Research and Development engineering is at the corner stone of humanity’s evolution. It is perceived to be a systematic creative process which ultimately improves the living standard of a society through the creation of new applications and products. The commercial paradigm that governs project selection, resource allocation and market penetration prevails when the focus shifts from pure research to applied research. Furthermore, the road to success through commercialisation is difficult for most inventors, especially in a vast and isolated country such as Australia which is located a long way from wealthy and developed economies. While market leading products are considered unique, the actual process to achieve these products is essentially the same; progressing from an idea, through development to an outcome (if successful). Unfortunately, statistics indicate that only 3% of ‘ideas’ are significantly successful, 4% are moderately successful, and the remainder ‘evaporate’ in that form (Michael Quinn, Chairman, Innovation Capital Associates Pty Ltd). This study demonstrates and analyses two techniques developed by the author which reduce uncertainty in the engineering design and development phase of new product development and therefore increase the probability of a successful outcome. This study expands the existing knowledge of the engineering design and development stage in the new product development process and is couched in the identification of practical methods, which have been successfully used to develop new products by Australian Small Medium Enterprise (SME) Excel Technology Group Pty Ltd (ETG). Process theory is the term most commonly used to describe scientific study that identifies occurrences that result from a specified input state to an output state, thus detailing the process used to achieve an outcome. The thesis identifies relevant material and analyses recognised and established engineering processes utilised in developing new products. The literature identified that case studies are a particularly useful method for supporting problem-solving processes in settings where there are no clear answers or where problems are unstructured, as in New Product Development (NPD). This study describes, defines, and demonstrates the process of new product development within the context of historical product development and a ‘live’ case study associated with an Australian Government START grant awarded to Excel Technology Group in 2004 to assist in the development of an image-based vehicle detection product. This study proposes two techniques which reduce uncertainty and thereby improve the probability of a successful outcome. The first technique provides a predicted project development path or forward engineering plan which transforms the initial ‘fuzzy idea’ into a potential and achievable outcome. This process qualifies the ‘fuzzy idea’ as a potential, rationale or tangible outcome which is within the capability of the organisation. Additionally, this process proposes that a tangible or rationale idea can be deconstructed in reverse engineering process in order to create a forward engineering development plan. A detailed structured forward engineering plan reduces the uncertainty associated with new product development unknowns and therefore contributes to a successful outcome. This is described as the RETRO technique. The study recognises however that this claim requires qualification and proposes a second technique. The second technique proposes that a two dimensional spatial representation which has productivity and consumed resources as its axes, provides an effective means to qualify progress and expediently identify variation from the predicted plan. This spatial representation technique allows a quick response which in itself has a prediction attribute associated with directing the project back onto its predicted path. This process involves a coterminous comparison between the predicted development path and the evolving actual project development path. A consequence of this process is verification of progress or the application of informed, timely and quantified corrective action. This process also identifies the degree of success achieved in the engineering design and development phase of new product development where success is defined as achieving a predicted outcome. This spatial representation technique is referred to as NPD Mapping. The study demonstrates that these are useful techniques which aid SMEs in achieving successful new product outcomes because the technique are easily administered, measure and represent relevant development process related elements and functions, and enable expedient quantified responsive action when the evolving path varies from the predicted path. These techniques go beyond time line representations as represented in GANTT charts and PERT analysis, and represent the base variables of consumed resource and productivity/technical achievement in a manner that facilitates higher level interpretation of time, effort, degree of difficulty, and product complexity in order to facilitate informed decision making. This study presents, describes, analyses and demonstrates an SME focused engineering development technique, developed by the author, that produces a successful new product outcome which begins with a ‘fuzzy idea’ in the mind of the inventor and concludes with a successful new product outcome that is delivered on time and within budget. Further research on a wider range of SME organisations undertaking new product development is recommended.

Evaluation determines the impact of social services as well as job performance and assures communities that social workers render effective services. Post audits are done as part of performance management at the Christian Social Councils in the Highveld Synodal Region. The purpose of this research is to look at the experiences of social workers that had a post audit to determine whether adjustments to improve the audit system are needed. A qualitative approach with an exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design was followed. Participants were identified according to the purposive sampling method. Data was collected during semi-structured interviews. The data was analysed and verified according to the models of Tesch (in Creswell, 2003) and Guba (in Krefting, 1991), respectively, and processed in the research report. / Social Work / M. A. (Social Science)

Hostels are a product of the migrant labour system that originated in the copper mining industry in Namaqualand in the 1850s. The migrant labour compounds were used to accommodate migrant labour workers in the urban areas. However, these compounds also meant that migrant labour workers were denied the right of access to permanent accommodation and residential space in the urban areas. After the repeal of the influx control and segregative laws in South Africa in 1986, some of the hostel dwellers brought their relatives and friends to live in the hostels and this resulted in problems such as overcrowding which were exacerbated by poor management and control of the hostels. The living conditions of the hostel dwellers deteriorated during the 1990s. After the announcement of the unbanning of all liberation movements and political parties in South Africa in the 1990s, hostel violence broke out. This hostel violence left many hostel blocks vandalised and without basic municipal services such as electricity, water and waste removal. The hostel violence was primarily between the Inkata Freedom Party (IFP) aligned hostel dwellers and the African National Congress (ANC) aligned township and informal settlement residents. The hostel violence has catalysed the public housing challenges faced by the democratic government since its inception in 1994. Nevertheless, since 1994 the democratic government has introduced various housing programmes in an effort to provide adequate houses for all South African citizens. One such housing programme is the hostel redevelopment programme. The hostel redevelopment programme was adopted by the democratic government after 1994 with the aim of, among other things, upgrading public hostels, redeveloping and converting the rooms in public hostels into family rental units in order to improve the living conditions of the hostel dwellers and introducing hostel dwellers to family life. The Mogale City Local Municipality (MCLM) is one of the municipalities in Gauteng province that is participating in the hostel redevelopment programme. The findings of this study have revealed that the upgrading of the Kagiso hostel involved the following two processes: During the first process, the MCLM upgraded the Kagiso hostel by fixing broken windows and doors, repairing toilets and providing basic municipal services such as electricity, water, and waste removal in order to improve the living conditions of the hostel dwellers. The second process involved demolishing the hostel blocks and converting them into family units in order to address the public housing challenges relevant to the Kagiso hostel. In this study, the hostel redevelopment programme is called process 1 and the community residential units (CRU) programme is called process 2. / Public Administration and Management / M. Tech. (Public Management)

This item contains the agenda, minutes, and attachments for the Faculty Senate meeting on this date. There may be additional materials from the meeting available at the Faculty Center.

MPM / Oliver Tambo Institute of Governance and Policy Studies / The aim of the study investigates the significance of Auditor General in the control of public funds in local government with specific reference to Mopani District Municipality in order to make recommendations that can assist in improving the control of public funds. The research identifies and assesses weaknesses in how Mopani District Municipality has been controlling its public funds by analyzing the Auditor General reports for the past three financial years and its implications to service delivery. The research further assesses the role played by Auditor General in influencing the internal financial control of the municipality and in auditing the performance of the municipality since in other municipalities money is paid to contractors for services not rendered. The study provides academic input into public administration, specifically in the area of improving service delivery performance, control and financial performance management in municipalities. The study could contribute to the establishment of effective ways of monitoring the control of public funds by municipalities. / NRF

Adopté par l’article 2 de la loi n°2016-1087 de reconquête de la biodiversité, de la nature et des paysages du 8 aout 2016, le principe de solidarité écologique appelle « à prendre en compte, dans toute prise de décision publique ayant une incidence notable sur l’environnement des territoires concernés, les interactions des écosystèmes, des êtres vivants et des milieux naturels ou aménagés ». Ce principe général du droit de l’environnement inscrit à l’article L110-1 du code de l’environnement est destiné à conserver les interactions écosystémiques et les processus écologiques ainsi qu’à améliorer la gestion environnementale des territoires. La dualité de son objet en fait un principe d’une grande richesse, qui devrait concerner de nombreuses décisions. Divers fondements supranationaux, au sein de la jurisprudence et dans les textes internationaux et européens peuvent ainsi lui être attribués. Dans un contexte d’interdépendance écologique, l’évolution de la dimension internationale et européenne du principe reste essentielle pour juger de ses effets au regard de la conservation de la biodiversité. Au niveau du droit interne, son ancrage au cœur de l’équilibre de l’environnement lui apporte un rayonnement particulier. Il conforte le droit à un environnement équilibré et prolonge les principes constitutionnels de prévention et de développement durable. Face à la crise d’extinction mondiale de la biodiversité menaçant notre survie, le principe de solidarité écologique se présente comme cette ultime chance de la conserver. Deux grands ensembles de dispositifs permettent de mesurer la dynamique du principe de solidarité écologique : la trame verte et bleue et la gestion intégrée de la mer et du littoral. Ils constituent une base pour concevoir la solidarité écologique et représentent ainsi le commencement d’un droit nouveau. Le principe de solidarité écologique appelle à les renforcer et, de manière plus générale, à faire évoluer l’ensemble des décisions concernées par le principe. / Adopted by article 2 from act nr 2016-1087 concerning the reconquest of biodiversity, nature and landscape of August 8th 2016, the principle of ecological solidarity calls “for taking into consideration the interactions of ecosystems, living creatures and natural or developed environments in all public decisions having a notable impact on the environment of the territories concerned”.This general principle of environmental law inscribed in article L110 1 of the environmental code is designed to preserve the interactions of ecosystems and ecological processes as well as to improve the environmental management of the territories. The duality of its objective renders it a highly valuable principle which should be applied to numerous decisions. Various supranational foundations, within jurisprudence and in international and European laws, can thus be assigned to it. In the context of ecological interdependence the evolution of the international and European dimension of the principle remains essential in order to see the benefits concerning the safeguarding of biodiversity. It is greatly enhanced, as regards internal law, by the fact that it is at the very center of the environment's equilibrium. It justifies the right to a balanced environment and extends the constitutional principles of prevention and sustainable development. Confronted with the crisis of world-wide biodiversity extinction that threatens our survival, the principle of ecological solidarity emerges as the last chance to preserve it. Two major groups of systems allow us to measure the dynamics of the principle of ecological solidarity: the green and the blue line belt network and the Ocean and coastline Governance Framework. They constitute a basis on which to develop ecological solidarity and represent the beginnings of new legislation. The principle of ecological solidarity requires them to be reinforced and more generally to advance all decisions concerned by the principle.