Published Article / This paper intends to argue that there are two inherent challenges and dilemmas that may incapacitate rising calls to develop a distinguished cohort of researchers at universities, including CUT. Firstly, it seems the episteme knowledge-base in research of the current cohort of staff members does invite a look in askance as to its depth and breadth. Do we sufficiently exude competence to develop budding researchers of note? Secondly, and deducing from my informal interviews and discussions with B.Ed Honours students since 2006; we somewhat fall short as lecturers to model the quintessential research expertise necessary to develop the students' phronetic research experiences - the success of which would reconcile with their practical reality in their diverse teaching and learning situations and circumstances. How then do we build a research capacity that catapults us from this somewhat research doldrums in the School of Teacher Education at CUT to become a School of Teacher Education recognised nationally and internationally as a School of Teacher Education which is enveloped in the validity and reliability of generating quality research? This paper explores various "givens' and "intellectual needs." And, quite academically, may rumble about conceptual and perceptual impediments and hurdles which under-gird the laborious exercise of undertaking research; though fulfilling to academic autarkical pride when done excellently.

MSc, School of Architecture and Planning, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, 2002

Since the early 1960s, scholars and policymakers have struggled to understand the appropriate role of government in effectively using resources to alleviate poverty. While early U.S. anti-poverty efforts emphasized place-based strategies, such as government-directed infrastructure investments, approaches have gradually shifted to favor civil sector efforts that build community capacity. Efforts to strengthen community capacity have emphasized enhancement of community participation, improvement of governance and strengthening of accountability. Yet, despite the growing emphasis on capacity building, rural regions such as the US-Mexico border region, Appalachia, the Mississippi Delta and Native American country have remained poor.This dissertation argues that government institutions have failed to improve conditions in poor, rural regions because current efforts ignore the broader context and fail to understand the needs of both formal organizations and informal participants. This research argues that without an adequate conceptual framework for assessing these three factors - the structural environment, community-based organizations, and local society -- federal investments cannot change local conditions. A conceptual model integrating these factors is applied to the case of poor, unincorporated colonias located in Arizona and New Mexico counties bordering Mexico. The empirical application of the conceptual model relies on methods integrating both regional and local analysis. The regional analysis is used to develop a socioeconomic index of deprivation. The index accomplishes two objectives. First, it reveals patterns of deprivation, uncovering the relationship between the impact of location (proximity to metropolitan and border areas) on the level of socioeconomic deprivation. Second, it is applied to select five cases for further analysis. The local analysis integrates qualitative research and formal social network methods. Unlike other studies of community capacity, which mostly rely on qualitative case studies, formal social network analysis is used to identify structural differences regarding how community organizations and individuals build autonomy and linkage with local and non-local organizations to improve the quality of life.This research improves understanding - both from conceptual and methodological perspectives -- of how to analyze rural poverty so as to better design federal government programs that will better serve poor communities, especially those in unincorporated areas.

Capacity, the emergent combination of attributes that enables a human system to create developmental value (Morgan, 2006, 2008), is the point of arrival of an inquiry journey through a personal territory and the Portuguese non-profit world. Inspired by the metaphor of the Portuguese golden age of the maritime discoveries, and by Action Research, in line with Reason and Bradbury’s notion of inquiry into the “quality in our acting” (Reason and Bradbury, 2001), the author defies several borders in her exploration of answers to the question of “how to build capacity?”. This multi-level question is unfolded in three – the individual, the non-profit organisations and the society, in a journey that find points of connection. The author defies the border of her worldviews, embracing a participatory worldview that offers her an extended epistemology, which she explores in its multiple-level understanding of knowing comprised of experiential, practical, propositional and presentational knowing, in a process of personal and professional development in a concrete project – the Acreditar project. Through stories, another border the author defies, meaning is explored through layers of personal reflections and through shared meanings in a Learning History developed by the Acreditar team members. The stories presented are a result of a commitment to highlight the learning in capacity-building endeavours. In a particular story, and in a twist of irony, the learning emerges from an experience of dis-capacity. But that experience would serve as the departing basis for another re-start the author initiates, in a process of forgiveness that acknowledges the past as irreversible but redeemable. It is my intention to engage you in this journey from the beginning, and I hope this is also a useful journey for you. Ultimately its account is here to serve as basis for further dialogue I would be very glad to engage with you.

Drucker (1994) pointed out that the management of non-profit organization is not driven by profit-making motives, but lead by a mission. Support for the organization is derived from a mission that responds to social needs. In today faced liberal and multifaceted society, the development of non-profit organizations will face competition like ordinary business enterprises. It is an important issue to the non-profit organization of how to gain confidence from the general public. This is also what motivated this study. Therefore, the objectives of the study are: (1) to understand the perspectives of social welfare non-profit organizations on capacity building; (2) to understand how social welfare non-profit organizations build organizational capacity; and (3) to investigate the relationships between capacity building, organizational effectiveness and public confidence in social welfare non-profit organizations. The subject of the study includes non-profit organizations in the city and county of Kaohsiung and Ping-Tung that provide social welfare related services. A mail questionnaire was distributed and the results analyzed by SPSS statistical software. The capacity building and competency model developed by Paul C. Light (2004) was used in explaining the relationship between capacity building and organizational effectiveness. The results of the study show, through capacity building, organizational effectiveness can be improved which further leads to credibility. In fact, the key link to capacity building is not between organizational effectiveness and public confidence, but between organizational capacity and effectiveness. But, through efforts in capacity building, not only does organizational effectiveness becomes improved, the public credibility of the organization is also enhanced, thereby leading to confidence.

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This research explored how my own life experiences and leadership journey have informed my professional practice in Indigenous capacity building. The relationship between Indigenous capacity building and the promotion of Ieadership development is the underlying basis of my research. This is an increasingly important area in Aboriginal Affairs and public policy given the currency of debates around Indigenous capacity building as a strategy towards overcoming entrenched disadvantage experienced by so many Indigenous people. This is juxtaposed with the increasing recognition of the need to promote new and emerging Indigenous leadership as a strategy to ensure the future survival and growth of strong, self-determining Aboriginal communities. A key element of my research is the development and construction of a model which describes the key characteristics or determinants of Indigenous capacity building through developing Indigenous leadership. This has been constructed from my own experiences, research and analysis and reflects the primacy of leadership in debates around Indigenous capacity building. The model demonstrates that there are three key separate yet interrelated components of Indigenous capacity building through promoting leadership development. Interwoven through and between each of these components is the importance of culture which is the all permeating centre of the model and cannot be underestimated. The first component in the model focuses on the importance of internally based capacity building which I have described as 'intra capacity building.' This represents a cluster of interdependent characteristics that combined together, contribute towards building stronger 'internal' capacities as a necessary strengthening factor which builds resilience and are all essential leadership qualities. They includes attributes such as the development of self knowledge, self confidence and self awareness, cultural identify and healing from the impacts of colonisation. The second component in the model focuses on the importance of the more externally developed 'inter capacity building' which explores the importance of connection to supportive and quality relationships, an increase in the building of networks and their application to the workplace as well as pathways to employment and education. The third component of the model focuses on the combined impact of intra-personal and inter-personal capacity development on the broader Aboriginal community through contributing towards growing and sustaining the leadership base and ensuring on-going community engagement through governance arrangements. This exegesis will provide a major contribution to the growing amount of work on Indigenous capacity building and recognition of the integral role of leadership development in this context. The project element of my research will further contribute to this by promoting key learnings from my research by making available a training resource guide for use in education, training and community settings. My conclusion acknowledges the significant life experiences and leadership journey I have personally experienced, which are parallel in nature to the experiences of the many Koorie leadership participants.

Magister Artium - MA / This thesis explored the empowerment needs of volunteer members of Women for Peace at the Nobantu Centre, Mfuleni in the Western Cape. The volunteer members, the majority of whom are women, come from a previously disadvantaged background created by the Apartheid system used in South Africa from 1948-1994. Apartheid driven education purposefully taught an inferior form of education to the black masses. This case study investigated the needs of the volunteer members, the impact that the four empowerment programmes had on the volunteer members and their future needs after being empowered. / South Africa

Magister Artium (Psychology) - MA(Psych) / Postgraduate students are assumed to develop the capacity to conduct research independently and to evaluate their own work as internal supervisors through the process of thesis supervision. Research capacity building amongst postgraduate students is evidenced by the successful completion of degree requirements or graduation, but student retention and throughput is a problem. The study aimed to establish an evidence base of filtered information on interventions addressing the successful completion of thesis requirements in postgraduate students. The study design entailed a systematic review that explored published findings about research reporting on capacity building strategies and initiatives respectively. The researcher made the following ethical considerations namely, transparency, non-bias during data extraction and using two independent reviewers to assist the principle researcher and avoidance of plagiarism as the proposed study is project based and a collaborative process, which are essential when using a systematic review approach. The proposed study forms part of a larger parent study, which aims to identify factors that facilitate or hinder research capacity development in postgraduate students and new academics. The present study used an adaptation of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta- Analyses (PRISMA) statement, which is aimed at improving the reporting of systematic reviews and meta-analysis. Extracted data were subjected to a meta-synthesis, which included descriptive meta-synthesis and theory-explicative meta-synthesis. Eight articles were identified as good quality articles based on methodological rigour. The good quality research identified 1) high quality supervision, 2) faculty modelling, 3) support and 4) protected research time as effective strategies or interventions that stimulate successful completion of the thesis requirement. The use of appropriate theoretical frameworks in understanding supervision was identified as integral to effective strategies. Limitations of the study were identified and recommendations for future research were provided.