No Gain Without Some Pain, Says PhD Graduate
Dr Francis Tandoh with his father Asora and mother Ama who travelled all the way from Ghana to celebrate his achievement.Missing the birth of his second son, not being there for any of the child’s birthdays and taking out bank loans to survive were some of the sacrifices PhD graduate Dr Francis Tandoh had to make in order to fulfil his childhood dream.
‘In every endeavour if you don’t sacrifice you won’t succeed. The study took me away from family for a large chunk of the three years…it was difficult but highly possible because I had the will to succeed,’ said Tandoh.
Besides being a childhood dream, another motivation behind getting a PhD was his desire to gain academic excellence as he believes that a good academic needs the highest possible qualification in order to impart knowledge with courage and confidence.
‘Truly this qualification will give me the needed confidence and it has also provided the necessary tools for the kind of research needed to survive in leading academic institutions.’
Tandoh’s thesis titled: “The determinants of housing demand in Ghana: Evidence from micro-data” analysed the demand of housing in Ghana. ‘I looked at what determines the price of housing units, the determinants of the choice of tenure and the determinants of the demand for the quantity of housing units by households. Institutions affecting the demand for housing were also examined,’ said Tandoh.
He added that the desire to come out with a factual result to help in the formulation of good policy that will help solve the housing problems in Ghana was his driving force with the desire to fulfil his childhood dreams acting as the catalyst.
‘In fact, the results of my study show that generally the one size fits all housing policy would not be an appropriate one, since both income and price elasticity of demand for housing is not uniform for all income groups,’ he said.
He described his studying experience as “superb”. ‘The ability to really understand a principle one might have learned at the undergraduate and masters level, the joy of contributing to the development of knowledge and the general discipline and humility it gives the student, mean it is more than worthwhile.’
Ghanaian-born Tandoh is married with two sons. His desire is to make an impact in his community and the world at large.
‘My belief in the Almighty God encourages me to seek frontiers without fear of failure.’
- Sithembile Shabangu
author : .author email : .PhD Contributes to Electricity Literature in Ghana
PhD in Economics graduate Dr John Dramani with his wife Abigail and son Nathan.The supply of electricity in Ghana was the focus of a study by Dr John Dramani who was awarded a PhD in Economics.
Dramani of the Garden City University College in Ghana titled his thesis: “An Analysis of Electricity Demand and Policy Options for Ghana”. It was supervised by Professor Dev Tewari.
The study focused on key determinants of increasing electricity demand in Ghana, the efficiency level of the service provision companies in supplying and distributing the commodity to the growing number of customers as well as the demand-side policies necessary for ensuring its efficient consumption.
‘My study made various important policy recommendations to both government and the private sector to adopt to ensure efficient consumption of electricity and address the negative effects of electricity shortages on the economy,’ said Dramani.
‘My study is unique as it is the first to look at the determinants of electricity demand by dichotomising it into residential and industrial demand and applying robust mathematical and econometric methodologies in estimating them. It was also the first examination of how institutions of the electricity sector could influence the efficiency in terms of supply and demand,’ he added.
Dramani’s wife and their six-year-old son travelled from Ghana to see him graduate at UKZN.
- Hazel Langa
author : .author email : .PhD for College of Law and Management Studies Fellow
Dr Vangeli Gamede celebrating his achievement with his wife Nozi.Growing up in a disadvantaged community at Thornybush Location in Umzimkulu did not deter newly-appointed Postdoctoral Fellow of the College of Law and Management Studies Dr Vangeli Gamede from realising his dream to obtain a PhD.
‘I have always dreamed of reaching this very pinnacle of the formal educational ladder,’ said Gamede. ‘I didn’t want my humble background to dictate against my achieving this highest qualification. If I were to liken a PhD to a mountain, I would say, yes, it is a steep and a slippery one, but by no means insurmountable,’ he explained.
Gamede’s study was titled: “The Transfer of Workplace Training to Performance with Specific Reference to Hulamin (Pty) Ltd” and it was supervised by Dr Maxwell Phiri of UKZN’s School of Management, Information Technology and Governance.
The focus of the study was on the identification of factors at play in the transfer of training from the training environment to the workplace. ‘My interest in the study was triggered by the current debate around the subject of the transfer of training, with some researchers claiming that of the acquired knowledge and skills gained during training only about 10% to 20% get transferred to the workplace.’
Gamede had to juggle a number of demanding roles including being a Manager of Clydesdale Senior Secondary School in Umzimkulu, a part-time Lecturer, a husband and a father of four children.
He said: ‘I had to try to strike a balance, to ensure that I did justice to all these engagements. I must confess it wasn’t a smooth ride, however I did get support from my family.’
During his tenure as a Postdoctoral Fellow he will focus on converting his thesis into publishable research.
- Hazel Langa
author : .author email : .PhD Graduate’s Research aims to Enhance Social Entrepreneurship in KZN
A PhD in Entrepreneurship for Dr Gnagam Pillay.Doctor of Philosophy in Entrepreneurship graduate Ms Gnanam Pillay’s research into social entrepreneurship in KwaZulu-Natal aims to address social issues such as unemployment and inequality through empowering the youth to become self-sufficient and independent.
For her dissertation titled: “Developing Social Entrepreneurship in the field of IT at FET Colleges in KwaZulu-Natal”, Pillay adopted an action research model which saw her design a model for developing social entrepreneurship at FET colleges.
As a Curriculum Manager at Thekwini FET College, Pillay wanted to make a positive impact on marginalised communities because of the wide geographical spread of FET colleges in KwaZulu-Natal.
‘The research has shown that a lot can be achieved through social capital and networking even where finance is not readily available. Even more exciting is that the participants and I have registered a co-operative together. We applied to join SmartXchange, an IT business incubator, and were successful.
‘This means that we have a hot-desk at SmartXchange and access to facilities such as boardrooms, support and training. We have already received an invitation to present our business to the Municipality at Umkhanyakude and hopefully we begin working with them and the surrounding communities soon,’ said Pillay.
Pillay’s passion for raising awareness around social entrepreneurship which is crucial for economic development in KwaZulu-Natal motivated her to initiate a project in IT at Thekwini FET College in 2009. The IT project was sponsored by the Department of Economic Development and Tourism through a partnership involving the Moses Kotane Institute, the National Institute of Information Technology (NIIT-India) and six other FET colleges in KwaZulu-Natal were involved in training unemployed youth in software and network engineering and database processing.
Although the project was a success, Pillay felt that it was important to take the initiative to the next level. To be able to do that she needed a PhD qualification to expand her knowledge and empower her with the skills needed to carry out research that is practical and collaborative.
‘Reading for the PhD expanded my knowledge and experience and it is certainly a worthwhile qualification to have. I already had a Master’s Degree in Education (Adult Education) from UKZN and wanted to see the development of social enterprises that would add social value to communities in urban and rural areas.
‘The research was very intense and required a lot of reflection and analysis despite it being action-oriented. It was also a very humbling experience for me as I learnt so much,’ said Pillay.
While most people might be considering slowing down after such a challenging academic journey, Pillay is not one of them as she intends to use her qualification to grow her academic career through writing articles and papers for journals, attending conferences and getting the model that she has conceptualised and developed for social entrepreneurship at Thekwini College, implemented at other FET colleges in KwaZulu-Natal.
- Thandiwe Jumo
author : .author email : .College of Law and Management Studies Celebrates High Achievers
College of Law and Management Studies’ Top Achievers from the Pietermaritzburg campus.The College of Law and Management Studies celebrated a large number of high-achieving graduates across various disciplines on the Pietermaritzburg campus.
The top achievers included Bachelor of Commerce summa cum laude graduates Ms Yemurai Chidzambwa and Ms Charlotte Masvongo. Bachelor of Commerce Honours cum laude graduates Ms Jessica Bartlett, Mr Victor Hlatywayo, Ms Lauren Jane, Ms Kirsty Jonker, Ms Jhaharha Lackram, Mr Kerushan Naidoo, Mr Kenneth Ngwenya, Ms Beatrice Nnambooze, Mr Matthew Redmead, Ms Sakahilu Shapi and Ms Mayuri Sindraj. Bachelor of Commerce cum laude graduates Ms Michelle Chidzambwa, Ms Tsitsi Magwiro and Mr Naeem Shaik Yassim.
Bachelor of Commerce Honours in Human Resources Management cum laude graduate Ms Mayuri Sindraj researched Role and Power Dynamics within Trade Unions in the Public Sector.
The research aimed to explore whether there was any correlation between the ability and power of trade unions and whether it was a lack and ambiguity of such essential qualities that unfortunately resulted in so many disturbances and violence incidences such as Marikana and service delivery protests.
‘Throughout my research I was supported by my supervisors and various lecturers. This ease of communication and easy access to assistance are what I would attribute my success to,’ said Sindraj.
The academic support and care Sindraj received inspired her to think of ways of helping other students succeed in their academic career.
‘My future plans involve not only being able to establish an independent Human Resource Management Consulting Agency where my passion lies, but also developing some sort of learnership programme and scholarships which allow me to become actively involved with UKZN to aid deserving students,’ she said.
For Bachelor of Commerce Honours in Marketing Management graduate Ms Kirsty Jonker who completed her degree through the Colleges Special Honours Bursary, it was her good relationship with her supervisor Mr Nigel Chewishe that helped her unlock her potential.
‘I couldn’t have asked for a better supervisor than Mr Chewishe. He was so insightful and encouraging and shared my interest in my topic with me. My research was titled: “The Power of Social Media in the Creation of Brand Awareness”. Social Media forms part of our everyday lives and I was really fascinated with researching the massive potential social media has for businesses,’ she said.
Jonker is currently working at Training Leadership Consulting as a Business Analyst in Pietermaritzburg and is also pursuing a Black Belt Lean Six Sigma course which aligns with her undergraduate degree in Marketing and Supply Chain Management.
Bachelor of Commerce in Information Systems Technology graduate Ms Jhaharha Lackram says the qualification has been instrumental in giving her access into the corporate world. Lackram’s research was in the field of Information Security and Social Engineering.
‘I enjoyed the variety of work that my honours degree gave me - throughout the year, I studied various case studies and every lecture was always different, helping me in job selection.
‘I have now entered the corporate world and work for a global consulting company. I believe this qualification will be the stepping stone to great things especially since technology is the bedrock of everything today,’ said Lackram.
- Thandiwe Jumo
author : .author email : .Health Economics at the Core of PhD Thesis
PhD in Economics graduate Dr Josue Mbonigaba with his wife Solange and son Patience.Lecturer Dr Josue Mbonigaba’s keen interest in Health Economics culminated in him being awarded a PhD for his study titled: “The Cost-Effectiveness of HIV/AIDS Interventions in South Africa”.
The aim of the thesis was to capture the impact of HIV/AIDS interventions on costs and effectiveness and on the interaction between these interventions and the contexts in which they are implemented. Although structural and social factors are known to influence people risk behaviours and attitudes towards HIV/AIDS interventions, the effects of these factors have been often ignored in the comparison of the cost-effectiveness (CE) of HIV/AIDS interventions in the country.
According to Mbonigaba, the thesis sought to contribute to the evidence in this context by combining behavioral, biomedical and economic parameters in models. These models, developed separately for epidemiological and socio-economic contexts, aimed to capture these interactions and their effects on cost-effectiveness of major HIV/AIDS interventions.
The study found that the cost-effectiveness of HIV/AIDS interventions in South Africa varied in the different epidemiological and socio-economic contexts of the epidemic. The results meant that more health outcomes would be achieved if policy makers allocated resources in major interventions according to cost-effectiveness variations in modelled contexts.
The University requires all academics to obtain a PhD in order to contribute to the research profile of the Institution but Mbonigaba views his doctorate as the key to his dream career as a Health Economist. He works closely with Units such as the Health Economics and HIV/AIDS Research Division which is affiliated to UKZN’s School of Accounting, Economics and Finance and many other related organisations.
Pleased with his achievement, Mbonigaba said: ‘This is just a beginning - the academic journey continues. My vision is to become an established academic by making a significant contribution in the field of Health Economics and by advancing health economics knowledge in developing countries, particularly in Africa.’
Mbonigaba has converted his thesis into four journal articles and a book chapter which have been published in the South African Journal of Economics and Management Sciences, the Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, the Global Journal of Business Review, and the Journal of Applied Business Research.
Mbonigaba’s thesis was supervised by Professor Geoff Harris.
- Hazel Langa
author : .author email : .Doctoral Qualification Opens New Doors for Nigerian Graduate
PhD graduate, Dr Obianuju Okeke-Uzodike with her family.For PhD in Human Resource Management graduate Dr Obianuju Okeke-Uzodike doing a doctoral degree had not been in her plans but experiencing the life of an academic at the side of her husband – Dean and Head of UKZN’s School of Social Sciences, Professor N Okeke-Uzodike - made her realise the qualification was the key needed to unlock her potential.
Okeke-Uzodike, who had acquired a degree in Chemical Engineering and a Masters in Business Administration in Nigeria, says doing her PhD has given her more versatility and a measure of depth in understanding personnel issues and how organisations can target and harness human skills more efficiently.
‘When I arrived in Pietermaritzburg, I was surrounded by academics and academia. Sometimes, I felt as though I was left out during discussions. My husband, being an academic, advised me to pursue a doctorate degree, which I was not keen on,’ said Okeke-Uzodike.
‘But the PhD has opened my eyes and changed my career path.’
Okeke-Uzodike’s thesis titled: “Analysis of Recruitment and Selection Practices in Federal Government Ministries in Abuja, Nigeria”, builds on the need for African states to examine and improve on the development and deployment of qualified human resources to foster and deepen development. She says in that way, they will be better able to ensure the attainability of the Millennium Development Goals as the target year gradually draws closer.
Okeke-Uzodike says what motivated her to choose the topic was the well-known fact that African states have generally struggled with the task of ensuring efficiency in the delivery of public services despite avowed commitments and various reform schemes in their public sectors.
‘Although the research focused on the public sector in Nigeria, my findings are applicable in many ways to most African countries which share similar conditions and challenges. Lessons learnt can inform corrective policy measures for African countries in dire need to achieve various national, regional and international goals for social and economic development,’ she added.
- Thandiwe Jumo
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