Current awareness is the term used to describe staying informed by keeping up to date with the latest publications, research and news in your field.
The perspective of current awareness is the present and the forthcoming, as opposed to the retrospective.
Current awareness ranges from looking for information on specific topics on a regular basis (and this usually involves the assistance of your Personal Librarian to help you set up a search profile matched to your research interests) to embracing a wider, more general, and cross-disciplinary view that brings an element of serendipity into your search for the latest information.
Informally, researchers remain alert in all contexts for useful information and insights that will inform their daily practice, their research, and spark off innovative and creative ideas for new avenues of research
The website of the month is:
The United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy
When we secure the rights of persons with disabilities, we move our world closer to upholding the core values and principles of the United Nations Charter.
The United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy provides the foundation for sustainable and transformative progress on disability inclusion through all pillars of the work of the United Nations: peace and security, human rights, and development.
"Disability info South Africa" is a free web site and support service for Persons With Disabilities in South Africa, it was developed and is run by Alan Downey, who is a C5 Quadriplegic & has been since he had a diving accident in 1994. Alan has been working on this project since 2015.
The website provides a “One Stop Information Service” which provides information for and about the disabilities that fall under the 4 main Disability groups in South Africa, which include Persons with: Mobility Impairments; Hearing Impairments; Visual Impairments & Intellectual Impairments.
The year is marked with many special days, weeks, and months dedicated and devoted to raising awareness about important issues.
This monthly post, compiled by the Information Search Librarians Team, will note special dates and themes, and draw your attention to possibly interesting cross-disciplinary topical references intended to inform and to inspire ideas for research.
Theme: Together Building South Africa Inclusive of Disability Rights.
Society is encouraged to be part of the conversation online by using the hashtag #DisabilityInclusiveSA and #DRAM2019
If you are looking for 2019's forthcoming conferences, the following websites are helpful:
Botha, F. and de Beer, C. 2013. Does national sporting performance affect stock market returns in South Africa? Journal of Economic and Financial Sciences ; Vol. 6, Issue 1:pp. 67-82. DOI 10.4102/jef.v6i1.277
Abstract
This study explores whether South African national sporting performance can influence investors in such a way that it has the ability to impact on market returns. Using standard event study methodology, this study determines the constant mean return using the daily All-Share price index on the JSE for the period of 1 January 1990 to 31 December 2010. This study focuses on three of South Africa’s most popular sports, namely soccer, cricket and rugby, and examines if these three sports have the ability to influence market returns. Although there is some evidence of a relationship between stock returns and sporting performance in the descriptive analysis, the regression results indicate that sporting performance in South Africa does not significantly explain abnormal market returns on the JSE. The study provides a number of possible reasons for this finding and concludes by suggesting areas for future research.
Barac, K.; Moloi, T. and Marx, B. 2011. Corporate governance practices at South African higher education institutions : an annual report disclosure analysis. Journal of Economic and Financial Sciences, Vol. 4, Issue 2, Oct 2011, p. 317 – 332. DOI 10.4102/jef.v4i2.323
Abstract
Higher education institutions are presently facing many challenges, ranging from economic and financial constraints to social and educational issues. Accordingly, sound management and governance are essential, and this brings the governance model of HEIs more in line with business corporations. This article provides an overview of the state of governance practices at higher education institutions in South Africa, and an assessment of the corporate governance disclosures in their annual reports. This was done through a literature review of higher education developments, including a South African perspective, supported by empirical evidence obtained from assessing the annual reports of these institutions. The study found that, although most of these institutions are providing disclosure on their corporate governance structures and practices in line with the recommendations of the Higher Education Act and King II, such disclosure is often lacking in detail and could be improved.