Internationally, a rise in plagiarism by academics has been reported. The objective of the present study was to examine the extent of plagiarism in articles appearing in 19 South African management ...journals published in 2016 and to compare the findings to a study undertaken in 2015 using 2011 data from the same 19 journals. This study progresses the debate around academic ethics and academic integrity in the country – a topic, thus far, that has received little research attention. A total of 454 published articles were submitted through the similarity detection software Turnitin™. High and excessive similarity was identified and over 80% of submissions evidenced similarity in excess of 9%. University administrators, journal editors and publishers, and the South African Department of Higher Education and Training are alerted to this plagiarism that undermines the academic pursuit. This awareness is particularly important as faculty serve as role models to students. Measures should thus be taken to ensure that faculty provide sound role models as ethical researchers.Significance: • Plagiarism is an ongoing and increasing problem and is particularly concerning when faculty themselves plagiarise, as it impacts institutional integrity and culture, and negatively influences role modelling for students. • The present study highlights the increase in plagiarism in the field of management and alerts other fields of academia to this problem. • University administrators and journal editors and publishers are reminded about the roles they can play to address plagiarism.
Evidence suggests that many perimenopausal and early postmenopausal women will experience menopausal symptoms; hot flushes are the most common. Symptoms caused by fluctuating levels of oestrogen may ...be alleviated by hormone therapy (HT), but a marked global decline in its use has resulted from concerns about the risks and benefits of HT. Consequently, many women are seeking alternatives. As large numbers of women are choosing not to take HT, it is increasingly important to identify evidence-based lifestyle modifications that have the potential to reduce vasomotor menopausal symptoms.
To examine the effectiveness of any type of exercise intervention in the management of vasomotor symptoms in symptomatic perimenopausal and postmenopausal women.
Searches of the following electronic bibliographic databases were performed to identify randomised controlled trials (RCTs): Cochrane Menstrual Disorders and Subfertility Group Specialised Trials Register, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (Wiley Internet interface), MEDLINE (Ovid), EMBASE (Ovid), PsycINFO (Ovid), the Science Citation Index and the Social Science Citation Index (Web of Science), the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) (Ovid) and SPORTDiscus. Searches include findings up to 3 March 2014.
RCTs in which any type of exercise intervention was compared with no treatment/control or other treatments in the management of menopausal vasomotor symptoms in symptomatic perimenopausal/postmenopausal women.
Five studies were deemed eligible for inclusion. Two review authors independently selected the studies, and three review authors independently extracted the data. The primary review outcome was vasomotor symptoms, defined as hot flushes and/or night sweats. We combined data to calculate standardised mean differences (SMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Statistical heterogeneity was assessed using the I(2) statistic. We assessed the overall quality of the evidence for main comparisons using GRADE (Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation) methods.
We included five RCTs (733 women) comparing exercise with no active treatment, exercise with yoga and exercise with HT. The evidence was of low quality: Limitations in study design were noted, along with inconsistency and imprecision. In the comparison of exercise versus no active treatment (three studies, n = 454 women), no evidence was found of a difference between groups in frequency or intensity of vasomotor symptoms (SMD -0.10, 95% CI -0.33 to 0.13, three RCTs, 454 women, I(2) = 30%, low-quality evidence). Nor was any evidence found of a difference between groups in the frequency or intensity of vasomotor symptoms when exercise was compared with yoga (SMD -0.03, 95% CI -0.45 to 0.38, two studies, n = 279 women, I(2) = 61%, low-quality evidence). It was not possible to include one of the trials in the meta-analyses; this trial compared three groups: exercise plus soy milk, soy milk only and control; results favoured exercise relative to the comparators, but study numbers were small. One trial compared exercise with HT, and the HT group reported significantly fewer flushes in 24 hours than the exercise group (mean difference 5.8, 95% CI 3.17 to 8.43, 14 participants). None of the trials found evidence of a difference between groups with respect to adverse effects, but data were very scanty.
Evidence was insufficient to show whether exercise is an effective treatment for vasomotor menopausal symptoms. One small study suggested that HT is more effective than exercise. Evidence was insufficient to show the relative effectiveness of exercise when compared with HT or yoga.
Women commonly seek medical advice about menopausal symptoms. Although menopausal hormone therapy is the most effective treatment, many women prefer non-pharmacological treatments, such as physical ...activity. The effectiveness of physical activity has been inconclusive when assessed by randomised controlled trials, and it remains unclear how women feel about it as a possible treatment approach. The aim of the study was to explore symptomatic menopausal women's views and experiences of physical activity as a treatment for vasomotor and other menopausal symptoms.
An in-depth qualitative study was embedded within a randomised controlled trial that assessed the effectiveness of physical activity as a treatment for vasomotor menopausal symptoms in previously inactive vasomotor symptomatic women. Participants were randomised to one of two physical activity interventions or a usual care group. Both physical activity interventions involved two one-to-one consultations, plus either supporting materials or access to physical activity support groups, over 6 months. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 purposively selected participants from all three trial groups after they had completed trial follow-up. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed by constant comparison.
All participants talked positively about physical activity as a treatment for their menopausal symptoms, with most reporting participation had improved their hot flushes and night sweats. They reported that they had experienced improved sleep, physical health and psychological well-being. Those who received the physical activity plus social-support intervention reported their ability to cope with their menopausal symptoms had improved. Many participants commented that they would prefer doctors to discuss physical activity as a possible treatment for their hot flushes and night sweats, before offering medication.
Based on the views and experiences of the women who participated in this study, healthcare professionals should continue discussing physical activity as a potential first treatment option with menopausal women. Furthermore, healthcare professionals should ensure they prepare, support, and encourage these women both physically and emotionally.
ISRCTN ISRCTN06495625 Registered 10/11/2010.
Internationally, student plagiarism is on the rise despite measures introduced by universities to detect its occurrence and to institute actions to prevent and address this practice. One of the ...reasons that contributes to this problem is the reluctance of faculty to report student plagiarism. Through the medium of a disguised South African case study, this paper advances reasons to explain this oversight. Such reasons include psychological discomfort, opportunity costs, administrative bureaucracy and a prevailing culture of managerialism. Recommendations are furnished to faculty alerting them to practices of which they must be aware when intending to report student plagiarism. Recommendations are also proposed to university leaders and administrators with regard for the need to support faculty who report student plagiarism.
Purpose - The overall objective of the study was to track, over a two-year period, the reported incidences of corporate governance transgressions at five strategic South African state-owned ...enterprises (SOEs).Design methodology approach - Transgressions for each SOE were documented against the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's framework of best practice in governance for SOEs by reviewing annual reports and newspaper article citations over a two-year period.Findings - While political intervention in the operational running of each SOE is apparent, government appears not to have fulfilled its oversight role of ensuring the sound governance of SOEs according to best practices. While the SOEs appear to comply with external governance demands, compliance to internal, self-regulated governance appears to be lacking.Research limitations implications - The use of annual reports and media reports to document governance practices are open to subjectivity. The broader extrapolation of findings based on five SOEs must be undertaken with caution.Practical implications - The present study alerts government to potential areas of corporate governance practices at South African SOEs that warrant attention. As South Africa has recently joined the BRICS bloc of developing countries, the findings from the present study could afford a starting point for future comparative study among this group of countries, which appears to evidence similar challenges with regard to governance within their SOEs.Originality value - The present study begins to elevate the debate on corporate governance at South African SOEs from public rhetoric to a deeper understanding of the nature of the major problems that warrant attention. Although limited in scope, the study contributes to the scarce academic literature on public sector corporate governance in Africa in general, and in the South African SOE sector in particular.
The purpose of the study was to gather information on perceptions of the current governance practices in shelters in South Africa and put forward recommendations to professionalise the sector at ...board/committee level. Through semi-structured interviews, this qualitative study sought out the views of 16 participants, both at board/committee and at operational levels, at companion animal shelters. The main findings indicate inconsistencies and flaws in the governance fabric in this sector, and point to the need for a coherent set of basic governance standards suitable for shelters. This study makes a contribution to the companion animal welfare sector by offering the first formal study into governance in this domain, and provides a foundation from which future research can be leveraged.
Orientation: The loss of high-potential employees was a concern to leaders at a South African development finance company. The research question that guided the study was: How can high-potential ...employees be retained in the company? Research purpose: The objective of the study was to identify factors that positively impact the retention of high-potential employees in a development finance company. Motivation for the study: The organisation that comprised the unit of study had prioritised employee development to retain high-potential employees, thereby aiming to build a strong talent pipeline and a sustainable knowledge base. A prevalent concern was that there were no formal retention programmes for high-potential employees. Accordingly, organisational leaders could benefit from understanding those retention factors that may serve to retain such employees. Research design, approach and method: A qualitative methodology promoted a deeper understanding of a social problem through a case study. Eleven purposefully chosen highpotential employees provided insights into factors they considered to be important in their retention. A content analysis of the data resulted in clusters of themes that addressed the research objective. Main findings: The following factors appeared to influence the retention of high-potential employees: leadership and organisational culture, organisational purpose, developmental opportunities, meaningful work and collegiality. Practical and managerial implications: Leaders in the company should consider factors that could influence the retention of high-potential employees. Such factors should be built into formal retention strategies based on the intrinsic needs of employees; the strengths that the organisational culture provides could be leveraged in this regard. Contribution: The practical value of the study was the highlighting of the factors that can be leveraged to retain high-potential employees in a development finance company.
We investigated the pharmacology of three novel compounds, Org 27569 (5-chloro-3-ethyl-1H-indole-2-carboxylic acid 2-(4-piperidin-1-yl-phenyl)-ethyl-amide), Org 27759 ...(3-ethyl-5-fluoro-1H-indole-2-carboxylic acid 2-94-dimethylamino-phenyl)-ethyl-amide), and Org 29647 (5-chloro-3-ethyl-1H-indole-2-carboxylic acid (1-benzyl-pyrrolidin-3-yl)-amide, 2-enedioic acid salt), at the cannabinoid CB1 receptor. In equilibrium binding assays, the Org compounds significantly increased the binding of the CB1 receptor agonist 3HCP 55,940 (1R,3R,4R)-3-2-hydroxy-4-(1,1-dimethylheptyl)phenyl-4-(3-hydroxypropyl)cyclohexan-1-ol, indicative of a positively cooperative allosteric effect. The same compounds caused a significant, but incomplete, decrease in the specific binding of the CB1 receptor inverse agonist 3HSR 141716A N-(piperidin-1-yl)-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-methyl-1H-pyrazole-3-carboximide hydrochloride, indicative of a limited negative binding cooperativity. Analysis of the data according to an allosteric ternary complex model revealed that the estimated affinity of each Org compound was not significantly different when the radioligand was 3HCP 55,940 or 3HSR 141716A. However, the estimated cooperatively factor for the interaction between modulator and radioligand was greater than 1 when determined against 3HCP 55,940 and less than 1 when determined against 3HSR 141716A. 3HCP 55,940 dissociation kinetic studies also validated the allosteric nature of the Org compounds, because they all significantly decreased radioligand dissociation. These data suggest that the Org compounds bind allosterically to the CB1 receptor and elicit a conformational change that increases agonist affinity for the orthosteric binding site. In contrast to the binding assays, however, the Org compounds behaved as insurmountable antagonists of receptor function; in the reporter gene assay, the guanosine 5'-O-(3-35Sthio)triphosphate binding assay and the mouse vas deferens assay they elicited a significant reduction in the Emax value for CB1 receptor agonists. The data presented clearly demonstrate, for the first time, that the cannabinoid CB1 receptor contains an allosteric binding site that can be recognized by synthetic small molecule ligands.
The study explored the nature of publicly identified corporate governance transgressions relating to deals designed to promote black economic empowerment (BEE) at 22 South African mining companies. A ...review of South African English language newspaper articles was undertaken for the period 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2011. Reported transgressions were assessed against a framework developed from relevant codes and legislation. Political interference/nepotism/fronting was the most-cited category of behaviour promoting governance transgressions, followed by fraud/ structuring of controversial BEE deals, and mismanagement/negligence. Public concern about governance of BEE deals in the mining sector and, accordingly, about the contribution of BEE to the broad socio-economic upliftment of historically disadvantaged South Africans, is highlighted.
Orientation: Over a period of 6 years, a South African pharmaceutical company had been involved in several mergers and acquisitions. These changes had proved difficult for staff and staff attrition ...had risen. Research purpose: The objective of the study was to explore the perceptions of senior managers about the impact of change on the psychological contract. The sub-objectives were to determine what organisational factors contribute to changes in the psychological contract during periods of change, and the implications of the breach of the psychological contract for the company and its employees. Motivation for the study: As the company was set to embark on further mergers and acquisitions, the opinions of senior managers about how such changes should be addressed are important for the company. Research design, approach and method: A case study approach was used in this qualitative study. The population comprised 60 senior managers of whom 12 were purposefully selected for inclusion in the study. A semistructured interview schedule was used to capture the views of these managers and themes were extracted by means of content analysis. Main findings: Seven themes emerged which encapsulated the perceptions of senior managers about the impact of change on the psychological contract during periods of mergers and acquisitions – lack of communication, an absence of planning, lack of employee engagement, less than optimal human resources involvement, lack of preparation of the organisational culture and poor change management processes. These factors need to be addressed to strengthen the psychological contract of employees during periods of change. Practical/managerial implications: The study highlighted areas that leaders and managers of the company should consider when embarking on mergers and acquisitions if the psychological contract of employees is not to be negatively impacted. Contribution: While caution must be exercised in the generalisation of the findings, companies in the same industry or those in other industries could use the findings as points of departure for considering the elements that should be addressed in change initiatives.
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