Additional information available on a CD stored at the Merensky Library.The purpose of this study was to explore the concept of quality in early learning centres which could serve as the groundwork for the development of an early learning quality assurance framework in South Africa. The data used reflects different beneficiaries‘ experiences of quality in early learning centres. The unique contexts of, and situations at early learning centres were considered. A theoretical framework, based on Woodhead‘s model on quality development, informed the study. The framework consists of input (structural), process and outcome quality indicators. In this explanatory instrumental case study framed within social constructionism, the researcher partnered with 235 teachers, 235 mothers and 235 teacher students from a middle income group, to generate mixed method data using surveys, as well as interviews and reflective journals in a statistical and thematical analysis. Beneficiaries‘ conceptualisations of quality mirrored accepted norms of quality in early learning centres. Beneficiaries indicated the following as indicative of quality: children‘s social-emotional well-being and holistic development, a normative foundation for values and respect, effective infrastructure and accountable learning. Aspects regarded as quality indicators by beneficiaries were available at early learning centres. In this regard early learning centres provided more indoor than outdoor facilities. The latter were mostly static outdoor structures which could negatively impact on sensory- and motor development. The promovenda developed a draft quality assurance framework based on the following criteria: school climate, infrastructure, curriculum, communication, teacher competence, learning environment, and support services. The findings show that aspects perceived by beneficiaries as quality indicators in an early learning centre are predominantly process indicators and hard to ‗measure‘ in a quantitative way. A quality school climate enables emotional and social well-being. In this regard, the findings suggest that for the beneficiaries quality concerns were not about that which early learning centres have provided in terms of facilities (input indicators), but rather about centres that promote children‘s holistic well-being. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

Mpumalanga Provincial Department of Human Settlements in partnership with the National Department of Human Settlements has launched a new integrated system known as the Housing Needs Register (HNR) to manage potential housing beneficiaries. This study was aimed at refining the integrated system in terms of providing guidelines and processes in the allocation of affordable houses. A total of 88 878 records captured on the HNR were profiled, and the results show that in approximately 86% of the records, family factors and better economic circumstances were given as the main motivation towards a desire to own a house in a particular area of residence. These findings emphasized the importance of understanding beneficiaries’ needs with regard to housing. Providing guidelines in the application of this knowledge in a fair and consistent manner could assist in curtailing the spread of informal selling or demolishing of state subsidized houses and other forms of corruption. / Public Health / M.A. (Public Health)

Affirmative action represents a major goal for South African organisations since the process of democratisation in 1994. Evaluating the success of affirmative action programmes is therefore considered a priority. The research objective was to investigate the association between affirmative action effectiveness and the job satisfaction of affirmative action beneficiaries. A literature survey concerning affirmative action, affirmative action success, and job satisfaction was done. A structured interview, gauging the congruency of organisations' affirmative action efforts with affirmative action effectiveness theory, and a job satisfaction questionnaire, measuring the job satisfaction experienced by affirmative action beneficiaries, were utilised. The study was conducted among 121 affirmative action beneficiaries employed by five organisations. ')( The result of the empirical study proved that a significant direct relationship exists between the level of effectiveness of the target organisations' affirmative action endeavours and the level of job satisfaction experienced by their affirmative action beneficiaries. / Economics and Management Sciences / M.Com. (Industrial Psychology)

Musculoskeletal complaints are one of the most common reasons for visits to medical and chiropractic professionals in the United States, and spine-related symptoms in particular comprise the largest share of these complaints. Spine-related conditions increase as people age, having implications for rising disability and consequent spending by Medicare and Medicaid on increased health services use and long-term services and support. Chiropractic is one type of treatment used by older adults with these types of health problems. Covered by Medicare since 1972, chiropractic spinal manipulation is allowed for the express purpose to arrest the progression of functional decline or restore and possibly improve patient function. No studies, however, have examined whether chiropractic use by Medicare beneficiaries has indeed arrested functional decline, delayed disability, or restored health. The purpose of this dissertation research is to examine the comparative effectiveness of chiropractic use relative to no treatment and alternative medical care on the health and functional trajectories of community-dwelling older adults. I also examine the comparative effect of chiropractic on satisfaction with care. This is accomplished through the use of two longitudinal surveys with representative Medicare populations linked to Medicare provider claims. The first analysis examines the long-term comparative effect of chiropractic relative to no use and alternative care on functional decline, self-rated health decline, and the onset of additional depressive symptoms in a cohort of older Medicare beneficiaries, both with and without back conditions. The second study examines the effect of chiropractic compared to medical only episodes of care on health and functional decline in an older adult population with uncomplicated back conditions over a two-year period. The third and final study examines the comparative effect of chiropractic relative to medical care only on one-year changes in function, self-rated health, and satisfaction with care in a nationally representative age-eligible Medicare population with spine-related musculoskeletal conditions. Study results suggest that chiropractic has a consistently protective effect when compared to routine alternative medical care against decline in function among older adults with spine-related conditions, both over the long-term and the short-term. Chiropractic also has a comparative protective effect against decline in self-rated health in the short-term, but has no differential effect on the onset of depressive symptoms either in the short-term or long-term . Medicare beneficiaries using chiropractic for spine-related health conditions are relatively more satisfied than those using medical care only with the information provided to them about their condition, and with follow-up care provided after the initial visit. This research is the first of its kind to examine the comparative effectiveness of chiropractic relative to other usual sources of care for Medicare beneficiaries, in general and specifically among those with spine-related conditions, finding that chiropractic use has a comparatively beneficial effect on function, health, and satisfaction with care. The results have important policy implications for clinicians, patients, and Medicare because of the potential to shift clinical practice away from technologically intense and expensive treatments toward therapies like chiropractic spinal manipulation that demonstrate a comparative advantage in preserving health and function among older adults.

Thesis (LLM. (Labour Law)) -- University of Limpopo, 2013 / This mini-dissertation evaluates the laws regulating beneficiary funds in South Africa. A beneficiary fund is a fund established for the purposes of accepting lump sum death benefits awarded in terms of Section37C of the Pension Funds Act (the Act) to a beneficiary (dependant or nominee) on the death of a member, which are not paid directly to that beneficiary or to a trust nominated by the member, or to the member’s estate or to the guardian’s fund. This replaces the previous payments to trusts and a fund can now only pay to a trust if the trust was nominated by the member, a major dependant or nominee; a person recognised in law or appointed by a court as the person responsible for managing the affairs or meeting the daily care needs of a minor or incapacitated major dependant or nominee. Any association of persons or business carried on under a fund or arrangement established with the object of receiving, administering, investing and paying benefits, referred to in section 37C on behalf of beneficiaries, payable on the death of more than one member of one or more pension funds is a beneficiary fund and must be registered by the Financial Services Board and approved. Beneficiary funds were introduced as a result of the amendments to the Pension Funds Act into the Financial Services Laws General Amendment Act, 22 of 2008. The beneficiary funds were introduced with stronger regulatory framework. They have sufficient governance, reporting requirements and conduct annual audits.

Thesis (LLM. (Labour Law)) -- University of Limpopo, 2013 / This mini-dissertation evaluates the laws regulating beneficiary funds in South Africa. A beneficiary fund is a fund established for the purposes of accepting lump sum death benefits awarded in terms of Section37C of the Pension Funds Act (the Act) to a beneficiary (dependant or nominee) on the death of a member, which are not paid directly to that beneficiary or to a trust nominated by the member, or to the member’s estate or to the guardian’s fund. This replaces the previous payments to trusts and a fund can now only pay to a trust if the trust was nominated by the member, a major dependant or nominee; a person recognised in law or appointed by a court as the person responsible for managing the affairs or meeting the daily care needs of a minor or incapacitated major dependant or nominee. Any association of persons or business carried on under a fund or arrangement established with the object of receiving, administering, investing and paying benefits, referred to in section 37C on behalf of beneficiaries, payable on the death of more than one member of one or more pension funds is a beneficiary fund and must be registered by the Financial Services Board and approved. Beneficiary funds were introduced as a result of the amendments to the Pension Funds Act into the Financial Services Laws General Amendment Act, 22 of 2008. The beneficiary funds were introduced with stronger regulatory framework. They have sufficient governance, reporting requirements and conduct annual audits.

Thesis (LLM. (Labour Law)) -- University of Limpopo, 2015 / Section 37C of the Pension Funds Act was introduced primarily to ensure that death benefits are paid in accordance with the object of the Act and government policy. Its purpose is to make sure that the dependants of the deceased member are not left destitute upon the death of the member. In order to achieve this, the death benefits are placed under the control of the trustees who are tasked with the duty to distribute the benefits equitably among the beneficiaries. According to this section, death benefits do not form part of the deceased’s estate and as a result a beneficiary under the last will and testament of the deceased is not necessarily a beneficiary under section 37C of the Act. The board of trustees will consider a person as a beneficiary if the deceased member has nominated such a person in a valid nomination form. This section therefore overrides the deceased’s freedom of testation because the board of trustees are not bound by the deceased’s wishes as completed in the nomination form. A nomination form is one of the factors which the trustees have to consider in the exercise of their discretion to make an equitable distribution.

<p>This paper presents the marketing management of the nonprofit sector as a prerequisite for NGO sustainability. It examines the existing literature on the nonprofit marketing, the current situation of the local NGOs in Kosovo with regards to the application of marketing. The research methodology follows the introduction and presentation of the research objectives. The theoretical background introduces the necessary baseline to analyze empirical findings. The empirical findings and analysis reveal that nonprofit sector in Kosovo does not have a holistic marketing approach. The focus of the research is to emphasize the importance of marketing orientation, segmentation, and planning at nonprofit sector. Moreover, NGOs should create, communicate and deliver values based on customers’ (beneficiaries, volunteers, and donors) needs.</p><p>As a result of this research, a marketing plan guide was prepared.  The guide aims to educate NGOs in Kosovo about the benefits of having a holistic marketing approach and will serve as basis for further marketing planning.</p>

This paper presents the marketing management of the nonprofit sector as a prerequisite for NGO sustainability. It examines the existing literature on the nonprofit marketing, the current situation of the local NGOs in Kosovo with regards to the application of marketing. The research methodology follows the introduction and presentation of the research objectives. The theoretical background introduces the necessary baseline to analyze empirical findings. The empirical findings and analysis reveal that nonprofit sector in Kosovo does not have a holistic marketing approach. The focus of the research is to emphasize the importance of marketing orientation, segmentation, and planning at nonprofit sector. Moreover, NGOs should create, communicate and deliver values based on customers’ (beneficiaries, volunteers, and donors) needs. As a result of this research, a marketing plan guide was prepared.  The guide aims to educate NGOs in Kosovo about the benefits of having a holistic marketing approach and will serve as basis for further marketing planning.

Thesis (M. Admin. (Labour relations))-University of Pretoria, 2004. / Summary in English. Includes bibliographical references. Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.