Yes / This paper considers recent field evidence to analyse what online public services citizens need, explores potential citizen subsidy of these specific services and investigates where resources should be invested in terms of media accessibility. We explore these from a citizen-centric affordability perspective within three ‘exemplar’ developing countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The World Bank and United Nations in particular promote initiatives under the ‘Information and Communication Technologies for Development’ (ICT4D) to stress the relevance of e-Government as a way to ensure development and reduce poverty. We adopt a ‘Contingency Value’ method to conceptually outline reported citizens willingness to pay for digital public services. Hence, our focus is mainly upon an empirical investigation through extensive fieldwork in the context of sub-Sahara Africa. A substantive survey was conducted in the respective cities of Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Lagos (Nigeria) and Johannesburg (South Africa). The sample of citizens was drawn from each respective Chamber of Commerce database for Ethiopia and South Africa, and for Nigeria a purchased database of businesses, based on stratified random sampling. These were randomly identified from both sectors ensuring all locations were covered with a total sample size of 1,297 respondents. It was found, in particular, that citizens were willing to pay to be able to access digital public services and that amounts of fees they were willing to pay varied depending on what services they wish to access and what devices they use (PCs or mobile phones). / European Investment Bank under the EIB-Universities Research Action Programme

Yes / The purpose of this paper is to perform a weight-analysis and to undertake a meta-analysis of findings reported in published research on the adoption and diffusion of e-government. Usable data relating to e-government adoption research were collected from 103 empirical studies. Of those 103 articles, only 63 used a range of different constructs with appropriate correlation values required for performing a weight- and meta-analysis. Diagrammatic representation has been presented using significant as well as non-significant relationships from all 103 publications. A broader analysis of research on adoption and diffusion of e-government also reflects that although a large number of theories and theoretical constructs were borrowed from the reference disciplines, their utilization by e-government researchers appears to be largely random in approach. This paper also acknowledges the theoretical contribution, the limitations of this study, and suggests further research directions for the continued work.

Yes / Measures to manage demand include implicit and explicit messages about domestic water-users which have important potential impacts on their perceptions and practices. Drawing on recent literature, this paper identifies three different ¿dimensions¿ along which demand management measures¿ constructions of the water-user may vary: these relate to whether the water user is passive or active, whether they are motivated by individual or common needs, and whether they perceive water as a right or a commodity. Demand management measures currently used in England and Wales are then discussed and analysed. The paper concludes by highlighting the importance of communications associated with demand management, and in particular, notes the need to consider the cumulative impact of messages and their interactions with people¿s existing understandings.

The objective of this study is to provide cross-cultural comparative observations about students' attitudes and behavior towards globalization and localization, which in turn can help determine students' cosmopolitan attitudes. A major part of this discovery is to find which independent variables influence such a "cosmopolitan" perspective through the use of quantitative research. Using the method of survey research to measure the "globalized" and "localized" viewpoints of students in the U.S., Russia, and Turkey, the focus of this project addresses the subjects of globalization and localization. The topic is significant in research as well as teaching perspectives, especially in a cross cultural context. Therefore, the key purpose of this project is to delve into the study of major concepts known as globalization, localization, and cosmopolitanism as they relate to the social sciences and to discover the similarities and differences between them. This research explores the minds of the generation whom "globalization" will most impact; it is they who will take part in its growth in the future. Ultimately, this study will attempt to uncover the implications of teaching and learning about "globalization" in international relations courses and examine students' perspectives towards these major concepts.

In the ever-evolving landscape of health systems, citizen advocacy stands as a tool for influencing policy aiming to strengthen health systems. This dissertation delves into the multifaceted nature of health policy advocacy and how citizen advocates can leverage research evidence in addition to the commonly used emotional messaging to influence policy. The first study is a critical interpretive synthesis (CIS), creating a theoretical framework that helps us understand the roles of citizen health policy advocates and their relation to research evidence. The second study is a multiple-case study that examines the approaches taken by citizen-serving NGOs in their advocacy training and whether and how research evidence is incorporated into the training. The third study is a qualitative descriptive study that explores citizens' experiences participating in these training modules and their perceptions of factors affecting the incorporation of research evidence in the training. In Chapter 2, we included 32 publications in the CIS, and four thematic groups were identified, including the roles of citizen health policy advocates, how research evidence could support them and the facilitators and barriers to their use of research evidence. In Chapter 3, we conducted a documentary review of 27 documents and interviewed 16 staff and board members of three organizations that provide advocacy training to citizen advocates. In Chapter 3, we interviewed 14 citizens who participated in the training of the three organizations. v The first study outlined how citizens could use research evidence and its importance to their advocacy roles, while the last two studies provide an understanding of how citizen-serving organizations offer training to citizen advocates and whether, how, and under what conditions they include research evidence in training. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Advocacy is an effective way to influence policies in democratic societies. One of those areas that are influenced by policy advocacy is health systems. Citizens who advocate for improving their health systems often rely on personal emotional messages rather than peer-reviewed research evidence. This dissertation tries to understand why this is the case and how research evidence can support those citizens. We also explore the factors that encourage or hinder citizens from using research evidence in health policy advocacy. We then examine three citizen-serving organizations that support citizens with advocacy training and explore how they support the trainees to use research evidence in advocacy. We also examine the experiences of citizens who participated in those training sessions and how they perceive the utility of research evidence in their advocacy to strengthen their health systems.

Esta tesis presenta un estudio exhaustivo sobre la dinámica de las poblaciones de medusas en el mar Mediterráneo, centrándose en sus implicaciones ecológicas, socioeconómicas y de gestión. Utilizando datos de informes de socorristas, iniciativas de ciencia ciudadana, encuestas nacionales de pesca y oficinas de turismo, (y diversos parámetros ambientales), esta investigación examina los patrones e impactos de las picaduras de medusas a lo largo de la costa sur y este de España, varamientos demersales, pelágicos y en playas. Las principales conclusiones indican que las picaduras de medusa representan el 54% de todas las lesiones relacionadas con la playa, siendo Pelagia noctiluca la especie más destacada, seguida de Rhizostoma pulmo, Cotylorhiza tuberculata y Rhizostoma luteum. Esta última especie es la más destacada, ya que se trata del avistamiento más septentrional hasta la fecha. El Índice de Picadura (SI), una herramienta desarrollada para estandarizar y cuantificar los incidentes de picadura, muestra estabilidad durante los últimos 10 años con un ligero descenso en los últimos años, aunque el número absoluto de picaduras sigue siendo alto. Los análisis de las picaduras de medusa y los informes de avistamientos revelan una variabilidad espacial significativa en los incidentes de picadura de medusa, con las Islas Baleares identificadas como el punto caliente para la mayoría de los suspiros y la mayoría de las picaduras. La tesis destaca la importancia de abordar la proliferación de medusas mediante estrategias de gestión específicas, teniendo en cuenta tanto los factores ecológicos como las actividades humanas que influyen en las poblaciones de medusas. Las repercusiones socioeconómicas de las picaduras de medusas son considerables y afectan al turismo y a las economías locales. Esta investigación subraya la necesidad de mejorar la concienciación pública, aplicar políticas de gestión eficaces y realizar un seguimiento continuo para mitigar los efectos negativos de las medusas en las comunidades costeras. Esta tesis contribuye a la comprensión de la dinámica de las medusas en el Mediterráneo y aporta valiosas ideas para el desarrollo de enfoques de gestión integrada que aborden los retos planteados por las picaduras de medusa.

Thesis (MA)-- Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Comparative studies investigating predictors of political participation in new democracies are rare. This study addresses an identified gap in the literature on predictors of political participation in new democracies in order to build on the rich body of literature concerned with political participation and democratic consolidation which already exists, but also to contribute towards understanding the role of citizens and their decisions pertaining to political participation in new democracies. In order to address the identified gap, this cross-national comparative study uses World Values Survey (2006) data for Chile, Poland, South Africa, and South Korea as part of a cross-sectional secondary analysis aimed at ascertaining what predictors of political participation can be identified for these new democracies. Drawing primarily from studies by Shin (1999) and Dalton (2008) which used the Civic Voluntarism Model by Verba, Schlozman and Brady (1995) as theoretical framework, predictors of political participation considered in this study include: personal resources (level of education and self-reported social class), political engagement and motivation (political interest and leftright political ideology), group membership and networks, as well as demographic attributes (age, gender and size of town). Forms of political participation investigated include: voting as conventional form of participation; and boycotts, petitions and demonstrations as forms of political protest behaviour. The relationships between the possible predictors of participation and forms of political participation were determined by multiple regression analysis. The main findings by this study are that political interest is an important predictor of voting and political protest behaviour; age is a strong predictor of voting; and group membership has a greater impact on political protest behaviour than on voting. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Vergelykende studies wat ondersoek instel na voorspellende faktore van deelname aan politieke aktiwiteite in jong demokrasieë, is skaars. Deur indikatore van politieke deelname in nuwe demokrasieë na te vors, spreek hierdie studie dus die geïdentifiseerde gaping in die literatuur aan en brei dit uit op die korpus tekste aangaande politieke deelname en demokratiese konsolidasie. Verder bevorder dit ook ’n beter begrip van landsburgers en hul besluite rakende politieke deelname in jong demokrasieë. Ten einde die aangeduide literatuurgaping te oorbrug, steun hierdie verglykende studie op data van die “World Values Survey” (2006) vir Chili, Pole, Suid-Afrika en Suid-Korea. Dit vorm deel van ’n sekondêre analise om individuele eienskappe as voorspellers van deelname aan politieke aktiwiteite in nuwe demokrasieë, te identifiseer. Studies deur Shin (1999) en Dalton (2008), wat gebruik maak van Verba, Schlozman en Brady (1995) se “Civic Voluntarism Model”, dien as primêre teoretiese begronding. Daaruit word afgelei dat moontlike voorspellers van deelname aan politieke aktiwiteite gelys kan word as: persoonlike hulpbronne (vlak van opvoeding en self-geidentifiseerde sosiale klas); politieke betrokkenheid en motivering (belangstelling in politiek en politieke ideologie); groeplidmaatskap en –netwerke asook demografiese eienskappe (ouderdom, geslag en grootte van dorp). Die vorme van politieke aktiwiteite waaraan daar aandag gegee word, is eerstens stemgedrag tydens nasionale verkiesings as konvensionele vorm van politieke deelname en tweedens biokotte, petisies en demonstrasies as vorme van politieke protesgedrag. Die hoof bevindinge van hierdie studie is dat politieke belangstelling ‘n belangrike voorspeller is vir stemgedrag en politieke protesgedrag; ouderdom is ‘n sterk voorspeller vir deelname aan verkiesings en groeplidmaatskap het ‘n groter invloed op politieke protesgedrag as op die keuse om te stem. / Mandela Rhodes Foundation

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2015 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Although Community Participation (CP) in Africa dates back to colonial times, it is more oriented towards embracing indigenous knowledge systems. CP encourages self-reliance, community empowerment, capacity-building, social learning and sustainability among community members. This study describes how Collaborative Wildlife Management (CWM) was implemented in Ulukusi, a community on the border of Mount Elgon National Park (MENP), eastern Uganda. It assesses livelihood strategies before and after the implementation of CWM. The study further identifies a wildlife management strategy that would embrace the needs of the local community and the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA). Open ended questions were developed and administered through interviews with both household and key informants, and by means of focus group discussions and observations. The findings of the study indicate that the implementation of CWM led to the development of a Resource User Agreement (RUA) which promoted wildlife resource regeneration due to restricted resource harvest and park access. There was general agreement among interviewees and key informants that the relationship between the UWA and the community had improved compared to the time when the park was under the management of the Uganda National Park. Findings further indicate that CWM was inappropriately implemented considering the fact that the UWA used a top-down approach to influence the signing of the RUA. This is evident in that communities did not directly participate in decision-making. Therefore, in order to promote sustainable wildlife management, communities should participate in decision-making since they are the people affected by the mismanagement of wildlife. Conservation authorities should also integrate indigenous knowledge into their management policies and promote continuous sensitisation meetings to empower the community members. Above all, for any development to embrace all stakeholders’ needs, conservation authorities should also integrate the “building blocks” of development to promote conflict resolution. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Alhoewel gemeenskapsdeelname in Afrika terugdateer tot die Koloniale tydperk is die beginsel van gemeenskapsontwikkeling meer gerig op die aanvaarding van inheemse kennisstelsels. Gemeenskapsdeelname moedig selfstandigheid, gemeenskapsbemagtiging, kapasiteitsbou, sosiale leer en volhoubaarheid onder gemeenskapslede. Hierdie studie ondersoek hoe samewerking en gemeenskaplike beplanning beoefen word in Ulukasi, ‘n naburige gemeenskap van die Mount Elgen Nationale Park, Oos Uganda. Die studie assesseer die Collaborative Wildlife Management (CWM) strategie voor en na implementering. Verder identifiseer die studie ‘n omgewingsbestuur strategie wat die behoeftes van die gemeenskap en die van die Uganda Wildlife Authority effektief aanspreek. Verskillende data insamelingsmetodes, insluitend onderhoude, fokusgroepe en deelnemendewaarneming was aangewend. Die respondente was verteenwoordig deur plaaslike gemeenskapslede en amptenary, plus addisionele sleutel informante. Bevindinge van die studie dui daarop dat die implementering van die CWM gelei het tot die ontwikkeling van ‘n hulpbron gebruikersooreenkoms (Resource User Agreement) vir die bevordering van die behoud van wild en beperkte oes en toegang tot die park. Daar was ook ‘n algemene instemming tussen informante en sleutel informante dat die verhouding tussen UWA en die gemeenskap verbeter het teenoor die tydperk toe die park onder die bestuur was van die Uganda nasionale park. Bevindinge dui ook daarop dat CWM onvanpas geïmplementeer was, oorwegend die feit dat UWA ‘n voorskriftelike benadering gebruik het wat ‘n invloed gehad het op die ondertekenings van die RUA. Dit is dus duidelik dat gemeenskappe nie direk betrokke was by besluitnemingprosesse nie. Ten einde volhoubare natuurlewebestuur te bevorder moet gemeenskappe betrokke wees in besluitneming aangesien hulle direk geraak word deur die wanbestuur van wild. Natuurbewaringsowerhede moet ook inheemse kennis integreer in bestuursbeleid en deurlopende sensitisering vergaderings gebruik om lede van die gemeenskap te bemagtig. Bo alles, vir enige ontwikkeling moet alle belanghebbendes se behoeftes aangespreek word en moet bewarings owerhede ook die boustene van ontwikkeling integreer om konflik te bestuur.

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

<p>This study focused on participatory governance in the form of involvement of communities and community organisation in matters of local government in general, and citizens participation in the local budget process in particular. The study therefore aimed to assess the theoretical and policy framework for citizens participation in South Africa / and evaluated the perceptions of councillors and civics and ratepayer organisations on participation in the local budget process at the eThekwini Municipality.</p>