'In a blink of an eye your life can change ' : Experiences of players sustaining a rugby-related acute spinal cord injury
- Authors: Badenhorst, Marelise , Verhagen, Evert , Lambert, Michael , van Mechelen, Willem , Brown, James
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Injury Prevention Vol. 25, no. 4 (2019), p. 313-320
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- Description: Background Though rare, rugby union carries a risk for serious injuries such as acute spinal cord injuries (ASCI), which may result in permanent disability. Various studies have investigated injury mechanisms, prevention programmes and immediate medical management of these injuries. However, relatively scant attention has been placed on the player's experience of such an injury and the importance of context. Aim The aim of this study was to explore the injury experience and its related context, as perceived by the catastrophically injured player. Methods A qualitative approach was followed to explore the immediate, postevent injury experience. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 48 (n=48) players who had sustained a rugby-related ASCI. Results Four themes were derived from the data. Participants described the context around the injury incident, which may be valuable to help understand the mechanism of injury and potentially minimise risk. Participants also described certain contributing factors to their injury, which included descriptions of foul play and aggression, unaccustomed playing positions, pressure to perform and unpreparedness. The physical experience included signs and symptoms of ASCI that is important to recognise by first aiders, fellow teammates, coaches and referees. Lastly, participants described the emotional experience which has implications for all ASCI first responders. Significance All rugby stakeholders, including players, first responders, coaches and referees, may gain valuable information from the experiences of players who have sustained these injuries. This information is also relevant for rugby safety initiatives in shaping education and awareness interventions.
When this happens, you want the best care : Players' experiences of barriers and facilitators of the immediate management of rugby-related acute spinal cord injury
- Authors: Badenhorst, Marelise , Verhagen, Evert , Lambert, Mike , van Mechelen, Willem , Brown, James
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Qualitative Health Research Vol. 29, no. 13 (2019), p. 1862-1876
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- Description: Most contact sports, including rugby union, carry a risk of injury. Although acute spinal cord injuries (ASCIs) in rugby are rare, the consequences of such injuries are far-reaching. Optimal management of these injuries is challenging, and a detailed understanding of the different barriers and facilitators to optimal care is needed. In this study, we aimed to describe the perception of players, regarding factors related to the optimal immediate management of a catastrophic injury in a developing country with socioeconomic and health care inequities. The most frequently reported barriers were transportation delays after injury and admission to appropriate medical facilities. Other barriers included inadequate equipment, the quality of first aid care, and barriers within the acute hospital setting. Barriers were more prevalent in rural and lower socioeconomic areas. These findings are relevant for all rugby stakeholders and may help shape education, awareness, and future policy around the immediate management of ASCIs.
Sincere performance in pentecostal megachurch music
- Authors: Abraham, Ibrahim
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Religions Vol. 9, no. 6 (2018), p. 192
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- Description: Drawing on the work of Webb Keane and Joel Robbins in the anthropology of Christianity, furnished with the influential work of Charles Hirschkind in the anthropology of Islam, and the ethnographic studies of Tom Wagner and Mark Jennings on Pentecostal worship music, this article critically examines ideas of sincerity in the musical practices of Pentecostal megachurches. Making use of ethnographic data from research on congregational music in South Africa, including interviews with a variety of Pentecostal musicians, this article argues that the question of Protestant sincerity, understood following Keane as emphasizing individual moral autonomy and suspicion of external material religious forms for expressing one’s inner state, is particularly acute in the case of the Hillsong megachurch. Employing the full array of spectacular possibilities made available by the contemporary culture industry, Hillsong churches centralize cultural production and standardize musical performance whilst simultaneously emphasizing individual religious experience. It is argued that Pentecostal megachurches seek to realize a form of sincere mimicry grounded in learned and embodied practices.
Trends in time-loss injuries during the 2011-2016 South African rugby youth weeks
- Authors: Sewry, Nicola , Verhagen, Evert , Lamvert, Michael , van Mechelen, Willem , Marsh, J. , Readhead, Clint , Viljoen, Wayne , Brown, James
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports Vol. 28, no. 9 (2018), p. 2066-2073
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- Description: Youth rugby is a popular sport in South Africa (SA) with a high injury incidence. The annual SA Rugby Youth Week tournaments attract the top age-group players in the country providing a sample of players for reliable injury surveillance. The aim of the study was to analyze the changes in time-loss injury rates at the SA Rugby Youth Week tournaments between 2011 and 2016, differences between age-groups, and to investigate associated injury risk factors. All confirmed time-loss injuries at the 4 age-group tournaments (under-13, under-16, and 2 under-18) from 2011 to 2016 were recorded. Injury incidence densities (IID) for years, tournaments, and injury risk factors were calculated and Poisson regression analyses were performed to determine differences. Time-loss injuries (n = 494) were reported over 24 240 exposure hours, with an overall IID of 20.4 (18.6-22.2) injuries per 1000 player hours. The year 2013 had a significantly lower IID compared to 2011. Injury risk decreased with increasing age; under-13 and under-16 had significantly higher IID compared to under-18 Craven Week. Tackling was the phase of play at highest risk, with an IID of 7.4 (6.3-8.5) injuries per 1000 player hours. Central/peripheral nervous system (CNS/PNS) and, therefore, the head/neck were the most commonly occurring injuries/location injured. In conclusion, within the SA Rugby tournament structure, the older players had a decreased rate of injury. The tackle event was still the phase of play with the highest injury incidence regardless of age. This increase in incidence is largely due to an increase in CNS/PNS injuries.
Institutional isomorphism and whistle-blowing intentions in public sector institutions
- Authors: Pillay, Soma , Reddy, P. , Morgan, Damian
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Public Management Review Vol. 19, no. 4 (2017), p. 423-442
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- Description: Over the years the new institutionalism in public sector analysis has contributed significantly to our understanding of the dynamics of public sector institutions. While it has moved research away from behavioural explanations to recognizing political and cultural contexts, the focus on public sector institutions has been minimal. This research examines, by self-report questionnaire from employees in two government organizations, how institutional mechanisms shape whistle-blowing intentions within the context of a developing country. Despite the country context, findings from this study are encouraging in that participants’ intentions to blow the whistle were found, generally, to be strong. © 2016 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Predictors of whistle-blowing intentions : An analysis of multi-level variables
- Authors: Pillay, Soma , Ramphul, Needesh , Dorasamy, Nirmala , Meyer, Denny
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Administration & Society Vol. 50, no. 2 (2015), p. 186-216
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- Description: The purpose of this study was to examine the variables impacting on whistleblowing intentions in the public services of two developing countries, South Africa and Mauritius. In particular, this study considers the barriers to whistle-blowing and the effect of demographic and cultural values on the perceptions of these barriers. The study finds major differences between South Africa and Mauritius with minor differences in regard to gender and education.
Development Corruption in South Africa : Governance Matters
- Authors: Pillay, Soma
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Book
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- Description: Instances of corruption in South Africa are reported on an almost daily basis—there is no scarcity of scandals that illustrate the depth and pervasiveness of this corruption. In the wake of these scandals, awareness has grown about the economic, social, and political costs of corruption, which South Africa cannot afford. With increasing intolerance of these devastating effects, pressure from citizens and financial markets prove the need for a review of good governance matters. Development Corruption in South Africa examines governance matters with a focus on corruption. This rich empirical body on governance variables and governance performance is a welcome addition to South African government literature. Pillay's approach is unique as it improves the gathering, analysing, and disseminating of new data, which is valuable to various stakeholders. This volume analyses governance from a broad analytical framework and includes an analysis of current problems as well as future problems and their causes. Soma Pillay is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Management at Federation University Australia. She teaches across undergraduate and postgraduate programs in the subject areas of organizational behavior, human resource management, organizational management, and international management. Prior to joining academia, Pillay spent many years in the Public Service.
Institutional isomorphism and whistleblowing intentions in public sector institutions
- Authors: Pillay, Soma , Reddy, P. , Morgan, Damian
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Conference paper
- Relation: Waves and winds of strategic leadership for sustainable competitiveness, 14th European Academy of Managment Conference (EURAM 2014); Valencia, Spain; 4th-7th June 2014
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- Description: Over the years the new institutionalism in public sector analysis has contributed significantly to our understanding of the dynamics of public sector institutions. While it has moved research away from behavioural explanations to recognizing political and cultural contexts, the focus on public sector institutions has been minimal. This research examines, by self-report questionnaire from employees in two government organizations, how institutional mechanisms shape whistle-blowing intentions within the context of a developing country. Despite the country context, findings from this study are encouraging in that participants’ intentions to blow the whistle were found, generally, to be strong.
Exploring whistle blowing intentions in South Africa : A quantitative analysis
- Authors: Pillay, Soma , Dorasamy, Nirmala , Vranic, Vedran
- Date: 2012
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: African Journal of Business Management Vol. 6, no. 7 (2012), p. 2529-2548
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- Description: The purpose of this paper was to examine the influence of individual and situational level factors on internal whistle-blowing intentions, within a South African context. This is the first quantitative study of whistle-blowing in South Africa. Quantitative survey data, encompassing 250 senior, middle and lower-level management/administration personnel was analysed. Majority of surveyed participants indicated positive intentions toward whistle-blowing. Majority also believes that general sense of morality and professional ethics are the most influential motivations for whistle-blowing. Improved internal organizational systems and external legal systems were surprisingly found to discourage whistle-blowing in our sample. A theoretical basis for future research is extrapolated, with the main findings highlighting the importance of positive organizational values/culture and the perpetuation of business ethics awareness.
The gendered shaping of University Leadership in Australia, South Africa and the United Kingdom
- Authors: White, Kate , Bagilhole, Barbara , Riordan, Sarah
- Date: 2012
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Higher Education Quarterly Vol. 66, no. 3 (2012), p. 293-307
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- Description: This article analyses career trajectories into university management in Australia, South Africa and the United Kingdom (UK), skills required to operate effectively and the power of vice-chancellors (VCs) and their impact on the gendered shaping of university leadership. It is based on qualitative research with 56 male and female senior managers. The research found that the typical career path was modelled on male academic careers. Not surprisingly, in South Africa and the UK the perception of the top university leader was of a man but in Australia, where more women have been VCs, there was no such assumption. Characteristics valued in university leaders in Australia and South Africa were 'soft' leadership traits, but in the UK 'hard' aggressive and competitive leadership prevailed. VCs are enormously powerful and can shape the gender balance in management teams and thereby potentially broadening leadership styles beyond the predominant transactional model to include transformational leadership. © 2012 The Authors. Higher Education Quarterly © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Time is on my side : How do engineering academics spend their days - an international study
- Authors: Aarrevaara, Timo , Dobson, Ian
- Date: 2012
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: World Transactions on Engineering and Technology Education Vol. 10, no. 3 (2012), p. 184-191
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- Description: This article uses empirical data from the international Changing Academic Profession (CAP) survey to establish similarities and differences in work patterns among the world's academic engineers. Overall working hours and the distribution of work between teaching, research and other activities are examined. Summary results indicate that in periods when classes are in session, engineering academics from South Korea and Hong Kong reported a longer working week than equivalent staff from other countries. Engineering academics from Mexico and South Africa spent the highest proportion of their time on teaching, whereas those from Argentina, China and Italy spent the highest proportion on research. The most likely reason for international differences in the length of the working week is that national systems (such as higher education) have been constructed from the individual histories and cultures in each country. © 2012 WIETE.
- Description: 2003010832
Factors influencing whistle-blowing in South African local government
- Authors: Pillay, Soma , Kluvers, Ron , Reedy, P.
- Date: 2011
- Type: Text , Conference paper
- Relation: The future of work and organisaitons, 25th Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management Conference (ANZAM 2011); Wellington, New Zealand; 7th-9th December 2011 p. 1-25
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- Description: Whistle blowing can be considered a key tool for fighting corruption, encouraging good governance, accountability and transparency in the public sector. Our main research objective was to gain a better sense of variables influencing employees’ intentions to blow the whistle within South African local government A survey document was sent to South African local governments. Respondents were required to indicate their opinions on a five point lickert scale. Principal component Factor analysis was applied to the data. The findings are consistent with previous research into whistle blowing. The need to blow the whistle is reduced if an organization’s control system is seen to have integrity and is perceived as a deterrent against maleficent behaviours.
Governance in developing countries : Sri Lanka and South Africa compared
- Authors: Samaratunge, Ramanie , Pillay, Soma
- Date: 2011
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Public Administration Vol. 34, no. 6 (2011), p. 389-398
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- Description: In this article, we investigate the main features of the governance model in two developing democracies, Sri Lanka and South Africa. We believe that these two countries are interesting test cases for a comparative study. Both countries are former British colonies and have inherited a similar administrative system heavily influenced by the British colonial model and have experienced an ethnic conflict to different extents in the past. This comparison allows us to examine the determining factors for and against the level of effectiveness of governance in both countries. The findings suggest that the socio-political system within which they operate is dynamic and is an important influence for integrated governance. The study concludes that the outcomes of governance in both countries are better explained by taking into account the features described in an integrated governance model. This provides a better understanding of the dynamics of governance in developing countries.
Whistleblowing : Impediments to effective implementation within the South African public sector
- Authors: Dorasamy, Nirmala , Pillay, Soma
- Date: 2011
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Corporate Ownership and Control Vol. 8, no. 3 B (2011), p. 196-208
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- Description: This purpose of this article is to explore impediments to effective whistleblowing as a strategy for promoting anti-corruption practices within the South African public sector. Corruption, which violates the public service code of conduct; deters foreign investment, increases the cost of public service delivery, undermines the fight against poverty and unnecessarily burdens the criminal justice system. The article addresses the question on whether legislation on whistleblowing is adequate to encourage whistleblowing in the public sector.A review of literature determines that the effective implementation of whistleblowing legislation is largely dependent on addressing the challenges identified in the article. The quantitaive research method was employed in the study to ascertain the views of employees in the public sector on whistleblowing. Empirical findings confirm the hypothesis that the protection of whistleblowers through legislation is inadequate to encourage whistleblowing. The article provides a conceptual framework for the effective achievement of the intended outcomes of whistleblowing in the public sector.