Community development programmes have been initiated to tackle the shared problems of local communities. The nature, volume and tenure of the development programmes depend on the felt needs and available resources. Different nations initiate community development programmes at different times. Pakistan was among first few countries to launch local level development programmes during the early 1950s, after consultation from the United Nations. The Government started the Village Agricultural Industrial Development (V-AID) and Community Development Projects (CDPs) that focused on rural and urban areas, respectively. The CDPs introduced the self-help and bottom-up development approaches in the early years, which led to great success. The mode of working of CDPs was changed with different transitions and expansions in their working styles and services. These projects are still alive and provide community development services directly, as well as indirectly through nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) registered with the Department of Social Welfare. This survey research was conducted to describe and explore the present working practices, problems and needs of government-run CDPs in Punjab Province, Pakistan. In 36 districts of Punjab, officers-in-charge at the CDPs (Deputy District Officers), NGOs registered with the CDPs and non-CDP-registered NGOs were included as respondents. Questionnaires having both closed-ended and open-ended questions were used as data collection tools. Results in the form of frequencies and percentages are presented in simple tables, multiple response tables, bar charts and pie charts. In addition, open-ended responses were coded, quantified and presented in multiple response tables. Analysis of data obtained from the three groups of participants provided rich and valuable results about the current work practices of CDPs. I found that CDPs are well-known government-run development projects that register, guide, assist and monitor NGOs and initiate direct programmes in communities. Almost all CDPs cover more than 35,000 people in their working areas with and face problems of untrained staff and staff shortages as mainly reported by NGOs. The respondent NGOs, in comparison to the DDOs, report the CDP staff performance as low and unsatisfactory. The role of CDPs in the NGO registration and emergency services is acknowledged. NGOs viewed the CDPs registration services overly long and complicated. Further, the mode of operation of the CDPs and their authority to deal with the local people and NGOs was found to be complex. In this regard, CDPs have limited authority and have to follow instructions given by higher authorities. The respondent NGOs consider the CDPs and higher authorities to be more authoritative in deciding planning and implementation of projects initiated by the CDPs directly at the local level. The CDPs face various problems that affect their smooth working. The responses of all three types of respondents report heavy population coverage, staff shortages, lack of staff training, lack of funds, and a lengthy and complicated NGO registration process as major hurdles affecting CDPs performances. Other problems include the limited authority of CDPs to fund NGOs and to take action against nonfunctional and unregistered NGOs, lack of transportation for field activities and noncooperation of the NGOs and local people. In addition, the CDPs need proper office buildings, equipment and cooperation from higher authorities, NGOs and local people. Following analysis of the responses provided, this study recommends that the higher authorities should equip the CDPs with more and better trained staff, more funding, better office buildings and equipment, more transportation, an improved and easy NGO registration process and more authority. The respondents also suggest the local NGOs and community should remain in contact and cooperate with the CDPs, and that the DDOs should assist the local communities and NGOs in problem-solving.

Thesis (M.Dev) --University of Limpopo, 2010 / This study focuses on the impact of management on the sustainability of the community development projects in Mutale Local Municipality. Mutale Local Municipality (MLM) is in the Limpopo Province and is about 262km north of Polokwane. MLM is predominately rural and it has two towns, which are: Mutale and Masisi. Fighting poverty is a serious challenge facing the people from this area today. It is interesting to note that poor people in the rural area are mobilizing themselves and start community development projects in cooperation with the government. The Department of Health and Social Development is providing government officers who visit these community development projects with the aim of helping the communities to ensure that these projects are sustainable. The labourers who are attached to the community development projects are then able to look after their families with the money they get from the projects. The communities of Mutale decided to tackle poverty through the establishment of the following community development projects: Tshandama Community Bakery, Thengwe Egg- laying, Mveledziso Catering and Decoration, Matomboni Crusher Stone and Bale Vegetable Garden. The final results from the study show that most of the rural community development projects lack proper management. The main reasons leading to poor performance of community development projects, among others are lack of financial plan, improper management style and lack of active participation of key stakeholders. The study highlighted significant information about the impact of management on the sustainability of the community development projects in Mutale Local Municipality. It was hoped that the recommendation made in this study would assist the community development projects in our country South Africa. Youth should be involved in community development projects. Community projects should be monitored regularly in order to improve the productivity. All the people who are attached to the community development projects should be trained and capacitated toward financial planning, marketing and security management.

Thesis (M.Dev.) --University of Limpopo, 2005 / The purpose of this study was to explore women’s involvement in poverty alleviation projects and to examine the benefits that are derived from such projects. The Phutuma Development Project and Gottenburg Women’s Group are the projects which were studied. The methods used to conduct this study involved collecting data through questionnaires and interviews. The various stakeholders, project members as well as government officials from the departments of Health and Social Development were interviewed. This study is significant in that it can help the government in its efforts to assist the poor live a decent life, and to provide better services to communities. This study uncovers the kind of challenges that government departments and communities face when setting up poverty alleviation projects. The study recommends how this should be done to achieve optimum results.

Thesis (MBA.) --University of Limpopo, 2008 / Land reform is divided into three sub-programmes, which are redistribution programmes, restitution and tenure reform. The redistribution programme consists of Land Redistribution for Agricultural Development settlement and non-agricultural enterprises. Land Redistribution for Agricultural Development programme was established to redress the imbalances of land owners aroused from the previous government and its policies. A person who qualifies to purchase farms through the Land Redistribution for Agricultural Development programme is a previously disadvantaged person, that is, an African, Coloured and Indian. If a person belongs to a previously disadvantaged group and that particular person works for the government he/she does not qualify to be funded by the Land Redistribution for Agricultural Development programme. The National Department of Agriculture introduced a new programme called the Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme. The primary aim of the Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme is to make provision for agricultural support to targeted beneficiaries of the land reform and agrarian reform programme. This dissertation proposed an investigation of the success factors of Comprehensive agricultural Support programme on the farms allocated under the Land redistribution for Agricultural Development in the Waterberg District of the Limpopo Province. The objectives of study were: i. To determine factors influencing the success of the Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme projects on farms allocated under the Land Redistribution for Agricultural Development farms ii. To suggest recommendations for the improvement of the implementation of the Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme. iv A case study approach was used to investigate the Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme funded projects. Personal interview questions were posed to participants who were the farmers who receiving the Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme grant and managers who were managing the Land Redistribution for Agricultural Development farms. Open-ended questionnaires were used to collect data and four farms allocated under Land Redistribution for Agricultural Development funded by the Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme and four municipal managers in the Waterberg District of the Limpopo Province were interviewed. The qualitative approach was used to process the data The chapter layouts of this research are as follows: Chapter 1: Problem Statement, Aims and Objectives of the Study, Chapter 2: Literature Survey, Chapter 3: Research Design, Chapter 4: Analysis of Data and Interpretation, and Chapter 5: Recommendations and Conclusion. The analysis of the data revealed that Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme is a success on the farms allocated under the Land redistribution for Agricultural Development in the Waterberg District of the Limpopo Province.

Thesis (M.Dev.) --University of Limpopo, 2014 / Capacity building is a process of building capabilities in individuals, groups, institutions, organisations, and societies at the local, national and international levels, to be more effectively prepared for and respond to public health threats of a crisis in a sustainable manner. This process is designed to reinforce or create strengths upon which communities can mitigate vulnerabilities as a result of emergencies and disasters. The main aim of the study was to assess capacity building in Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme (CASP) funded projects in Capricorn District of Limpopo Province. The CASP programme was initiated to provide post-settlement support for farmers who have benefitted from the Land Reform programmes. Since zfthe inception of this programme, there has not been any assessment of capacity building as one of the pillars of CASP. The objective of the study was to assess capacity building on productivity and to determine the impact of capacity building on the CASP funded projects. The study hypothesed that an increase in the level of productivity of CASP funded projects depends on the level of capacity building. The term training refers to the acquisition of knowledge, skills and competencies as a result of the teaching of vocational or practical skills. In land reform projects, training is provided as the planned and organised activity of a consultant to impart skills, techniques and methodologies to employers and their employees, to assist them in establishing and maintaining employment and a place of employment that is safe and healthy. The Farmer training is offered in two different methods, viz., on-farm and off-farm training. The on-farm training involves a service-provider visiting the farmer and rendering the training at the farm, whereas the off-farm training requires a farmer to go to the planned venue or institution of training to receive the planned training. iv

El trabajo considera uno de los puntos centrales de la investigación de gestiones estratégicas: ¿cómo crear y mantener una ventaja competitiva a largo plazo ? Está basado en una estructura orientada a los recursos y capacidades centrándose en aquellas firmas/empresas con capacidades-clave.Este planteamiento se basa en el concepto de que las firmas/empresas de industrias en continuo desarrollo no pueden sostenerse sobre sus capacidades-clave durante un periodo muy largo. Tienen que desarrollarse, adaptarse y renovar estas capacidades para seguir siendo competitivas. Este proceso de desarrollo de capacidades depende en gran medida del camino seguido anteriormente. Por eso es crucial para el sostén de esta ventaja competitiva la interacción entre el pasado y las necesidades futuras de la empresa.A menudo existe una relación ambivalente entre las capacidades-clave de la empresa y el desarrollo de nuevos proyectos. Los proyectos se ven dificultados por la inercia inherente de la empresa contra toda nueva forma de comportamiento laboral. Los proyectos especiales que se aplicarán a una gran extension desde el negocio principal podrian convertirse en un foco de tension dentro de la organizacion.El trabajo fue conducido con la ayuda de estudios de casos descriptivos/comparativos en el sector de la industria de alta tecnologia. Los datos fueron obtenidos de revistas empresariales, internet, paginas web, entrevistas personales, y observaciones participativas. Un proceso de "pattern matching" fue utilizado para relacionar descubrimientos empiricos con 3 "patterns" construidos apriori.El trabajo puede servir para complementar el marco general de referencia para el manejo de "core-capabilities" dinamicas. El acercamiento busca tambien promover el enlace entre la "intrapreneurship" y la capacidad de aproximacion conducida en el campo de manejo estrategico, corroborando que el contexto intraprenurial soporte la construccion de una organizacion focalizada en los recursos y las capacidades. / The dissertation considers one of the central themes of strategic management research: How to create and maintain a competitive advantage over a longer period of time? It is based on a resource- and capability-oriented framework focussing on the firms' "core-capabilities". The approach follows the idea that firms in fast changing industries cannot rest on their current core-capabilities for a longer time frame. They have to develop, adapt, and renew theses capabilities to stay competitive. This capability development process depends to a great extend on the firm's former development path. Therefore it is crucial for the sustainment of the competitive advantage how the corporate management makes a link between the experience from the past and the firm's future needs.Often there is an ambivalent relationship between the firm's core-capabilities and new development projects. The projects are hindered by the inertia of the incumbent organization against new forms of working behaviour. Especially projects that depart to a great extent from the main business may become a focal point of tension inside the organization. The research was conducted with the help of descriptive/comparative case-studies in the high-technology industry sector. Data were gathered from firm brochures, internet sites, personal interviews, and participating observations. A pattern matching process was used to match empirical findings with 3 apriori constructed pattern. The work may serve to complement the frame of reference for the management of dynamic core-capabilities. The approach seeks also to foster the link between intrapreneurship and the capability-driven approach in the field of strategic management, corrobating that the intrapreneurial context supports the building of a resource- and capability-focussed organization.

During the summer 2012 a bachelor’s thesis was performed at Autoliv Sweden AB inVårgårda regarding potential improvements on launches, with focus on the purchasingprocess. The activities that were needed to be able to reach the main goal, proposals ofpotential improvements, were divided into three interim goals. The interim goals can beseen as activities along the way containing necessary information that was needed to beable to come up with potential improvements. The approach for the thesis was to first do a literature review on value stream mapping, how development projects at Autoliv Sweden AB are performed and on launches in theautomotive industry based on scientific articles. After the literature review a case study wasmade, using value stream mapping as a tool, on one development project at AutolivSweden AB for investigation of the launch. The result of the case study was presented intwo maps over the administrative stream for the components in the development project;one according to project time plan and one according to how the activities in the launchactual were performed. Based on the literature and the maps from the case study, three potential improvements, that would be relatively easy and inexpensive to implement, were found; (1) Involve thesupplier more and at an earlier stage in the development project, (2) involve the Logisticsdepartment more and (3) implement control level definition on the development projectsas well, not just the parts. The conclusion for this thesis was that if Autoliv Sweden AB decides to implement allproposed improvements both money and time will be saved.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Florida, 2004. / Title from title page of source document. Document formatted into pages; contains 92 pages. Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (doctor of public administration)--University of the Philippines). / Includes bibliographical references (p. 284-286).

Thesis (Ph. D.(Agricultural Economics))--University of Pretoria, 2003. / Includes summary. Includes bibliographical references. Adobe Acrobat Redear needed to open files.