October - December 2013
Message from the Dean
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Dear Colleagues We have come to the end of another eventful year in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. I would like to thank each and every one of you for your dedication during the past year. The Faculty would not have been able to achieve the successes and overcome the obstacles without your hard work, devoted service and valuable contributions. I wish you all a well-deserved holiday with your families and loved ones. Season's Greetings Elsabé Loots |
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Management reappointments
The following academic staff members have been awarded with NRF ratings with effect from 1 January 2014
Research Awards Prof Roula Inglesi-Lotz and Prof Elmar Venter both received Academic Achievement Awards under the category "Exceptional Young Researcher". The following staff members have been promoted
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The winning tradition continues Sharon Smulders, a PhD graduate from the Department of Taxation, has built on UP’s winning tradition for yet another year, winning the doctoral category of the Norton Rose South Africa Tax Thesis competition for 2013. Read More |
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Visiting scholar reflects on responsible leadership in South Africa In October 2013, Professor Sandra Waddock from the Boston College in the USA, spent a month visiting the Albert Luthuli Centre for Responsible Leadership on the invitation by Professor Derick De Jongh, Director of the Centre. Read More |
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Walking the process in a call centre “Marketers need to understand how an effective process can create value by putting the customer at the centre of the experience. It is like ‘walking’ the process to understand the needs of the customers and ultimately to map the most effective process to create and add value.” This was the message given by Ms Bardien Pienaar during a guest lecture to BComHons (Marketing Management) students on 2 October 2013. Read More |
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Students hold their own in front of the Gautrain Management Agency On 29 October 2013, the Department of Marketing Management put their honours students to the ultimate test. After an entire year of working on the Gautrain marketing project, it was time for the students to demonstrate what they had experienced and learnt. Students were required to report back to the Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) as part of their exam. Read More |
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Distinguished visitors teach Development Economics to students The Development Economics course forms part of the Emerging Markets and Risk Analysis programme and is offered by the Department of Economics. It is presented to selected graduate students from both Fordham University in New York and the University of Pretoria. Read More |
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UP students excel at an international student conference in Orlando, Florida Two internal audit honours students from UP’s Department of Auditing had the privilege of attending and taking part in the seventh Annual IAEP Leadership and Networking Student Conference, held in USA Linda Harris and Lisé du Preez were accompanied by Professor Philna Coetzee to Orlando, Florida, for the three day conference. Read More |
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Biotechnology meets marketing in interdepartmental course As part of an interdepartmental BScHons (Biotechnology) course, the departments of Biochemistry, Plant Science, Genetics, Microbiology and Plant Pathology and Plant Production and Soil Science are participating in a programme named Biotechnology in the workplace. Read More |
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International relations – The Department of Auditing visits Louisiana State University Mr Cobus Janse van Rensburg, a lecturer at the Department of Auditing at the University of Pretoria (UP), visited the Louisiana State University Centre for Internal Auditing (LSUCIA). The main purpose of the visit was to attend LSUCIA’s annual case studies week, where LSU internal auditing students present case studies in groups over a five day period. Read More |
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The editor says… Publishing one’s research findings in academic journals is one of the most important outcomes of the hard work that goes into a master’s degree. A major part of the master’s coursework programme in the Department of Marketing Management is to write academic articles based on empirical research. Writing up research results for the academic audience is daunting, and in order to assist our students in this process, academic experts are invited to help demystify the academic publishing process. Speakers from other subject areas are also invited in order to broaden the horizons of the students and to provide different views from other fields of research. Read More |
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Students experience new media hands on Dr Gené van Heerden, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Marketing Management, facilitated a special guest lecture on the application of digital and social media for first-year BCom (Marketing Management) students. She also highlighted examples of how companies in industry use digital and social media, as well as its advantages when used correctly. Read More |
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Best qualitative paper award A study about the competencies required by business rescue practitioners, earned Prof Marius Pretorius of the Department of Business Management the best qualitative paper award at the annual Southern Africa Institute for Management Scientists (SAIMS) Conference 2013. Read More |
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The first of its kind in the communication sciences A paper on a topic combining the disciplines of human resources, corporate communication and industrial psychology was perceived to be the first of its kind in the communication sciences. Read More |
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The Department of Economics promotes a research culture The Department of Economics hosts a series of research presentations every semester during which people from other national as well as international universities are invited to present their research. Read More |
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A focus on Sports Tourism Skills Development Elizabeth Kruger, of the Tourism Management Division, represented a team of researchers who shared their research findings on skills gaps in current sports training and opportunities available in South Africa. Read More |
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Researcher speaks out on food security Ms Anesu Makina, Research Officer at the Albert Luthuli Centre for Responsible Leadership (ALCRL), was a panellist at the first Africa Food Security Conference held in Nairobi, Kenya during August 2013. The title of her presentation was “The role of the private sector: Challenges and opportunities”. Read More |
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Research project on skills development framework for the sports tourism Dr Felicité Fairer-Wessels and Ms Elizabeth Kruger of the Tourism Management Division, as well as Prof Anneliese Goslin of the Department of Biokinetics, Sport and Leisure Sciences worked on a joint research project with Thebe Exhibitions Project Group on a skills development framework for the sports tourism industry in South Africa. Read More |
 
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UP to affirm South Africa as a top tourist destination Leading academic in the field of national tourism destination competitiveness, Prof Geoffrey Crouch, of La Trobe University in Australia, recently visited UP to consult on the research project awarded to the Division: Tourism Management by the National Department of Tourism. This project requires the research into South Africa’s tourism destination competitiveness. Read More |
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Academic versus commercial research: parallel universes? The juxtaposition between academic and “real-world” research is a topic often debated – especially within the academic fraternity. As young researchers, the final year master’s course work in Marketing Management students found this research debate of great interest. Read More |
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Customer satisfaction index – a first for South Africa Professor Yolanda Jordaan, Head of the Department of Marketing Management and co-founder of the South African Customer Satisfaction Index (SAcsi), was most excited about the release of the first full year national customer satisfaction index on 4 November 2013 in Sandton. Read More |
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The GRULAC group of countries visit the Faculty A two day conference, with participants from several Southern American countries, took place at the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences during October 2013. The event was between the Group of Latin American and Caribbean (GRULAC) countries and the faculties of the University of Pretoria. Read More |
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Sports and Tourism Exchange Conference highlights importance of relevant research and education During the Sports and Events Tourism Exchange Conference, which took place in Durban, some challenges and opportunities were highlighted regarding South Africa’s future sports and events tourism strategy, centred around undertaking relevant research, education and capacity building in the sports tourism sphere. These are all areas where the University of Pretoria is already contributing in various ways. Read More |
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Expert reflects on sustainable logistics The Master Programme in Supply Chain Management, offered by the Department of Business Management, focuses on some of the most essential business processes affecting the profitability of corporations. Read More |
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‘Expect the Unexpected’ and come out tops The Marketing Management Honours class of 2013 had a busy year, working on various industry challenges and meeting deadlines on a weekly basis. On Wednesday, 30 October, true to the nature of the Honours programme, the marketing class was caught off guard. The Department decided to end the Honours year on a high note, reflecting on their experiences, handing out awards and treating the class to hamburgers and chips. Read More |
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Transform research into an interesting story “When aiming to publish in popular media, ensure you have an interesting, timeous and relevant story to tell.” This was some valuable advice given to the Master’s course work students from Ms Nicolize Mulder, senior media liaison officer at the University of Pretoria. Ms Mulder shared her extensive experience of the South African media environment in a fascinating guest lecture presented on 11 October 2013. The topic of discussion was “Preparing your research findings for publication in the popular press.” Read More |
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Marketing students meet the who’s who of sports business leaders Exposure Unlimited approached the Department of Marketing Management, requesting our senior students’ involvement in the Sport Industry Summit held on 24 October 2013 in Johannesburg. This company kindly offered one student the opportunity to not only attend the summit, but to also meet and network with some of the most influential people in the world of sport. Read More |
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Students contribute towards saving the rhino Students of the Tourism Management Division hosted two Save the Rhino events. The first was an exhibition in the Merensky Library of the University of Pretoria in October where ceramic rhinos, painted by students and lecturers, were showcased. The second event was a silent auction of these rhino artworks. Read More |
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When I graduate, I am going to drive a Porsche On Friday, 25 October 2013, Mr Fred Scheepers, lecturer of BEM 224, invited his second-year marketing students to a special lecture in the Aula. Upon arrival, the students realised this was not going to be an ordinary lecture. The red carpet laid out on stage suggested something grand was to unfold. And grand it was. The special lecture turned out to be presentation by Porsche SA. Read More |
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Keep calm and write your CV... As part of the honours programme in Marketing, the Department of Marketing Management has placed great focus on getting the honours students equipped for the working world. Part of this involved getting professional assistance in developing a CV, creating a professional online profile, as well as obtaining interviewing tips for the students. Lecturer Miss Nontu Mashaba arranged for TouchStone Recruitment, one of the Top 100 JSE Listed Companies, to guide students through this process. Read More |
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Data visualisation – seeing is believing As part of the Department of Marketing Management’s mission to produce marketing practitioners of the highest quality, a team from the company named Consulta Research presented a lecture to the BComHons (Marketing Management) students. Chief Operations Officer, Kobus Badenhorst and Chief Marketing Officer, Dries Noeth gave a presentation on the topic of customer experience and focussed on new and innovative developments in the research environment. Read More |
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Getting grips on tax avoidance Prof Keith Engel, Director of Tax: Policy at EY, presented a lecture to the third year BCom(Taxation) students on tax avoidance. Read More |
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Students takes on a Gautrain publicity stunt The year 2013 marked a partnership between the Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) and the Department of Marketing Management. Mr Ashton Bodrick, Marketing Manager at GMA briefed the BComHons (Marketing Management) students on the partnership and what was expected of the students. Read More |
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Honorary professors appointed in the Department of Marketing Management Mr Brand Pretorius and Mr Bonang Mohale have both been appointed as honorary professors in the Department of Marketing Management from 1 September 2013. Read More |
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UP develops its leaders – and reap the rewards The University of Pretoria selected one dean and 11 heads of departments to partake in UP’s prestigious Programme in Academic Leadership (PAL), presented by the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS). The programme focuses on the context of academic leadership, people development and functional excellence. Read More |
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Internal auditing lecturer wins coveted prize
Great honour was recently bestowed on the Department of Auditing after Prof Philna Coetzee was awarded the Institute of Internal Auditors’ (IIA) Educator of the Year award at its annual national conference. The conference was held at the Sandton Convention Centre from 12 to 14 August 2013. Read More
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Doctoral student wins prestigious international award A study on how managers in information technology (IT) companies in South Africa perceive and manage virtual workers, awarded Dr Karen Luyt the prestigious Emerald Best International Dissertation Award. Dr Karen Luyt received a PhD in Organisation Behaviour during the April graduation ceremonies of the University of Pretoria and was one of four finalists for the award. Read More |
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SPMA tutor – a role model for many The School of Public Management and Administration (SPMA) acknowledges Thami Buys as a working student role model and is convinced that a bright future awaits him in the discipline and as future leader. Read More |
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Music Exam
Sylvia Wessels from the School of Public Management and Administration has passed a senior examination at the Rock School/Trinity College, London, which equals the SA Licentiate. The Rock School examinations cover a wide field of general knowledge in music theory, and a basic ability in arrangement and composition. This examination is highly regarded amongst all musicians – classic and light music.
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