Magister Artium (Development Studies) - MA(DVS) / A prepaid water metering project was implemented in various high density suburbs around the city of Harare in 2015 with the intention of spreading the project throughout the whole country. It was anticipated that the use of prepaid water meters as a water management device would improve the social, health, hygiene and general well-being of the poor households in the Sunningdale high density suburb. This study will investigate the social implications that were caused by the use of prepaid water meters as a tool for water management among poor households in this high density suburbs. The impact of prepaid water meter technology has been felt by water consumers in Sunningdale who have shared their experiences and attitudes towards this recently introduced innovation in water service delivery within Harare high density suburbs. The study examines the implications of using prepaid water meters as a water conservation measure and considers the behaviour, health and hygiene as well as home-based livelihoods of low-income water users. This study also provides answers for the premature abandonment of the expansion of the prepaid water meter project into other surrounding cities in Zimbabwe.

Magister Administrationis - MAdmin / This study assesses the social consequences of water management devices in poor households in Samora Machel, a poor urban area characterised by high levels of unemployment and poverty. South Africa is currently faced with an increase in the roll out of water management technologies, mainly in poor areas, allegedly to manage water demand and help poor households manage their water consumption and prevent wastage. The water management device (WMD) limits access to the free basic water (FBW) allocation and automatically cuts it off when the allocation is finished. In 2009/2010 the City of Cape Town started rolling out the devices in Samora Machel, which previously used the conventional water meter that supplied the area with unlimited water access. WMDs limit water access to 350 litres of FBW per day. People living in Samora Machel claim that 350 litres is not enough and they are experiencing problems of frequent water cuts even before the allocated litres are used up. There have also been water leaks ever since the installation of the devices. Section 27(1)(b) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, Act 108 of 1996, entrenches the right of access to sufficient water. The WMDs are criticised for infringing the right of access to sufficient water supply to poor households by leaking, cutting off water supply frequently and by limiting access to FBW supply. Moreover, critics argue that the WMDs are not water-demand management mechanisms; they are cost-recovery mechanisms that are introduced under the neo-liberal policies introduced by the post-apartheid government in 1994. This criticism is based on the fact that the WMDs are implemented in poor areas only, where water is needed more for basic survival, rather than in high-income areas, where water is mostly used for luxury purposes.

The purpose of this study was to explore how university department chairs, or equivalent, perceive leadership as it relates to the context of online curriculum delivery in higher education. Three research areas guided the study: (a) nature and context of online environment and how it impacts the leadership, (b) the ways in which leaders conceptualize leadership, and (c) challenges and tensions for leadership. The sample included four participants (chair, director, coordinator, and associate dean) from three Western-Canadian universities. Findings in this study revealed four salient themes and sub-themes: (a) Context The Setting (technology, model of learning, faculty categories, cost-recovery versus cost-sharing); (b) Leadership Preparation (removing barriers and improving leadership preparation); (c) Leadership in General (relational-oriented, vision and direction setting, organizational culture and cultural diversity, ethics); and (d) Challenges and Tensions (past, present, future, organizational realities). The study concludes with a discussion of the implications for practice that include: balance between administrator and scholar, leadership preparation, and degree proposals. Implications for theory include: leadership in the context of online curriculum delivery, cost-recovery, technology, cultural diversity, ethics and equity, as well as organizational change. Finally, based on the findings, conclusions, and implications, several questions that warrant future research into the phenomenon of leadership in higher education are shared. / Educational Administration and Leadership

This study examines the utility of the Business Cost Recovery (BCR) metric, a social accounting tool that is used by social purpose enterprises in Toronto Enterprise Funds portfolio to separate their business and social costs. This research builds upon the BCR metric developing definitions for social and business costs and a guide to accompany the metric. The researcher tested the reliability of the metric useing test-retest methods with 20 participants. Three social enterprise experts evaluated the validity of the reliability test. The reliability test proved statistically significant, indicating that the BCR metric accompanied by the BCR guide can be used consistently. The BCR metric is a practical tool for the field of social accounting because of the relative ease with which it can be used to distinguish between social and business costs. The definitions created for this research can help mitigate ambiguity that exists across the field of social accounting.

This study examines the utility of the Business Cost Recovery (BCR) metric, a social accounting tool that is used by social purpose enterprises in Toronto Enterprise Funds portfolio to separate their business and social costs. This research builds upon the BCR metric developing definitions for social and business costs and a guide to accompany the metric. The researcher tested the reliability of the metric useing test-retest methods with 20 participants. Three social enterprise experts evaluated the validity of the reliability test. The reliability test proved statistically significant, indicating that the BCR metric accompanied by the BCR guide can be used consistently. The BCR metric is a practical tool for the field of social accounting because of the relative ease with which it can be used to distinguish between social and business costs. The definitions created for this research can help mitigate ambiguity that exists across the field of social accounting.

No description available.

No / Following legislative changes in 2004 and the establishment of the Human Tissue Authority, access to human tissues for biomedical research became a more onerous and tightly regulated process. Ethical Tissue was established to meet the growing demand for human tissues, using a process that provided ease of access by researchers whilst maintaining the highest ethical and regulatory standards. The establishment of a licensed research tissue bank entailed several key criteria covering ethical, legal, financial and logistical issues being met. A wide range of stakeholders, including the HTA, University of Bradford, flagged LREC, hospital trusts and clinical groups were also integral to the process.

Thesis (MTech (Business Administration))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2019 / Financial sustainability of water and sewerage provision is undermined by consumers’ inability and reluctance to pay service fees. Consequently, the escalation of operational and maintenance costs of water and sewerage provision is a major challenge facing South African municipalities. This study examines the provision of water and sewerage services and presents a strategic framework to manage revenue collection to achieve water and sewerage provision financial sustainability. The study applied interpretive epistemology research method. Content analysis was used to collect and analyse data for an improved understanding of service provision and revenue collection mantra. Unlike the other method such as the exploratory research method that provides a description of the observed phenomenon, an interpretive epistemology methodology provides deeper insights into management strategies that are required in order to achieve sustainable water and sewerage provision. The main objective of this study was to investigate factors affecting financial sustainability of water and sewerage provision in Cape Town. The qualitative data were analysed using content method of analysis to gain better meaning of the phenomenon being studied. The results show that although the water and sanitation department of the participating organisation is making efforts to generate revenue through implementing water and sanitation services payments, there are some residents who refuse to pay for services, resulting in revenue loss. The other reason for loss of revenue is unaccounted water which is the focus of the water and sewerage, demand management and strategy section; this is as a result of leaks, illegal connections, unregistered car wash bays, unmetered connections and informal settlement areas which do not get enough subsidies. The reasons advanced for unwillingness to pay for water and sanitation services by consumers were unemployment, poverty, unequal distribution of services and general ignorance. This study has found evidence of a reluctance toward service payment by participating consumers – requiring strategies to encourage rates payments.

No description available.

Many of the water sectors in developing countries are facing challenges and obstacles in providing potable water to their customers. These challenges resulted from many reasons such as; shortage of water, huge population, low water tariff, regulations, unplanned development, shortage of financing, absence of commercial orientation and others. Therefore, these sectors are requested to work innovatively to overcome these problems and find out proper solutions. One effective option to address these challenges is appropriate pricing of water. Setting up appropriate water price aims to recover service cost, reduce rate of subsidy and achieve financial sustainability. This research was carried out to determine how to achieve financial sustainability in the water sector in the Sultanate of Oman. The study is based on three main issues, improving the water tariff structure, the role of the customer and his expectation to increase the chance of financial sustainability. Two stages of qualitative and quantitative data collection methods were adopted in order to answer the research question. 22 semi-structured interviews were conducted with PAEW key staff and other relevant parties outside PAEW. 610 quantitative surveys were returned from a total of 1600 PAEW customers to get their views about the role of the customer and his expectations of PAEW in order to increase the chance of financial sustainability. Findings from qualitative data showed the appropriate water tariff is the cost reflective tariff which increases the chance of financial sustainability and cost recovery. The quantitative findings present the willingness of customers' participation and his expectation. Customer participation is expressed in three main roles: leakage and defect reporting, payment and conservation. In all of these, the research outcomes prove the role of the customer and the importance of these roles to increase the chance of financial sustainability. Customer expectations are expressed in customer service, billing system and water service. The outcomes reflect the customer expectations in terms of satisfaction and identify the gap that should be filled by PAEW to make the customer satisfied and loyal.