Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management in Finance and Investment Wits Business School University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa October 2016 / This thesis addresses affordability of private financing for infrastructure in the context limited public sources of funding and a low level development of Uganda’s financial sector. The thesis addresses the factors that influence the cost of private financing of public infrastructure; the influence of the level of development of domestic financial markets in the determination of private financing costs of infrastructure projects; the private sector options feasible for financing Uganda’s infrastructure development and the scope for public sector interventions to reduce the cost of private finance in infrastructure. The research project was undertaken between June 2015 and March 2016.The research methodology was mainly library based and qualitative in nature. However, the approach was dual in nature since both existing sources of information and primary data were used. The study has established that in the face of limited public funding and a deficit in infrastructure development expenditure, private financing for public infrastructure is indispensable. However, it is relatively more costly, with good reason. However, there is scope for the public sector to affect favorably the cost of private financing for infrastructure. In particular, steps to address regulatory, political and country risk are critical. Equally important are measures to address macroeconomic instability and strengthen balance of payment positions as well as reforms to widen and deepen the financial sector. In addition, optimizing project selection and preparation as well as a establishing a credible pipeline of infrastructure projects coupled with suitable financing plans can positively impact the cost of private financing for infrastructure. / MT 2018

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand Business School, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management in Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation 28th July 2015 / In South Africa today there are many rural economies in decline. Despite the recognition internationally, since the 2nd World War internationally and since 1994 in South Africa specifically, of the value that can be added by specifically targeting Local Economic Development and Entrepreneurship as strategies for an answer to the decline in local economies, success has been limited. More success has in fact been seen in rural communities that have developed through the natural flows of the market than from direct intervention. This progression takes a long time though and the South African situation with all its history cannot wait this long for development. The question asked is why interventions fail, what are the basic factors that make up the local economic development paradigm and how are they affecting the interventions. Information is key to planning and planning is key to successful interventions. A literature review is done in order to establish the basis of LED historically, theoretically and specifically with regards to the South African rural environment, in order to assist in the development of the information required for successful planning of LED interventions. With the most prominent factors derived from this literature review tabled and applied into established Case Study models, a questionnaire is developed for application into rural economies through Community Entrepreneurship programmes or LED vehicles. In order to establish firstly the relevance of the factors and secondly the relevance of the questionnaire, it is reviewed, scored and commented on by a select group of industry practitioners in LED. The opinion of these individuals further validates the use of the factors and questionnaire in baseline LED intervention planning.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 2000. / "February 2000." / Includes bibliographical references. / Three studies were conducted to analyze the relationship between public infrastructure investment and regional economic performance. The first study examines the literature on economic development and productivity growth. I show that conflicting results from studies by other analysts are the likely result of poor public capital data spanning to short an interval, and an inadequate modeling framework. Public investment may generate small improvements in productivity, but models understate economic impacts owing to the public goods character of some forms of public capital. The second study explores the relationship between economic distress and public infrastructure investment. I use a sample of U.S. counties to analyze public investment according to level of economic distress. With simple investment models, I estimated infrastructure needs for counties with apparent shortfalls. I analyzed the needs-estimates in a series of case studies in which jurisdiction planning and budget personnel were consulted about the accuracy of the estimates. I show that short-run economic distress is not to be linked to public infrastructure investment. Over the long-run, investment varies by level of distress, but as a consequence of private residential investment. The needs-estimating models were reasonably accurate, but missing investment data proved troublesome. Counties proved to be a poor unit of analysis for infrastructure needs, as since significant variation was observed among jurisdictions within counties. The third study demonstrates the need for better estimates of public infrastructure capital stock. I prepared new capital stock estimates for two regions using local investment data and survey-based public capital service lives. I surveyed one thousand jurisdictions in the New England region and the state of Texas. Survey-based service-lives seem to differ significantly from estimated lives. Stock estimates using local investment data and survey-based service-lives produce dramatic differences compared to estimated stocks at the state and regional level. The new data, however, performed just as poorly as other series when used to estimate aggregate production functions. Prior analysts' understanding the relationship between economic performance and public infrastructure investment has been limited because of poor data, and inadequate appreciation of infrastructure's inherent complexity. The research presented here demonstrates that significant improvements are possible and worth undertaking. / by Nicholas O. Rockler. / Ph.D.

Thesis (M.Dev.) --University of Limpopo, 2006 / The purpose of the study was to identify material benefits that households participating in poverty alleviation projects receive. The study used both the qualitative and quantitative research design in the context of a random sample of 70 non-project households and 42 households participating in projects. A structured interview schedule was used to collect data. The major findings of this research study are that poverty alleviation projects are effective in alleviating poverty especially amongst rural women. The significance of the study lies in insights on improved methods in the management of poverty alleviation projects

Thesis (M.Dev.) --University of Limpopo, 2013 / The objective of the study is to evaluate the socio-economic impact of poverty alleviation and food security projects implemented by the Department of Agriculture in Limpopo Province. Data were collected from beneficiaries, stakeholders and literature. The analysis is based on the status of the projects before the intervention and the present status after the implementation of the programme. In most instances the beneficiaries and stakeholders were not part of the plenary for the programme. Observations also show that it seems interest and ability in agricultural activities was not tested before implementing the programme. Sustainability of a project depends on the involvement of all relevant key players, stakeholders and beneficiaries, from the initial stage through monitoring and evaluation stages, to closure of the project.

Thesis (M.Dev.) --University of Limpopo, 2011 / The aim this study was to assess the impact of training of Extension Officers on poverty alleviation agricultural projects in Lepelle-Nkumpi Municipality. It aimed to assess if the skills that the Extension Officers acquired from the training offered to them did have a positive impact on the farmers and their projects. The objectives of the study thus, were: to identify and describe the nature and relevance of the training programs offered to the Extension Officers; to assess the impact of training and development on service delivery; and to suggest appropriate actions or interventions as may be necessary to improve the impact on service delivery. The study was qualitative in design and it sampled 10 projects. Data was gathered from Extension Officers attached to the 10 projects, famers, key informants consisting of community leaders and headmen and Deputy Managers. The study used focus group discussions, semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire to collect data. The key findings from this study are: computer literacy skills training seems to be the most popular one among the Extensions Officers. Some of them have never been given the opportunity to attend agricultural-related training. The study recommends that the computer literacy should be combined with the technical agricultural subjects so that the Extension Officers could be equipped with more information which will assist them to search for information from the internet and to impart the agricultural information to the farmers so that they could improve their productivity and income. Training in marketing and financial management is imperative for farmers to enhance their productivity and to manage their finances. The study also found out that the Extension Officers are not receiving adequate posttraining supervision in the form of evaluation. The frequent project visits and supervision of the extension officers’ daily duties by their superiors can improve their commitments to their work as well as increase the farmers’ productivity. Farmers lament the fact that they are offered the training theoretically and none of the extension officers make an effort to demonstrate to them practically. The work-related training which the Extension Officers have attended have improved service delivery at their work place because some of the beneficiaries since they started working in their projects, they have been getting their salary every month and their secret is that they cultivate the correct vegetables at the right time and this helps them to manage the three months waiting period easily. The Limpopo Provincial Department of Agriculture should extend the number of the extension officers in their municipality so that they could be available when they need them. The study adds to the knowledge base on the impact of training of extension officers on poverty alleviation agricultural projects.

Bibliography: leaves 126-131.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität, Bonn, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (p. [427]-467) and index.

A revision of the author's thesis, Université de Paris. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 347-364).

Thesis (M.A.(Anthropology))-University of Pretoria, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references.