In the face of the extensive changes resulting from the Post-Industrial Age, many are questioning "the gifts of the chip," or, more specifically, the ability of computer technologies to deliver the comfort predicted. The objective of this thesis is to examine the law's response to computer technology concerning occupational health and safety. This inquiry is necessary due to the dramatic changes that have occurred in the workforce, altering the profile of workplace health. / The thesis begins with a reference to The Gift of Stones, a fictional account of the difficulties that stone workers experienced when the Bronze Age arrived. Modern labourers face parallel struggles due to the arrival of the Post-Industrial Age characterized by technological innovation and restructuring. The legitimacy and effectiveness of occupational health and safety law is challenged by changes to social institutions and by computer related work injuries. / In many jurisdictions, the state has responded to these changes by enacting ergonomic standards that seek to minimize the harmful effects of computer use. The thesis examines the trend towards ergonomic standards with particular focus on Canadian initiatives. In conclusion, it argues that ergonomic regulations are an important means of promoting safer computer practices. Additionally, ergonomic standards provide a mechanism for continued state regulation of occupational health and safety. The challenge for rule makers is ensuring that the standards are a component of comprehensive legal reforms.

The educational policy for adults in China has fluctuated over the 40-year period since the founding of the People's Republic of China. The purpose of this study will include the effects on adult education of ideological shifts in the underlying educational philosophy related to social and political development in China during the three identifiable key periods of change associated with the re-building and development of the nation from 1949 to 1986; namely, (1) 1949-1966, the beginning of the Communist Era; (2) 1966-1976, the Cultural revolution period; (3) 1976-1986, the period after the Cultural Revolution. / In many cases, the development of Chinese education for adults has been quite irregular due to political upheavals. Marxist principles of education have been felt in China to be difficult to integrate with the developmental needs of the country. Commitment to adult education as an important element of the development pattern has been high, but political struggle has seriously hampered educational expansion. The struggle within the high-level leadership seems to have been the most direct reason for ideological shifts over the 37 year period.

<p>In South Africa, poverty engendered by the apartheid regime has long been part of the fabric of the economy. Against this background of social marginalisation, material deprivation and individual vulnerability, tourism has over the years increasingly been mooted as a strategically important and lucrative sector that, if fully explored and exploited, would lead to sustained poverty alleviation in the Republic of South Africa. The central aim of this study was to establish whether tourism as evident in the Spier Tourism model is a sustainable poverty-reduction strategy. The specific objectives of this study were to examine the socio-economic impact of Spier tourism initiatives on its workers (previously disadvantaged individuals) and the local population, to assess the pro-poor tourism practices as implemented by Spier in relation to Rogerson&rsquo / s pro-poor approach, to identify the challenges that Spier is facing in its pro-poor tourism approach with respect to poverty reduction goals, to provide recommendations on how the challenges can be met most effectively and to examine how pro-poor tourism can be promoted and enhanced in South Africa. The study employed both the qualitative and quantitative research designs. Data were collected through different qualitative and quantitative techniques (in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, questionnaire). Summary findings indicate that Spier has positively contributed to the socio-economic improvement in the living standards (contribution to livelihood &ndash / increased income, enhanced health and food status), through job creation, improved education/healthcare, empowerment through training and skill development, investment in the corporate social responsibility. However, Spier is still grappling with challenges such as racial disputes, insufficient income of employees and unqualified staff to mention a few. This study makes several recommendations which are based on the findings.</p>

The situation in South Africa presents unique challenges to achieving sustained poverty reduction. Although it is an upper-middle-income country with a per capita income similar to that of Botswana, Brazil or Malaysia, a significant proportion of South African households have remained poor despite a plethora of government policies that target the less resourced. While estimates vary, over 22.9 million South Africans are categorised as being poor, with almost 2.5 million people suffering from malnutrition. Most analysts now agree that while poverty increased during the 1990s, some progress has been made in reducing both the incidence and depth of poverty after 2000. This thesis argues that the economic and social dynamics set in motion by apartheid that produced this situation, may also have generated a low-level equilibrium trap from which some the poor in South Africa will find it difficult to escape. The thesis suggests that the explanation for this 'poverty trap' lies in what Sen has termed the exchange entitlement mapping that poor households face when attempting to use their assets/endowments. In other words, the processes that underpin the accumulation of assets, the opportunities to use these assets, and the returns obtained are structurally prejudiced against the poor. The implication is that the current experience of poverty leads to its reproduction and to a structurally persistent poverty. The central research question of this thesis is then: "Did the extent, distribution and experience of poverty of the apartheid era persist in the immediate post-apartheid South Africa despite the efforts of government to foster pro-poor reforms?" The central policy concern is that if asset accumulation failure underpins persistent poverty, policies for those who are structurally poor should be differentiated from that which is directed at those who are transitorily poor. As an example, the policies of the South African government concerning the redistribution of agrarian assets (principally land and finance) may not be sufficient to assist the poor in rural areas, and may only increase intra-rural inequality. The thesis draws on two principal data sources: the South African Participatory Poverty Assessment completed in 1997, and the KwaZulu-Natal Income Dynamics Study (KIDS) which contains panel data collected from the same households in 1993, 1998 and 2004. Using these data, the thesis identifies a typology of structural poverty classes. At the bottom of this typology are those trapped in poverty with an asset base that is inadequate to meet their immediate needs as well as their ability to accumulate further assets over time. Other are stochastically poor or non-poor, moving in and out of poverty according to their good or bad fortune. Finally some have never been poor and have the asset base to ensure that they remain in this position or indeed improve over time. The livelihood strategies of households are used to differentiate households according to their participation in labour markets, farm and non-farm own production and access to social grants. The livelihood clusters that result are then matched to the poverty classes in order show differentiation among the households surveyed in KIDS. This allows for more nuanced policy recommendations that can be tailored to the needs of households experiencing different forms of poverty. This thesis is 87 000 words in length excluding appendices. / Thesis (Ph.D)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2008.

Education in South Africa, in the times of the national government, had been regulated and controlled. During the 1990's, however, with the emergence of the new democratic government, the degree of control and regulation eased to allow a spirit of free enterprise. This provided entrepreneurial opportunities to engage in the provisioning of education. These opportunities proved very successful resulting in good business options. This development was not matched with any regulation or standards, consequently no mechanisms were in place that provided guidelines on personal and academic quality. In most cases private providers were not of an academic background and therefore based their practice strictly along business lines. Private providers sought accreditation from international partners. This had reciprocal benefit in that it added a sense of legitimacy and credibility to the private provider while at the same time providing financial benefit to international universities. Over time, as a result of lack of research and development in this sector it was assumed that the private sector was responsible for the loss of student numbers in the public sector. This together with the findings of the task group delegated by the Minister of Education highlighted the urgent need to regulate this sector. This resulted in a sequence of events that gave rise to the regulation policy. The policy required that private providers report on their quality assurance mechanisms. The process was two pronged namely, the application for accreditation and the application for registration. The Department, as a result of lack of capacity, had engaged SAQA (South African Qualifications Authorities) to implement the accreditation process. This was an interim process till such time the Higher Education Quality Council is fully set up. The process proved complex, the document to apply for accreditation, termed the "blue book" was not a user friendly document. This coupled with the lack of academic experience in quality assurance on the part of private providers, resulted in severe implementation problems. This study addresses the implementation process by the Department of Education. It looks at the responsibility and participation of all stakeholders in the process and attempts to identify what factors had contributed to the poor implementation. The study probes the responses from private providers in Kwa-Zulu Natal and from the regulatory authorities. The study is grounded in the literature survey. One must be mindful that this regulation process is a new development. The work of the HEQC and the Council on Higher Education is new. Currently there are web sites that outline clearly their aims, objectives, process and procedures. However, at the time of the first implementation in 1998, little information was available. The documentation was developed after the process had been implemented. This coupled with understaffing from SAQA and the DoE exacerbated the problem. This study therefore explores the implementation process. This process is now improved and changed now the Council on Higher Education has implemented the quality assurance mechanisms. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Durban-Westville, 2002.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.Dev. Studies)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2003.

The youth transition is not just a critical time for an individual but also to one’s family, the greater society and economy. The category “youth” in simple terms can be regarded as the transition in the life cycle from childhood and schooling into adulthood and work. Employment is one of the key factors that guide the youth transition into adulthood – from dependency upon family and community to greater independence and ability to secure one’s own livelihood. If a young person is unable to gain access into the labour market within the first 10 to 12 years, statistically, she will be less likely to have long-term employment throughout her lifetime. These are crucial years to providing mechanisms that actively engage youth in job preparation and employment opportunities. This research explores relevant youth-employment policy and its implementation in a South African local municipality of eThekwini. Research questions were developed to analyse the vertical and horizontal impact of policies at the local level and ask: What measures within national youth policies and strategies have been instituted to address barriers to youth employability in South Africa? Are national youth policies reaching the local level? What approaches have been taken to encourage youth employment at the local level, and what challenges exist in these approaches? The literature review, analysis of policy documents, and semi-structured in-depth interviews with government officials provide a guided yet flexible exploration of information within the context of local implementation of national and local policies for youth employment. Findings reveal an obvious gap between national youth programmes and their connection to municipality departments and programmes. The research process found that in spite of the lack of national services at a local level, the eThekwini Municipality has created its own youth policy and developed its own ways of providing youth services. While the research does unveil a lack of coordination concurrent to the local youth policy outcomes, it can be seen to be taking innovative steps of empowering individuals towards employment opportunities. The study concludes by acknowledging the recent changes in national strategies for youth. It questions whether these national changes will impact youth at the local level or just continue to provide policy that lacks implementation. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

Land degradation is a national concern that needs to be redressed and prevented by the government and its agencies as it has a significant impact on agricultural productivity and food security. The National Department of Agriculture is in the process of reforming the sustainable resource use policy to deal with the causes of land degradation and to promote the sustainable use of natural resources, particularly in povertystricken areas. Prior to 1994, this policy was only applied in areas where commercial agriculture was practised. The researcher has explored the struggles encountered during the implementation of the sustainable resource use policy through a case study approach within the Enkumane region of KwaZulu-Natal. The research followed a cross-sectional approach drawing from methods such as typology techniques, semi-structured interviews and questionnaires, which were employed at various stages in the policy process, from the levels of policy-makers to the intended beneficiaries. A literature review emphasized the importance of applying inte~ated and participatory approaches in implementing a public policy. The results highlighted significant differences of opinion concerning the implementation of the sustainable resource use policy within and between the different stages of the process from policy to implementation. This was partly attributed to the inadequacy in terms of clear roles, direction and guidelines, and also in terms of the institutionalisation of experience, knowledge and skills. It was recommended that a more co-ordinated and integrated effort is required to reform the policy. This calls for the establishment of mechanisms to ensure that people at all stages in the policy process are involved in a participatory manner, towards the continual improvement of the sustainable resource use policy. The significance of this study is twofold, firstly the financial burden of ineffective policies is unacceptable to our society. Secondly, the research has a potential to enhance the policy to implementation process, which may provide a platform for improving the sustainable resource use policy. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2004.

In recent years, the world has been experiencing rapid and extensive global shifts that have had a positive and negative impact on different countries around the globe. These global shifts have also influenced the way countries conduct trade with their partners. A lot of countries, as a way of adapting to these changes, have been forced to review their trade policies to be in line with the trade liberalisation process. The expansion of markets has led to trade liberalisation, which promotes export growth in commodities. However in developing countries, they have experienced increases in imports and thus reflecting a certain level of uncompetitiveness of these countries with trade imbalances. This has also resulted in a declining purchasing power for some countries involved, export revenues falling as prices also fall due to intense competition in the world market. Studies have suggested that when countries liberalise they tend to experience some short falls in the first few years then a recovery thereafter. Agriculture is the major factor in the economies of developing countries. At least 80% of African economies are directly or indirectly dependent on agriculture. In these developing countries, a greater majority of the population lives in the rural areas where agriculture serves as a greater part of their occupation and source of livelihood. Being the engine of most African economies, the majority of the population of these countries are employed in the agricultural sector. Agricultural commodities represent by far the largest proportion of exported goods and the main raw materials for manufactured products. As a key to poverty reduction and food security, agricultural development may be seen as important. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2004.

The national system of innovation (NSI) is well entrenched within South Africa’s policy discourse, as a conceptual framework for understanding the nature and functioning of the country’s totality of science and technology efforts. The NSI is proving to be a powerful concept in that it permits, for instance, a holistic view of how scientific activity relates to economic performance. However, the NSI is a relatively new construct in the South African context. For this reason, there is a need for a proper understanding of what constitutes the NSI, how it functions and how best to make sense of it. This study undertakes a hermeneutic exploration and assessment of the NSI as a conceptual framework for understanding the structure and performance of knowledge institutions within South Africa. To this end, the NSI concept is unbundled into its constituent elements and then subjected to a deep theoretical analysis in order to critically examine the core ideas behind the constituent terms. Drawing on the writer’s hermeneutic-phenomenological input, the study critically examines the salient features of the NSI as they find expression in various official science and technology policy documents and reports. The elements that make up South Africa’s national system of innovation are identified and their roles defined. An argument is presented as to why, collectively, these elements demonstrate system behaviour. Chaos and complexity frameworks are then employed to shape a conceptual platform to underpin this philosophical enquiry with an ultimate view to developing a robust theoretical framework of the NSI. The study demonstrates the usefulness of chaos and complexity in explaining, for example, the evolution and current organisation of the NSI. Recommendations have been made about how chaos and complexity perspectives could be applied in general and strategic management of the NSI, as well as in research. / Thesis (M.Sc.Eng.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.