Research Projects Faculty of Humanities

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An Explorative Study to Describe the Hybrid Effect of Centralised and Decentralised Communication on The Overall Productivity of Organisations
(The IIE, 2017) Houston, Tara
Many organisations believe in the need to choose between having a centralised or decentralised communication System in order to communicate effectively with ones stakeholders and publics (Ven, 1986). Mr Price has managed to overcome this issue by incorporating both communication structures, resulting in a Hybrid Communication System. The research report focuses on the Hybrid Communication System of Mr Price, by taking into account three main themes. The themes consist of the effect on the motivation of the employees within Mr Price, the effect on time management within Mr Price and the contribution to crisis management within Mr Price.
A comparative case study of the strategic internet communication of one local and one international contemporary organisation
(The IIE, 2017) Getkate, Grant
The following study was a comparative case study of the strategic internet communication of one local and one international contemporary organisation. The study was conducted in order to assess the strategic online communication of two organisations operating in retail, in different regions. The study sought to evaluate the ways in which the respective organisations seemingly wished to position themselves towards stakeholders and shareholders of the organisations. The population of the study involved any form of strategic internet-based communication produced by, or about, the chosen organisations. The data collection method for the study was that of desk research, a form of secondary research. Data analysis was conducted by means of content analysis. Interpreted findings noted that both organisations similarly communicated their consumer/customer consideration, their environmental and social consciousness in stated procedures and policies as well as their proud traditions, growth and market leadership. The study aimed to contribute to the strategic organisational communication body of knowledge by employing a comparative case study for structuration of findings. Positioning theory was applied as a theoretical framework through which to view the data and underpin findings. Future studies may seek to combine the use of case studies and positioning theory to analyse strategic communication.
An Exploratory Study of Post-Graduate Students’ Perspectives of the Importance of Personal Branding in the Workplace
(The IIE, 2017) Robert, Simone
How one presents oneself online and offline can have repercussions. If young individuals were more aware of this, they would possibly be able to create and control their personal brand and, therefore, increase their chances of acquiring a job. The purpose of this study is to explore post-graduate students’ perceptions of personal branding and the role it plays in today’s workplaces. This research used a qualitative exploratory research approach to gain a deeper understanding of the students’ perceptions of social media and personal branding and how they possibly influence each other. A case study methodology was used as the foundation for collecting the data from a focus group which comprised of 6 participants. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data, which identified 5 themes: Contextual Factors, Degree of Familiarity, Impressions: Online and Offline Personas, Micromanagement, and Authenticity. It was determined from the research that post-graduate students present themselves consistently online as they do offline because they have learned the importance of creating a unique personal brand. This research was limited in scope and could benefit from enlarging the scale to incorporate post-graduate students studying different degrees to increase the diversity of the responses
A South African exploration into the impact of non-first additional English language barriers in higher education
(The IIE, 2017) Cornelius, Shine
In South African higher education, the most common language used is English. This means that language barriers are present due to the diversity of South Africa. The following research study was a South African exploration into the impact of non-first additional English language barriers in higher education. The aim of this study was to explore the impacts, effects and solutions to non-first additional English language barriers in higher education. The study took the form of Qualitative research, in which an Interpretivist approach was employed. Qualitative data was collected through a focus group interview and made use of a thematic analysis method. The data collected indicated that special education and lecturer training was needed to provide the tools and knowledge necessary to assist students. Furthermore, the data found that student motivation and sociocultural impacts had an impact on learning a new language. The first recommendation made for this study is to further research bilingual education in a higher educational environment. The second recommendation made for this study is to further research into student motivation and how to influence student motivation. The third recommendation made for this study is to further research into the socio-cultural impacts on learning a new language.
An investigation into the effects of psychopathological self-diagnosis on psychology students in South Africa
(The IIE, 2020) Burger, Jessica
South African psychology students undergo a module in psychopathology, which utilises the DSM-V as the nucleus of the subject, here students learn about mental disorders and the criteria that go along with it. The students are then equipped with the information needed to diagnose others and themselves. This study aimed to determine the effects of self-diagnosis on psychology students wellbeing, aiming to assess if having knowledge of mental disorders allowed susceptible students to inherit the symptomologies of the disorder being studied at the time. A sample of 8 students who completed the psychopathology module in South Africa were utilised in order to collect data, this was done by answering a questionnaire, adhering to a qualitative and explorative study. The data was analysed in an inductive manner, employing thematic analysis in order to reveal themes. Findings concluded students do partake in self-diagnosis however, students with a strong sense of identity did not take their diagnosis seriously whereas students who questioned themselves ended up displaying symptoms, leading them to believe they had the disorder. A second conclusion was that majority of the students believed they either had GAD or MDD, revealing that students were overwhelmed and burnt-out, leading them to that diagnosis.
A qualitative study to understand the lived experiences of young adults in intercultural romantic relationships, in Durban
(The IIE, 2020) Candey, Jennifer
South Africa is a culturally diverse country, with the number of people getting into intercultural relationships growing each day (Ntuli, 2012). Previous literature has shown a vast amount of knowledge of the experiences of these couples, however there is a lack of focus within the South African context. Without research focusing on the experiences of young adults in intercultural relationships in South Africa, many people are unaware of the experiences of these intercultural couples. The purpose of this research study is therefore to address this problem by conducting a qualitative study on two young couples in an intercultural relationship, in Durban. The couples took part in an online semistructured interview to discuss their experiences of being in an intercultural relationship. The reason for this method was to allow for a certain degree of openness during the interview. Findings show that the females became assimilated into the dominant culture of their partner and that the men, although having a more dominant culture, had become less strict in the practice of their own culture, and that the experience of gender roles within the relationship were found to be equal amongst both couples.
An exploration of the psychological factors which underpin women’s fear of crime in South Africa
(The IIE, 2020) Lailvaux, Amy
The fear of crime is widely recognised as a complex social phenomenon. Previous research has found that the fear of crime exists independently to the actual probability of becoming a victim to crime (Moller, 2005). This is due to the fact that the anxiety and perceived risk associated with fear of crime seems to remain the same or in some cases, even increase, during times when crime statistics have declined (Moller, 2005). This research study explains the reasons why this is so, by focusing on the psychological factors which underpin women’s fear of crime, namely: vulnerability and one’s perception of the social and physical environment. Data which was collected from an online, qualitative questionnaire has been interpreted in order to provide an in-depth understanding of women’s subjective fear of crime within a South African context, and this also provides an understanding of how this fear of crime leads to consequent fear-related behaviours. The findings from this research may be of value to the many women of South Africa who experience fear of crime on a daily basis, partly due to the impacts of gender-based violence, and partly as a result of other factors which have been explored and discussed.
An Exploration of the Communication Styles of Women in Managerial Positions Based on the Feminine Communication Style in the Workplace
(The IIE, 2020) Claassen, Kayla
The purpose of this study was to understand how women in managerial positions approach communication styles based on the perceived undermining of the feminine communication style in the workplace (Mohindra & Azhar,2012). Women are evaluated more negatively in leadership roles in comparison to men, even if they display masculine leadership characteristics (Jackson, Alberti & Snipers, 2013). Based on these preconceived views women often take on a masculine approach to leadership, but studies have shown that it lowers competence and perceived effectiveness meaning that the use of the masculine communication approach sounds ideal, but when practice by women it is often less successful (Jackson et al., 2013). The researcher that conducted the study drew five females from a sample who fitted the profile of the sample that was needed. A once off in-depth WhatsApp video call interview was conducted to collect the data the researcher required by asking open-ended questions to ensure that all the necessary information was obtained and that there was a good understanding of the participants. The research findings stated that females have more negative experiences than positive with using both the masculine and feminine communication approach to leadership positions due to the stereotyped characteristics that accompany their gender. For this reason, and despite the undermining of the feminine communication approach, females still felt like the qualities of the feminine communication approach helped them get more out of people and continued to use it. The research showed that the core issue is a lack of studies conducted on the success of the feminine communication style, misunderstanding and misinterpreting of genders linguistic styles and the meaning behind it, as opposed to females not having the desired communication approach or being fit for leadership positions.
A Phenomenological Study of Middle-Aged Adults Experiences of Tattoos in the Workplace in Kwa-Zulu Natal
(The IIE, 2020) Cilliers, Taryn
Today, tattoos have gained popularity, especially with regards to middle-aged adults. However, those with tattoos working in white collar sectors are deemed as not portraying a professional work image. Therefore, it is believed that tattoos may hinder one’s progress in the workplace. This research used a qualitative approach where semi-structured Zoom interviews were conducted with three middle-aged adults to describe their experiences of tattoos in the workplace. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data this resulted in five themes with the main theme being the views of tattoos in the workplace. Historically, tattoos were associated with traits such as deviance, rebellion, unprofessionalism, and non-conforming. Due to this, people who had tattoos in the workplace were frowned upon or judged to some extent because of the connotations associated with the tattoos and because of the lack of professionalism they displayed. The view of tattoos is changing, and tattoos have been deemed more acceptable in society due to their popularity and common occurrence. Although the findings suggest that tattoos are becoming more acceptable, there is still slight disapproval of tattoos in the workplace. Therefore, further research would be required to explore this phenomenon.
The role of CSR in Cotton On’s KwaMashu upliftment initiative on Consumer Loyalty in Pretoria
(The IIE, 2020) Loganathan, Tanya Marie
In this study, the researcher sets out to understand the importance of Corporate Social Responsibility and investigate how consumer loyalty impacts the Cotton On Foundation initiative. This plays a vital role in making a difference in the KwaMashu Community by providing quality education through skills development to the youth, by eliminating the circle of poverty. For this research study, a qualitative approach was used to obtain a deeper understanding of the differential opinions of consumer loyalty from the consumers within the Cotton On Group. Three semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather data from the participants to get a clear understanding of the various perspectives QDA Miner Lite, a qualitative analysis program, was used to transcribe the responses from the results reflected that the CSR initiative by Cotton On, creates and develops consumer loyalty as all respondents indicated. They were motivated to purchase more Cotton On Foundation items, more frequently, as a means of giving back to the less fortunate residing in the rural KwaMashu Community. Overall, a better understanding was gained as to why Cotton On consumers chose to remain loyal towards the CSR initiative.
A Qualitative Cross-sectional Study Exploring Why Young Adults Conform To A Social Media Identity In Durban, South Africa
(The IIE, 2020) Brijlal, Chivaan
Technological advancements are frequent and have brought the population around the world closer together. However, this has a drastic effect on how people interact with, and are influenced by each other. This conformation to a social media identity thus puts the wellbeing of young adults at risk. Young adults are constantly being influenced by current trends in social media and to constructing and conforming to a social media identity that impacts their actual life in drastic ways. For example, their physical appearance, self-esteem, personal relationships, and economic status. A qualitative study, using in-depth interviews with three South African participants, was conducted and allowed through thematic analysis participants to provide a more detailed explanation and the ability to clarify the point/position they are trying to make. The study’s findings indicated that social media does indeed have an influence on young adult’s identity formation through various dimensions of their life in line with Tajfel and Turner’s (1986) Social Identity Theory. Moreover, results have indicated that early intervention and teaching is required and advised to be conducted from an early age. This research has added to the body of knowledge through the Indian perspective/lens in Durban, South Africa.
An investigation into gender perceptions of higher education institution students in Nelson Mandela Bay
(The IIE, 2020) Smit, Jessica
Gender interacts with many important aspects of human life, including one’s career paths, social barriers, opportunities, and personal perception. This mixed-methods investigation aims to discover what kinds of gender perceptions 18-25 year-old students (N=16) from higher education institutions (HEIs) in Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB) might have. Furthermore, this investigation aims to define and explain how these factors shape gender perceptions and, in turn, how this influences students’ gender expressions. Different factors and the severity of their influences on gender perceptions and expressions were determined by the compilation of a comprehensive literature review. Each factor was hypothesized in a mixed-methods online questionnaire; respondents were obtained through social media platforms. Respondents demonstrated their gender stereotypes, attitudes, roles, and perceptions in different questions, before indicating which factors and the severity of each one’s influence on their gender perceptions and expressions. Data was analysed by means of descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis. The respondents indicated different factors as holding different levels of influence on their perceptions and expressions. The most prominent factors identified are the parents (81.25%; n=13) of respondents. Additionally, factors such as television and movies (68.75%; n=11) each; and friends, religion, education, social media, and books (62.5%; n=10) each, are deemed influential. Other factors include music and culture (56.25%; n=9) each; communities and celebrities (50%; n=8) each; and family and toys (43.75; n=7) each. The findings of the questionnaire corroborate with research compiled in the literature review: parents, family-inclusive, amongst other factors, plays a crucial role in shaping and maintaining students’ gender perceptions and their resultant expressions.
Modern Love: A quantitative study to determine the correlation between partner phubbing and relationship satisfaction in South African marriages
(The IIE, 2020) Rencken, Nicole
The increase of smartphone users worldwide has created a new phenomenon in society known as partner phubbing. Partner phubbing refers to the behaviour of ignoring one's spouse during a face-to-face interaction to attend to one's smartphone. It was found that studies in South Africa regarding partner phubbing and its impact on relationship satisfaction are limited. This study addressed this gap in existing literature by determining the correlation between partner phubbing and relationship satisfaction in South African marriages. A quantitative design was used in order to study the variables of partner phubbing and relationship satisfaction in South African marriages. 40 married participants completed an online survey which measured these two variables. Results indicated that partner phubbing negatively correlated with relationship satisfaction in South African marriages. The results from this study emphasises the importance of partner phubbing as a phenomenon in South African marriages which warrants further investigation.
A descriptive study of the relationship between listening to music and exercise for South African individuals
(The IIE, 2020) Brown, Emma Luisa
Contemporary literature around the relationship between listening to music and exercise is quantitative and focused on the physiological effects of using music during exercise. There is a lack of literature around the psychological effects and motivation of music-listening in the context of exercise. The purpose of this research study was to gain a qualitative understanding of and expand on the knowledge about the psychological relationship between listening to music and exercise regarding the conditions of intrinsic motivation according to self-determination theory. This study made use of semi-structured interviews as a means of in-depth data collection about the subjective experiences of participants. The sample consisted of one female and two male South African individuals who listen to music when exercising, engage in regular exercise, speak English, and live in Kwa-Zulu Natal. Data was analysed thematically. Significant findings of this study were the perceived psychological effects of listening to music being improved endurance, energy, exercise ability, motivation, mood and mental state, focus, adrenaline, control, confidence, and enjoyability. Moreover, these effects, as well as the perceived ability to endure exercise, distraction effects of music, and the intrinsic motivation provided by music, were found as the psychological benefits of music-listening during exercise.
Mindfulness Communication to Improve Productivity: A Cross-Sectional Description of Female-Workers’ Opinions Through Qualitative-Focus-Groups
(The IIE, 2020) Ackerman, Lauren-Lee
This study gained an insightful perspective into how female employees feel about mindfulness communication and its role it plays in enhancing their productivity. This may/may not be helpful to a future company's goal of increasing their overall performance – before engaging in any policy training. This was a qualitative, descriptive study that made use of online focus-groups. This study thematically analysed and interpreted 6 female employee’s opinions on mindfulness communication and productivity. The findings showed that 35.3% of female employees felt if mindful communication were used by managers, this would positively affect their performance. Additionally, 23.53% felt that if mindfulness communication were not used, this would negatively affect their performance. Furthermore, 41,7% of female employees felt that if superiors used supportive communication this would increase their performance. While 20.8% felt that empathetic communication would increase productivity. Lastly, 37.5% felt that non-judgmental communication would improve their productivity.
What attitudes do young men in Cape Town hold towards gender-based violence movements?
(The IIE, 2020) Rumblelow, Rachael
This study aimed to identify and understand the attitudes young men in Cape Town have regarding GBV movements. Gender based violence (GBV) is an issue which 30% of all women over 15 years old have experienced. This rate increases dramatically in the context of South Africa. As feminism has evolved, the inclusion of men in GBV movements has been introduced. However, the rate of male participation in GBV movements remains low. This study aimed to determine the perceptions and behaviours young men in Cape Town have towards GBV movements so as to learn why their rate of involvement is low, as well as to determine how the movements have influenced this rate. A group of young men from Cape Town were involved in a focus group to allow for an open discussion consisting of specific answers surrounding GBV and GBV movements. From this, the transcripts were analysed from an interpretative phenomenological framework. It was found that the men had negative attitudes towards GBV. It was decided that the men’s attitudes toward GBV is not entirely shaped by their attitudes towards GBV movements. This is because it was found that their attitudes towards GBV movements are undetermined as they each discussed positive and negative perceptions and behaviours towards the movements.
Exploring the influence of Instagram on the self: A qualitative study on first year female university students, using in-depth interviews
(The IIE, 2020) Shackleton, Kelly
Instagram, which is based primarily on sharing pictures and videos with the feature of being able to comment and ‘like’, can impact how the individual ‘self’ is understood and perceived. Being ‘relevant’ is a demanding trend that many female students feel necessary to achieve. This research aimed to determine the positive and negative effects that Instagram has on female students’ ‘self’, to determine what motivates these young women to use the app, and to explore whether these students are consciously aware of the effects that it has on their psychological well-being. In-depth interviews were conducted with five participants. Responses were analysed using thematic analysis and five major themes emerged. It was found that young women are consciously aware of both the negative and positive features of Instagram. The overall perception of Instagram was more positive than negative. Participants identified the problem areas in regard to the general use of Instagram, however noted that this did not directly affect their presentation of their selves on Instagram. The general consensus amongst participants was that Instagram boosts their self-esteem through positive feedback on their posts from close friends and family. Findings indicate that Instagram positively influences the development and maintenance of the ‘self’.
Revitalizing Personal Resources: A study on organizational stress management through the implementation of yoga in the workplace
(The IIE, 2020) O'Fee, Kerrith
Stress is an inescapable component of our daily lives and presents significant risks to people in both their personal and professional lives. Within the context of work, negative stress can significantly harm organizational outcomes making it imperative for companies to effective assist employees in stress management. This study aimed to assess whether the implementation of yoga, as a stress management intervention, would lead to a significant decrease in perceived stress amongst employees. Based on prior research indicating an association between yoga and stress levels in various international contexts, it was hypothesised that results would display a reduction in perceived stress with the implementation of the yoga intervention. Data was collected through the use of the Perceived Stress Scale Survey by Cohen as it is a reliable scientific measure (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.78) providing quantitative values of perceived stress, and data was analyzed using both a dependent and independent samples t-test for analysis. Findings of the study were inconclusive as although yoga was found to significantly reduce stress within the yoga group (t = 4.04, p = 0.0004), the overall decrease in comparison to the control group produced a non-statistically significant difference(t = 0.96, p = 0.35).
A qualitative study of occupational stress management techniques of personal assistants in Durban North
(2020) Creed, Tayla
Stress can have a significant effect on the employee’s performance, and their psychological health, including burnout, increased amount of “sick days”, anxiety etc. (Volmink, 2014; Van Zyl, 2002). There is much literature on occupational stress in occupations such as engineering (Rothmann & Malan, 2004), and the educational sector (Botwe, Kenneth, Masih, 2017), yet the work of personal assistants has not been sufficiently investigated. The research problem is that there are many ways of dealing with stress, such as relaxation, and exercise (Fokeng, 2018). However, not knowing how to destress can lead to problematic outcomes which important to study as personal assistant can be overlooked. This study considers the South African context, which has not been explored in most literature. Three participants were approached and semi-structured interviews were conducted to allow participants to share their personal lived about their stressors, stress management techniques, and reasons why those techniques work best for them. This research is underpinned by Lazarus and Folkman’s theory, and through the concepts such as stressor, and stress management, and it has been found that there might not be an exact way personal assistants manage their stress, but rather manage their stress, according to their personality.
Exploring the effects that an on-site psychologist(s) has on students: A qualitative study on private tertiary institution students using in-depth interviews
(The IIE, 2020) Dester, Alexia
A number of private tertiary institution students display psychological challenges (Bantjes, Kagee, McGowan & Steel, 2016; Giovazolias, Leontopoulou & Triliva, 2010). This may lead to a decrease in their academic performance, well-being and mental health. Despite much excellent research on counselling explored in the past, the effects that an on-site psychologist(s) has on university students has not yet been fully explored in the South African context. The purpose of this study was to remedy the gap in the literature by particularly focusing on South African private tertiary institution students’ academic performance, well-being, and mental health in relation to the onsite psychologist(s). In-depth interviews were conducted with five private tertiary institution students. Reponses were analysed using thematic analysis and five major themes emerged. It was found that: perceived cultural and social stigma, as well as lack of expenditure, may cause a negative effect on students; an on-site psychologist had an undetermined effect on the participants’ mental health; and an on-site psychologist has had a positive impact on students’ academic performance, stress, well-being, and their need for additional support. Although the participants did not display psychological challenges, it can be said that an on-site psychologist significantly benefits a student’s academic life.

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