M.Tech (Department of Accountancy, Faculty of Management Sciences), Vaal University of Technology. / The provision of infrastructure delivery programmes in Limpopo province is an important agent in the reduction of poverty, unemployment and strengthening of social capital. The infrastructure development programmes create opportunities for job creation through approaches such as maintenance of existing infrastructure in order to retain resources in the local areas. However, the provision of basic infrastructure still faces serious challenges, notwithstanding the fact that the PFMA and Treasury Regulations (issued by the National Treasury in terms of Section 76 of the PFMA) provide for control measures government has put in place for effective and efficient service delivery in general. The objective of this study was to scrutinise management of finances in the planning, implementation and monitoring of infrastructure programmes and further seek to propose measures to strengthen financial management controls in the implementation of infrastructure programmes to bolster service delivery in the Limpopo province. The literature reviewed indicated that successful implementation of infrastructure development in the province depends on skills and knowledge of the players and financial resources. This study used qualitative research methodology in examining the management of finances in the planning, implementation and monitoring of infrastructure programmes in the Limpopo provincial government. An open-ended questionnaire was used to collect data from the participants. The researcher utilised purposive selection method to obtain information from relevant participants who are directly involved in infrastructure management. The study revealed that Limpopo government departments do not utilise capital budgeting models to appropriately plan and fund infrastructure projects. There are challenges, including procurement processes, lack of appropriate skills to monitor and implement infrastructure projects and lack of standard operating procedures to encourage a culture of uniformity, responsibility and accountability in the processing of payments.

Mini-study project (MBA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The rise of the health and fitness club, Health and Racquet Club, in the late eighties was spectacular and it came as no surprise that the company was listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in 1994. The two founder members, Peter Gardener and Robert Mitchell listed a company within a short period of time and were not afraid to change their strategy and expand their operations into other sectors of the leisure industry in 1995. In the late nineties, after restructuring the subsidiaries of the group, management started to look at foreign markets for expansion of the core business, namely the Health and Racquet Clubs. The group's foreign expansion accumulated a vast amount of debt on its balance sheet and in retrospect was seen as one of the main reasons for its collapse. The company was placed under liquidation in the end of the 2000 financial year. This study will evaluate the different strategies management followed, and will identify some key strategic mistakes that was made and that led to the downfall of a seemingly financially strong organization that offered above average returns to it's stakeholders. It also aims to show that a business strategy has to rely on strong corporate governance and that the last say always lies with the stakeholders within that company. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die gesondheids- en fiksheidsklub, die Health and Racquet Club, het in die laat tagtigerjare ongelooflike opgang gemaak, wat uiteindelik gelei het tot notering op die Johannesburgse Effektebeurs in 1994. Die twee stigterslede, Peter Gardener en Robert Mitchell, het die maatskappy binne 'n kort tyd genoteer, en het nie gehuiwer om hulle strategie te verander en in 1995 hulle bedrywighede uit te brei na ander sektore in die ontspanningsindustrie nie. In die laat negentigerjare, nadat die filiale van die groep geherstruktureer is, het die bestuur oorsese markte begin ondersoek met die oog op uitbreiding van die kernbesigheid, naamlik die Health and Racquet Clubs. Die groep se uitbreidingsaksie het groot skuld tot gevolg gehad - een van die hoofredes vir die ineenstorting. Die maatskappy is aan die einde van die 2000 finansiële jaar gelikwideer. Hierdie studie evalueer die verskillende strategieë wat die bestuur gevolg het, en identifiseer die belangrikste strategiese foute wat gemaak is en wat gelei het tot die ineenstorting van 'n maatskappy wat oënskynlik finansieel sterk was en bogemiddelde opbrengste aan die aandeelhouers besorg het. Die studie poog ook om aan te toon dat 'n besigheidstrategie gebaseer moet wees op stewige korporatiewe beheer en dat die laaste sê altyd by die aandeelhouers van die maatskappy lê.

Práce ověřuje pracovní hypotézy: (i) finanční řízení zahraniční mise nestátní neziskové organizace je specifickou oblastí, která si zaslouží vlastní metodologický přístup a (ii) požadavky na finančního manažera zahraniční mise jsou odlišné od běžného finančního manažera nestátní neziskové organizace Popisuje poslání, hodnoty a vize nestátních neziskových organizací, strategické řízení, finanční plánování, project cycle management, rizika v neziskovém sektoru a finanční zdroje. Praktická část definuje humanitární a rozvojovou pomoc, vysvětluje pozici organizace v tomto kontextu a vymezuje charakteristiky zahraničních misí, dále popisuje finance v organizační struktuře, vysvětluje finanční plánování, ekonomiku misí na Kavkaze a ukázkový rozpočet projektu, nakonec popisuje pracovní náplň finančního manažera mise a specifika života a práce v rozvojovém světě.

<p>In 2000, more then 4 million Swedish citizens were given the responsibility to invest a part of their earned money in the new premium pension system. With limited knowledge in financial markets was it now up to the people themselves to decide how to invest. Due to the citizens lack of knowledge lead them to a passive behavior. This meant a new role for the financial institutions and the advising that followed. Since the start, there has been constant debates on how well the system has been working and who it has been beneficial to.With the new role of the pension advisors the problem question was stated as: considering the customers’ knowledge and understanding of the financial factors, how has the advising of premium pension funds evolved since 2000? With the sub question: what role will the future of pension funds advising have?The aim of the study is to research how the knowledge among the Swedish public has changed, how the perception of risk has altered, how the trust and confidence among financial advisors have changed, what importance new laws and regulations have had, and how the relations between customer and advisors has developed with the uneven knowledge. The future of pension advising will be investigated.This study has a qualitative approach with seven semi-structured interviews with different institutions that are related to pension saving. Due to the nature of the study a hermeneutic approach and abductive perspective is obliged.The respondents have observed the level of knowledge among the public to be low, however has it gotten better. The laws and licenses implemented has changed how pension advisors are working, and increased the confidence for advisors. For the future, a majority of the advisors are calling for the government to take the responsibility on educating the public in private economy. This would, according to the respondents, simplify the advisors job. The insufficient level of knowledge has created both problems and opportunities for advisors. The trouble with a product/service such as advising its complexity, which makes it hard for the institutions to explain, and for the customers to understand it. Therefore, the authors agree with the respondents, to educate the Swedish citizens in order for them to understand the opportunity that is in front of them.</p>

In 2000, more then 4 million Swedish citizens were given the responsibility to invest a part of their earned money in the new premium pension system. With limited knowledge in financial markets was it now up to the people themselves to decide how to invest. Due to the citizens lack of knowledge lead them to a passive behavior. This meant a new role for the financial institutions and the advising that followed. Since the start, there has been constant debates on how well the system has been working and who it has been beneficial to.With the new role of the pension advisors the problem question was stated as: considering the customers’ knowledge and understanding of the financial factors, how has the advising of premium pension funds evolved since 2000? With the sub question: what role will the future of pension funds advising have?The aim of the study is to research how the knowledge among the Swedish public has changed, how the perception of risk has altered, how the trust and confidence among financial advisors have changed, what importance new laws and regulations have had, and how the relations between customer and advisors has developed with the uneven knowledge. The future of pension advising will be investigated.This study has a qualitative approach with seven semi-structured interviews with different institutions that are related to pension saving. Due to the nature of the study a hermeneutic approach and abductive perspective is obliged.The respondents have observed the level of knowledge among the public to be low, however has it gotten better. The laws and licenses implemented has changed how pension advisors are working, and increased the confidence for advisors. For the future, a majority of the advisors are calling for the government to take the responsibility on educating the public in private economy. This would, according to the respondents, simplify the advisors job. The insufficient level of knowledge has created both problems and opportunities for advisors. The trouble with a product/service such as advising its complexity, which makes it hard for the institutions to explain, and for the customers to understand it. Therefore, the authors agree with the respondents, to educate the Swedish citizens in order for them to understand the opportunity that is in front of them.

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Magister Legum - LLM