Climate change is now real. Both scholars and scientists agree that the earth‟s climate is changing and therefore argue that developing countries of Africa and Asia, which are considered to be especially vulnerable because of their overdependence on climate sensitive resources and low adaptive capacity, should focus on adaptation programmes to build the capacity of affected communities to adapt to and cope with the effects of climatic change. But climate change adaptation programmes do not happen in a vacuum. Among other things they require proper institutional frameworks to succeed. The study therefore analyzed climatic events affecting Salima district in Malawi, the causes and effects of these climatic events, the nature and role of various institutions in climate change adaptation programmes in the district and the institutional coordination of players at different levels. The study findings reveal that the major climatic events affecting Salima district are droughts, floods, dry spells and hailstorms. Various institutions supporting and implementing climate change adaptation programmes and their roles are also highlighted. The study findings further reveals that weak coordination between institutions at all levels (national, district and community) is one of the challenges affecting effective implementation of climate change programmes. The study recommendations have therefore emphasized the need to review and strengthen climate change management structures at all levels.

Existing literature on boarding and rooming establishes the important role of boarding in the housing market. Boarding and rooming have traditionally provided temporary, inexpensive accommodation for those who have come to the city to seek employment. The first half of the twentieth century was a period of dramatic economic and social change and yet there is no study of boarding during this period. This is a study of the declining incidence of boarding and rooming in Hamilton during the period 1900 to 1948. There is a dramatic decline in boarding and rooming during the first fifteen years of the twentieth century. Rates remain low during the 1920's with a slight resurgence seen during the Great Depression and the Second World War. There is a substantial decline in boarding and rooming over the entire period of study 1900 to 1948. Also, there is a decline in the percentage of boarders and roomers that were boarders during the period of study. Changing social tastes demonstrate an increasing preference for the nuclear family. Therefore, individuals residing with the family are no longer encouraged to live as one of the family. The relationship that exists between boarding and rooming and periods of economic prosperity and recession are found to be complex and contradictory in nature. Although periods of prosperity allow individuals to find their own accommodation, this same prosperity attracts increasing numbers of people to the city creating a housing shortage and causing people to have to double up. Similarly, periods of recession create a need for inexpensive accommodation but also, many individuals return to farming during these periods. Finally, the decline that took place in boarding and rooming during this period cannot be explained exclusively by economic changes but also by dramatic social changes that were also taking place during this period. / Thesis / Bachelor of Science (BSc)

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We investigate whether dividend changes signal firms’ future profitability by considering firms’ earnings volatility and examining how earnings volatility affects dividend signaling. In general, we find a positive relation between dividend increases on firms’ future earnings. In other words, dividend increases tend to signal positive changes in future earnings. However, the effect largely depends on the firms’ earnings volatility such that higher earnings volatility tends to miti-gate the signaling effect of dividend increases on future earnings. Specifically, for firms that have high earnings volatility, dividend increases seem to signal a reduction in future earnings vol-atility rather than an increase in future earnings. On the other hand, we find no consistent results for dividend decreases. Our findings have three main implications: 1) The traditional dividend signaling theory is valid; 2) the effect of signaling depends on a firm’s earnings volatility; 3) for high-volatility firms, positive dividend changes signal earnings volatility reductions rather than earnings increases.

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