TUT DIGITAL OPEN REPOSITORY

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    Socio-environmentally friendly framework for South African fashion design entrepreneurs: An exploratory study.
    (Tshwane University of Technology, 2020-10-01) Mollel-Matodzi, Nailejileji V.; Prof Anne Mastamet-Mason; Prof Nalini Moodley-Diar
    Global warming is the continuing tendency of increasing average worldwide temperatures. Societal processes and practices are the main contributors to climate change. The textile and clothing industry is one of the main contributors of pollution globally. The fast-fashion business model intensifies the pollution crisis. There is an upsurge of fast fashion in South Africa, and this indicates that South African customers choose to purchase fast-fashion clothes. Sustainable development is the solution to reducing environmental harm. Sustainable development is the ability to enhance everybody's standard of life, and that of succeeding generations, by restoring and maintaining equilibrium in environmental responsibility, social equity, economic viability, and cultural vitality. Sustainable development is applicable to the textile and clothing industry because of the negative socio-environmental and economic impact it causes. For the textile and clothing industry to have a profitable and reputable name in the marketplace, sustainable development measures have to be implemented in the way the textile and clothing industry interacts with the environment, society, and economy. One of the ways the textile and clothing industry can protect the environment and society is through the production of socio-environmentally responsible clothes. Socio environmentally friendly clothes refer to clothes made from durable fabrics that are recyclable and have a longer life cycle. These fabrics do minimal environmental and social harm in the sourcing, design, and manufacturing stages of the supply chain. Fashion design entrepreneurs can be providers of creative, innovative solutions to irresponsible social and environmental challenges posed by the textile and clothing industry. South African Fashion Week has a record of 580 fashion designers. However, only a small number of fashion designers are socio-environmentally friendly. The aim of this study is to develop a socio-environmentally friendly framework that promotes the production of socio-environmentally friendly clothing by South African fashion design entrepreneurs. This study has six sub-aims, four of the sub-aims explore fashion design entrepreneurs’ awareness of sustainability and their current supply chain practices. Two of the sub-aims explore customers’ desired socio-environmentally friendly clothing attributes and how knowledge about sustainability influences their purchasing behaviour. Customers have the potential to stop or reduce the negative impact of unsustainable textile processes and practices on the environment by buying socio-environmentally friendly products. This study has two phases. The first phase was the case study, which involved semi-structured interviews with fashion design entrepreneurs, and the second phase involved a survey type of research, which used questionnaires to solicit information from customers and potential customers of socio-environmentally responsible clothes. During data collection, it became clear that it is necessary to gain insight from socio-environmentally friendly South African practitioners, as this will provide understanding on how far the practice is in existence in South Africa. Semi-structured interviews were also used to collect data from five socio-environmentally friendly practitioners. Participants for this study were selected purposively. Participants for the qualitative phase of the study were contacted via email and social media platforms and semi-structured interviews were conducted telephonically. Credibility, transferability and dependability criterion were used to maintain trustworthiness of the qualitative data. The initial participant target for the quantitative phase of the study was 300 responses, and I was able to obtain 340 responses. However, only 305 responses were viable. This study used Survey Legend, an online survey application for quantitative data collection. Reliability and validity criteria were used to maintain the quality of quantitative data. Five of the participants from qualitative phase of the study demonstrated awareness of socio-environmentally friendly fabrics. This study found that knowledge about socio-environmentally friendly fabrics does not necessarily lead fashion design entrepreneurs to purchase and use the fabrics in their clothing ranges. The five participants revealed that they found socio-environmentally friendly fabrics to be more expensive than other fabrics. Socio-environmentally friendly participants concurred with five of the participants regarding the expensive price of the fabrics. Only three participants manufacture socio-environmentally friendly clothes on a small scale for the upper class. All of the participants showed minimal awareness of socio-environmentally friendly design method. All of the participants save their fabric offcuts. Two of the participants revealed that they save fabric off-cuts for monetary reasons. Majority of the participants for the quantitative phase of the study were women represented by 85%. The skewed representation of the female majority would influence the findings of this study. Women tend to participate in surveys more than men, this may explain the skewed representation. This study revealed that durability (75%) was the highest-ranked attribute, followed by look (71%), feel (67%), and price (53%). The majority (60%) of the participants indicated that they would most likely purchase the clothes if the look resembled that of mainstream fashion. There was a significant association (0.033 ˂ 0.05) between age and the likelihood of participants purchasing socio-environmentally friendly clothes if the look resembled mainstream clothes. More than half (56%) of the participants indicated that they tend to purchase the clothes when they are on special offers. Furthermore, 60% of the participants indicated that they purchase the clothes occasionally. The findings of this study revealed that the majority (63%) of the participants purchased socio-environmentally friendly clothes due to their knowledge about the benefits. This study found that there was no significant association (0.417 ˃ 0.05) between age and participants purchases based on knowledge of socio-environmental benefits. Findings of this study revealed that it is important to develop an in-depth knowledge and skills development hub as a socio-environmentally friendly framework for South African fashion design entrepreneurs. In order to change and improve participants’ socio-environmentally friendly clothing consumption, the look and feel of the clothes has to be transformed so that they are similar to mainstream clothes. Findings regarding the influence of knowledge on purchasing behaviour shows that continual awareness creation among customers is necessary to promote socio-environmentally friendly purchasing behaviour. Insights from this research can aid in the effective design and production of multifaceted socio-environmentally friendly clothes. The study makes recommendations to fashion design entrepreneurs, textile and clothing industry organisations and customers.
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    Exploring the applicability of Lessac Kinesensics (LK) principles in community theatre to aid bodyvoice efficacy.
    (Tshwane University of Technology, 2023-10-01) Maseko, Isana; Dr K. Lemmer; Prof M Munro
    This study explores the applicability of Lessac Kinesensics, specifically its principles, as a body voice pedagogy in a multilingual South African community theatre setting. Few studies of voice for community theatre training (formal/informal) concerning performance exist. This study used six Lessac Kinesensics principles to harness, hone, and promote healthy vocal behaviours amongst community theatre performers. Specific Lessac Kinesensics principles of embodiment and envoi cement were used for performers to access vocal approaches for both acting and performance development. Lessac Kinesensics is explored from lived experience, as such theories of embodiments are used to underscore the research methodologies. The study uses performance ethnography, as a framework of research intervention, data collection and analysis. The use of performance ethnography derives from the researcher’s experience of facilitating body voice at a university and as a community theatre actor. The study highlighted the grave need for body voice approaches in community theatre, both for the actor’s well-being and creative endeavours.
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    Investigating the adoption and adaption of method acting in South African theatre.
    (Tshwane University of Technology, 2024-01-31) Thaba, Eddie; Dr Karina Lemmer; Prof Owen Seda
    This study investigates the adoption and possible adaptation of Method acting by ten theatre actors in the province of Gauteng. The study seeks to identify in the candidates’ approach to a role six major elements of Method acting stemming from Russian acting teacher, Konstantin Stanislavski’s acting technique called “the System”. The study focuses on the candidates’ first acquaintance with a script (if any), rehearsal, and onstage portrayal of a role. To achieve this, the study first explores the genesis of Stanislavski’s System, its voyage from Russia to America, and its resultant adaptation into different American techniques given the umbrella term, Method acting. The study also examines different interpretations and iterations of the Stanislavski System by scholars and practitioners and then identifies six major elements common in both American Method and Stanislavski’s System. This enabled me to generate questions posed to the research participants during open-ended interviews, after which, two tables of analysis, one dealing with the adoption, and the other with adaptation, were developed. The study takes a qualitative research design of a phenomenological genre, which falls under the Interpretivist/Constructivist research paradigm, the main goal of which is to understand the subjective world of human experience. To minimise misinterpretation and bias, I applied Giorgi’s analytical procedures of “bracketing and reduction.
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    The effects of entrepreneurship education on student's entrepreneurial intentions at the Tshwane University of Technology
    (Tshwane University of Technology, 2021-06-01) Mahlaole, Simon Thabo; Dr. MJ Malebana
    This study evaluated the effects of entrepreneurship education on students' entrepreneurial intentions at the Tshwane University of Technology using the theory of planned behaviour. The study explored the influence of entrepreneurship education, perceived effects of entrepreneurship education, perceived behavioural control, subjective norms and attitude towards behaviour on entrepreneurial intentions. A total of 301 first, second and third-year entrepreneurship students completed the online survey questionnaire. The study's conceptual model was tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling in RStudio. Microsoft Excel and IBM SPSS 26 were used for descriptive statistics. The findings generated from the PLS-SEM model showed that entrepreneurship education had a statistically significant influence on entrepreneurial intentions and perceived behavioural control. Moreover, the results further revealed that perceived behavioural control partially mediated the relationship between entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial intentions. Entrepreneurship education did not have a statistically significant relationship with subjective norms and attitude towards behaviour. Perceived effects of entrepreneurship education had a statistically significant effect on perceived behavioural control, subjective norms and attitude towards behaviour, and an insignificant direct effect on entrepreneurial intentions. The relationship between entrepreneurial intentions and perceived effects of entrepreneurship education was fully mediated by perceived behavioural control, subjective norms and attitude towards behaviour. The findings further revealed that perceived behavioural control, subjective norms, and attitude towards behaviour had a statistically significant influence on entrepreneurial intentions. This study's findings add to the theory of planned behaviour as well as the field of entrepreneurship education. Future research should consider combining the entrepreneurial event model with the theory of planned behaviour and evaluate the influence that entrepreneurship education has on the entrepreneurial intentions of students in South Africa.
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    A review on factors influencing mechanical properties of AlSi12 alloy processed by selective laser melting.
    (Springer, 2022-06-17) Kekana, Neo; Shongwe, Mxolisi B.; Mpofu, Khumbulani; Muvunzi, Rumbidzai
    AlSi12 has a high strength-to-weight ratio and good corrosion resistance properties. As a result, it has potential for use in the automotive and aerospace industries. However, AlSi12 is difficult to process using conventional manufacturing technologies because of its characteristics of having high thermal conductivity and reflectivity and flowability is low. It is necessary to explore how emerging manufacturing technologies can be used to effectively process it. Additive manufacturing (AM) offers great design freedom. For the AM of metallic parts, several technologies are in use, including selective laser melting (SLM), electron beam melting, laser engineered net shaping, and cold spray additive manufacturing. Among these AM processes, SLM technology is a cutting-edge manufacturing technique that has the potential to change the way people think about design and production. SLM of AlSi12 alloy presents unique advantages in producing components with high strength and low weight while having increased design freedom. However, there is a need for more information on how SLM can be effectively used to manufacture AlSi12 parts in a way that reduces defects without compromising the mechanical properties. Thus, this paper aims to review the factors that influence the mechanical properties of AlSi12 alloy printed parts produced using SLM. This information is useful in determining the factors that can be considered for manufacturing parts with outstanding characteristics.