South African publicly listed companies. While earlier research has examined the effects of diversity on organisational performance, limited research has focused on the link between diversity in senior management teams and corporate sustainability outcomes in the South African context. A sequential mixed-methods approach was employed. First, quantitative data was collected using secondary data from publicly available sources, especially the integrated annual reports. Key indicators of diversity within senior management teams, including gender, race, and age were examined alongside corporate sustainability outcomes. Secondly, qualitative data was collected through interviews conducted with senior managers to gain insights into their perceptions of diversity and its influences on sustainability outcomes. The quantitative elements exploring the influence of diversity in senior management on corporate sustainability within the top 40 JSE listed companies uncovers a statistically significant relationship between White executive demographic composition and firm sustainability practices, but a positive correlation and statistically partially significant relationship between ESG Score and Black demographic executives. With regards to age, executives in the 50-59 Age group exhibit moderately positive correlations with ESG Score and statistically significant results while the 40-49 Age group exhibit low negative correlations with ESG Score and statistically partially significant results. Notably, executive members gender shows no correlation with ESG Score. Insights from interviews with 12 managers reveal consensus on the positive impact of diversity within organisations. Managers highlighted that diversity contributes significantly to organizational growth, foresters’ innovation and enhances environmental, social and governance practices. These results provide useful insights to organisations, policymakers, and stakeholders on the potential benefits of diverse leadership teams in driving sustainability performance.
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    The Impacts of Ungulate Foraging on Small Mammal Diversity in a Protected Site and Livestock Grazing Site
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-09) Dlamini, Sifiso; Linhsan, Emmanuel Do; Madikiza, Kim
    Vegetation cover and food availability are important determinants of how favourable an area is for the settlement of animals, especially small mammals such as rodents, which rely heavily on vegetation for protection against predators and access to food. This study investigated the impact that ungulate foraging activities (both domesticated and wild) have on small mammal diversity in two Short Euphorbia Thicket habitats within the Albany Thicket Biome: a natural site in the Great Fish River Nature Reserve and an adjacent livestock grazing site belonging to Kwandwe Private Game Reserve. Trapping was carried out over 7-day/7-night trapping sessions during the wet and dry seasons at each site, with grids of 10 x 10 traps with a 10 m spacing. Over a total of 5,600 trap nights/days, 272 unique individuals of six small mammal species (4 rodents, 1 shrew, and 1 sengi) were captured. Habitat (i.e., the 1 ha area studied on each site) and microhabitat differences were assessed for the two study sites using plant cover at different heights, the number of bushes, the presence of Euphorbia bothae, as well as the amount of bare ground and rocky surfaces around each trap station. Between the habitats, vegetation in all the height categories differed significantly during each season, while the number of bushes did not differ. The microhabitats also showed seasonal variation, with the dry season having less vegetation cover than the wet season. Although greater vegetation cover was recorded during the wet season, small mammal abundance was low, as were species richness and diversity. It was the dry season that had the higher small mammal abundance for both sites, with the protected site having four times the abundance (across all species) of the livestock grazing site. Small mammal diversity was, however, highest at the livestock grazing site, where the species were evenly represented, whereas the protected site had unevenly represented species with a lower diversity. It is concluded that both domesticated and wild ungulate foraging activities, as well as seasonal changes in climatic conditions, alter vegetation cover. This determines whether a habitat is conducive for small mammals, thereby driving their richness, abundance, and ultimately diversity within a habitat.
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    Evaluating the impact of a diversity and inclusion committee on promoting a diverse workforce and building an inclusive environment at Beckman Coulter SA (PTY) Ltd
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2021) Noge, Tebogo; Munkuli, Bongani
    Diversity and inclusion have long been a challenge in many South African corporate workplaces. This is a reality that stems as far back as the pre-1994 apartheid government, which implemented policies of racial and gender segregation. The purpose of this study was to determine how effective Beckman Coulter SA (PTY) Ltd's diversity and inclusion committee was at fostering a diverse workforce and creating an inclusive environment. To address this purpose, this study interrogated research questions centering around the understanding of diversity and inclusion within the company. The questions unearthed perceptions on the state of diversity, the inclusive nature of both the company’s leadership and the human resources practices, and lastly, the questions evaluated the impact that the diversity and inclusion committee had on employee engagement at Beckman Coulter South Africa (PTY) Ltd. The wide field of sociology guided and supported this research study. Furthermore, the study pursued a qualitative case study design with purposive sampling. The data for the analysis was gathered from both primary and secondary sources. The primary data was analysed using the grounded theory method. Overall, this study found that there has been a noticeable improvement since the appointment of the diversity committee. Moreover, it was concluded that the company is working hard to improve its internal diversity and inclusion position. The majority of employees were found to believe that the committee was effective in raising awareness on diversity and inclusion. However, this study also determined three main opportunities for improvement. Firstly, the black respondents felt racially excluded from the company’s promotion opportunities, top management hiring, career development, and also felt there were significant integration gaps. Secondly, it was noted that there was little modelling of desired behaviours and not enough quick wins to get the necessary buy-in of half of the research respondents. Lastly, the respondents reported a prominent culture of retaliation or no action when discriminatory incidents are raised
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    The influence of systemic team coaching on diversity and inclusion management in corporate South Africa
    (2022) Segalo, Thuli Nokuphiwa
    In the multicultural South African (SA) organisational context, effective diversity and inclusion (D&I) management is an organisational imperative. Organisations are challenged with finding effective and sustainable ways to manage D&I. Multicultural teams are at the centre of providing innovation and creativity value for organisations. The ineffective management of D&I has consequences for organisations, such as, increased grievance complaints, declining employee engagement, negative impacts on talent management, and ultimately, impacts the organisation’s competitive advantage and performance. This study explores the influence of systemic team coaching (STC) on D&I management in SA organisations. This was a mixed-methods study that used a sequential explanatory design and had two distinct phases: quantitative and qualitative. The quantitative data acquired via a survey questionnaire was analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Semi-structured interviews were conducted to acquire qualitative data, which were subsequently subjected to thematic analysis. The results and findings were integrated utilising joint display analysis. The study found that key diversity and inclusion enabling elements are inherent in the experience accounts of team coaching by managers and teams. Team coaching enabled the facilitation of increasing team awareness, building trust and psychological safety, creating space for team members to feel heard, and valued. The study contributes valuable insights for HR professionals and leaders in how STC contributes to the effective management of D&I. The study adds knowledge on team coaching, team effectiveness, D&I management. The study concludes that STC is a practical intervention which enables the support of organisational teams to effectively manage D&I complexities.