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Papers by Bokang A Ncube
MCom (Statistics), North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2016The purpose of this study was to i... more MCom (Statistics), North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2016The purpose of this study was to investigate the structural relationships among students’ self-reported statistics anxiety, their attitudes toward statistics, and statistics outcomes by testing the proposed statistics attitudes-outcomes model. This study utilized a survey research design, SEM and PLS methodologies. The participants of the current study consisted of 583 first-year undergraduate students enrolled in statistics courses in a university in South Africa. There were 49 variables altogether. The participants were from different programmes within the Commerce Faculty. The modified versions of the Survey of Attitudes toward Statistics- 36 and MPSP were used to collect data. The modified SATS-36 and MPSP served to confirm the factor structure of components of statistics attitudes including self-efficacy, anxiety and statistics outcome. Confirmatory factor analysis results revealed that five of the nine factors were unreliable and thus invalid, using Cronbach’s alpha measure of item consistency. The best model, after modification had higher model fit indices. This model used 448 observations; and the chi-square (< 0.0001) was significant implying bad fit perhaps due to many variables and large sample size used. The root mean square error of approximation (= 0.0491) is less than the cut-off criterion on 0.5 implying good fit. The probability of close fit (=0.6648) showed an improvement after variable and case deletion. The comparative fit index (=0.8792) was steadily on the increase due to the deletion of variables and cases, as well. The overall model had acceptable fit. With indices very close to the 0.90 cut off criterion. In contrast, exploratory factor analysis revealed that all but two of the constructs, had good to excellent reliability and eight variables been consequently deleted due to them being below the cut-off criterion. All other indicators had a significant loading into a construct. All indicators of the final factor structure were found to be significantly loading into their factors after performing EFA. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesised structural equation model. Partial least squares analysis reliability results are consistent with those of structural equation modeling, with only two constructs in both valid. The contradictory chi-square results and increasing fit indices suggests that the number of cases and variables has an impact on the overall fit of the model.Master
Journal of Governance and Regulation, 2015
The major part of students at institutions of higher learning has shown an aversion for statistic... more The major part of students at institutions of higher learning has shown an aversion for statistics. These attitudes impede on students’ performance. Among factors affecting students’ achievement in the subject is self-efficacy, self-concept, anxiety and low self-perception. In the main, this study sought to explore students’ perceptions and attitudes towards statistics. Data used was collected through SATS-36 and MPSP questionnaires from students who availed themselves for lectures of first year statistics and statistics related courses at a university in South Africa. The findings proved that students’ perceived academic and professional relevance of statistics relates to their statistics proficiency. Students with low statistics self-perception are bound to develop negative attitudes towards the subject. Interest, mathematics and statistics self-efficacy, enjoyment, worth, relevance and effort were identified as precursors of statistics course achievement.
Journal of Economics and Behavioral Studies, 2016
The purpose of the study is to investigate the structural relationships among constructs of the s... more The purpose of the study is to investigate the structural relationships among constructs of the statistics attitudes-outcomes model (SA-OM) using exploratory structural equation modelling (ESEM) methodology. The sample consists of 583 first-year undergraduate students enrolled for statistics courses at the university in South Africa. ESEM reveal that all but two of the nine constructs have well to excellent reliability. To enhance the model, we deleted the eight variables. All other indicators have a significant loading into a construct. Congruency of the SA-OM and expectancy value model (EVM) is noted. The SRMR for all modified models are less than 0.10 suggesting that all these models have acceptable fit. Moreover, all the modified models have RMSE values within the ranges of adequate fit. On the contrary, all the models have unacceptable fit according to PCF, CFI, AGFI and PGFI statistics, i.e. according to all parsimony fit indices except the RMSE. The results also reveal that a...
The purpose of the study is to investigate the structural relationships among constructs of the s... more The purpose of the study is to investigate the structural relationships among constructs of the statistics attitudes-outcomes model (SA-OM) using exploratory structural equation modelling (ESEM) methodology. The sample consists of 583 first-year undergraduate students enrolled for statistics courses at the university in South Africa. ESEM reveal that all but two of the nine constructs have well to excellent reliability. To enhance the model, we deleted the eight variables. All other indicators have a significant loading into a construct. Congruency of the SA-OM and expectancy value model (EVM) is noted. The SRMR for all modified models are less than 0.10 suggesting that all these models have acceptable fit. Moreover, all the modified models have RMSE values within the ranges of adequate fit. On the contrary, all the models have unacceptable fit according to PCF, CFI, AGFI and PGFI statistics, i.e. according to all parsimony fit indices except the RMSE. The results also reveal that all incremental fit indices but the BBNFI approve the modified models as acceptable since most of these indices are almost equal to a cutoff point of 0.9. However, BBNNI disapprove the ML3 and ML5 models as being acceptable. A host of inconsistencies in fit indices are noted.
The major part of students at institutions of higher learning has shown an aversion for statistic... more The major part of students at institutions of higher learning has shown an aversion for statistics. These attitudes impede on students’ performance. Among factors affecting students’ achievement in the subject is self-efficacy, self-concept, anxiety and low self-perception. In the main, this study sought to explore students’ perceptions and attitudes towards statistics. Data used was collected through SATS-36 and MPSP questionnaires from students who availed themselves for lectures of first year statistics and statistics related courses at a university in South Africa. The findings proved that students’ perceived academic and professional relevance of statistics relates to their statistics proficiency. Students with low statistics self-perception are bound to develop negative attitudes towards the subject. Interest, mathematics and statistics self-efficacy, enjoyment, worth, relevance and effort were identified as precursors of statistics course achievement.
Keywords: Attitudes, Perceptions, Self-efficacy, Self-concept, Achievement, Anxiety, Exploratory Factor Analysis
Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) contribute highly to the gross domestic product, reduct... more Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) contribute highly to the gross domestic product, reduction in unemployment, wealth creation and improvement in the quality of life. Due to technology and globalisation, SMEs now compete with enterprises beyond the borders of their country. To survive in this global competitive business environment, SMEs seek for tools that offer competitive advantage. Competitive Intelligence (CI) provides competitive advantage to enterprises that practice it. While CI practice has been widely research for larger enterprises, there is lack of research on CI practice pertaining to SMEs. This research establishes tools used by SMEs in CI practice. The research was quantitative in nature and a self-administered questionnaire was used to collected data from owners/managers of SMEs**.
MCom (Statistics), North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2016The purpose of this study was to i... more MCom (Statistics), North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2016The purpose of this study was to investigate the structural relationships among students’ self-reported statistics anxiety, their attitudes toward statistics, and statistics outcomes by testing the proposed statistics attitudes-outcomes model. This study utilized a survey research design, SEM and PLS methodologies. The participants of the current study consisted of 583 first-year undergraduate students enrolled in statistics courses in a university in South Africa. There were 49 variables altogether. The participants were from different programmes within the Commerce Faculty. The modified versions of the Survey of Attitudes toward Statistics- 36 and MPSP were used to collect data. The modified SATS-36 and MPSP served to confirm the factor structure of components of statistics attitudes including self-efficacy, anxiety and statistics outcome. Confirmatory factor analysis results revealed that five of the nine factors were unreliable and thus invalid, using Cronbach’s alpha measure of item consistency. The best model, after modification had higher model fit indices. This model used 448 observations; and the chi-square (< 0.0001) was significant implying bad fit perhaps due to many variables and large sample size used. The root mean square error of approximation (= 0.0491) is less than the cut-off criterion on 0.5 implying good fit. The probability of close fit (=0.6648) showed an improvement after variable and case deletion. The comparative fit index (=0.8792) was steadily on the increase due to the deletion of variables and cases, as well. The overall model had acceptable fit. With indices very close to the 0.90 cut off criterion. In contrast, exploratory factor analysis revealed that all but two of the constructs, had good to excellent reliability and eight variables been consequently deleted due to them being below the cut-off criterion. All other indicators had a significant loading into a construct. All indicators of the final factor structure were found to be significantly loading into their factors after performing EFA. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesised structural equation model. Partial least squares analysis reliability results are consistent with those of structural equation modeling, with only two constructs in both valid. The contradictory chi-square results and increasing fit indices suggests that the number of cases and variables has an impact on the overall fit of the model.Master
Journal of Governance and Regulation, 2015
The major part of students at institutions of higher learning has shown an aversion for statistic... more The major part of students at institutions of higher learning has shown an aversion for statistics. These attitudes impede on students’ performance. Among factors affecting students’ achievement in the subject is self-efficacy, self-concept, anxiety and low self-perception. In the main, this study sought to explore students’ perceptions and attitudes towards statistics. Data used was collected through SATS-36 and MPSP questionnaires from students who availed themselves for lectures of first year statistics and statistics related courses at a university in South Africa. The findings proved that students’ perceived academic and professional relevance of statistics relates to their statistics proficiency. Students with low statistics self-perception are bound to develop negative attitudes towards the subject. Interest, mathematics and statistics self-efficacy, enjoyment, worth, relevance and effort were identified as precursors of statistics course achievement.
Journal of Economics and Behavioral Studies, 2016
The purpose of the study is to investigate the structural relationships among constructs of the s... more The purpose of the study is to investigate the structural relationships among constructs of the statistics attitudes-outcomes model (SA-OM) using exploratory structural equation modelling (ESEM) methodology. The sample consists of 583 first-year undergraduate students enrolled for statistics courses at the university in South Africa. ESEM reveal that all but two of the nine constructs have well to excellent reliability. To enhance the model, we deleted the eight variables. All other indicators have a significant loading into a construct. Congruency of the SA-OM and expectancy value model (EVM) is noted. The SRMR for all modified models are less than 0.10 suggesting that all these models have acceptable fit. Moreover, all the modified models have RMSE values within the ranges of adequate fit. On the contrary, all the models have unacceptable fit according to PCF, CFI, AGFI and PGFI statistics, i.e. according to all parsimony fit indices except the RMSE. The results also reveal that a...
The purpose of the study is to investigate the structural relationships among constructs of the s... more The purpose of the study is to investigate the structural relationships among constructs of the statistics attitudes-outcomes model (SA-OM) using exploratory structural equation modelling (ESEM) methodology. The sample consists of 583 first-year undergraduate students enrolled for statistics courses at the university in South Africa. ESEM reveal that all but two of the nine constructs have well to excellent reliability. To enhance the model, we deleted the eight variables. All other indicators have a significant loading into a construct. Congruency of the SA-OM and expectancy value model (EVM) is noted. The SRMR for all modified models are less than 0.10 suggesting that all these models have acceptable fit. Moreover, all the modified models have RMSE values within the ranges of adequate fit. On the contrary, all the models have unacceptable fit according to PCF, CFI, AGFI and PGFI statistics, i.e. according to all parsimony fit indices except the RMSE. The results also reveal that all incremental fit indices but the BBNFI approve the modified models as acceptable since most of these indices are almost equal to a cutoff point of 0.9. However, BBNNI disapprove the ML3 and ML5 models as being acceptable. A host of inconsistencies in fit indices are noted.
The major part of students at institutions of higher learning has shown an aversion for statistic... more The major part of students at institutions of higher learning has shown an aversion for statistics. These attitudes impede on students’ performance. Among factors affecting students’ achievement in the subject is self-efficacy, self-concept, anxiety and low self-perception. In the main, this study sought to explore students’ perceptions and attitudes towards statistics. Data used was collected through SATS-36 and MPSP questionnaires from students who availed themselves for lectures of first year statistics and statistics related courses at a university in South Africa. The findings proved that students’ perceived academic and professional relevance of statistics relates to their statistics proficiency. Students with low statistics self-perception are bound to develop negative attitudes towards the subject. Interest, mathematics and statistics self-efficacy, enjoyment, worth, relevance and effort were identified as precursors of statistics course achievement.
Keywords: Attitudes, Perceptions, Self-efficacy, Self-concept, Achievement, Anxiety, Exploratory Factor Analysis
Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) contribute highly to the gross domestic product, reduct... more Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) contribute highly to the gross domestic product, reduction in unemployment, wealth creation and improvement in the quality of life. Due to technology and globalisation, SMEs now compete with enterprises beyond the borders of their country. To survive in this global competitive business environment, SMEs seek for tools that offer competitive advantage. Competitive Intelligence (CI) provides competitive advantage to enterprises that practice it. While CI practice has been widely research for larger enterprises, there is lack of research on CI practice pertaining to SMEs. This research establishes tools used by SMEs in CI practice. The research was quantitative in nature and a self-administered questionnaire was used to collected data from owners/managers of SMEs**.