4. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - Faculties submissions
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Item The perceived impact of stuttering on career advancement and prejudice following disclosure in South Africa(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Rakumako, Patience Lerato; Matshabaphala, JohnnyThis research examined the influence of stuttering on career advancement given the discrimination people who stutter encounter after disclosure in South Africa. Focused on the professional obstacles encountered by people who stutter (PWS), the study explores their inclination towards careers involving limited public speaking. Addressing gaps in existing literature, it contributes by examining the impact of disclosure and determining equal opportunities for individuals with and without speech impairments.Authors of previous research have highlighted the importance of categorizing stuttering as a disability.To fulfill the research objectives, a qualitative research design was used, specifically incorporating the use of interviews. The study involved conducting interviews with six individuals who have a history of stuttering and are employed in South Africa. The interviews explored the participants' experiences, perceptions, and challenges related to stuttering and its impact on career advancement. The interviews were conducted virtually, recorded in audio format, and transcribed for analysis. The study revealed the multifaceted impact of stuttering on career advancement emphasizing the profound awareness of the condition rooted in childhood experiences and associating it with nervousness or pressure. Career challenges varied, with some facing obstacles in interviews, while others asserted that stuttering did not impede their professional growth. Post-disclosure, the majority reported a supportive workplace atmosphere,with rare instances of bias.This research supports business practices by raising awareness of the challenges PWS face in the workplace and advocating for inclusive policies, equal opportunities,and supportive environmentsItem How Undergraduate Students at the University of Witwatersrand Make Meaning of Non -Disclosure of Suicidal Ideation(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2022-07) Mboweni, Ntwanano Harnelly Charmain; Jithoo, VinithaThe self-concealment of suicidality poses a significant threat to the well-being of university students around the globe. Suicidal concealment greatly exacerbates emotional and psychological distress within this cohort and unabated leads to a suicide death. Suicidality concealment within the university student population presents a perplexing and unique problem to university stakeholders, clinicians, and researchers. University students are in proximity to psychological care that is freely offered on university campuses, and yet more than half of students who contemplate and eventually die by suicide do not take up these services. Even more vexing is that students choose to deny and conceal suicidal distress from intimate support networks. There is an undeniable need to explore the factors that influence students’ decision to conceal suicidal ideation as well as the factors that facilitate disclosure of suicidality within this population. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach the present study explored understanding of concealment concerning suicidal ideation among university students. It focussed on understanding the personal narratives and lived experiences that motivate students to conceal their suicidal thoughts, feelings, and intentions. Focus groups were used to make sense of students’ understanding and meaning making of suicidal thoughts and why talking about suicidal desires is so challenging. The study concluded that suicide and concealment among university students are multifaceted. The reasons for concealing suicidal thoughts reflect both internal motivations, such as feelings of shame, helplessness, feeling isolated, and mental health concerns, and external motivations, such as fear of consequences that may result from telling others. Attitudinal factors, such as being a burden to others, stigma and its consequences, lack of perceived need for help, mistrust, and desire to be self-reliant, emerged more frequently than structural factors, such as lack of access to help. Additionally, several reasons unique to university life, such as academic competence, performance-related anxiety, financial difficulties, and a sense of belonging, emerged. Student voices echoed the need for mental health and suicide literacy programs and greater cohesiveness and a sense of belonging within the university community could encourage greater engagement with emotional distress.Item Evaluation of the JSE’s environmental reporting requirements of South African listed companies(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Hariram, Viratha; Schwaibold, UteThrough its mandatory environmental reporting requirements, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) plays a pivotal role in the private sector to align to Environmental, Social and Governance frameworks and disclose information of a company’s environmental priorities and performance in addressing areas of concern. While there are attempts to safeguard the environment from damage and degradation, it is unclear if this framework is suitable at appropriately addressing the environmental areas of concern facing South Africa. In order to evaluate the JSE’s environmental requirements on listed companies, this study aimed to identify the local and global environmental priorities via the South African State of Environment Outlook Report (local view), National Development Plan (local view) and Sustainable Development Goals (global view) and thereafter determine if the Global Reporting Initiative, the only set of mandatory environmental requirements of the JSE, was adequately addressing the indicators they outlined. Furthermore, using a scoring system from zero to four, the study evaluated the alignment of ten randomly selected JSE listed companies against the requirements of the Global Reporting Initiative to note their level of adherence and alignment to the South African State of Environment Outlook Report, National Development Plan and Sustainable Development Goals. The results indicate that the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) covers 73% of environmental priorities discussed in the South African State of Environment Outlook Report, National Development Plan and Sustainable Development Goals. Of the total 74 indicators of environmental concern identified from the three reports, the GRI did not require disclosure for 20 indicators. Only three indicators that were required to be disclosed by the GRI had scored a four on the rating scale due to it being an integrated disclosure that takes into account one or more other related environmental categories. The evaluation of the sampled listed company’s adherence to the GRI via their sustainability reports and integrated annual reports indicated that none of the companies had provided sufficient disclosures to meet the requirements of the GRI. 80% of the sampled listed companies made a strong alignment to the Sustainable Development Goals in their sustainability reports and / or integrated annual reports. A shortcoming of the JSE that was stated by all four sustainability experts interviewed was the lack of enforcement for listed companies to make quality and comprehensive disclosures or accountability expected from listed companies. There is no formal process of review or consequences for listed companies who do not comply.