Co-operatives are multifaceted as they have different meanings for their members. They are an important passage to sustainable development as they provide their members and communities with the opportunity of joining forces and addressing their needs. Various pieces of South African legislation endorse the establishment of co-operatives and support community members to own co-operatives. The research findings show that cooperative members are motivated to participate even though they experience challenges in the cooperatives. What keeps them going is the drive to succeed. This is strengthened by cooperative principles to which they adhere. The role of the social worker in initiating and supporting cooperatives, utilizing empowerment and developmental approaches, provides extra benefits for cooperative members, their families and the larger community. One critical benefit is the income generated through economic activities to support members and their families. Based on the research findings, recommendation are made with regard to practice, policy and further research. / Social Work / M.A. (S.S.) (Social Work)

Kooperasies, as werktuie ter doelwitbereiking vir graanprodusente, het sedert hul totstandkoming onderskeibare ontwikkelingsfases deurgegaan. Die toepassing van kooperasie as mededingingstrategie deur graanprodusente is grootliks bei"nvloed deur die veranderings wat tydens die ontwikkelingsfases voorgekom het. Aksies wat in die loop van hierdie ontwikkellngsfases ingestel was, het mettertyd onduidelikhede oor die bestaansgrondslag van die kooperasies laat ontstaan. Die klJmaat van politieke veranderings wat tans in die land heers, kan ook belangrike veranderings meebring ten opsigte van die grondslag waarop kooperasies funksioneer. Pie uitwerking van die verwagte veranderings kan kooperasies forseer om strategiese aanpassings in hul strukture te maak ten einde steeds suksesvol te kan bly voortbestaan. · Graanprodusente verkeer in 'n posisie wat vereis dat daar besin moet word oor strategiee wat gevolg kan word ten einde steeds suksesvol in die onsekere markomstandighede mee te ding. Die toepassing van kooperasie as mededingingstrategie waarvolgens graanprodusente deur lidmaatskap van die kooperasies in die mark deelgeneem het, kom nou ook onder die loep. Die hoofprobleem waarop daar dus in hierdie studie gefokus word, is om te bepaal of kooperasie as mededingingstrategie geskik is om die individuele en kollektiewe belange van graanprodusente te bevorder. Van die belangrikste bevindings van die studie is: Graanprodusente voorsien dat kooperasie individuele graanprodusente se markoptrede kan versterk. Graanprodusente is van mening dat hulle deur middel van kooperasie wat manifesteer in selfstandige besigheidsondernemings, genaamd ''kooperasies", 'n positiewe invloed vir graanprodusente op die mark kan uitoefen. Daar kcan nie 'n beduidende negatiewe, of positiewe persepsie oor onderlinge mededinging en die invloed wat die vryemarkbedeling daarop uitoefen, by graanprodusente gei"dentifiseer word nie. Dit blyk egter dat sommige graanprodusente die vryemarkbedeling as 'n belangrike markfaktor bejeen. Ander graanprodusente huldig 'n meer buigsame benadering jeens die vryemarkbedeling. Graanprodusente is, met enkele klemverskille, van mening dat die kooperasies nie daarin slaag om die tradisionele kooperasiebeginsels in die wyse waarop kooperasies hul besigheid bedryf, volledig toe te pas nie. Graanprodusente het oor die algemeen gesien duidelike menings oor die noodsaaklikheid daa.rvan dat die staat nie by die graanbedryf meet inmeng nie. Ander tipes ondersteuningstrategiee, soos die oprigting van beslote korporasies of maatskappye, geniet wisselende steun. 'n Beduidende groep graanprodusente is onseker oor moontlikhede om maatskappye met kapitaalgroei as basis te skep, om sodoende in geheel met kooperasies weg te doen. / Co-operatives have experienced distinguishable changes. The application of co-operation as a competitive strategy by g~in producers was largely influenced by the changes. The prevailing political changes can also instigate important changes with regard to co-operatives. Grain producers must revise strategies to maintain successful competition in the market. The study investigates co-operation as a competitive strategy to advance the individual and collective interests of grain producers, Findings are: Grain producers are convinced that co-operation enhances the market related actions of individual grain producers. Grain producers can, through co-operation, exercise a positive influence in the market. No definite negative or positive perception concerning the influence of the free market system upon mutual competition could be identified. Grain producers are convinced that the state should not interfere with the grain industry. / Business Management / M. Admin. (Business Management)

Kooperasies, as werktuie ter doelwitbereiking vir graanprodusente, het sedert hul totstandkoming onderskeibare ontwikkelingsfases deurgegaan. Die toepassing van kooperasie as mededingingstrategie deur graanprodusente is grootliks bei"nvloed deur die veranderings wat tydens die ontwikkelingsfases voorgekom het. Aksies wat in die loop van hierdie ontwikkellngsfases ingestel was, het mettertyd onduidelikhede oor die bestaansgrondslag van die kooperasies laat ontstaan. Die klJmaat van politieke veranderings wat tans in die land heers, kan ook belangrike veranderings meebring ten opsigte van die grondslag waarop kooperasies funksioneer. Pie uitwerking van die verwagte veranderings kan kooperasies forseer om strategiese aanpassings in hul strukture te maak ten einde steeds suksesvol te kan bly voortbestaan. · Graanprodusente verkeer in 'n posisie wat vereis dat daar besin moet word oor strategiee wat gevolg kan word ten einde steeds suksesvol in die onsekere markomstandighede mee te ding. Die toepassing van kooperasie as mededingingstrategie waarvolgens graanprodusente deur lidmaatskap van die kooperasies in die mark deelgeneem het, kom nou ook onder die loep. Die hoofprobleem waarop daar dus in hierdie studie gefokus word, is om te bepaal of kooperasie as mededingingstrategie geskik is om die individuele en kollektiewe belange van graanprodusente te bevorder. Van die belangrikste bevindings van die studie is: Graanprodusente voorsien dat kooperasie individuele graanprodusente se markoptrede kan versterk. Graanprodusente is van mening dat hulle deur middel van kooperasie wat manifesteer in selfstandige besigheidsondernemings, genaamd ''kooperasies", 'n positiewe invloed vir graanprodusente op die mark kan uitoefen. Daar kcan nie 'n beduidende negatiewe, of positiewe persepsie oor onderlinge mededinging en die invloed wat die vryemarkbedeling daarop uitoefen, by graanprodusente gei"dentifiseer word nie. Dit blyk egter dat sommige graanprodusente die vryemarkbedeling as 'n belangrike markfaktor bejeen. Ander graanprodusente huldig 'n meer buigsame benadering jeens die vryemarkbedeling. Graanprodusente is, met enkele klemverskille, van mening dat die kooperasies nie daarin slaag om die tradisionele kooperasiebeginsels in die wyse waarop kooperasies hul besigheid bedryf, volledig toe te pas nie. Graanprodusente het oor die algemeen gesien duidelike menings oor die noodsaaklikheid daa.rvan dat die staat nie by die graanbedryf meet inmeng nie. Ander tipes ondersteuningstrategiee, soos die oprigting van beslote korporasies of maatskappye, geniet wisselende steun. 'n Beduidende groep graanprodusente is onseker oor moontlikhede om maatskappye met kapitaalgroei as basis te skep, om sodoende in geheel met kooperasies weg te doen. / Co-operatives have experienced distinguishable changes. The application of co-operation as a competitive strategy by g~in producers was largely influenced by the changes. The prevailing political changes can also instigate important changes with regard to co-operatives. Grain producers must revise strategies to maintain successful competition in the market. The study investigates co-operation as a competitive strategy to advance the individual and collective interests of grain producers, Findings are: Grain producers are convinced that co-operation enhances the market related actions of individual grain producers. Grain producers can, through co-operation, exercise a positive influence in the market. No definite negative or positive perception concerning the influence of the free market system upon mutual competition could be identified. Grain producers are convinced that the state should not interfere with the grain industry. / Business Management / M. Admin. (Business Management)

Community development and in particular participatory development is about people. This means that the person who studies or practices participatory development or any other of the participatory pratices should have a particular way of thinking about people. The main aim motivating this study was to investigate the paradigm/s about people on which participatory practices are based. This included a literature research on five participatory practices namely participatory development; participatory communication; participatory learning; participatory research; and participatory management. A guideline for paradigm analysis was developed by using Schriver's (1995) and Capra's (1996) descriptions of a paradigm as well as ideas of hermeneutics. From the paradigm analysis on the participatory practices two themes emerged: A shift from modernism to post modernism in the thinking processes and participatory practices. From the participatory practices the same concepts repeatedly emerged indicating a similar paradigm for all the participatory practices. Three post modern theories were therefore applied to enhance the description of the different concepts. The end result of this study is the development of an evolving paradigm for participatory practices in order to give enhanced meaning to concepts in the participatory vocabulary. Finally a critical reflection was done on the post modern research process. / Text in Afrikaans / Social Work / D.Phil. (Social Work)

Community development and in particular participatory development is about people. This means that the person who studies or practices participatory development or any other of the participatory pratices should have a particular way of thinking about people. The main aim motivating this study was to investigate the paradigm/s about people on which participatory practices are based. This included a literature research on five participatory practices namely participatory development; participatory communication; participatory learning; participatory research; and participatory management. A guideline for paradigm analysis was developed by using Schriver's (1995) and Capra's (1996) descriptions of a paradigm as well as ideas of hermeneutics. From the paradigm analysis on the participatory practices two themes emerged: A shift from modernism to post modernism in the thinking processes and participatory practices. From the participatory practices the same concepts repeatedly emerged indicating a similar paradigm for all the participatory practices. Three post modern theories were therefore applied to enhance the description of the different concepts. The end result of this study is the development of an evolving paradigm for participatory practices in order to give enhanced meaning to concepts in the participatory vocabulary. Finally a critical reflection was done on the post modern research process. / Text in Afrikaans / Social Work / D.Phil. (Social Work)

Traditional development theories concentrated on stimulating economic growth without considering the extent to which growth would affect rural people's quality of life. Modernisation has failed to improve life in rural Third World areas. Current development thinking emphasises the human aspect of development and IS more inclined towards participatory rural development. Referring specifically to the Batlharos Water project, the study investigates and identifies the causes ofthe limited initiatives in participatory development within the Kudumane district in the North-West Province of South Africa. Trends in the evolution of development thought to people's participation, including factors, processes and approaches that may facilitate participatory development in the Kudumane area are discussed. Factors that have affected and limited earlier participatory initiatives in this area are isolated. The study concludes that unless rural communities constantly become the planners, initiators and executors of local development, no real transformation of their lives can be accomplished. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Administration)

Participatory development is believed to be an essential ingredient of the development process because it enables the people to influence the policy and decision-making process. It facilitates the designing of and enhances the implementation of plans and programmes or projects and that participation results in the development of ownership and belonging among the people themselves. This feeling in turn goes a long way to ensure the success of a programme or project. This study highlights some of the elements that led to the successful implementation of an income-generating project with women. The study also demonstrates that the people's own ideas are able to command adequate levels of participation, support and commitment to enhance their ability to meet their needs. The study further looks at the ownership of the project as very important for successful implementation and that projects or programmes should be facilitated within the means of the local participants to manage and control them. The elements mentioned in this study are an essential part of participatory development and enable the people to learn to take charge of their lives and solve their own problems. The study further looks at cultural and traditional values as an essential part of human growth, because local action taken by the women is very important in promoting overall success of the project. / Social work / M.A. (SS) (Mental Health)

Traditional development theories concentrated on stimulating economic growth without considering the extent to which growth would affect rural people's quality of life. Modernisation has failed to improve life in rural Third World areas. Current development thinking emphasises the human aspect of development and IS more inclined towards participatory rural development. Referring specifically to the Batlharos Water project, the study investigates and identifies the causes ofthe limited initiatives in participatory development within the Kudumane district in the North-West Province of South Africa. Trends in the evolution of development thought to people's participation, including factors, processes and approaches that may facilitate participatory development in the Kudumane area are discussed. Factors that have affected and limited earlier participatory initiatives in this area are isolated. The study concludes that unless rural communities constantly become the planners, initiators and executors of local development, no real transformation of their lives can be accomplished. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Administration)

Participatory development is believed to be an essential ingredient of the development process because it enables the people to influence the policy and decision-making process. It facilitates the designing of and enhances the implementation of plans and programmes or projects and that participation results in the development of ownership and belonging among the people themselves. This feeling in turn goes a long way to ensure the success of a programme or project. This study highlights some of the elements that led to the successful implementation of an income-generating project with women. The study also demonstrates that the people's own ideas are able to command adequate levels of participation, support and commitment to enhance their ability to meet their needs. The study further looks at the ownership of the project as very important for successful implementation and that projects or programmes should be facilitated within the means of the local participants to manage and control them. The elements mentioned in this study are an essential part of participatory development and enable the people to learn to take charge of their lives and solve their own problems. The study further looks at cultural and traditional values as an essential part of human growth, because local action taken by the women is very important in promoting overall success of the project. / Social work / M.A. (SS) (Mental Health)