This thesis is a scientific contribution towards evaluating the effectiveness of Community-based Conservation (CBC) in saving biodiversity, protecting ecosystem services and enhancing human well-being. The impact of CBC interventions carried out by Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust over 109 villages in five conservation areas in Madagascar (Lake Alaotra, Baly Bay National Park, Menabe dry forest, Manombo rain forest, and Nosivolo River) since 1997, were retrospectively evaluated. The evaluation used a quasi-experimental design to contrast changes in a set of biodiversity and human wellbeing indicators in the intervention villages with 109 control villages, which were matched for a range of social and environmental attributes. In Chapter 2, findings suggest that over the period 2000-2014 the CBC approach has impacted the incidence of fire, resulting in a lower rate of increase in fire frequency. Although CBC interventions were not able to reduce forest loss, the rate of deforestation in CBC villages has generally been maintained at lower levels than in control villages. Political disruption, population size and travel cost (access and distance) to the villages were identified as important contributing factors towards an increase in the severity of fires and deforestation while access to mobile phones may help mitigate the pressures. In Chapter 3, results indicate that support to education through CBC interventions is significantly associated with improvements in educational attainment. However, analysis of the historical Index of Health Status at village level did not show evidence that provision of clean drinking water or other health interventions improved public health. In terms of human well-being (Chapter 4), there is no evidence that CBC interventions have any positive impact on the Multidimensional Poverty Index. Since poverty has been identified as a key factor reducing happiness, mutual trust, and power to change local decision-making, the claim that CBC will be effective in enhancing subjective well-being cannot be supported by the evidence from this study. According to the Index of Perception of Valued Ecosystem Services the declines in forest cover between 2000 and 2013 were observed by local people, with people in CBC villages demonstrating a greater propensity to note resulting changes in the provision of ecosystem services. This result could be of value when designing future CBC interventions. Maximum Entropy modelling using a set of environmental GIS layers was performed in Chapter 5 for predicting geographic distribution zones of four globally threatened species living exclusively in the five study areas. Results suggested that over the period 2000-2014 there has been a decline in habitat suitability expressed by a decrease in probability of presence of the species. Vegetation cover is predicted to be the most important factor affecting the variability of species distribution range. Potential factors responsible for the success of some actions and failure, others within the CBC approach are discussed and pragmatic recommendations are given at the end of the thesis. For example, transforming local associations into social enterprise could possibly motivate poorer households to join CBC efforts and thereby improve social and biodiversity impacts in the future.

published_or_final_version / Business / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

In Taiwan, the environment of medical treatment is changing drastically. In fact, business competition among hospitals in an agricultural county is obviously increasing today. It is a crucial challenge for a new and large-scale hospital to survive in an agricultural county at a location without good traffic network and high resident population. For some people who are living in agricultural counties, even though the economical predicament in buying health insurance and taking medical treatment has been alleviated due to execution of the national health insurance system, but obstruction on the way to taking medical treatment is still existing for lack of medical resource, traffic convenience and others. Additionally, the patient-transfer policy among medical treatment providers does not go to practice and effect very well. Therefore, what tactics drawn up to enhance the accessibility of medical service to patients are very important to the business management of a hospital in an agricultural county. The purpose and works in this thesis research are as follows: (1) To analyze the factors that influence the accessibility of hospital to the residents and to draw up the tactics that might be effective to enhance the accessibility. (2) To analyze the factors that influences the accessibility of medical service to the patients in hospital and to draw up the tactics that might be effective to enhance the accessibility. (3) To evaluate the effectiveness of the related tactics in business management of some selected hospitals, then to confirm what are good and effective tactics. In this research, Chung-Kang memorial hospital in Chia-Yi branch, abbreviated to CKCY hereafter, was selected as a major study object. Effectiveness of four tactics that are adopted and brought to practice by CKCY was evaluated. These tactics are improvement on traffic convenience, taking benefit from tactical cooperation, popularization by providing circulating medical service and efficiency enhancement by introducing electronic business (e-business) operation. In order to evaluate effectiveness of the tactics objectively, two hospitals were also selected as study objects for comparison with CKCY. The information and data from interview with key managers and answers of the designed questionnaires that were sent to some related employees in these hospitals are used as base to evaluate effectiveness of the tactics. Based on the analysis and evaluation done in this research, the conclusions are drawn up as follows: (1) Regarding the improvement of traffic convenience, the more faraway the town, the more obviously effective the tactic. Both the shuttle bus service provided by the hospital and the prompt assistance from volunteers in the hospital are more effective to increase the number of patients than the elongation of public bus lines. (2) Regarding the tactical alliance for regional isolation, the proper radial distance of the hospital-centered region for cooperating with other hospitals is around 30 kilometers. However, it is better to ally with hospitals located in neighboring counties. Within the short distance region, it would be helpful for hospitals to take tactic cooperation in vertically integrating the medical treatment resources via division of the medical care with different hospitals on different diseases, for example, acute or chronic diseases. In the horizontal integration, it would be helpful for hospitals to set up outpatient service centers in the allied hospitals. (3) Patient satisfaction to the circulating medical service for rural communities is very high and the ratio of return patients in the outpatient service is also very high. Therefore, the circulating medical service is worth taking into practice more actively. (4) Merits of electronic business (e-business) operation in the hospital comparing with traditional operation are confirmed and listed as follows: <1>Simplifying operation procedures <2>Reducing waiting time for patients to get medical treatment <3> Improving the accessibility of medical service and patient satisfaction <4> Ensuring the correctness and integrity of hospital operation <5>Saving labor cost of hospital operation.

Not available / text

Dissertation submitted in compliance with the requirements for the Masters Degree in Business Administration, Durban University of Technology, 2008. / Increasing competitive pressure from global markets and technological developments has resulted in the continual demand for business improvement philosophies and methodologies to address this challenge. The LSS approach to business improvement has emerged in both the practitioner and academic literature as having a significant role in this area. In 2006, The Valspar Corporation embarked on a LSS initiative as a way to improve the business globally, to achieve sustained profitable growth and to enhance customer value. Valspar (SA) found the implementation of LSS a challenge because the organisation could not afford the appointment of a full-time Black Belt to manage the programme locally. Green Belts were appointed to lead LSS projects part-time. Management wanted to know if they have applied the LSS methodology correctly within the scope of the business, especially since not all organisations were successful in the implementation of LSS. The objective of this study was to determine the critical factors that affect the successful implementation of LSS at Valspar (SA) and to assess the degree to which these critical factors exist at Valspar (SA). In a census, the researcher used the questionnaire to gain information about the current views of employees on the LSS programme at Valspar (SA). The research highlighted the critical success factors for LSS implementation and the results of the evaluation revealed both the positive and negative aspects of the LSS programme at Valspar (SA). / Valspar Corporation

Dissertation submitted in compliance with the requirements for the Masters Degree in Business Administration, Durban University of Technology, 2008. / Increasing competitive pressure from global markets and technological developments has resulted in the continual demand for business improvement philosophies and methodologies to address this challenge. The LSS approach to business improvement has emerged in both the practitioner and academic literature as having a significant role in this area. In 2006, The Valspar Corporation embarked on a LSS initiative as a way to improve the business globally, to achieve sustained profitable growth and to enhance customer value. Valspar (SA) found the implementation of LSS a challenge because the organisation could not afford the appointment of a full-time Black Belt to manage the programme locally. Green Belts were appointed to lead LSS projects part-time. Management wanted to know if they have applied the LSS methodology correctly within the scope of the business, especially since not all organisations were successful in the implementation of LSS. The objective of this study was to determine the critical factors that affect the successful implementation of LSS at Valspar (SA) and to assess the degree to which these critical factors exist at Valspar (SA). In a census, the researcher used the questionnaire to gain information about the current views of employees on the LSS programme at Valspar (SA). The research highlighted the critical success factors for LSS implementation and the results of the evaluation revealed both the positive and negative aspects of the LSS programme at Valspar (SA). / Valspar Corporation / M

The objective of this research is to examine whether the implementation of the High level (Strategic) Balanced Scorecard at Mangosuthu Technikon could provide solutions to the following problems: Translating Vision and Strategy to operational tenus: The organisation's strategy must be executed at all levels of the organisation. The key to this transformation is putting strategy at the centre of the management process. Aligning the organisation around the strategy: For maximum effectiveness, the strategies and the scorecards of all business units should be aligned and linked with one another. Making strategy a continuous process: This is how the organisation get all its employees to make strategy part of their daily job. Strategy Evaluation and Selection: The organisation's strategy must fit within one of the following criteria: Consistency, Consonance, Advantage, and Feasibility. The Balanced Scorecard building process is designed to deliver the following: • Establishment/ Confirmation of the Vision • Establishment/Confirmation of the organization's strategy • Measurement perspective selection • Strategy development for each perspective • Identification of factors which are critical to the success of the strategy in each perspective • Definition of the measures which drive the critical success factors The Balanced Scorecard theory is such that by achieving each of the process outputs, clarity and focus for the organization's future is determined as well as how to achieve that future objective. This clarity and focus provides the basis to resolve the problems identified. A high level (Strategic) Balanced Scorecard can be built in a relatively short period of time. However, adherence to the methodology is crucial for the resulting scorecard to be meaningful and, therefore, useful. Senior management, and especially the CEO, have to be fully committed to both the project and methodology compliance. Deviations reduce the effectiveness of the effectiveness of the initiative and can completely undermine the resulting scorecard. Kaplan & Norton first suggested the Balanced Scorecard in 1992. It is still being implemented in organizations today, to provide a solution to a variety of organizational issues. This continued usage and support is a confirmation of the quality, durability and adaptability of the tool, as well as its ability to deliver. / Thesis (MBA)-University of Natal, Durban, 2003.

Risk analysis using likelihood or probability and consequence (L x C) is prone to both methodological and application errors. This contributes to difficulties in achieving risk reduction. As an alternative to the L x C model, this study reviews risk and control effectiveness within the Australian extractive minerals industry. It draws on existing models, locally and internationally, and their application in other industry contexts. The study contends that control effectiveness is more useful and beneficial than L x C alone in determining ‘acceptable’ risk. This hypothesis is substantiated by the development of an alternative model, Major Accident Control Analysis (MACA), based around the prevention of fatalities by exploring and quantifying the following control parameters: 1) controls pre and/or post event, 2) the control type, and 3) the effectiveness of the specific control. By assigning these control parameters, discrete values, comparisons between individual ‘risk’ scenarios and established numerical acceptability risk criteria are possible. The theoretical proposition of this research was tested using detailed case studies to highlight the flaws of conventional risk analysis and, instead, accentuate control effectiveness as a superior method for prioritising risk and determine acceptability. The results of the research demonstrate that control effectiveness, utilised by the MACA method, is particularly valuable when limited data is available to permit quantification, data is too generalised for the operating conditions and where qualitative risk estimates are insufficient and inappropriate to prevent fatalities. MACA employs mathematically valid algorithms previously not envisaged nor developed by earlier methodologies. Importantly, these algorithms enable an interchangeable conversion of control effectiveness ‘values’ to risk ‘values’. Beyond the immediate findings of the research, the additional benefits of control effectiveness are multiple. The principles are suitable to the dynamic nature of the minerals industry, yet are highly adaptable and can be readily applied beyond the field of mining. The methodology could be applied to any circumstance where traditional risk analysis is typically undertaken, thus demonstrating broader application and significance. Furthermore, the methodology is compatible with, and complementary to, existing risk approaches. The intrinsic flexibility offered by this alternative method makes provision for international variations of risk criteria used to determine ‘acceptability’. It is thus determined that the application of control effectiveness estimation offers benefits over and beyond those currently employed.

This article examines the appropriateness of applying the South African Excellence Model for Public Service Performance Excellence in developing a strategy for the South African Military Health Service (SAMHS) to enhance Military Health Service delivery and performance excellence. The need for a strategy to improve Military Health Service delivery and performance excellence was theoretically, empirically and practically informed by different strategic imperatives. The production of the White paper on the Transformation of the Public Service by the South African Department of Public Service and Administration highlighted one of the main reasons for undertaking a study of this nature. The White Paper provided a framework to enable public services to develop performance excellence strategies. The results achieved by the application of the South African Excellence ModeI for Public Service Performance Excellence Self-assessment Questionnaire provide potential benefits for the SAMHS to enhance Military Health Service delivery and performance excellence. The Excellence Model identifies SAMHS strengths and areas for improvement based upon well-established internationally accepted theoretical frameworks and recognised criteria for performance excellence. From this study it is inferred that determining Military Health Service performance excellence continues to be a challenge. It became evident that applying the South African Excellence Model for Public Service Performance Excellence as an integrated self-assessment framework within the SAMHS as a public service health care organisation could be the starting point for a regular strategic planning process within the organisation and could ensure continuous improvement in the performance excellence levels of Military Health Service organisations. / Prof. J Uys

Introduction: Performance management is an important driver in most companies today. Companies regard this as the tool to ensure that the people working for them will deliver as per the agreed contract and objectives which were set mutually. This study will reveal the importance of a well managed performance management system and what benefits one will derive from it. Intent: The purpose of this research project is to conduct a critical analysis of the performance management system used by Nampak Research and Development. They have been using a system since 2001 to the present without any changes to the system. The study focused on key areas to ascertain the level of change in the above respect that needs to take place. The study addressed (a) the understanding of performance management, (b) the management attitude towards performance management, (c) staff development, (d) the mentoring system, and (e) the performance appraisal method used. Findings: the main findings were that: (a) loss of management skill due to retirement, (b) staff has a negative attitude towards the performance management system, (c) staff does not trust the system, (d) management is the only group that is positive about the system, (e) there are no staff development strategies and no staff development, (f) ineffective mentoring system, (g) no mentor and mentee relationship, and (h) the performance appraisal method raised concerns in terms of departments not being consistent with the rating scores. Conclusion: the researcher has recommended what needs to be put in place to help the system work. Due to the complexity of the system, the researcher then recommended that a specialist in the field of performance management be approached to resolve the situation.