The purpose of this study is to develop knowledge around the practice of risk-management by small enterprises in the construction sector. The study will discuss the shortfalls in practice, and possible risk-management strategies suggested. This research is a literature review based study. An integrative review of a purposive sample of literature was used to generate articles discussing SMMEs and their business challenges. The search narrowed down to risk management articles with a specific focus on strategic risk management. The significant limitation to the study is the theoretical nature at this stage. Findings, however, suggest that non-systematic risk management in business operations by small enterprises and lack of innovative strategies that accommodate for market competition, hinder their transition to medium enterprises. However, small enterprises that practice strategic risk management stand a better chance of transitioning into medium enterprises because of their better understanding of risks and resource organization.
IntroductionScalable psychological treatments to address depression among adolescents are urgently needed. This is particularly relevant to low-income and middle-income countries where 90% of the world’s adolescents live. While digital delivery of behavioural activation (BA) presents a promising solution, its feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness among adolescents in an African context remain to be shown.Methods and analysisThis study is a two-arm single-blind individual-level randomised controlled pilot trial to assess the feasibility, acceptability and initial efficacy of digitally delivered BA therapy among adolescents with depression. The intervention has been coproduced with adolescents at the study site. The study is based in the rural northeast of South Africa in the Bushbuckridge subdistrict of Mpumalanga province. A total of 200 adolescents with symptoms of mild to moderately severe depression on the Patient Health Questionnaire Adolescent Version will be recruited (1:1 allocation ratio). The treatment group will receive BA therapy via a smartphone application (the Kuamsha app) supported by trained peer mentors. The control group will receive an enhanced standard of care. The feasibility and acceptability of the intervention will be evaluated using a mixed methods design, and signals of the initial efficacy of the intervention in reducing symptoms of depression will be determined on an intention-to-treat basis. Secondary objectives are to pilot a range of cognitive, mental health, risky behaviour and socioeconomic measures; and to collect descriptive data on the feasibility of trial procedures to inform the development of a further larger trial.Ethics and disseminationThis study has been approved by the University of the Witwatersrand Human Research Ethics Committee (MED20-05-011) and the Oxford Tropical Research Ethics Committee (OxTREC 34-20). Study findings will be published in scientific open access peer-reviewed journals, presented at scientific conferences and communicated to participants, their caregivers, public sector officials and other relevant stakeholders.Trial registration numbersThis trial was registered on 19 November 2020 with the South African National Clinical Trials Registry (DOH-27-112020-5741) and the Pan African Clinical Trials Registry (PACTR202206574814636).
Introduction: Scalable psychological treatments to address depression amongst adolescents are urgently needed. This is particularly relevant to low- and middle-income countries where 90% of the world's adolescents live, socioeconomic adversities affecting mental ill-health are prevalent, and mental health service resources remain very limited. Whilst digital delivery of Behavioural Activation presents a promising solution, its feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness remain to be shown. Methods and analysis: This study is a two-arm single-blind individual-level randomised controlled pilot trial to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and initial efficacy of digitally delivered Behavioural Activation (BA) therapy amongst adolescents with depression. The intervention has been co-produced with adolescents at the study site. The study is based in the rural north-east of South Africa in the Bushbuckridge sub-district of Mpumalanga Province. A total of 200 adolescents with symptoms of mild to moderately-severe depression on the Patient Health Questionnaire Adolescent Version (PHQ-A) will be recruited (1:1 allocation ratio). The treatment group will receive digitally delivered Behavioural Activation (the Kuamsha app programme) whilst the control group will receive an Enhanced Standard of Care. The feasibility and acceptability of the intervention will be evaluated using a mixed-methods design, and signals of initial efficacy of the intervention in reducing symptoms of depression will be determined on an intention-to-treat basis. Secondary objectives are to pilot a range of cognitive, mental health, risky behaviour, and socioeconomic measures; and to collect descriptive data on the feasibility of trial procedures to inform the development of a further larger trial. Ethics and dissemination: This study has been approved by the University of the Witwatersrand Human Research Ethics Committee (MED20-05-011) and the Oxford Tropical Research Ethics Committee (OxTREC 34-20). Study findings will be published in scientific open access peer-reviewed journals, presented at scientific conferences, and communicated to participants, their caregivers, public sector officials, and other relevant stakeholders. Trial registration: This trial was registered on 19 November 2020 with the South African National Clinical Trials Registry (DOH-27-112020-5741) and the Pan African Clinical Trials Registry (PACTR202206574814636).
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