Personality research has long been an area of interest in the study of consumer behavior. Currently, common practice is to segment prospective audiences by demographic variables (age, gender, and race) instead of psychographics (values, attitudes, personality). In this research, the author investigates the relationship between personality type (introversion/extraversion) and message recall. Using 122 undergraduate and graduate students, recall was examined across two forms of stimulus (incongruent and congruent messages). Results indicated that while there is no relationship between personality type and message recall, there is a relationship between the frequency of advertising messaging and recall. Results are discussed individually by messaging frequency and personality type with further suggestions for future research. / text

In the context of still uncertain specific effects of climate change in specific locations, this paper examines whether education significantly increases coping capacity with regard to particular climatic changes, and whether it improves the resilience of people to climate risks in general. Our hypothesis is that investment in universal primary and secondary education around the world is the most effective strategy for preparing to cope with the still uncertain dangers associated with future climate. The empirical evidence presented for a cross-country time series of factors associated with past natural disaster fatalities since 1980 in 125 countries confirms this overriding importance of education in reducing impacts. We also present new projections of populations by age, sex, and level of educational attainment to 2050, thus providing an appropriate tool for anticipating societies' future adaptive capacities based on alternative education scenarios associated with different policies. (authors' abstract)

This thesis describes and discusses the application of System Dynamics methodology as a basis for formulating diversification strategy and control policies of the largest diversifying cement company in the 'United Kingdom. The problems of the industry such as stagnant growth, cyclic and seasonal variations in cement demand, and overcapacity are described. The formulation of a SD model of the situation which captures these problems together with its equations system are presented. The model also simulates the planning and control processes for the selection, initiation and completion of both expansion and diversification investment projects. It is argued and demonstrated that the fact that these processes consist of feedback loops should and could be utilized for understanding these processes, advancing complementary theoretical concepts, and designing and formulating more 'effective systems and decision rules. An intensive analysis of the model in SD frameworks further supports these arguments. These analyses reveal the nature of the system's dynamic properties and its likely developments, the dynamic and situational nature of diversification effectiveness, and the importance of several diversification decision factors. These analyses also show how complex the formulation of a thorough and effective diversification strategy may become together with the ways and means of dealing with these complexities.. It is concluded that the thrust of an effective diversification lies with the broadening of the conventional theoretical concepts and analysis to include the dynamic characteristics of the system. It is also concluded and shown that System Dynamics methodology can provide a strong analytical basis for achieving these ends.

Both Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) aim at reducing the vulnerabilities and enhancing the capacities of men and women when facing natural hazards and climate change. Despite conceptual bridges existing between both sectors, the literature suggests a lack of practical integration of objectives and approaches in the design and implementation of climate change-related and DRR initiatives as well as a lack of attention to gender issues. In parallel, studies repeatedly stress the necessity to (i) provide more empirical studies that re-contextualise climate change as just one of many issues faced on a daily basis by local communities, and (ii) emphasise the gender dimension of vulnerability to understand differences between men’s and women’s realities in relation to disasters and climate change. This research explores the local dimension of the (lack of) integration of DRR and CCA through using gender as a lens. It uses the case study of the Himalayan province of Ladakh in India where the predicted impacts of climate change could seriously undermine inhabitants’ access to water. Embedded within the theoretical frames of DRR and feminist political ecology, this research draws on concepts of gender, marginalisation, vulnerability and capacity in order to understand the local impacts of environmental degradation and the implications for policies and development projects. When analysing the ways in which Ladakhi communities experience climate change and natural hazards in relation to their everyday risks, the vulnerability and capacity assessment conducted in this research shows that men and women face different everyday constraints which shape their views of their environment. The gender sensitive methodology and analysis also contribute to focus the attention away from hazards to emphasise the way people’s vulnerabilities are inherently linked to unsustainable development which stresses the importance of designing integrated responses. Yet, when examining current interventions to tackle disaster risk and climate change in relation to Ladakhi communities’ contexts, priorities and needs, a focus on gender and DRR highlights the gap between theories, policies and practices. Evidence from Ladakh contributes to show the dichotomy between the ineffectiveness of top-down interventions targeting climate change and disasters, and the gendered experiences of local communities in the face of a multitude of everyday risks that extend beyond climate change and natural hazards. Current DRR and CCA policies and projects reproduce a dominant focus on hazards and do not challenge established development models that are male-dominated and which promote people’s (and disproportionately women’s) vulnerability. However, development interventions, in the context of Ladakh, appear more adequate to improve people’s livelihoods with greater scope for inputs from the community level, which contribute to enhancing their capacities. Therefore, this thesis argues that emphasis should be placed on sustainable development practices in order to better address disaster risk and climate change as well as communities’ everyday risks. It finally underscores the need to recognise and assess the interconnection of different structures and their impacts on people’s daily lives at the onset of development strategies and to ensure that these are part of a sustainable, holistic and integrated approach to reducing vulnerability.

Abstract not available. / text

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Computer Science and Information Systems / Master / Master of Philosophy

Ο στόχος αυτής της διπλωματικής ήταν να μελετηθεί και να κατανοηθεί ο τρόπος λειτουργίας των WCDMA ασύρματων δικτύων καθώς και να υπολογιστεί η χωρητικότητα μιας κυψέλης κινητής τηλεφωνίας 3ης γενιάς. Αυτό επιτυγχάνεται μέσω του υπολογισμού των πιθανοτήτων απώλειας κλήσεων (CBP), στην κατερχόμενη ζεύξη (downlink). Δηλαδή στην περίπτωση που το σήμα αποστέλλεται από το σταθμό βάσης στον συνδρομητή. Ο υπολογισμός των πιθανοτήτων απώλειας κλήσεων είναι απαραίτητος στα WCDMA δίκτυα για τον σωστό υπολογισμό της χωρητικότητας (σε erlang) και του network dimensioning. Το αναλυτικό μοντέλο που χρησιμοποιούμαι λαμβάνει υπ’ όψιν του τα εξής: multi-service περιβάλλον, soft blocking, imperfect power control καθώς και την πολυόδευση. Τα αποτελέσματα του αναλυτικού μοντέλου συγκρίνονται μέσω προσομοίωσης και είναι αρκετά ικανοποιητικά. Τέλος εξετάζουμε και την επίδραση του orthogonality factor στην χωρητικότητα του δικτύου. / In WCDMA networks, the Call Blocking Probability (CBP) assessment is necessary for proper cell capacity determination, in respect of traffic load in erlangs, and network dimensioning. This paper focuses on the downlink capacity estimation, through CBP calculation in a WCDMA cell. To this end, we construct an analytical model for the WCDMA cell by taking into consideration the effects of the following: the multi-service environment, soft blocking, imperfect power control and multipath propagation. To analyze the system, we describe the WCDMA cell by a Markov chain, where each system state represents a certain number of resources occupied by the mobile users. We solve the Markov state and provide an efficient recurrent formula for the system occupancy distribution, as well as the so-called local blocking probabilities. Based on them, we calculate the CBP of different service-classes accommodated in the cell versus the total offered traffic load. The WCDMA cell capacity in erlangs is determined by the maximum traffic load which satisfies certain CBP (CBP boundary) per service-class. We evaluate the analytical model through simulation. The results show that the accuracy of the model is very satisfactory. In addition, we show the effect of the intra-cell interference (due to orthogonality factor) on the erlang capacity of the cell.

The origin of this study is due to research Botma (1999) undertook among Free State farmers in order to determine what the global level of perceived stress was, but also to determine which specific stressors they experienced and what its intensity was. With this study Botma (1999) found that the stressors by which the farmers are confronted, hold negative implications for their quality of life. The purpose of the current study namely to develop a capacity building programme by means of which quality of life can be facilitated, resulted therefore from the abovementioned research. The capacity building programme entailed the following components: stress, psychological well-being, quality of life and subjective well-being. The capacity building programme was also subjected to evaluation in order to determine its effect on the participants. In order to achieve this objective, the following scales were used in the empirical study: Quality of Lie Questionnaire (Evans & Cope, 1989), Sense of Coherence Scale (Antonovsky, 1993), Satisfaction with Life Scale (Diener, Larsen & Griffen, 1985), Affectometer 2 (Kamman & Flett, 1983), COPE (Carver, Scheier & Weintraub, 1989) and the Spiritual Well- Being Scale (Ellison & Smith, 1991). All these scales showed satisfactory reliability indices. A sample of 60 participants from three districts in the Free State was used. As far as the qualitative component of this research was concerned, focus groups were led with 10 participants, and in-depth interviews were conducted with four respondents. The empirical part of this study indicated that there was no difference between the experimental and control group before the intervention had VII taken place. On conclusion of the program, clear differences could be detected within the experimental group as well as between the experimental and control group. The experimental group showed an improvement in spirituality, subjective well-being and quality of life. These results were also reflected by the focus groups and by the in-depth interviews. It is however interesting to note that the above-mentioned changes that had taken place in the participants are mainly concerned with their affect and not with their behaviour as such. The reason being the fact that the focus of the programme is spiritual and mainly emphasises the improvement of the affective quality of life of the participants. The results of the in-depth interviews indicate the fact that the capacity building programme still has a long-term effect on the participants. Recommendations are made with regard to the capacity building programme in terms of changes to for example the inclusion of behavioural change. This research contributed to the understanding of spirituality, psychological well-being, subjective well-being and quality of life as well as to its application in a capacity building programme for farmers. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

This is a multi-essay dissertation in the area of dynamic models of the insurance markets. I study issues in insurance markets by examining individual behavior and industry performance in dynamic settings. My first essay studies household life insurance demand and saving decisions by applying a heterogeneous-agent life cycle model with wage shocks and mortality shocks. This essay proposes the most important determinants of household life insurance demand, and shows the joint decision of life insurance purchase between couples. My second essay focuses on the property-liability insurance market, and aims to study the impact of one catastrophe event on an insurer’s underwritings and capital raising strategy. The two-period cash flow model is built to also explore what kind of insurers can benefit from catastrophic risk underwritings. My third essay extends the second essay by incorporating a dynamic cash flow model with a series of loss shocks. I find the dynamic interaction between the insurer’s balance sheet and its capital rationing resulting from loss shocks. The model generates a non-cyclical behavior of output changes in the insurance market, and this suggests the current asymmetric, unpredictable and random underwriting cycles are temporary responses to loss shocks.

Namibia’s community based natural resource management program (CBNRM) integrates local participation in rural development and biodiversity conservation. This effort was launched through key legislation that devolved the right to manage wildlife and other renewable resources on communal lands from the state to community level conservancies. Local participation is dependent upon the capacity of the locals to self mobilize and establish conservancies, plan and implement their programs, and monitor and evaluate their progresses and impacts. Accordingly, this study examines the role of capacity development (CD) in CBNRM, particularly its processes, products, performance, and permanence at the individual, organizational (conservancy), and community levels. The research was carried out using interviews and participatory self-assessment exercises with various conservancy stakeholders. This study uncovers why and how capacity development has to be based on local realities and aspirations where capacity users need to have ownership of the process through partnerships with service providers in order to enhance endogenous capacity. However, such notion of “partnership” between CD stakeholders is challenging to translate into reality in the face of power imbalances, where government and NGOs are continuously influenced and coerced by donor interests, where NGOs are considered stronger than the government because they control more financial and human resources, and where conservancies tend to report upwards to NGOs and government instead of their constituents. Moreover, this research reiterates that CD has to be holistic enough to incorporate individual, organizational, and community level changes in order to create sustainable capacities and prevent problems of elitism, manipulation, and dependency on few individuals. With respect to CBNRM, the research argues that its basic premise of diversifying rural livelihoods using incentives to bring about sustainable resource management can only be achieved when conservancies have the capacity to create representative and participatory democratic processes, and when they are able to generate equitable and reliable tangible benefits with manageable costs to their constituents. As seen in this study, when such governance and benefit sharing structures are in place, they enhance local participation by promoting political empowerment, trust, ownership, and positive attitude towards living with wildlife. However, if such conditions are not met, local participation is reduced, while intra-community conflicts from marginalization to nepotism and members’ dissatisfaction and disinterest are inevitable.