Call number: LD2668 .T4 1958 C47 / Master of Science

M.B.A. / HIV/AIDS and the impact of this disease on the bottom line of companies is currently a very topical issue. This study deals with the economic impact of HIV/AIDS on companies, if they make use of the services of temporary employment service providers. The current impact of the disease on companies and the state of the temporary employment services industry in South Africa was analysed, based on existing literature. As part of the study a survey was conducted to determine the perceptions that currently exist in the market with regards to the use of temporary employment service providers and the impact of HIV/AIDS on companies. The results from the study showed that companies could obtain advantages from using temporary employment service providers. The study however further found that even though companies understood that there could be economic advantages for them in using temporary employment services, they were still reluctant to do so. Companies further indicated that the impact of HIV/AIDS on their bottom line would increasingly have a more negative impact over the next ten years.

M.Com. (Business Management) / Exploration, by its very natura, is a risky business; yet, because of the big rewards, it is a business in which huge amounts of money are invested world wide in spite of the risks involved. Success in exploration today, with fluctuating, unpredictable commodity markets, belongs to those operators who can assess the risks involved best, not only the geological, but also economic and financial risk elements. Risk stems from uncertainty, and it is in the recognition and description of uncertainty that the exploration .management can quantify those risks involved in their area of operation, and so minimise their exposure to risk. Because of incomplete knowledge, risk can never be eliminated, but by understanding the extent of uncertainty, Qecision ma~ing in the presence of risk can be optimised. A very important tool in the descriptidn of uncertainty is statistics. The first chapter of this dissertation is therefore spent on a summary of the most important statistical principles used in the description of populations of data. Since the method of analysis suggested in this study is illustrated as applied to hydrocarbon exploration, the next chapter is devoted to a brief description of the calculation of hydrocarbon reserves. Starting with the assumption of complete knowledge, the following geological factors important in the calculation of recoverable hydrocarbon reserves, are introduced: hydrocarbon source rock, reservoir rock, hydrocarbon trap (or structure), seal or caprock, and migration path. The terms porosity, permeability and nett reservoir to gross rock volume are also defined. A method of dealing with risk in each of these factors is demonstrated, by starting with the assumption of complete knowledge, and then gradually introducing uncertainty in the calculation of reserves. The method finally consists of estimating a minimum possible value for each geological factor, a most likely value and a maximum possible value, using statistics, or subjective judgement (depending on the extent of available data). The triangular factor distributions so formed are then combined by way of simulation into a distribution for·recoverable reserves...

M.Com. (Economics) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

A dissertation presented to the School of Economic and Business Sciences (SEBS) University of the Witwatersrand in fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Commerce Degree (MCom) June 2017 / Based on the significant amount of entries and exits of low-cost airlines in the commercial airline industry within South Africa, this brought on the question of whether such business models are sustainable in an emerging market. Incidents such as the exits of 1time and Velvet Sky brought about a high degree of concern. Analysts have suggested that the main reasons for airlines departing are the global financial crisis in 2009 which led to a decrease in passenger numbers, decreasing market size, the volatility of the fuel price, route density on major routes, market size and currency risk. (1time Holdings, 2010; South African Airways, 2014; Comair Limited, 2014; Hedley, 2012). These factors are all external and indicate possible reasons for low-cost airline market exit. However, the business model of the airline is not considered as a possible reason for a low-cost airline’s exit from a market. Johnson, Christensen and Kagermann (2008) stated that the business model has four key components and, when these components are combined, they deliver value. These components are customer value proposition, profit formula, key resources, and key processes. Using the components provided by Johnson et al (2008) as a basis for the theoretical model, the study aimed to investigate key factors that enable or inhibit a disruptive innovation, such as a low-cost airline, in an emerging market like South Africa, and propose a conceptual model (that will be empirically tested in a subsequent study) for sustainability within the context of disruptive innovations, such as a low-cost airline, in a developing country setting. Five managers of leading low-cost airlines and airline consulting firms in South Africa were selected using judgmental sampling method and were requested to participate in separate individual in-depth interviews. The data from the interviews was analysed using the Glaserian coding method. Based on the data analysis, three themes were developed. These themes were: the business model, business model evaluation and external factors. From the themes, a conceptual model was developed. The model alleged that specific elements of the airline business model (the organisation, the product, costs and cash sources) have a possible influence on the competitive advantage of an airline while the competitive advantage of an airline has a possible contribution to its sustainability. / MT 2018

Thesis (M.Com. (Development Theory and Policy))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, School of Economic and Business Sciences, 2016 / Lenin's theory of imperialism is a strong basis of contemporary analysis for the interaction between countries in the core and those in the periphery. This paper examines the theoretical coherence of his theory in light of the advent of global value chains. The distribution of benefits between countries in the core and the periphery is a topic that is aimed at describing the distribution patterns that prevail as a result of the globalisation of trade and the decentralization of production activities by multinational firms [Information taken from introduction. No abstract provided]. / MT2017

In this report, I first review the evolution of ideas of causation as it relates to causal inference. Then I introduce two currently competing perspectives on this issue: the counterfactual perspective and the noncounterfactual perspective. The ideas of two statisticians, Donald B. Rubin, representing the counterfactual perspective, and A.P.Dawid, representing the noncounterfactual perspective are examined in detail and compared with the evolution of ideas of causality. The main difference between these two perspectives is that the counterfactual perspective is based on counterfactuals which cannot be observed even in principle but the noncounterfactual perspective only relies on observables. I describe the definition of causes and causal inference methods under both perspectives, and I illustrate the application of the two types of methods by specific examples. Finally, I explore various controversies on these two perspectives.

We study sealed-bid first-price auction for one commodity. While traditional model (Vickrey, 1961) consists of only one stage of bidding, we introduce a new model by adding a new stage of application before the stage of final bidding. In the application stage, each bidder submits a tentative sealed bid, and it is then announced who is the tentative winner. Then in the bidding stage, each bidder gives his final (sealed) bid, and the final winner receives the commodity by paying his final bid. / To analyze the model, we use the equilibrium concepts of Weak Perfect Bayesian Equilibrium (WPBE). The role of the tentative bid can be regarded as a pre-play communication between the bidders. We obtain three main results: / 1) Our Theorem 1 shows that every equilibrium in the traditional one-stage model can be realized as a WPBE in our two-stage model, and the tentative bids of bidders are independent of their private values. / 2) Our Theorem 2 shows that if one requires the tentative bids of bidders to be strictly increasing with their private values, then no symmetric WPBE exists. / 3) Our Theorem 3 shows that if each bidder uses a weakly increasing step function as the tentative bidding strategy, then no symmetric WPBE exists. / Our work suggests that if each bidder is free to change his final bid from the tentative bid, then introducing the application system does not affect the outcome of the auction. / 本文章主要論及首價密封投標拍賣。傳統的拍賣只有一個階段﹐而在這篇文章我們會在傳統拍賣前加一個「申請階段」。在「申請階段」中﹐每名投標者需要遞交一個意向價格﹐拍賣者再根據意向價格宣佈那位投標者成為申請人。之後的拍賣中﹐每名投標者會遞交一個最終價格﹐最高價者會成功投得該項商品。 我們會使用「弱完美貝葉斯均衡」(WPBE)的概念去分析本文中的模型。我們得到以下的三個主要結果: / 1)在定理一中﹐我們發現所有傳統單一階段拍賣中的均衡點, 在我們新申請拍賣的模型中﹐都會是弱完美貝葉斯均衡(WPBE)﹐而且投標者的意向價格會和他們對商品的自身價值沒有關係。 / 2)在定理二中﹐如果投標者的意向價格函數和對商品的自身價值是嚴格遞升﹐那麼對稱性弱完美貝葉斯均衡不會存在。 / 3)在定理三中﹐如果申請階段的策略是遞升階梯函數﹐那麼對稱性弱完美貝葉斯均衡不會存在。 / 我們的研究指出, 當投標者可以不受意向價格規範而自己更改最終價格﹐那麼加入「申請階段」也不會改變拍賣的結果。 / Ho, Man Kit. / Thesis M.Phil. Chinese University of Hong Kong 2014. / Includes bibliographical references (leave 41). / Abstracts also in Chinese. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on 18, October, 2016). / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only.

by Wong Man Lai, Sonia. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1991. / Bibliography: leaves 113-114. / acknowledgements --- p.i / abstract --- p.ii / table of content --- p.iii / Chapter chapter one --- p.1 / Chapter i. --- introduction --- p.1 / Chapter ii. --- structure of the thesis --- p.3 / Chapter chapter two --- p.4 / Chapter i. --- assumptions --- p.4 / Chapter ii. --- the simple one-period model --- p.13 / Chapter iii. --- a model with on-the-job screening --- p.26 / Chapter chapter three --- p.40 / Chapter i. --- a multiple-period model --- p.40 / Chapter ii. --- restriction on the number of examinations attempted --- p.59 / Chapter iii. --- learning by doing --- p.68 / Chapter chapter four --- p.73 / Chapter i. --- uncertain ability --- p.73 / Chapter ii. --- uncertainty about the score production function --- p.86 / Chapter chapter five --- p.96 / Chapter i. --- costs and benefits of rationing competing behaviours --- p.97 / Chapter ii. --- policy implications --- p.98 / Chapter iii. --- implications for expansion of higher education tn hong kong --- p.104 / appendix a (list of notations) --- p.108 / appendix b --- p.111 / bibliography --- p.113

by Ma Yat Bong. / Thesis (M.A.Ed.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1991. / Bibliography: leaves 99-104. / ABSTRACT --- p.ii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iv / LIST OF TABLES --- p.viii / LIST OF FIGURE --- p.xi / LIST OF APPENDICES --- p.xii / ACKNOWLEDGEMENT --- p.xiii / Chapter CHAPTER 1 --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter CHAPTER 2 --- DEFINING THE RESEARCH PROBLEM --- p.3 / Chapter 2.1 --- "Scope of Adult Education, Continuing Education and Adult Continuing Education" --- p.3 / Chapter 2.2 --- Justification for the Development of Adult Continuing Education --- p.5 / Chapter 2.3 --- Importance of the Economic Justification for the Development of Adult Continuing Education --- p.6 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Human Capital Theory --- p.7 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Adult Education as Post-School Human Capital Investment --- p.7 / Chapter 2.4 --- Studies on the Economic Impact of Adult Continuing Education --- p.9 / Chapter 2.5 --- Difficulties in Identifying the Economic Impact --- p.10 / Chapter 2.6 --- Statement of Research Problem --- p.11 / Chapter CHAPTER 3 --- A REVIEW OF SELECTED LITERATURE --- p.13 / Chapter 3.1 --- Economic Role of Adult Continuing Education --- p.13 / Chapter 3.1.1 --- Basic Education for Remedial Purposes --- p.14 / Chapter 3.1.2 --- Training and Retraining for Vocational Skills --- p.15 / Chapter 3.1.3 --- Employers' Sponsor and Corporate Effort Investment --- p.16 / Chapter 3.2 --- Adult Continuing Education and Earnings --- p.17 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Earnings and Programmes at Postgraduate Level --- p.17 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Earnings and Programmes for Employment and Training --- p.19 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Earnings and Resource Conversion from Youth Education to Adult Continuing Education --- p.21 / Chapter CHAPTER 4 --- DEVELOPMENT OF INSTITUTIONALIZED ADULT CONTINUING EDUCATION IN HONG KONG --- p.25 / Chapter 4.1 --- Historical Background and Its Recent Development --- p.25 / Chapter 4.2 --- Adult Continuing in Hong Kong - Agencies --- p.29 / Chapter 4.3 --- Aims at Increasing Productivity and Earnings of Participants --- p.31 / Chapter CHAPTER 5 --- RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND THE HYPOTHESES --- p.33 / Chapter 5.1 --- The Theoretical Framework and Research Methodology --- p.33 / Chapter 5.2 --- Areas of Investigation --- p.34 / Chapter 5.3 --- The Hypotheses --- p.35 / Chapter 5.3.1 --- Testing of Earnings Differentials and Participation in Adult Continuing Education --- p.35 / Chapter 5.3.2 --- Testing of Earnings Differentials and Employment in Matched Work Fields --- p.36 / Chapter 5.4 --- Methods of Analysis --- p.36 / Chapter 5.4.1 --- Characteristics of Participants of Adult Continuing Education --- p.36 / Chapter 5.4.2 --- Concurrent Earnings Premiums for Participants of Adult Continuing Education --- p.37 / Chapter 5.4.3 --- Earnings Advantages for Participants whose Employment is Matched with their Study Field --- p.39 / Chapter 5.5 --- The Data Set and the Variables --- p.41 / Chapter CHAPTER 6 --- FINDINGS --- p.45 / Chapter 6.1 --- Characteristics of Participants --- p.45 / Chapter 6.1.1 --- Activity Status --- p.46 / Chapter 6.1.2 --- Age --- p.47 / Chapter 6.1.3 --- Sex --- p.47 / Chapter 6.1.4 --- Programme Level --- p.48 / Chapter 6.1.5 --- Occupation --- p.48 / Chapter 6.1.6 --- Industry of Main Employment --- p.49 / Chapter 6.1.7 --- Field of Study --- p.51 / Chapter 6.1.8 --- Participation Rate --- p.51 / Chapter 6.2 --- Estimates of Regression Coefficients of Respective Earnings Functions --- p.70 / Chapter 6.2.1 --- Concurrent Earnings Premiums for Participants of Adult Continuing Education --- p.70 / Chapter 6.2.2 --- Earnings Advantages for Participants whose Employment is Matched with their Study Field --- p.72 / Chapter 6.3 --- Testing of Hypotheses --- p.86 / Chapter CHAPTER 7 --- CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS --- p.88 / Chapter 7.1 --- Characteristics of Participants --- p.88 / Chapter 7.1.1 --- Programme Orientation and Clientele --- p.88 / Chapter 7.1.2 --- Disparities among Participants --- p.89 / Chapter 7.2 --- Concurrent Earnings Premiums for Participants of Adult Continuing Education --- p.89 / Chapter 7.2.1 --- Justification of Employer-sponsored Programmes --- p.90 / Chapter 7.2.2 --- Motivation of Individual Participants --- p.90 / Chapter 7.2.3 --- Overcome of Brain-drain --- p.91 / Chapter 7.3 --- Earnings Advantages for Participants whose Employmentis Matched with their Study Field --- p.92 / Chapter 7.3.1 --- Remuneration Structure --- p.92 / Chapter 7.3.2 --- Adaptation to Technological Change --- p.93 / Chapter 7.3.3 --- Programme Quality --- p.94 / Chapter 7.3.4 --- Economic Performance of Individual Industries --- p.94 / Chapter 7.4 --- Recommendations --- p.95 / Chapter 7.5 --- Concluding Remark --- p.98 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.99 / APPENDICES --- p.105