Browsing by Author "Singh, Vanessa."

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An examination of the dynamics of the family systems on the lives of youth awaiting trial at the Excelsior Place of Safety Secure Care Centre.
(2003) Singh, Vanessa.; Mazibuko, Ntombifikile.
The main aim of the study was an examination of the dynamics of family systems on the lives of youth awaiting trial at the Excelsior Place of Safety that functions as a secure care programme. Secure care is a new concept in South Africa and serves as an alternative to the imprisonment of children awaiting trial. The study identifies the family as central in adolescent development and assumes that there are particular dynamics within family systems that may impact on the lives of youth resulting in deviancy and criminality. The study was based on the philosophy of secure care, Erikson's theory of Adolescent Development, Attachment theory, the Ecosystems and Ecological Strengths-Based Approaches. Twenty-five youth awaiting trial were interviewed at Excelsior. The study found that children who offend come from impoverished communities where the household income is less than the Poverty Datum Line (PDL.) High-risk youth come from women-headed households that lack male role models and have little or no source of income. In these instances where the family cannot provide for the youth's needs that the youth is prone to criminality to satisfy them. The study recommended strengthened intervention strategies to be utilised by all service providers in working with youth at risk and their families. It also recommends the strengthening of the secure care programme to address the needs of awaiting trial youth and to divert youth from the prison environment. The study further suggested that secure care centres that have trained personnel in adolescent development, should undertake more community outreach to also target children and youth in communities.
Managerial competencies in the restaurant business : managers and employees perspectives.
(2008) Singh, Vanessa.; Manion, Gillian Lesley Colenso.
A lack of managerial skills has been cited by many as the cause of small business failure in South Africa. Internal factors are said to be responsible for many of these small business failures. With human capital being undeniably a valuable resource, it has the potential to provide one of the most sustainable competitive advantages in the market place. It is therefore crucial that managers, who are responsible for directing and shaping the organisation possess and constantly improve their competencies because these are crucial factors for success of managers and the business. This study explores multi-rater feedback to gain insight into managerial competencies for the purpose of contributing to managerial development. Comparison of employee and manager self-evaluations can identify gaps or areas requiring improvement as they provide different perspectives on the same phenomena. The degree of consensus/agreement amongst the ratings provides valuable information and assists in identifying possible areas for development. Feedback is critical for self-perception accuracy and self-other agreement and impacts on training and development. This study comprised of 25 managers and 75 employees from the restaurant business and compared their views on managerial competencies. Results showed positive agreement between manager and employee ratings and showed no gender differences in the ratings regarding managerial competencies. Both managers and employees, through the process of upward appraisals, indicated positive feedback towards managerial development in the future. This is encouraging and creates an opportunity for further research and exploration of how this can best be achieved using unconventional approaches.
Pedagogical practices of lecturers in pharmacy education.
(2015) Singh, Vanessa.; Hugo, Wayne.; Essack, Sabiha Yusuf.
The roles and responsibilities of pharmacists have evolved to become more clinical and professional which has implications for pharmacy education and academics’ pedagogical practices. This study explores the pedagogical practices of academics across the undergraduate pharmacy curricula at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), observing, exploring and describing practices with the aim of understanding the rationale for their use. Pedagogical practices are shaped by influences emanating within and beyond pharmacy education at UKZN, from regulatory boards to chalk boards, with the emphasis on the latter in this study. This qualitative research, viewed through the lense of social realism and interpretivism, focuses on pedagogical practices within the pharmacy majors: pharmacology, pharmaceutics, pharmaceutical chemistry and pharmacy care. The study reveals pedagogical similarities and differences amongst and between pharmacy majors and academic years of study and how disciplines, content, knowledge, skills, competencies, values, personal attributes and the profession are inextricably linked. Case-based learning (CBL) is used within several third and fourth year pharmacy majors, and a move towards integration and interprofessional learning (IPL) also emerges. This research contributes to an understanding of pharmacy academics’ practices within a developing context, exploring the underlying structure of pharmacy knowledge, curricula, teaching approaches and strategies and assessment. Pharmacy academics play a crucial role in the process of developing students through education and training to become professional pharmacists and are therefore the focus of this enquiry. Future research endeavours can explore the structure, sequencing and integration of interdisciplinary knowledge and pedagogical approaches, expanding and deepening the understanding of academics’ pedagogical practices within professional curricula.