LITERATURE AVAILABILITY

A further note under substantiveness is the limited amount of print available. The issue is so topical that published books are scarce with valid information. As the list of references will point out, much data was collected via journals, newsprint, internet sources and current academic papers. The traditional approach of extensive literature reviews has only resulted in the discovery of much outdated information. Internet sources are gaining in credibility but there are many

sources of the “dot com” origin that resulted in extreme groups with little objectivity in mind. All acts and laws were easily accessible off the internet, as were topical debates from NGO and government web sites. Extensive use was made of this facility. Future researchers are cautioned to be wary of the credibility of many sites.

5.6 STRENGTHS

Participatory Action Research was ideal for this study. The researcher’s position within the organisation afforded many learning opportunities that may otherwise not have occurred. A further strength is the potential impact the findings may have an impact on future policy within the organisation. The involvement of the researcher displayed the characteristic “ownership” of the findings (Mouton, 2001:151).

From the outset the research was designed to ensure that there was no one singular approach. Including all relevant role-players regarding the issue of HIV-positive members undergoing officer training combated this. It is evident that there is a notable gap between the opinions between learners, training staff and medical staff. Each have different frames of reference.

5.7 CONTROL

The degree of control over the research displayed both areas of high as well as low control. What could be controlled were the actual activities of the officer’s course. A programme is promulgated a year in advance and the periods are followed accordingly. The low part of the control is obviously the behaviours, experiences, and opinions of the learners on the course. To ensure the most objective approach, the option was taken to run a parallel checklist against the warning factors that influence the researchers control (Welman & Kruger, 2001:

106):

5.7.1 The construct validity: It was important to attempt and make the opinions of the learners, staff and medical teams as meaningful and wide-ranging as possible. The researcher’s rank and position in the organisation would definitely have had a major impact on the subject effect. The issue was assessing the ways in which to manage HIV in training interventions within the SANDF. Each subject’s background, education, values, experiences, and impressions would have had an enormous impact on the outcome of the research. The mere diversity of the group in terms of all of the above-mentioned factors (including race, religion and age) made each questionnaire valuable in its own interpretation.

Each participant was approached and asked to fill in questionnaires. There was no money or favour attached – just a request that all participants be as honest as possible. The researcher was confident that there was little reactivity of research. The participants were unfamiliar with the research title and this in turn resulted in a decrease in demand characteristics. On the other hand, it is possible that learners may have attempted to sabotage the feedback. This is a theory in itself, but it is possible that certain elements of the course identified the questionnaires with the researcher and may have suspected a hidden agenda.

This can again be ascribed to the position and the relative influence the researcher has over training within the SA Naval College. The researcher is also of the opinion this is why so few of the candidates admitted to being HIV-positive – for fear of being “uncovered” and removed from training. If this is true, it in itself is a statement that the organisation needs to interpret carefully. Should there be a relationship between these variables, the message is clear that HIV-positive members feel they cannot speak freely about their condition and the need for confidentiality is a necessity. The question then arises: what does the organisation do to gain the trust of the infected members? It appears from the research that the contradiction of dealing with the virus openly but hiding those infected with HIV is an interesting dilemma.

5.7.2 Experimenter Effect: The researcher’s former experience in the SADF was based around discipline and zero tolerance for policy ambiguity, especially whilst in training. Mouton (2001:151) identifies researcher subjectivity as a major limitation to this research design. The position within the organisation could have been inappropriately used to serve the researchers own position. To research the opinions of humanitarians, labour lawyers, disciplined soldiers and sailors, medical experts and learners on course all increased the capacity for understanding. The multitude of angles explored has resulted in a far wider insight to the topic that has affected the researcher.

5.8 CONCLUSION

To fully explore the dynamics of this research would be challenging if a researcher from a social welfare/social psychology background intended on taking this hypothesis and make it their null hypothesis (Welman & Kruger, 2001:198). By using the same research design, a different angle could be researched in making HIV-positive officer candidates the focus group. The extent to which HIV-positive officer candidates feel they can freely disclose their HIV status would be a good measure as to what the acceptance level is in the organisation. The research design has been that of participative action. There is insufficient data available within the organisation at this junction that leaves the researcher with no other option. The topical nature of the research makes questionnaires more valid and opinions can impact more than just the direct environment.

Many other organisations will/are facing similar problems and will have to move away from broad non-discriminatory policy to that of concrete decisions that will ultimately affect the lives of all working within the organisation. The SA Navy is making steady headway in the policy fight of managing HIV in the workplace (Van Eck-Knott, 2002).

One of the most effective ways of reducing and managing the impact of HIV/AIDS in the workplace is through the implementation of an HIV/AIDS policy and programme. Addressing aspects of HIV/AIDS in the workplace will enable employers, trade unions and government to actively contribute towards local, national and international efforts to prevent and control HIV/AIDS (CCMA 2002, http://www.ccma.org.za). The SA Navy needs to generate policy that will effectively guide commanders in the sensitive issue in the management of all sea-going personnel who are infected with HIV/AIDS. This research has explored the dynamics of training members with HIV with the intent on identifying possible solutions to those challenges. The next chapter will highlight some of those options.