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Influence of capital elements on happiness in South Africa.
(2024) Danka, Fathima.; Mahadea, Darma.; Dobreva, Ralitza Vassileva.
Happiness is a universal goal sought after by individuals and policymakers. Most studies on happiness have been conducted in developed countries and have examined life satisfaction primarily from the perspective of financial wealth. However, not many studies have been conducted in developing countries and in the economic context of a broader capital set. Hence, this study investigates the influence of financial, human, and social and spiritual capital on happiness, in the context of South Africa, as a post-apartheid developing economy. South African nationally representative data pertaining to capital elements and individuals’ socio-economic attributes are extracted from the second wave of the National Income Dynamics Study (NIDS), conducted in 2010/2011.
The study initially uses Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to measure financial, human, and social and spiritual capital as latent variables. After assessing the reliability of the capital factors and the model fit, a measure for each of the three types of capital is generated based on the PCA results. An ordered probit model is then adopted to determine the influence of the diverse capital elements on happiness, controlling for age, race, gender, employment status, type of region where the individual resides, and the number of children under 7 years of age, who live in the
individual’s household.
The PCA results show that the financial capital index is closely related to household income per capita, household expenditure per capita, and the ownership of durable assets. The human capital index is strongly linked to literacy in English, educational attainment, and computer literacy, while the social and spiritual capital index is rooted in the relations inside and outside the household, reflected in experiences of violence and crime in the neighbourhood, as well as in trust. The ordered probit regression results indicate that statistically significant positive relationships exist between all capital elements and happiness. Human capital has the strongest relationship with happiness, followed by financial, and social and spiritual capital. Overall, the results suggest that all diverse capital elements can make a difference in enhancing people’s happiness.
The impact of coronavirus pandemic to small, medium and micro enterprises : a case of Umgungundlovu District Municipality.
(2024) Magaga, Iviwe.; Vilakazi, Blessing Fika Mlondi.
The aim of the study was to axamine the impact of Covid-19 pandemic on small, medium and micro enterprises (SMME’s), using Umgungundlovu District as a case study. In South Africa, SMMEs employ more than 80% of the workforce and have been integral towards the development of South Africa, employment creation and poverty alleviation. The Covid-19 pandemic, however, presented some opportunities and challenges to these SMMEs. Hence this study sought to examine the impact, challenges and opportunities faced by these SMMEs, as well as proffer recommendations on how SMMEs can be supported to deal with future unforeseen challenges such as Covid-19 pandemic. A qualitative approach was taken where data was gathered using semi-structured interviews and analysed using thematic analysis. A sample of 12 participants was selected from the target population that included SMME owners/managers in uMgungundlovu district of KwaZulu-Natal. The findings of the study highlight the impact of COVID-19 on SMMEs, revealing widespread closures and economic setbacks. The decline in SMMEs, particularly during Q3 2020, is a global trend. The study also highlights the interconnectedness of SMMEs with broader economic trends, with financial constraints and supply chain disruptions being major challenges. Opportunities for SMMEs during COVID-19 include the adoption of digital tools, social media marketing, and strategic alliances. However, challenges like the digital gap and the need for enhanced skills highlight areas for improvement. The findings emphasise the need for holistic support mechanisms and policy interventions to bolster SMMEs' resilience in post-pandemic recovery efforts. The study recommended providing targeted financial support, enhancing digital readiness, strengthening collaboration and networking, as well as developing crisis management strategies. Future
studies were recommended to focus on the long-term effects of the pandemic on SMMEs, socio-economic impact of SMMEs, as well as resilience-building strategies for SMMEs.
Emotional pain in context: a focus on young adults' emotional experiences following relationship breakup.
(2023) Ohenewa, Esther.; Meyer-Weitz, Anna.
Background: Social relationships contribute significantly to young adults’ well-being, and relationship breakups are likely to result in emotional pain and suicidal behaviours. Yet emotional pain as a construct has received little attention in the African context. The quantitative study investigated the relatedness of selected psychosocial variables and the differences in sociodemographic variables in relation to indicators of mental health,protective factors and coping strategies following relationship breakup among young adults. Based on the findings of the quantitative study, the qualitative study explored the experiences of emotional pain following relationship breakup among young adults and its impact on their mental health and well-being as well as coping strategies used.
Methods: A sequential explanatory mixed-method was employed in which a quantitative cross-sectional survey was followed by a qualitative study. The conveniently sampled participants for the survey were young adults from a tertiary institution in Ghana (n = 330). Young adults (n = 16) were sampled purposively for in-depth interviews for the qualitative study. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics. Further, the relationship between variables was established using the Pearson Product Moment Correlation and Chi Square tests, Mean tests were used to test the mean score differences between groups on the measure used. Standard Multiple Regression and Hierarchical Multiple Regression was used to assess the best predictors of emotional pain and suicidal behaviours while Hayes SPSS Process Macro was used to test for mediating variables of mental health, protective factors, and coping strategies between emotional pain, psychological distress and mental wellbeing. The Interpretive Phenomenology Analysis (IPA) was used in analysing the qualitative data.
Results: Quantitative findings revealed that participants experienced suicidal behaviours following relationship breakup, particularly for romantic relationships. A significant positive relationship between unbearable emotional pain and poor mental health outcomes was noted. Protective factors such as emotional pain awareness, and emotional display and effective coping strategies significantly lessened these. Participants who experienced romantic relationship breakup reported a higher level of unbearable emotional pain, psychological distress, and greater risk of suicide while those who reported interrelationship breakup had a higher level of emotional awareness. Females were more forgiving and used more active coping strategies following relationship breakup. Active coping and disengagement coping were significant mediators in the relationship between unbearable emotional pain and mental well-being. Active coping, disengagement coping, unbearable emotional pain, and emotional suppression were significant mediators in the relationship between psychological distress and mental well-being. Emotional pain awareness only mediated the relationship between psychological distress and unbearable emotional pain. The qualitative finding revealed that emotional pain was conceptualized as physical or psychological distress among participants. Also, both personal and socio-cultural factors contributed to the experience of emotional pain in the event of a relationship breakup. The experience of emotional pain was perceived to have a physical and emotional impact. Finally,emotion- and problem- focused coping strategies were employed in dealing with the experience of emotional pain following relationship breakup.
Conclusion and Recommendation: The findings of this study have delineated a pathway to poor mental health and well-being as well as suicidal behaviours. Relationship breakup lessens mental health and well-being and increases suicidal risk and behaviours. Emotional pain awareness, emotional expression and one’s coping strategies could protect mental health following relationship breakup. Psychosocial support including therapy should foster greater emotional awareness, expression and coping strategies. Finally, intervention programmes should be holistic focusing on mental health promotion education regarding managing relationship breakup and skills building in positive coping strategies for mental distress to improve the wellbeing of young adults facing relationship breakdown and general mental distress.
Struggle songs and collective identity.
(2024) Khuzwayo, Bukelwa Fundiswa.; Ndlazi, Adelaide Nozipho.
This qualitative study aimed to explore the role of struggle songs in constructing a collective identity for students who sing struggle songs during student protests. This study was guided by the objective to explore how the discourse strategies employed in struggle songs currently sung by student activists in South Africa are used to construct their collective identities. The theoretical foundations of this study were based on the Afrocentric paradigm, specifically the Afrocentric framework of personhood. A social constructivist research paradigm was adopted in this study. The data in this study was collected through a purposive sampling of N=21 videos of struggle songs available on the YouTube platform from 2015 to 2022. A political discourse analysis (van Dijk, 1997) was used to analyse the data in this research.
The research findings indicated that struggle songs are a form of political discourse with discursive strategies that construct the collective identities of the students who sing them. The study found that these discursive strategies included topics, textual schemata, local semantics, lexicon, syntax, rhetoric, expression structures and speech acts. The study found that the struggle songs discursively construct the students' collective identities based on their sense of community belonging, unity, and connection with apartheid activists. This research found that today, discursive strategies are used in struggle songs to construct the student's social, political, communal, racial and socioeconomic collective identities. The findings of this study
collaborated with the Afrocentric framework of personhood through the notion that the conceptualisation of a person, their behaviour, and motivations are based on their community existence, unity of being and relation to others. The study's conclusions will be helpful to the government, institutions of higher learning, university management, and, more importantly, the student activists who sing the struggle songs and future students and student activists who will be singing the struggle songs in the near future.
Investigating the impact of artificial intelligence on human resource management in a manufacturing company in Durban, South Africa.
(2024) Rajcoomar, Avikar.; Chummun, Bibi Zaheenah.; Proches, Cecile Gerwel.
The study investigated the adoption, implementation, and impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Human Resource Management (HRM) within a Durban, South Africa, manufacturing company. Following a qualitative research approach by conducting semi-structured interviews, the study, as per its research objectives, examines three areas: the current state of AI adoption, opportunities and challenges of implementation, and AI's impact on critical HRM functions. The study found that AI adoption in Durban's manufacturing industry is still in its early stages, with a significant technology deficit compared to global business. Three major areas of AI use was discovered: formalised recruitment and selection processes, administrative automation, and unofficial usage of generative AI tools by Human Resources (HR) professionals. The study found that adoption rates vary greatly depending on organisational size and resource availability, with large multinational corporations having higher implementation rates. Opportunities for AI applications include increased HR process efficiency, improved recruitment outcomes, and data-driven decision-making skills. However, challenges include concerns about accuracy and reliability, adherence to South Africa's Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), and cultural sensitivity. Ethical considerations were critical when implementing AI; Data protection, human oversight, and transparency in AI implementation are significant factors. The study revealed AI's considerable impact on four HRM functions: recruitment and selection, performance management, learning and development, and employee engagement. The shift from traditional monthly reviews to continuous, data-driven assessments marks a fundamental change in performance management approaches. The research emphasised the necessity of encouraging positive attitudes towards AI adoption through open communication, openness, and comprehensive training programs. The study contributes to understanding AI integration in HRM within South African manufacturing. It provides valuable insights for organisations planning to implement AI solutions while considering their unique contextual challenges and opportunities.