Background. Within the South African context there is a large body of research regarding the associations between maternal gestational drinking and diagnosable child FASDs. However, there remains a paucity of local research regarding the impacts of other kinds of maternal drinking behaviours (e.g. past and present maternal drinking) and related socio-demographic factors on developmentally sensitive areas of child neurocognitive functioning, such as executive functioning (EF). Methods. This study was cross-sectional in design, utilising a gender balanced sample of N=464 children between the ages of 9.00 and 15.12 (year.months) in three rural areas within the Western Cape. Information regarding maternal drinking behaviours (before, during and after pregnancy) and related socio-demographic factors was collected via structured interviews with mothers or proxy respondents. Six subtests from the Cambridge Automated Neuropsychological Battery (CANTAB), were used to assess three aspects of child EF namely: (1) processing speed, assessed by the MOT and RTI subtests, (2) attention, assessed by the MTT and RVP subtests and (3) memory, assessed by the SWM and PAL subtests. Findings. For all three maternal alcohol use behaviours examined, there was an apparent non-significant trend whereby children of mothers who reported alcohol use (before, during and after pregnancy) performed worse (on average) than children of mothers reporting non-alcohol use on the EF subtests. Several of the socio-demographic factors were found to act as significant predictors of subtest specific EF performance including child sex (RTI: B=.46, p<. 01; MTT: B=.05, p<.05), child age (RTI: B=.27, p<.05; MTT: B=.11, p<.01), home language (MOT: B=- .13, p<.05), maternal employment (MTT: B=-.04, p<.05) and household size (SWM: B=-1.29, p<.05). Conclusions. These study findings provide initial insights into the impacts of different types of maternal drinking behaviours and related socio-demographic factors on child EF outcomes within the context of an LMIC, South Africa.

Background The Swedish investors' interest in sustainability has increased in recent years. Previous research has mapped out and identified the sustainable investor, but there are existing gaps in knowledge about who the individual is who chooses to make socially sustainable investments in Sweden.  Purpose  In order to contribute to social sustainability gaining more space in the societal debate, this study aims to, through a quantitative study, map the socially sustainable investor based on the demographic factors gender, education and income in the Swedish stock and fund market.  Methodology  The study has applied a quantitative method, consisting of a deductive approach and a cross-sectional design. The empirical material has been obtained via a digital survey with a probability sample. The empiric consisted of a total of 154 useful answers which were then used and analyzed based on correlation matrix, bivariate and multivariate regression analyzes.  Results  The quantitative analysis showed that gender has a significant relationship, that education has only a partially significant relationship, while income does not show a significant relationship with socially sustainable investments.  Conclusion  The results of the study have shown a positive significant relationship to the fact that it is the woman who invests socially sustainable. In addition, higher education tends to result in social sustainability being taken into account when investing. Moreover, income can not be used in the mapping of who invests socially sustainable. / Bakgrund Under de senaste åren har svenska investerares intresse för hållbarhet ökat. Tidigare studier har kartlagt och identifierat vem den hållbara investeraren är, men det har identifierats en kunskapslucka av vidare forskning på den svenska marknaden inom social hållbarhet och vem som väljer att investera socialt hållbart. Syfte För att bidra till att social hållbarhet får mer utrymme i den samhälleliga debatten syftar denna studie till att, genom en kvantitativ studie, kartlägga den socialt hållbara investeraren utifrån de demografiska faktorerna kön, utbildning och inkomst på den svenska aktie- och fondmarknaden. Metod Studien har tillämpat en kvantitativ metod, bestående av en deduktiv ansats och en tvärsnittsdesign. Empiriska materialet har inhämtats via en digital enkätundersökning med ett sannolikhetsurval. Empirin utgjordes av totalt 154 användbara svar som sedan använts och analyserats utifrån korrelationsmatris, bivariata samt multivariata regressionsanalyser. Resultat Den kvantitativa analysen påvisade att kön har ett signifikant samband, att utbildning endast har ett delvist signifikant samband, medan inkomst inte påvisar något signifikant samband med socialt hållbara investeringar. Slutsats Studiens resultat har påvisat en positiv signifikant relation till att det är kvinnan som investerar socialt hållbart. Utöver det, tenderar en högre utbildning resultera i att social hållbarhet beaktas vid investeringar. Därtill kan inkomst inte användas vid kartläggandet om vem som investerar socialt hållbart.

Bakgrund Ett ökat engagemang har under de senaste åren noterats på den svenska börsen och intresset för aktier är det starkaste sedan år 2004. Forskning har tidigare studerat engagemanget på börsen utifrån demografiska faktorer, däremot identifieras en kunskapslucka som medföljt med det ökade engagemanget där en ny och utvecklad empirisk grupp noterats. Syfte För att bidra till en förståelse om engagemanget på den svenska börsen syftar denna studie till, med hjälp av en kvantitativ metod, att kartlägga engagemanget på den svenska börsen utifrån de demografiska faktorerna kön, ålder och utbildningsnivå. Metod Denna studie har tillämpat en kvantitativ metod med en deduktiv ansats och en tvärsnittsdesign. Det empiriska underlaget har samlats in med hjälp av en digital enkätundersökning där ett sannolikhetsurval applicerats. Materialet bestod av användbara svar från 116 respondenter som vidare har analyserats med hjälp av korrelationsmatriser, bi- och multivariata regressionsanalyser. Resultat Analysen som genomförts påvisade att kön har ett negativt signifikant samband med engagemang på den svenska börsen, medan ålder och utbildningsnivå inte har visat på ett signifikant samband till variabeln. Slutsats Ett negativ signifikant samband har identifierats där män konstateras ha ett högre engagemang på den svenska börsen än kvinnor. Därutöver har inget ytterligare samband fastställts, ålder och utbildningsnivå kan alltså inte användas vid kartläggning av engagemang på den svenska börsen. / Background In recent years, an increased level of enthusiasm on the Swedish stock market has been recognized, which has not been noted since 2004. While prior research has explored the engagement of individuals on the stock market based on demographic factors, a knowledge gap has been identified with regards to this increased engagement. Specifically, a new and evolved empirical group has been noticed, which warrants further exploration. Purpose In order to contribute to an analysis of the engagement on the Swedish stock market, this study aims to, with the use of a quantitative method, map the engagement on the Swedish stock market through the demographic factors gender, age and education level. Methodology This study utilizes a quantitative method with a deductive approach and a cross-sectional design. The empirical data has been collected through a digital survey where a probability sample was used. The material consisted of 116 appropriate answers, which were further analyzed with the assistance of correlation matrices, bi- and multivariate regression analyses. Results The analysis conducted demonstrated a negative significance between gender and engagement on the Swedish stock market, while no significance could be observed between the variable studied and, age and education level. Conclusion The negative significance that has been identified indicates that men have a higher engagement rate on the Swedish stock market compared to women. No further relation has been established, resulting in that age and level of education cannot be used to map the engagement on the Swedish stock market.

The quest towards resolving concerns about transportation energy consumption and emissions across nations has created more interests to investigate factors responsible for households’ car ownership. While literature holds an extensive body of investigation usually compartmentalised in individual different disciplines, limited efforts have been made to promote inter-linkages of this strand of research across different disciplines. To fill this gap, this study developed an integrating Multinomial logit (MNL) model to examine the impact of some rarely-investigated and conventional explanatory variables, including: ethnicity, accommodation tenure, settlement nature, mental belief, environmental concern, geographical regions, household structure, driving licence, number of household income earners and household income, on car ownership. Analysis based on rich data sets of British Household Survey and US Consumer Expenditure Survey found not only the conventional explanatory variables to be significantly linked to the number of cars in the US and UK households, but also the rarely-investigated psychological variables were found to be significantly linked as well. As Socio-demography, Geography and Psychology impact on how people and households process information and assess market offers (e.g., products and services), this study presents findings which have beneficial implications for policymakers and transportations planners, including those who would like to alter people’s behaviour from private car ownership to public transportation use, car sellers in terms of how to identify and reach potential customers, provision of alternative forecasting approaches to car ownership scholars as well as possible consideration for general car ownership decision making. Caution should be taken when interpreting the relationship between psychological factors and car ownership since the psychological factors adopted are measure representatives from databases used with limitations in the factor structure for a representative sample of the countries’ population.

This study focuses on how gender and political engagement contribute to disaster management in Bangladesh, specifically in disaster relief and rehabilitation. It is based on empirical evidence from southwest coastal Bangladesh, particularly in Dacope Upazila, and applies a mixed-method approach. Results show that gender has a significant influence on the acquisition of post-disaster relief and rehabilitation supports. Females, including those widowed and divorced, get more relief than males. Nevertheless, older women are not given priority for aftermath disaster relief. Moreover, gender plays a vital role in the household’s overall economic strength and is crucial for disaster resilience. Furthermore, respondents’ families who were, in some way, closely connected with local social and political leaders, obtained more relief and aids. The results indicate that socio-political connectedness, irrespective of gender, still dominates local decision-making processes in disaster recovery. Alongside women’s empowerment, regular monitoring and evaluation of relief and rehabilitation programs must improve, to reduce the traditional barriers to effective disaster management (arising from (dis)connectedness to local social power) in the face of climate change.

The purpose of the study was to describe factors contributing to mortality among HIVinfected people on Isoniazid Preventive Therapy (IPT) in Botswana. A quantitative, explorative, descriptive study was used and 80 records of deceased IPT respondents were reviewed through the use of a checklist. The demographic factors, baseline physical examination, hospitalisation and drug history were taken into consideration. Out of the deceased patients, 75% were female. The major findings showed that 100% (N=80), the most highly indicated causes of death were gastroenteritis (18.75%), cryptococcal meningitis (17.5%) andpneumonia (16.25%). Of the patients (28.75%) who died before completing the six months of IPT. The causes of death were gastroenteritis (21.7%), symptoms and signs of bacterial pneumonia (17.4%), cryptococcal meningitis (13%), Pulmonary Tuberculosis (PTB) (13%), septicaemia (13%), and murder (13%). It has been recommended that there should be reorganisation of services of care for HIV-infected persons, such as provision of Cotrimoxazole Prophylaxis Therapy (CPT) and Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) to ensure holistic approach care. The future study should include HIV-infected children on IPT using the same or modified objectives. The conclusion drawn was that disintegrated interventions of IPT, CPT and ART and lack of holistic care for PLHIV lead to opportunistic infections that caused mortality on patients on IPT. / Department of Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)

In South Africa, less than 10% of individuals are financially independent after retirement, with an increasing number becoming dependent on social grants from government – hence the importance of analysing the asset composition of high net worth individuals who have achieved financial independence. To achieve the aim of this study, it was first necessary to define net worth and to develop a theoretical framework of the assets and liabilities included in the measurement of an individual’s net worth and how these assets and liabilities should be valued. A definition of high net worth individuals was then formulated. Secondly, the factors influencing the asset composition of high net worth individuals, as well as selected demographic factors that influence net worth, were investigated. Finally, following a quantitative approach, data collected from the liquidation and distribution accounts of deceased individuals were analysed according to the developed framework. The results of this study suggest that are indeed differences in the contribution of the different asset types when measured using the mean, relative contribution and importance of the asset class in comparison with total assets. Further analysis revealed that the richest individuals included in the survey invested more in shares than the other groups for whom immovable property was the primary asset. Based on the analysis of selected demographic factors, the findings indicated that for many of the dependent variables, the asset used most by respondents in that group was not the same asset that made the highest contribution to the net worth of the individuals in the group. / Business Management / M. Com. (Accounting)

Die Zielstellung der Arbeit besteht darin zu untersuchen, in welchem Umfang Motivation und Opferbereitschaft eines Unternehmers auf die Leistungskraft des Unternehmens wirken, und inwieweit demographische Faktoren wie Geschlecht und Alter die persönlichen Ansichten des Unternehmers, dessen Motivation, dessen Opferbereitschaft und die Start-up-Hürden beeinflussen. Im Weiteren geht es darum, die Bedeutung des Unternehmertums für die Wirtschaft zu analysieren, vor allem in den fünf neuen Bundesländern und insbesondere in Sachsen. Untersuchungsergebnisse in Bezug auf Persönlichkeitsmerkmale des Unternehmers im Zusammenhang mit dem Erfolg des eigenen Unternehmens werden vorgestellt. Es werden Hypothesen über den Zusammenhang zwischen Motivation, Opferbereitschaft und den Unternehmenserfolg aufgestellt und mit Methoden der mathematischen Statistik beurteilt. Schließlich werden die wesentlichen Merkmale eines Unternehmers beschrieben. Um statistische Analysen durchzuführen und tragfähige Aussagen zu gewinnen, wurden zuerst Fragebögen am mehr als 100 neugegründete Unternehmen verschickt. Im Rücklauf kamen 102 Fragebögen in die engere Auswertung. Es wurden zwei Faktorenanalysen mit SPSS durchgeführt, wobei hier insgesamt 35 erfasste Merkmale (mit jeweils 5 Merkmalsausprägungen) zur Unternehmensgründung eingegangen sind und 7 Faktoren für die weitere Betrachtung ausgewählt wurden: - Grad der Unabhängigkeit - Priorität der Familie - Grad der Selbständigkeit - Politische Entscheidungsmotive - Priorität des Unternehmens - Konfliktpotential - Risiken im Lebensunterhalt Mithilfe des Chi-Quadrat-Unabhängigkeitstests wurde abschließend der paarweise Zusammenhang jeweils zwischen einem der genannten 7 Faktoren und den zwei für die Zielgröße „Erfolg des Unternehmen“ ausgewählten Merkmale „Umsatzwachstum“ und „Kapitalrückfluss – Investition“ untersucht, um hier wesentliche Abhängigkeiten aufzudecken. / The purpose of this paper is to analyse the factors of successful entrepreneurship, whether or not age, sex or personal traits such as motivation and level of risk / sacrifice determine the outcome of business or if more external factors are the key drivers. Furthermore the research focusses on entrepreneurship in the New Laender, particularly Saxony, after the reunification and the importance for the economy in general. The research was done through interviews and mail-outs of questionnaires to more than 100 recently founded enterprises of which 102 replies were utilized in the final analyses. Hypotheses of potential correlation between personal traits and characteristics and success of business were analysed and tested using SPSS factor analyses. The SPSS analysis concentrated on 35 characteristics with 5 different values and an additional 7 factors: - Level of independence - Priority of family - Level of self-reliance - Political motivation in decision making - Priority of the business itself - Conflict potential - Level of risk taking Utilizing the ‚Chi-Square-Independence‘ - test further correlation analyses was performed to investigate the 7 factors and their individual relation / dependency with the two main characteristics Growth of Turnover and Return on Investment

The purpose of the study was to describe factors contributing to mortality among HIVinfected people on Isoniazid Preventive Therapy (IPT) in Botswana. A quantitative, explorative, descriptive study was used and 80 records of deceased IPT respondents were reviewed through the use of a checklist. The demographic factors, baseline physical examination, hospitalisation and drug history were taken into consideration. Out of the deceased patients, 75% were female. The major findings showed that 100% (N=80), the most highly indicated causes of death were gastroenteritis (18.75%), cryptococcal meningitis (17.5%) andpneumonia (16.25%). Of the patients (28.75%) who died before completing the six months of IPT. The causes of death were gastroenteritis (21.7%), symptoms and signs of bacterial pneumonia (17.4%), cryptococcal meningitis (13%), Pulmonary Tuberculosis (PTB) (13%), septicaemia (13%), and murder (13%). It has been recommended that there should be reorganisation of services of care for HIV-infected persons, such as provision of Cotrimoxazole Prophylaxis Therapy (CPT) and Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) to ensure holistic approach care. The future study should include HIV-infected children on IPT using the same or modified objectives. The conclusion drawn was that disintegrated interventions of IPT, CPT and ART and lack of holistic care for PLHIV lead to opportunistic infections that caused mortality on patients on IPT. / Department of Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)

In South Africa, less than 10% of individuals are financially independent after retirement, with an increasing number becoming dependent on social grants from government – hence the importance of analysing the asset composition of high net worth individuals who have achieved financial independence. To achieve the aim of this study, it was first necessary to define net worth and to develop a theoretical framework of the assets and liabilities included in the measurement of an individual’s net worth and how these assets and liabilities should be valued. A definition of high net worth individuals was then formulated. Secondly, the factors influencing the asset composition of high net worth individuals, as well as selected demographic factors that influence net worth, were investigated. Finally, following a quantitative approach, data collected from the liquidation and distribution accounts of deceased individuals were analysed according to the developed framework. The results of this study suggest that are indeed differences in the contribution of the different asset types when measured using the mean, relative contribution and importance of the asset class in comparison with total assets. Further analysis revealed that the richest individuals included in the survey invested more in shares than the other groups for whom immovable property was the primary asset. Based on the analysis of selected demographic factors, the findings indicated that for many of the dependent variables, the asset used most by respondents in that group was not the same asset that made the highest contribution to the net worth of the individuals in the group. / Taxation / M. Com. (Accounting)