Availability of historical unit cost data is an important factor in developing accurate project cost estimates. State highway agencies (SHAs) collect data on historical bids and/or production rates, crew sizes and mixes, material costs, and equipment costs, including contractor overhead and profit. The objective of this research is to create a framework to define a standardized and a systematic approach for developing unit costs for construction project estimating. A literature review was conducted that provided an overview of estimating techniques used in project estimating, estimation guidelines maintained by SHAs, and information systems used in the estimation process. After gaining a broad overview of the industry‘s approach to unit cost development, a survey was then conducted. The purpose of the survey was to identify the state of practice in SHAs for unit cost development. The survey helped to identify SHAs doing considerable work in unit cost development and interviews were conducted with these agencies to know their unit cost development process in detail. The results from survey and the interviews were then used in defining the framework. The framework provides a standardized way to use historical data for preparing construction project estimates.

Adapting urban planning policies to upcoming effects of climate change is becoming increasingly important to municipalities all over the world. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine how Jönköping municipality prioritizes sustainability dimensions in their planning of waterfront areas, as well as how they implement climate adaptation in their regulatory documents. To achieve the results for this study, a qualitative content analysis with predetermined codes has been used. The predetermined codes are based on a part of the analytical framework of the study, which is “Sustainable urban planning development framework”. The framework consists of four sustainability dimensions, environmental, social, economical, and planning, accompanied by subthemes and codes. Another analytical framework that has been used to analyze the results is the Sustainable Development Goals. The results of the study indicates that Jönköping municipality addresses the sustainability dimensions differently in their planning documents. The results of the study also demonstrates how Jönköping municipality incorporates climate adaptation strategies in a majority of their urban planning documents, with a significant focus on managing future flood risks.

A thorough investigation of legislation involved in the land reform programme was conducted. This includes the Constitution of South Africa, as well as the legal frameworks that manage the land reform process. Many of the unintended results are because of misunderstandings. This study sought to clarify those misunderstandings and confusing language. The South African land reform process was excellently planned. The process is managed in three phases, namely land restitution, land redistribution and land tenure. There are some successes and failures due to the way those programmes were implemented. In order to implement and manage the land reform programmes and spatial planning on national, provincial and district level, the following plans were introduced: National Level: Pro-active Land Acquisition Strategy (PLAS) & Area-based Planning Provincial Level: Limpopo Growth and Development Strategy (LGDS) District Level: Mopani Integrated Development Plan Local Level: Greater Tzaneen Municipality Integrated Development Plan & Spatial Development Framework The study area, the Tzaneen Local Municipality, was chosen because it is home to some of the first land reform projects in South Africa, it is the district with some of the highest intensity of land claims and it offers a complete menu of land reform programmes in an advanced state on a small area. The impact that land reform has had on the spatial development in the Tzaneen Local Municipality has been studied in more detail. As the study progressed, it was realised that the impact not only stops at spatial development. The influence was much bigger than that. The local economy was affected, as were job opportunities, tourism, food security, the retail industry and even the mining industry. Such an impact is also not restricted to the Tzaneen Local Municipality. In order to control the land reform process, the government should involve the private sector in the land reform process. The moment this happens, the skills and experience locked in the private sector are transferred to the government for the benefit of all people involved in and influenced by the land reform process. An Integrated Land Reform Action Forum (ILRAF) must be established that manages the land reform process on national, provincial and local level. This ILRAF has to fulfil much the same purpose as the former Joint Monitoring Committees (JMCs) accomplished. The ILRAF must consist of all role-players within the land reform process. These include, national, provincial and local government officials, commercial farmers, key role-players from the private sector, farm worker representatives, Agri-SA, professionals such as town and regional planners and transfer attorneys, farmers? associations, commercial banks and the media to ensure transparency. In order to correct past mistakes and to ensure that the next five years of the land reform process goes off without a hitch, it is important to involve all role-players and ensure transparency throughout all decision-making processes. Key Terms: Land Reform; Agri-village; Area Based Planning; Land Restitution; Land Redistribution; Land Tenure Reform; Greater Tzaneen Municipality; Willing buyer-willing seller; Spatial Development Framework; Integrated Development Plan. / Thesis (M.Art. et Scien. (Town and Regional Planning))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

A thorough investigation of legislation involved in the land reform programme was conducted. This includes the Constitution of South Africa, as well as the legal frameworks that manage the land reform process. Many of the unintended results are because of misunderstandings. This study sought to clarify those misunderstandings and confusing language. The South African land reform process was excellently planned. The process is managed in three phases, namely land restitution, land redistribution and land tenure. There are some successes and failures due to the way those programmes were implemented. In order to implement and manage the land reform programmes and spatial planning on national, provincial and district level, the following plans were introduced: National Level: Pro-active Land Acquisition Strategy (PLAS) & Area-based Planning Provincial Level: Limpopo Growth and Development Strategy (LGDS) District Level: Mopani Integrated Development Plan Local Level: Greater Tzaneen Municipality Integrated Development Plan & Spatial Development Framework The study area, the Tzaneen Local Municipality, was chosen because it is home to some of the first land reform projects in South Africa, it is the district with some of the highest intensity of land claims and it offers a complete menu of land reform programmes in an advanced state on a small area. The impact that land reform has had on the spatial development in the Tzaneen Local Municipality has been studied in more detail. As the study progressed, it was realised that the impact not only stops at spatial development. The influence was much bigger than that. The local economy was affected, as were job opportunities, tourism, food security, the retail industry and even the mining industry. Such an impact is also not restricted to the Tzaneen Local Municipality. In order to control the land reform process, the government should involve the private sector in the land reform process. The moment this happens, the skills and experience locked in the private sector are transferred to the government for the benefit of all people involved in and influenced by the land reform process. An Integrated Land Reform Action Forum (ILRAF) must be established that manages the land reform process on national, provincial and local level. This ILRAF has to fulfil much the same purpose as the former Joint Monitoring Committees (JMCs) accomplished. The ILRAF must consist of all role-players within the land reform process. These include, national, provincial and local government officials, commercial farmers, key role-players from the private sector, farm worker representatives, Agri-SA, professionals such as town and regional planners and transfer attorneys, farmers? associations, commercial banks and the media to ensure transparency. In order to correct past mistakes and to ensure that the next five years of the land reform process goes off without a hitch, it is important to involve all role-players and ensure transparency throughout all decision-making processes. Key Terms: Land Reform; Agri-village; Area Based Planning; Land Restitution; Land Redistribution; Land Tenure Reform; Greater Tzaneen Municipality; Willing buyer-willing seller; Spatial Development Framework; Integrated Development Plan. / Thesis (M.Art. et Scien. (Town and Regional Planning))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

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An initial analysis of sustainable project life cycle management methodologies’ current status highlighted that social and environmental aspects of sustainable development are not addressed effectively. An acceptable model aimed at addressing the various sustainable development aspects from a project management perspective is thus needed. This study’s main research objective was consequently to develop the different elements of such a model for social business sustainability. The research focused on the three main research questions discussed below. Which lifecycles should be considered when evaluating the project’s possible impacts? Projects implement or deliver certain products, which in turn, can produce other commodities sold by the company. The three lifecycles, i.e. project, asset and product, were studied to determine which lifecycles to consider when evaluating projects’ possible impacts. It was concluded that it is specifically the project’s deliverables and its associated products that have economic, social and environmental consequences. These life cycles must therefore be considered as part of the project life cycle when evaluating social impacts. What social business sustainability impacts or aspects should be considered in the project life cycle? A sustainable development framework that can be applied to projects directly to ensure their alignment with sustainable development does not exist at present. A social sustainability assessment framework as part of a sustainability assessment framework for operational initiatives was consequently developed and introduced. The social framework was verified and validated by means of case studies, a survey and a Delphi Technique case study to test the framework’s completeness and relevance. How should project management methodologies be adopted to ensure incorporation of social business sustainability? The research indicated that the various social aspects are addressed in different ways in the individual asset life cycle phase. The social criteria in the framework should therefore also be addressed in different ways in the project management methodologies. A Social Impact Indicator (SII) calculation procedure, based on a previously introduced Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) calculation procedure for environmental Resource Impact Indicators (RIIs), was developed as a method to evaluate social impacts in the project life cycle phases. Case studies in the process industry and statistical information for South Africa have been used to establish information availability for the SII calculation procedure. / Thesis (PhD (Engineering Management))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Graduate School of Technology Management (GSTM) / unrestricted

<div>The internal and external interactions between the complex structural and behavioral characteristics of the system of interest and the surrounding environment result in unpredictable emergent behaviors. These emergent behaviors are not well understood, especially when modeled using the traditional top-down systems engineering approach. The intrinsic nature of current complex systems has called for an elegant solution that provides an integrated framework in Model-Based Systems Engineering. A considerable gap exists to integrate system engineering activities and engineering analysis, which results in high risk and cost. This thesis presents a framework that incorporates indefinite and definite modeling aspects that are developed to determine the complexity that arises during the development phases of the system. This framework provides a workflow for modeling complex systems using Systems Modeling Language (SysML) that captures the system’s requirements, behavior, structure, and analytical aspects at both problem definition and solution levels. This research introduces a new level/dimension to the framework to support engineering analysis integrated with the system architecture model using FMI standards. A workflow is provided that provides the enabling methodological capabilities. It starts with a statement of need and ends with system requirement verification. Detailed traceability is established that glues system engineering and engineering analysis together. Besides, a method is proposed for predicting the system’s complexity by calculating the complexity index that can be used to assess the complexity of the existing system and guide the design and development of a new system. To test and demonstrate this framework, a case study consisting of a complex district cooling system is implemented. The case study shows the framework’s capabilities in enabling the successful modeling of a complex district cooling system. The system architecture model was developed using SysML and the engineering analysis model using Modelica. The proposed framework supports system requirements verification activity. The analysis results show that the district chiller model developed using Modelica produces chilled water below 6.6 degrees Celsius, which satisfies the system requirement for the district chiller system captured in the SysML tool. Similarly, many such requirement verification capabilities using dynamic simulation integration with the high-level model provides the ability to perform continuous analysis and simulation during the system development process. The systems architecture complexity index is measured for the district cooling case study from the black-box and white box-perspective. The measured complexity index showed that the system architecture’s behavioral aspect increases exponentially compared to the structural aspect. The systems architecture’s complexity index at black-box and white-box was 4.998 and 67.3927, respectively.</div>

Ethic education This diploma work deals with newly implemented school subject "Ethic education" at the school system in the Czech Republic. "Ethic education" has been defined as a project, where main topic is to develop pro-social behaviour. This diploma work specifies elementary educational aims of this project and analyses its particular educational components: contain, methods, style, topics. It also deals with the process of implementation into the Czech school system, in what social context has ethic education has been developing, how it is embodied into Framework Education Programme documents and how psychology as a science looks at moral development of a human being. Author looks at the ethic education through prism of universal principles and outcomes, such as Christian ethics and natural moral law.

The Thesis "The Change of Development Aid's Paradigm on the Microfinance Example" deals with the issue of microfinance from the point of view of development theories. Microfinance as a form of development aid is a relatively new phenomenon. It is a form of a direct financial support of small entrepreneurs in developing countries. Since the 90s commercial institutions have become increasingly involved in the process of microfinancing and projects and financing have gone beyond borders of individual states. After 2000 microfinance has become a part of the agenda of international organizations. In the last century, there was a dynamic development in the area of development theories. The change of development aid's paradigm, which took place during the 90s, marked a culmination of this process. Since the 90s the term Comprehensive Development Framework is being used. This thesis verifies validity of the subsequent hypothesis, interest in microfinancing is in accordance with the change of development theories paradigm. The incorporation of microfinance into the development aid's agenda is assessed by concepts the new paradigm works with; the human potential (individual as an active player of development), role of the institutional environment, multidisciplinarity and sustainable development.

In order to understand how policies are made, analysts need to be able to explain and describe the policy making process. This is a complex task due to the variety and complexity of policy making environments. The difficulty lies in accounting for the multiple actors who come and go, differing preferences, and impending problems and solutions sets which vary by policy environment. Therefore, there is a need to approach the understanding of policy processes from several different theoretical perspectives to aid in evaluating the multifaceted variations which ultimately affect policy making. An improved description of processes can lead to more accurate predictions of possible future policies, improved advocacy efforts, and enhanced problem solving. Two policy process frameworks, the Multiple Stream Framework (MSF) and the Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework, were applied to a recent significant change in science policy. An understanding is developed to explain how federal science funding survived within the highly controversial and costly American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The volatile and unpredictable nature of science policy lends itself well to the MSF, while the more static IAD is less useful to explain how and why the funds stayed in the bill. This is telling about the scope and adaptability of the two frameworks, where each may be better suited for different policy environments. The MSF being more appropriate for unstable and capricious policy issues and the IAD better matched for policy issues which have a somewhat more stable environment.