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The sustainability of higher education institutions is affected various things, particularly by student satisfaction and the financial stability of the institution. An analysis of student attrition and retention plays a vital role in assessing the sustainability of a higher education institution. Using suitable analysis techniques to do success profiling of prospective and current students is crucial for students and institutions alike. Success/risk estimation is essential for any higher education institution (HEI), because determining such factors can assist higher education institutions in fulfilling their obligation to provide support, guidance and interventions for their prospective and existing students. Strategic decisions in this regard, by both students and institutions, should be based on valid and reliable profiles. The validation of established profiles increases the accuracy of existing profiles and increases the efficiency of institutional strategic planning. This article reports on the validation of a success profile for first year Accounting students established by the authors of this article in an earlier study in an open and distance learning (ODL) environment at the University of South Africa.

Presents an overview of the timeshare industry in South Africa. Gives special attention to the reasons why the industry continues to grow, despite major failures. Emphasis is placed on the creation of the property trust in which the timeshare properties are registered with the timeshare investors as beneficiaries. Concludes that the growth of the timeshare market in South Africa is attributed to the corrective measures and bona fide intentions of the current operators.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the moderating effect of organizational policy on the relationship between online social networking (OSN) and job performance of IT professionals engaged full‐time in offshore outsourced IT firms in Sri Lanka.

Survey methodology was used and a random sample of 215 respondents who fulfilled the selection criteria set for the study, responded. To examine the hypothesized relationships, factor analysis and multiple regression were used.

It was found that individuals engaged in online social networking while at work enjoy several benefits such as solving work‐related problems collaboratively. However, individuals also suffer from several drawbacks, which could be mainly categorized into two in terms of interference to job tasks and interference to workplace. Further, it was found that online social networking has significant effects on individual job performance; organizational policy moderates the relationship between online social networking and job performance.

Although online social networking has attracted a substantial amount of media attention over the last few years empirical research attempts have not taken off worldwide. Therefore, the influence of online social networking on employee job performance would be of interest to academics and practitioners worldwide. It is expected that the findings of this study will provide insight into benefits, challenges and issues associated with OSN to allow individuals, organizational leaders, and IT decision‐makers to better understand and utilize online social structures for success. Further, it is expected that the findings of this study will be a source of general guidance in stimulating future research in this area.

There is increasing international concern about the escalation of fraud and, in particular, financial statement fraud. Detecting financial statement fraud and proving such fraud remains an elusive goal. Red flagging is an early warning system that has been used by auditors to determine the probability of financial statement fraud. The purpose of this research project was to survey investors and lenders in South Africa on their use of red flags and to obtain their opinions on the relative importance of individual red flags. A questionnaire was sent to banks that are registered with the Registrar of Banks (representative of lenders) and to portfolio managers registered with the Financial Services Board (representative of investors). The research findings indicate that lenders and investors in South Africa appear to be aware of the benefits of red flagging as an early warning system. A structured approach (questionnaires/checklists) in using them is to be lacking at present. Respondents rated all red flags in the questionnaire as being important. No distinction was discernable among the different categories that were based on the nature of red flags.

The aim of the paper is to locate the role of social and emotional support during the school‐to‐work transitions of apprentices, within the Australian vocational education and training context.

The research reported here is based on an independent evaluation of an apprentice suicide prevention and support program. This program has been implemented in rural and regional Australia, and findings highlight the program's retention of key messages in the long‐term (i.e. 6 months to 2 years post‐completion). The work is based on both quantitative questionnaires from 119 apprentices as well as 18 face‐to‐face interviews.

The research showed that apprentices’ resilience to face school‐to‐work transitional challenges can be enhanced by increasing knowledge of suicide risk factors and sources of social and emotional support had increased. Findings indicate that a number of apprentices had made significant changes in their lives as a result of participating in the program. While 10 per cent of apprentices identify as “socially isolated”, it was encouraging to note that peer support, as a result of the program, can be considered an informal referral point to formal help‐provision and support.

While the program has been successfully applied to building and construction industry apprentices, there is overlap in school‐to‐work transition issues of other types of apprenticeships/traineeships; this merits consideration of wider application of apprentice support programs within the Australian vocational education sector.

This paper draws together a focus on school‐to‐work vulnerabilities and social‐emotional support (similar to that found in youth development programs) as it can be applied to the vocational education and training sector.

The ability to simulate the effects of process technology on final product circuits has become virtually indispensable in modern VLSI production. It is especially significant as a toot for controlling parametric yield by appropriate design centering and in determining the sensitivity of the electrical parameters to process control tolerances. The system demands the combined use of process simulation device simulation and circuit simulation all three of which rely heavily on computationally intensive numerical solution of partial differential equations. The severe computational overhead involved in ‘technology simulation TCAD)’ means it is generally expensive and limits the scope of statistical design centering and optimisation, which depend on a large number of simulations. A compromise solution is often resorted to by limiting simulation to one or two spatial dimensions, replacing numerical simulation by analytical approximations as implemented in the statistical process simulator: FABRICS 11, or combining numerical and analytical models as in the process/device simulator PRIDE.) This paper addresses the problem of simpler, higher efficiency TCAD evaluation by restricting the domain of the simulation and approximating the process/device characteristic relationship by a set of simple, computationally efficient empirical equations. These equations offer a high speed solution at the expense of decreasing accuracy away from the nominal process centre. Referred to as a ‘response surface model’, it is generated using the results of a small number of statistically designed TCAD simulations. As the process sample is centred around the nominal design parameters, the model can be used to statistically analyze the effects of process perturbations.

This paper aims to present a methodology for the detection and categorisation of metal powder particles that are partially attached to additively manufactured lattice structures. It proposes a software algorithm to process micro computed tomography (µCT) image data, thereby providing a systematic and formal basis for the design and certification of powder bed fusion lattice structures, as is required for the certification of medical implants.

This paper details the design and development of a software algorithm for the analysis of µCT image data. The algorithm was designed to allow statistical probability of results based on key independent variables. Three data sets with a single unique parameter were input through the algorithm to allow for characterisation and analysis of like data sets.

This paper demonstrates the application of the proposed algorithm with three data sets, presenting a detailed visual rendering derived from the input image data, with the partially attached particles highlighted. Histograms for various geometric attributes are output, and a continuous trend between the three different data sets is highlighted based on the single unique parameter.

This paper presents a novel methodology for non-destructive algorithmic detection and categorisation of partially attached metal powder particles, of which no formal methods exist. This material is available to download as a part of a provided GitHub repository.

This study explores the factors affecting the results obtained by Southern African students in the professional qualification examinations of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA). Thirteen variables were identified and included in a questionnaire sent to CIMA students. It was found that three variables were significantly associated with examination success: age, tuition and study material. Younger candidates, candidates who attended part‐time tuition classes and candidates who used the textbooks published by BPP were more successful. Trends were also detected regarding gender, the number of papers written, and examination attempts: females tended to outperform males, candidates had a smaller chance of passing all the papers they sat if they took on more papers at a time, and first‐time candidates had a higher tendency to pass than repeat candidates. Opportunities for further research are discussed.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate challenges faced by and opportunities open to women entrepreneurs in Botswana and how entrepreneurship education can boost their knowledge and skills of doing business profitably and contribute to women empowerment.

In total, 400 women entrepreneurs of different ages, educational levels and from trades and different geographical locations were selected using a stratified random sampling procedure to participate in the study from ten towns and cities in the country. A structured questionnaire that used a five-point Likert scale was used for data collection. One-way ANOVA, regression analysis and descriptive statistics were used as tools for data analysis.

Findings showed that women entrepreneurs faced a complex web of challenges among which were access to finance, lack of training leading to lack of technical skills, lack of knowledge of sources of financing and technical support, high competition in the market, marginalisation of women and lack of knowledge of marketing strategies. The key findings were that while women entrepreneurs faced a number of challenges, the legal and regulatory environment in Botswana was highly conducive and supportive of women entrepreneurship and also that customised entrepreneurship education and training offered opportunities for women entrepreneurs to enhance their knowledge and technical skills.

The study only used a quantitative approach to collect data. It could have perhaps been more enriching if a mixed-methods approach were used to help probe the participants more. The study also only used women entrepreneurs in cities and towns. Perhaps, it could have also got some women entrepreneurs from rural areas to hear what they say. These limitations will be addressed in future studies.

Practical implications of the study are that women entrepreneurs need more training in business entrepreneurship for them to gain more knowledge and skills; finance houses become more accommodating to women entrepreneurship they could help in the empowerment of these people as they show potential in their businesses; and if more pro-women entrepreneurship policies are developed, they could enhance the activities of women entrepreneurs.

Women can perform as much as men in business if given the necessary support.

This study contributes to the body of knowledge on women entrepreneurship as it helped expose challenges women entrepreneurs face as well as opportunities for them to take advantage of and improve their business operations.

The purpose of this study is identifying and ranking the various antecedents or enablers that will enhance performance through employee suggestion schemes (ESSs) in various sector-specific businesses based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), an emerging Arab country.

This study employs the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to prioritize the factors affecting ESS. The AHP model was developed with five criteria and 24 subcriteria based on the interactional theory of organizational creativity. Data were collected through interviews with 27 top-level managers and industry experts from nine government agencies, nine semigovernment agencies, and nine privately owned UAE-based businesses.

The findings show that leadership support and management style, individual attributes, and corporate strategy are the most important factors that influence performance through ESS.

The research model had limited dimensions and the findings cannot be generalized. To generalize the findings, the study should be carried out in other GCC countries because of homogeneity in the political, organizational, and sociocultural context. The outcome of the study provides both organizational and managerial implications for the better organizational performance through ESS.

Past studies on ESS have neglected the construct of individual characteristics of employees that generate novel ideas. This paper addresses the gap of sector-specific studies by considering that individual attributes of creative people as individuals are the heart of innovation, along with contextual factors that could help organizations to transform innovative engines through ESS. The originality of this research stems from a reliable and valid framework that can be subsequently used for driving performance through ESS. This study is a relevant contribution to both the academic literature and practical implications.