Thesis (Ph.D.)--Ohio University, August, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves [127]-[135])

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Washington State University, May 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 168-176).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2006. / Title from title screen (site viewed June 11, 2007). PDF text: ii, 454 p. : ill. (chiefly col.) ; 2.48 Mb. UMI publication number: AAT 3243743. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in microfilm and microfiche formats.

The purpose of this study was to examine ethical responses to problematic school situations among public school superintendents nationwide. An additional goal was to compare responses of the proposed study with those of school superintendents in an earlier study (Fenstermaker, 1994) in order to determine whether there has been a significant change in the attitudes and ethical behavior of superintendents over the past 20 years. A pilot study was conducted in order to update and validate the current survey. Fenstermaker's survey, including his scenarios, were distributed to seven local school superintendents to determine if these scenarios are still valid and to suggest other possible scenarios that would address current educational issues that may or may not have existed 21 years ago. The response to the pilot study was that the scenarios are relevant to today's school superintendent. In the current survey. I used suggestions offered by current superintendents regarding dilemmas faced by today's superintendents. A survey instrument was randomly given to a sample of 419 superintendents who were members of the American Association of School Administrators.(AASA). A total of 297 surveys were returned, a response rate of 70.1%. The survey questions were updated from the survey questions originally used by Fenstermaker in his survey. The survey questions asked for answers to dilemmas that were of a borderline type. The 2007 AASA Code of Ethics were used to determine the correct responses. The current study examined whether superintendents' responses were an `actual' response (in other words, respondent is answering from the perspective of having been in this situation - or a similar one - prior) or a `hypothetical' response (respondent imagines being in the situation, but never actually experienced anything like it). In the current study, more of the ethical responses are indicated as hypothetical. Overall, non-ethical decisions appear to be made more by superintendents who had actually experienced the situation. The findings of research question one denote that there has not been much change since 1991. Fenstermaker recorded 1306 ethical responses out of a possible total of 2701, or an overall score of 47 percent. With equivalent criteria, the present study documented 1485 ethical replies out of a possible total of 2951, a total score of 49.8. The bulk of the responses to both surveys were unethical, with variation less than three percentage points from Fenstermaker's (1994) study to the present. The finding then would be that there has been no significant change since 1991. Overall, this study confirmed the results found in Fenstermaker's study. Fenstermaker did not examine race. Interestingly, this study found that Blacks scored consistently higher in correct ethical responses than Caucasians. In general, I conclude that ethics play a heavy role in the decision-making practice of superintendents. Preparation programs for superintendents should emphasize ethics training as well as legislative studies. Certainly, the consistent low scores indicate that there is a need for ethical training among superintendents and a need for more studies such as the one presented.

For the past few decades, an increasing problem for the urban community has been the decentralization of retail trade. That decentralization tends to occur when sales in the central area decline with time. Conversely, sales in the suburban areas have rapidly increased in greater proportion. This trend of decentralization of retail functions is evidenced by the large number of new suburban shopping centers that have been recently and successfully established. The decline of the Central Area in relative importance is generally associated with the factor of increasing traffic congestion, which has been created by the extensive use of the private automobile. It jeopardises the well-being of many inhabitants. It lowers the efficiency of operation and quality of many of the Central Area activities. The Increase in the number of vehicles is so great that unless something is done the conditions are bound to become extremely serious within a comparatively short period of time. The environment for walking, which plays an indispensable part for shopping purposes, has now become one of the main problems which most Central Areas must now attempt to solve. In accommodating vehicular traffic in the Central Area, there must be areas of good environment where people can live, work, shop, look about, and move around on foot in reasonable freedom from vehicular traffic hazards and nuisances. The automobile is not a natural means of locomotion for shopping; the patron of business is essentially a pedestrian, not a motorist. The distasteful quality of commercial areas would disappear if the patron were readily converted from a driver to a pedestrian. Efficient pedestrian circulation within the shopping areas appears to be a fundamental principle in revitalizing the Central Area. The movement of trade to outlying areas raises the question: what will happen to the Central Area of the urban community? The answer to this is dependent to a large extent on the ability of the community to create a "true heart of the city". This calls for a positive program for the revitalization of the Central Area by adopting the principles of the planning and development of "Environmental Areas", thereby minimizing the conflict between pedestrian and vehicular traffic. In carrying out this activity, the people who have an interest in the Central Area must recognize and accept their responsibility. The representatives of the interested parties will have to enlist the services of many specialists, and, most Important of all, must co-operate with the municipal government to do this effectively. The planning and development of "Environmental Areas" can revitalize the congested urban core because it minimizes the traffic conflict between pedestrians and vehicles, eliminates the hazards and nuisances created by the automobiles, enhances the visual appearance of shopping areas, rationalizes land uses for various urban activities, promotes the attractiveness and pleasantness of community life, provides better shopping and working conditions and strengthens the tax revenue base of the Central Area. All these will become realistic if the Central Area renewal program is properly planned and dynamic action is taken to pursue it. It is concluded that if the Central Area is to live and meet the challenge of the suburban shopping centers, it must be made more accessible, more interesting, more functional, and above all more amenable to walking. The revitalization of the Central Area in a vigorous and lively way may do more than anything else to make it the most exciting and prosperous center of the city, with incalculable results for the well-being of the urban community. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

The drug use is a big problem of today world. The impact of drug use affects all members of human society -- individuals, families, communities and even whole states. We can describe the situation of drug use by means of analysis of drug use in the particular districts of the Czech Republic. This diploma thesis focuses on the identification of the social, economic and demographic factors that contribute to the appearance of socially pathologic environment of drug use. The results of this thesis can be used for an identification of regions in jeopardy of drug use and for the reduction of influence of particular factors.

The problem of this study is to survey the purchasing practices of a group of representative school districts and to determine the extent to which these practices follow the recommendations presented by authorities on school supplies procurement.

The problem of this study was to answer the question: "How to community groups participate in the formation and interim operation of unified school districts?" Interim operation is the period of time following a successful election when the newly chosen governing board is preparing for the actual operation of the district, which occurs on the first succeeding or second succeeding July 1, depending upon the date of the election.4 The first purpose of this research was to discover (1) the attitudes of community groups toward unification, (2) the manner in which community groups supported or opposed unification, and (3) the ways that community groups involved themselves with the governing boards in the interim operation of the new districts. The second purpose was to recommend changes in legislation The third purpose was to recommend guidelines to local communities for otimum participation in the unification movement.

This thesis examines how power is constituted in hybrid polycentric systems of security governance. In particular, the thesis explores how legitimacy - as one form of power - is configured in Improvement Districts in South Africa, with a specific focus on three ways by which it is gained: through promoting public participation in decision-making; through transparent and accountable policing nodes; and through the delivery of effective security for the public good. Polycentric systems of security governance are usually composed of a number of policing or security nodes that are independent of each other, but take account of each other in relationships of co-operation or conflict and where no single node dominates all the rest. In other words, some or all of these nodes, may co-ordinate around specific security problems or events in a sustained manner. The functioning of polycentric security governance was explored in Improvement Districts in Cape Town and Johannesburg, as they are an exemplar of polycentricity in the way that they operate. Qualitative field research was employed using a nodal analytical framework and a collective case study approach. In-depth interviewing, participant and direct observation as well as documentary analysis were the primary research methods employed. The findings of the research reveal that polycentricity impacts on legitimacy in a number of ways. Legitimacy may originate from multiple sources and state and non-state policing nodes within polycentric security governance systems may undermine, enhance and/or co-produce democratic participation, accountability and security for the public interest. There are a number of factors or conditions that shape whether polycentric systems of governance are legitimate and how they derive this legitimacy. The main finding of the thesis is that for a polycentric system to be aligned to the public interest, it needs to be motivated by public, peer and political expectations, amongst other things. The findings of the thesis both challenge the normative tendency to associate democratic legitimacy with the state and contribute to the pressing question of how to theoretically account for the empirical reality of polycentric security governance systems.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Development Planning, 24 October 2019 / The impacts of mine closure on the local communities and on the nation’s economic wellbeing where mining is the main economic activity are often very devastating. This research explores the alternative ways that could be adopted to achieve the economic development of Jwaneng, Botswana. Sustainable Local economic development (LED) is perceived as the solution to moving towards a prosperous future. However LED assumes that all local actors (residents, physical/ urban planner, mine workers, private sector, public sector/government and the mine) will collaborate in shaping the future of Jwaneng. This research highlights that the primary role of urban and economic development planning in working towards economic sustainability in small mining towns is to produce policies and programs that promote economic growth post mine closure. The economy of Jwaneng has performed well for the past two decades; however, the town’s physical developed has progressed slowly. Jwaneng has no policy or program that focuses solely on the economic development of the town as such these calls for the need for one that works towards achieving a better economic future post mine closure that enhances the quality of life for the people of Jwaneng. Mine closures in the context of developing countries differ from that which occurs in developed countries, in that alternative socio-economic and environmental options are limited in developing countries. Nevertheless, building the foundations for sustainable local economic development is a pressing concern in developing countries requiring creativity, cooperation and leadership. As such, the role should be noticed and not overlooked. Jwaneng, Botswana has the potential to be a tourist attraction town post the mine closure with the game reserve and the mine pits being the destinations. The town also has the potential to be a district service centre. As such, the town could be economically functional even post mine closure; however, there is a need for this to be supported strongly through policy. The Government have responded by referencing mining for specific attention in policies on sustainable development, and by issuing legislation and guidelines for mining. Although mining in Botswana is; exceptionally good, excellently regulated and is a point of reference for other countries, there is a need for a more promising intervention. There needs to be an implementation process which aims to ensure promising economic stability and future not just for the locals, but for the town and country as a whole, post mine closure. / PH2020