Tang Lok Ming. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 86-87). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Chapter 1. --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 2. --- Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) --- p.8 / Chapter 2.1 --- Nature of SARS --- p.8 / Chapter 2.2 --- Impacts of SARS --- p.9 / Chapter 2.3 --- Literature of SARS --- p.13 / Chapter 2.4 --- Evolution of SARS in Mainland China --- p.16 / Chapter 3. --- Event Study Methodology --- p.18 / Chapter 4. --- Data --- p.24 / Chapter 5. --- Results --- p.25 / Chapter 5.1 --- Hong Kong --- p.26 / Chapter 5.2 --- Mainland China --- p.31 / Chapter 6. --- Conclusion --- p.47 / Figures --- p.50 / Tables --- p.59 / Appendix --- p.64 / References --- p.86

Open government relies heavily on reliable records to uphold service delivery and access to information. Without proper records management of business transactions and activities of an organization, the primary objective of openness becomes obscured and difficult to achieve. Within the digital space and environment, establishing good record- keeping procedures is challenging to both paper and e-records, because of a scarcity of clarity in the processes and measures in place, as well as as a result of lack of suitable ICT infrastructure plus skilled human resources to help facilitate good e-records management. The aim of this research was to provide a structure for the integration of records into open government initiatives in Botswana with the aim of assisting access to information and service delivery, and a subsequent transparent, accountable and open government. This is a mixed research study framed within the interpretivism epistemological inquiry model, and used Open Government Implementation Model and Action research being a theoretical lense in this study. Document analysis was used to gather information, complemented by interviews and questionnaires with participants and respondents alike purposively selected from the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD). According to the findings, the legislative as well as regulatory frameworks in order to manage both paper and e-records were available in Botswana although inadequate. Similarly, the research showed that legislation that gives the citizens access to information and subsequently make compulsory for organizations to avail information upon request is absent. Furthermore, it was established through the study findings that information management practitioners are particularly are ill equipped and inexperienced to manage paper and electronic records. Due to the inavailability of ICT infrastructure to help facilitate both paper and e-records management was noted. In addition, open government initiatives were identified as producing e- records, but there were no defined protocols to help aid in their management. Therefore, this weakness can be addressed by integrating records management into open government initiatives, and be able to utilize suitably identified Enterprise Content Management (ECM) or Electronic Document and Records Management System (EDRMS). Currently, open government remains ensured through the reliance of only open government initiatives, without leveraging on good records management. This project study suggests a structure to integrate records management into open government initiatives anchored on legislation and regulatory frameworks with the confidence that its employment would support better information and service accessibility by the citizens. Finally, because of poor records management and a lack of legislation that encourage access to information, there will be continued reliance on the discretion of records professionals by the citizens to have information access. Similarly, without proper records management procedures, Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) will remain underutilized. Thus, it is a recommendation that MLGRD should develop proper records management procedures to guide and improve on the management of records. A further study to establish the level of e-readiness of the Botswana government to fully automate and guarantee the success of open government is recommended. / Information Science / D. Litt et Phil (Information Science)

Dissertation (Master of Consumer Science)--University of Stellenbosch, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The role which education can play in the upliftment of individuals and families has been receiving increasing attention by the South African government because it is regarded as each individual's right to reach his/her full potential. However, the way in which education is presented is the defining factor, which determines the sustainability of the subsequent development. The purpose of the study was to determine how Consumer scientists could contribute to transformative learning as well as the increasing of individual's levels of empowerment and knowledge. A literature study was undertaken to present a synopsis of emancipation education and transformative learning within the context of Consumer Science. Several methods of education, the underlying concepts to transformative learning, methods to bring about transformative learning, several phases in transformation of perspectives, the outcomes of the emancipation education method, the role of the Consumer scientist as emancipation educator as well as practical teaching methods were also included to support the empirical part of the study. A housing literacy programme was adapted and presented according to two different methods of education, namely emancipation and technical methods to represent the empirical part of this study. The housing literacy programme was presented to women in Calvinia and Williston living in government subsidised houses. During the implementation of the emancipation method of education, the transformation framework was used in conjunction with the action research model to adapt the programme and to identify any transformation that took place. In experimental design, the emancipation and technical methods were compared in terms of an increase in empowerment and knowledge. The status of empowerment and knowledge of both groups was determined before the programme, directly after the programme as well as two months thereafter. Quantitative data was obtained from the questionnaires on empowerment and knowledge, while qualitative data was obtained from the action research model as well as the transformation framework. The result of the quantitative data showed a clear difference between the group taught with the emancipatory method, and the group taught with the technical method in tenus of the increase in levels of empowerment and knowledge. The group taught with the emancipatory method showed higher levels of empowerment and knowledge than the group taught with the technical method directly after the programme as well as two months thereafter. The levels of empowerment and knowledge of the group taught with the emancipatory method showed significant statistical differences from before the presentation of the programme until two months thereafter. This suggests the sustainable character of an increase in empowerment and knowledge. Results obtained from the qualitative data also indicated the occurrence of distorted meaning schemes as well as modification thereof. This study showed that using the emancipation method of education when presenting a Consumer Science programme could induce transformation. The quantitative data also proved the emancipation method of education to be more effective than the technical method when aiming to increase an individual's level of empowerment and knowledge. It is therefore important that Consumer scientists be aware of all the characteristics of the emancipation method of education as well as transformative learning in order to induce change in individuals and families and to lead them to selfdependence. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die rol wat onderwys in die opheffing van individue en gesinne kan speel, het die afgelope paar jaar toenemende aandag van die Regering van Suid-Afrika gekryaangesien dit as elke individu se reg gesien word om sy/haar volle potensiaal te bereik. Die wyse waarop onderwys aangebied word, is egter die bepalende faktor in die volhoubaarheid van die ontwikkeling wat daardeur teweeggebring word. Die doel van die studie was daarom om te bepaal hoe Verbruikerswetenskaplikes kan bydra tot transformatiewe leer en die verhoging van bemagtigingsen kennisvlakke van individue. 'n Literatuurstudie is onderneem om 'n oorsig oor emansipasie opvoeding en transformatiewe leer binne die konteks van Verbruikerswetenskap te gee. Verskeie onderrigmetodes, die konsepte onderliggend aan transformatiewe leer, metodes om transformatiewe leer te bewerkstellig, verskeie fases in perspektieftransformasie, die uitkomste van die emansipasie onderrigmetode, die rol van die Verbruikerswetenskaplike as emansipasie opvoeder en praktiese onderrigtegnieke is bestudeer om die empiriese gedeelte van die studie te ondersteun. Vir die empinese gedeelte van die studie is 'n behuisingsgeletterdheidsprogram aangepas en volgens twee verskillende opvoedingsmetodes, naamlik die emansipasie- en tegniese metode aangebied. Die behuisingsgeletterdheidsprogram is aangebied aan vroue van Calvinia en Williston wat in staatsgesubsidieerde huise woon. Met die toepas van die emansipasie opvoedingsmetode is die transformasieraamwerk saam met die aksienavorsingsmodel aangewend om die program aan te pas en die transformasie wat voorgekom het te identifiseer. In die eksperimentele ontwerp is die emansipasie en tegniese metodes met mekaar vergelyk in terme van bemagtiging- en kennisverhoging. Bemagtiging- en kennisstatus van albei groepe is voor die program, direk na die program, sowel as twee maande daarna bepaal. Kwalitatiewe data is uit die aksienavorsingsmodel en die transformasieraamwerk verkry, terwyl kwantitatiewe data uit die bemagtigings- en kennisvraelyste verkry is. Die resultate van die kwantitatiewe data het aangedui dat daar wel 'n verskil is ten opsigte van die verhoging van bemagtiging- en kennisvlakke tussen dié groep wat volgens die emansipasie metode aangebied is en dié groep wat volgens die tegniese metode aangebied is. Die groep wat volgens die emansipasie metode onderrig is se totale bemagtigingsvlak, sowel as hul kennisvlak was direk na die program asook twee maande daarna hoër as dié van die groep wat volgens die tegniese metode aangebied is. By die bemagtiging- en kennisvlak van die groep wat volgens die emansipasie metode onderrig is, het daar 'n betekenisvolle statistiese verskil van voor die programaanbieding tot twee maande daarna voorgekom, wat op die volgehoue aard van bemagtiging- en kennisverhoging dui. Die resultate wat verkry is uit die kwalitatiewe data het verder aangetoon dat daar wel verdraaide betekenisskemas by die deelnemers voorgekom het asook wysiging daarvan. Tydens hierdie studie is bevind dat transformatiewe leer teweeggebring kan word met die aanbied van 'n Verbruikerswetenskapprogram volgens die emansipasie opvoedingsmetode. Die kwantitatiewe data wat verkry is, het ook getoon dat die emansipasie onderrigmetode meer effektief as die tegniese metode is om die verhoging van individue se bemagtiging- en kennisvlakke teweeg te bring. Verbruikerswetenskaplikes moet daarom kennis dra van die eienskappe van die emansipasie opvoedingsmetode en transformatiewe leer om sodoende volgehoue verandering by individue en gesinne teweeg te bring en om hul tot selfstandigheid te lei.

University of Macau / Faculty of Law

South Africa's public institutions are expected to conduct their activities in a way that satisfy the public interest to ensure the welfare of the people. In formulating public policies and in carrying out their duties, these institutions are constitutionally required to be answerable to the communities, particularly in a democratic state. Hence, many community leaders strongly believe that transparency and public accountability can help to expose and reduce large-scale tendencies of financial irregularities and corruption in public agencies. Despite different racial groups, levels of education and occupation the ordinary members of the public are discontented about inadequate accountability and openness of parastatals. This can tend to lead to unethical and irresponsible conduct in government departments and parastatals. Therefore this thesis assesses an emerging challenge experienced by public enterprises in reacting to the urgent need for increased answerability for the behaviour of administrators and officials. Over the past few years, parastatals have attracted heavy criticism from several quarters of various communities for embracing racial discriminatory policies and conniving with departments of the previous government to fortify those racial policies. The veil of confidentiality clause and the right to privacy, which clouded the abuse of political power by both the government and public organisations, shrouded the activities of the parastatals. However, even the advent of democracy in South Africa in 1994 did not reduce unethical conduct, such as corruption, patronage and nepotism, among administrators and officials. Instead the scale of these unbecoming tendencies have currently either increased or received more publicity. Frequent financial irregularities are continuously reported, which cause great damage to the image of public organisations and erodes public trust. Therefore, in trying to address these problems attributed to the inadequacy of public accountability and transparency, parastatals have to consider and evaluate several bewildering challenges. The main thing is to critically re-examine the role of public accountability and transparency in public institutions. In doing that, a focus must be on finding answers for the following questions. To whom and how are parastatals accountable? Why is it necessary for them to publicly give full account of their activities to the communities? Essentially, this thesis is particularly concerned with a large parastatal in Kwa-Zulu/Natal, which is chosen a point of references, namely, Umgeni Water Board. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2001.

Magistro baigiamajame darbe nagrinėjama žodžio (išraiškos) laisvės teisės ribų teisinio reglamentavimo Lietuvoje problema. Aptarti žodžio (išraiškos) laisvės teisės istorinės ištakos, raidos etapai, žodžio (išraiškos) laisvės teisės vieta žmogaus teisių sistemoje. Pabrėžiama, jog žodžio laisvė nėra absoliuti, o norint apsaugoti svarbesnius visuomenės interesus arba atskirų asmenų teises nustatomos tam tikros žodžio laisvės ribos. Taip pat prieita nuomonės, jog žodžio laisvės teisė ir informacijos laisvės teisė yra dvi skirtingos fundamentinės žmogaus teisės – informacijos gavimo teisė yra socialinė kategorija, tuo tarpu žodžio laisvė, kaip žmogaus saviraiškos būdas, yra greičiau dvasinė kategorija. Analizuojant žodžio (išraiškos) laisvės ribojimo pagrindus, aptarta teisės ir moralės santykio problema. Aptariant minėtą problemą, rėmėmės I.Kanto žmogaus valios autonomija. Paaiškėjo, jog teisėta veikla išplaukia ne iš išorinio reglamentavimo, o iš vidinio asmens apsisprendimo veikti moraliai, iš pagarbos proto principams. Moralės dėsnis “įrašytas” žmogaus dvasioje ir žmogus yra laisvas, jei jis veikia vadovaudamasis moralės įstatymu. Filosofiniu požiūriu analizuota žodžio (išraiškos) laisvės teisės struktūra. Žodžio (išraiškos) laisvės teisę lemia tiesos ir gėrio filosofinės kategorijos. Žodžio (išraiškos) laisvė sietina su tiesos skelbimu gera valia ir gėrio siekimu. Tiesa sudaro intelektualinį žodžio (išraiškos) laisvės naudojimo aspektą, o gėris valinį aspektą. Darbe... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / In this Master’s paper the legal regulation issue of free speech limits in Lithuania is analyzed. Historical fountainhead of free speech, its process and position in the system of human rights are discussed. It is emphasized that the freedom of speech is not absolute, and on purpose to protect the public interest that are more important or the rights of each individual person some particular limits of free speech are set down. It has also been considered that freedom of speech and freedom of information are two different kinds of fundamental human rights. The freedom of information is a social category whereas the freedom of speech that is like a way of a person’s self-expression is rather a moral category. While analyzing the basis of free speech limits the problem of relation between law and morality has been discussed appealing to I. Kant autonomy of human will. It appeared that good will is one that acts from duty in accordance with the universal moral law that the autonomous human being freely gives itself. This law obliges one to treat humanity — understood as rational agency, and represented through oneself as well as others — as an end in itself rather than as means. The structure of free speech has been analysed philosophically. It occurred that freedom of speech is conditioned by the philosophical categories of the truth and the good. The free speech is related to proclamation of the truth, good will and endeavor to seek the good. The truth makes an intellectual... [to full text]

Thesis (M.A.)--Carleton University, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 148-155). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

In this inter view, Ferrajoli explains the positivization of constitutionalism and its relationship to the concept of morality and the role of contemporary democracies. He also discusses the issue of freedom of information relating to property rights, to economic initiative and freedom of expression. Finally, the author refers to the insufficiency of the proportionality test as a tool to resolve conflicts between fundamental rights with constitutional recognition. / En la presente entrevista, el autor explica la positivización del constitucionalismo y su relación con el concepto de moral y el rol de las democracias contemporáneas. Asimismo, discute la problemática de la libertad de información en relación a los derechos de propiedad, a la iniciativa económica y a la libertad de expresión. Finalmente, el autor se refiere a la insuficiencia de la ponderación como herramienta para resolver conflictos entre derechos fundamentales con reconocimiento constitucional.

69 The re-use of public-sector information This thesis considers the re-use of public-sector information in the context of freedom of information. The thesis describes the following: a) the implications of freedom of information (transparency of public administration, involvement of citizens in public affairs, fight against information poverty, protection of the environment or the fight against corruption); b) the implications of the re-use of public-sector information (from an economic and social view); c) principle of publicity and principle of confidentiality (their application in democratic and nondemocratic regimes); d) the evolution of freedom of information legislation (inspiration in China, origin in Sweden, transposition into international law, influence of the United States of America, examples of modern information regulations and the right to information in European Union law); e) freedom of information in international law (The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe No. R (81) 19 on the access to information held by public authorities, Úmluva Rady Evropy o přístupu k úředním...

nÃo hà / A Lei da TransparÃncia provà o acesso Ãs finanÃas pÃblicas. Contudo, comparando o regulado pela Lei e o que se efetiva, desse trade off, desenvolveu-se a investigaÃÃo. Este estudo, utilizando da base de dados do sistema de informaÃÃes municipais do estado do Cearà e dos critÃrios do Manual do SIM estabelecidos pelo TCM-CE acerca das despesas municipais, verificou uma falha da transparÃncia pÃblica municipal, a omissÃo na identificaÃÃo do NÃmero do Processo Administrativo para AquisiÃÃo de Bens e ServiÃos. Para o comportamento dessa falha, denominada de percentual de omissÃes no SIM, a hipÃtese da investigaÃÃo considerou um alto valor para essa ocorrÃncia, e a tentativa de elucidar os fatores por trÃs disso. Essa omissÃo foi abordada pelo modelo Tobit de dados censurados, segundo Tobin (1958). Diante da amostra, nas unidades gestoras selecionadas dos 184 municÃpios do estado do Cearà no perÃodo de 2008 a 2014, investigaram-se estatÃsticas descritivas e explicativas sobre a variÃvel dependente. O modelo confirmou o alto valor, o percentual de omissÃes no SIM apresentou uma mÃdia de 58% e mediana 77%, avaliou-se, entÃo, a influÃncia de variÃveis nesse percentual. Da influÃncia das variÃveis, polÃticas, econÃmicas e educacionais, a da polÃtica foi determinante. O resultado da variÃvel, dummies partidÃrias, apresentou ainda, um fator de aprendizagem. Em relaÃÃo Ãs demais, escolaridade e IDM, apresentaram sinais esperados, quanto maiores, hà menor reincidÃncia de erros. Em conjunto, estas evidÃncias sugerem aos gestores pÃblicos esforÃos para evitar as omissÃes no sistema de dados SIM e assim atender a Lei da TransparÃncia. / The Freedom of Information Act provides access to public finances. However, comparing regulated by law and what is effective, this trade off, research has developed. This study, using of municipal information system database of Cearà and SIMâs Manual criteria established by the TCM-CE about the Ceara State Expenditures by Counties, found a failure of government public transparency, the omission in the Case Number Identification Administrative for Goods and Services Procurement. To the behavior of this failure, called omissions percentage of the SIM, the hypothesis of the research considered a high value for this occurrence, and the attempt to elucidate the factors behind it. This omission has been addressed by the Tobit model of censored data, according to Tobin (1958). Given the sample, the selected management units of the 184 counties in the State of Ceara in the 2008-2014 periods, we investigated descriptive and explanatory statistics on the dependent variable. The model confirmed the high value, the percentage of omissions on the SIM averaged 58% and median 77%, it was evaluated, then the influence of variables in this percentage. The influence of the variables, political, economic and educational, the policy was decisive. The result of the variable, party dummies, presented also a factor of learning. For the other, education and IDM, had expected signs, the larger, there is less recidivism errors. Together, this evidence suggests to managers efforts to avoid omissions in the SIM data system and thus meet The Freedom of Information Act.