Yes / The importance of including members of the public has been accorded a significant position in health planning, service delivery and research. But this position masks a lack of clarity about terms that are used. This paper identifies terms that are in common use in the lexicon of community based involvement and engagement in health with the intention of clarifying meaning and thus reducing ambiguity. We define and distinguish between key terms related to inclusion, we consider the terminology attached to community processes and to the challenges of inclusion and we engage with the strengths and weaknesses of the commonly used metaphor of "a ladder of participation". We wish to contribute to the clear communication of intentions, challenges and achievements in pursuing varied forms of inclusion in health.

The study aimed to explore and describe factors which impacted on the satisfaction of patients using the curative component of primary health care in the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan area. A qualitative, explorative and contextual design was followed in this study. Focus group interviews were used to collect data from clients, nurse clinicians and community health committee members. Findings indicated that there was lack of facilities, resources and supplies, lack of safety and security measures, negative attitudes of nurse clinicians, lack of community involvement and lack of clinic management involvement. Suggestions were made by the groups on how to improve the curative primary health care service and intervention strategies were identified from the suggestions made. The implementation of these strategies will help with the improvement of the service delivery at the clinic for primary health care. / Health Studies / (M.A. (Health Studies)

Underachievement is a perennial problem in many secondary schools in South Africa. One of the reasons for this state of affairs, is the inhibitive learning climate in such schools. This study attempts to determine the extent and causes of the problem and to develop guidelines for parents, teachers, learners and school management teams to resolve some of the issues that cause the problem. This is a qualitative study using focus group and individual interviews. The main findings contributing to underachievement among learners, include lack of parental guidance and supervision, negative attitudes of teachers towards learners, inflexible teaching methods, overcrowded classrooms, lack of resources and facilities in schools, lukewarm attitude of learners towards their work and the absence of positive role models in communities. The findings highlight important factors, which contribute to underachievement among learners in an inhibitive learning climate. The recommendations are an attempt towards solving this important issue. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Special Needs Education)

This study focused on Corporate Community Involvement Disclosures (CCID), a theme usually disclosed under Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosures (CSRD) in annual reports. The primary aim of the research is to investigate the genuineness and raison d'être of CCID in annual reports. To do this the researcher adopted a holistic approach employing an extensive theoretical framework, which integrates Legitimacy, Stakeholder, Agency, Signalling and Semiotics theories and asking three main research questions. Firstly, what are the motivations for CCID in annual reports? Secondly, what is the information content of CCID in annual reports? And lastly, how real is CCID in annual reports? That is can CCID be read and construed as a real measure of corporate community development (CCD)? Using content analysis and a quality score index the study examined a panel dataset covering the period from 1999 to 2009. The data was collected from a sample of 803 annual reports of 73 UK companies taken from the FTSE 350 companies and cutting across all ten industries of the Industrial Classification Benchmark (ICB) Index. Generally the study is more of a quantitative study with hypotheses developed and tested with panel data regression models in order to provide answers to the three research questions. However, due to the sensitivity of the third research question, in addition to panel regression, the researcher performed a qualitative analysis of question three using semiotics. The study provided evidence to show that CCID as disclosed in annual reports have an undertone of reputation/impression management like other CSR disclosures (CSRD). The community activities reported do not seem to address the expectations of the local communities per se; rather the disclosures seemed to be targeted at a wider stakeholder group that is likely to offer immediate reward for such disclosures. Similarly result from semiotic analysis revealed that signification of reality is either doubtful or unreal for most companies sampled. The study is unique as it is the first to explore the reality of CCID as it appears in annual reports using a combination of a panel study approach and semiotics. In addition a major contribution of the study is that it explored the ways in which multiple theoretical underpinnings can inform research by developing a CCID Meta-theory model and thus provided a robust and enriched analysis and unique insights into the CCID phenomenon.

The main aim of this study was to investigate how effective School Management Teams were in the management of healthy school environments in the Gert Sibande District. This was a qualitative study which employed two data collection strategies: face to face interviews and photographs. A literature review on this study revealed vital aspects, that a healthy school environment: can directly improve children’s health and effective learning; the school is strategically positioned to reach large numbers of the population to teach them to understand the importance of investing in health. Literature indicated collaboration and synergy as essential aspects, and policies as cornerstones that underpin the health promotion initiatives. Selection of sites was purposefully done as three of the four schools in this study were part of the Eco Schools programme. The study revealed that there was disconnect between the SMTs and committees that were involved in health promotion: in coordinating plans; and monitoring and evaluating the implementation of programmes. This therefore, means that there was no support for the committees from the SMT. It was also found that there were committees that: did not have plans; did not sit for meetings and the reluctance of the SMT to address these challenges compounded the situation and contributed to some committees being dysfunctional. The failure of the SMT to guide and provide leadership in their engagement with community members who provided assistance in terms of basic needs to learners indicated a need for the development of a cadre of leaders that are capable of working beyond the borders of schools. In all the committees that were interviewed, the Environmental Committee came up to be more effective and organized than others in three schools. The health committee was lacking in the area of training especially in the prevention of communicable diseases. The study provided recommendations to assist the SMT in their endeavors to promote healthy environments in their schools. / MEd, Education Management, North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2012

Seasonal small business owners (e.g., boating and golf industries), primarily within the upper and Midwestern United States, face challenges for profit and growth because of a brief business potential year and limited time to establish a reliable and committed customer base. The purpose of this case study was to explore strategies that seasonal small business owners in Oakland County, Michigan may use to collaborate with local associations and charitable organizations to increase profits. Stakeholder theory served as the conceptual framework for this study. A purposive sample of 4 successful small seasonal business owners in Oakland County, Michigan participated in face-to-face interviews describing their perspectives. The central research question was aimed to identify strategies successful small seasonal businesses owners apply to improve profits. Data analysis included coding keywords, sentences, and ideas into categories. The following themes emerged: (a) brand awareness, (b) community involvement, (c) customer loyalty, (d) seizing operational opportunities, and (e) recapturing lost revenue. Based on the business owners' narratives, brand awareness and community involvement were the most important strategies to increase profits. The implications for social change include the potential to provide new strategies to support seasonal small business toward sustainability, charity awareness, stronger relationships between small business and communities, and economic prosperity.

Successful independent coffee shop owners in Washington struggle to compete with the larger coffee shop chains. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to investigate what strategies owners of independent coffee shops in Washington use to survive beyond the first 5 years. Five independent coffee shop owners in Washington participated in the study and shared their practices and observations. Systems theory directed the study exploring the perspectives of successful independent coffee shop owners in Washington. Using communication skills and personal availability to answer questions and remain in contact throughout the research process built a rapport with participants. Data were gathered from participant interviews and from an examination of available physical artifacts such as the locations, premises, websites, and social media pages. Within-method triangulation was used to ensure the participant interview data were interpreted with credibility and transparency. Three primary themes appeared from the study: community involvement, customer loyalty, and location. Encouraging community involvement generates product awareness, which creates new business. Based on the independent coffee shop owners' descriptions, community involvement, customer loyalty, and location were important strategies to increase profits. The implications for social change include added community involvement, customer loyalty, and location. Involvement in the community generated revenue, customer loyalty, and community opportunities. Independent coffee shop owners may remain sustainable by incorporating these strategies.

The historical perspective of schools in our democratic society provides a framework of tension between local parent and community control and professional and state control of public school decisions. Today, federal and state requirements demand increased student achievement. One school reform effort enlisted to help meet the challenges is the creation of site-based decision-making councils that involve school administrators, teachers and parents. The state of Utah requires each public school to have a School Community Council that is responsible for the development of plans for school improvement. Limited funds are provided to each School Community Council through the School LAND Trust Program. The funds are to be used to assist in the implementation of the developed plans for the purpose of increased student achievement. Three Utah Middle level SCCs participated in this qualitative strength-based process evaluation. Two of the SCCs were identified as exemplary, and the third SCC was just beginning to function as an SCC. Based on the three questions guiding the evaluation, the evaluation learned that SCCs identified as exemplary were compliant with the law, employed strategies identified in the literature for effective site-based decision-making, and implemented plans that were perceived to impact student achievement. In addition, themes emerged from the strength-based approach to learn what SCC processes influenced an effective balance between the professional expertise and the democratic involvement in decision-making. The emergent themes deal with processes related to membership and elections, sources of confidence, use of data to drive school improvement decision, and communication.

<p>In South Africa, governance structures in the form of clinic committees, hospital boards and district health councils are intended to provide expression to the principle of community participation at a local and district level. They are meant to act as a link between communities and health services and to provide a conduit for the health needs and aspirations of the community to be represented at various local, districts, provincial and national levels. This study aimed to assess the functioning of health governance structures in the form of clinic committees. Specifically, the study sought to ascertain the number of clinic committees associated with public health facilities in three provinces in South Africa namely the Eastern Cape, Free State and KwaZulu Natal and to identify the factors that are perceived by clinic committee members to either facilitate or impede the effective functioning of clinic committees.</p>

<p>In South Africa, governance structures in the form of clinic committees, hospital boards and district health councils are intended to provide expression to the principle of community participation at a local and district level. They are meant to act as a link between communities and health services and to provide a conduit for the health needs and aspirations of the community to be represented at various local, districts, provincial and national levels. This study aimed to assess the functioning of health governance structures in the form of clinic committees. Specifically, the study sought to ascertain the number of clinic committees associated with public health facilities in three provinces in South Africa namely the Eastern Cape, Free State and KwaZulu Natal and to identify the factors that are perceived by clinic committee members to either facilitate or impede the effective functioning of clinic committees.</p>