Vista University

About: Vista University is a based out in . It is known for research contribution in the topics: Boron trifluoride & Higher education. The organization has 225 authors who have published 336 publications receiving 3345 citations.

Commuter Couples: An Inside Story

Abstract: Twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted (during 1998) with persons who were part of a commuter couple at the time of the interview or shortly before. “Commuter couple” and “commuter relationship” are the terms used in this study to refer to people who are either married or in a long term relationship, but who are not able to live with their partners due to work, commitments. Some biographical detail was obtained from the respondents, after which the following areas pertaining to their commuter relationships were explored: living arrangements, daily activities, finances, careers, the emotional effects of the marriage or relationship, children, wider family relationships, friendships, and the future. A telephonic follow-up study was done approximately six months after the original interviews (during January 1999) The aim was to explore whether any changes in the relationships had taken place during that time. Although the study is exploratory in nature, a few suggestions are made for futur...

Employee perceptions of share ownership schemes: an empirical study

Abstract: The objective of this study was to investigate some of the problems associated with the introduction and successful management of Employee Share Ownership Schemes (ESOPs). An ESOP is a participative management approach that appeals to some of the needs of both employees and management. The study considered how perceptions of ESOPs can be influenced and managed through managerial antecedents such as trust, empowerment and communication, and empirically measures their impact on outcome variables such as organisational commitment. The empirical findings revealed that if employees have positive perceptions of their firm’s ESOP (the value and benefit for them) they are more likely to be committed to their firm (organizational commitment) and organizational commitment has been shown to lead to a host of benefits for the firm.

Urban cultivation: Food crops and their importance

Abstract: Despite having become a popular research field in the last decade, the study of urban cultivation suffers from a weak empirical base. This article argues that one of the aspects that has received only cursory attention is that of the crops that are grown. Support for this argument is based on a short review of the literature. Against this background, a method of deriving an index of crop importance is outlined. The index is based on crops that are grown by cultivators in the Eastern Cape, and individual measures that constitute it are those closely linked to household welfare. Consumption levels, the monetary value of crops consumed, and the income from crop sales are three examples. The index pro vides a more logical and legitimate basis for policy and planning than was previously the case. The emphasis is placed on the activities and priorities of the cultivators as opposed to hypothetically derived goals.

The vibrational spectra of the boron halides and their molecular complexes. Part 4. Ab initio predictions of the structures and vibrational spectra of the complexes of boron trifluoride with dimethyl ether and dimethyl sulphide

Abstract: The optimized structures and vibrational spectra of the 1:1 complexes of boron trifluoride with dimethyl ether and dimethyl sulphide have been determined by means of a series of ab initio calculations using the gaussian -90 computer program at the Hartree-Fock level with the 6–31G∗∗ basis set. The results have been rationalized on the basis of the interactions of the Lewis acid (BF3) with a hard ((CH3)2O) and a soft ((CH3)2S) base. The magnitudes of the wavenumber shifts, both for the acid and the base fragments, are far larger for the complex with the hard than with the soft base. The computed results have been used as aids in the interpretation of the infrared spectra of BF3 co-condensed with (CH3)2O and with (CH3)2S in cryogenic matrices, to be reported in a forthcoming publication.

Teachers' portfolio reflections: a comparative analysis

Abstract: Teachers' portfolios are emerging as a significant tool for professional development and assessment of competence. What teachers choose to include in their portfolios is often a function of external factors, such as what is publicly rewarded and valued as good performance. This article reports on an extension of research conducted in South Africa and Israel on the specific reflections teachers report about their own portfolios. Teachers were invited to indicate what they would include in their portfolios of performance and learning, to write reflections on what they see as evidence for professional growth, and to indicate how these inclusions are valued. The article reports on a comparative analysis of these reflections. The purpose is to develop an understanding of differences (and similarities) in terms of socio-political realities and broader educational culture. A comparative analysis drawn on interviews and portfolio entry data indicate similarities in the way teachers view good teaching, an...