The concept of growth linked to municipal development is about meeting challenges and creating expansion based on the municipal's situation. Through growth plans and other policy documents, strategies are created for what needs to be improved in order for growth to take place. The study looks at the city of Östersund and their growth plan Mer Östersund, which will be adopted by the municipal between the years of 2014 - 2020. The aim of the study is to examine how the growth plan Mer Östersund is applied and adapted within the municipality organisation. A practical purpose has been developed in order to provide an insight into the internal perception within the municipal units for the managers behind the development of the growth plan. To answer the study research issue, delimitation is implemented, resulting in two of the eight administrations within the municipality being selected. The study has been limited to the Childcare and Education Administration with related board, and the Municipal Administration. A total of eleven interviews were conducted to provide insight into the perception among employees at different positions in the municipal organisation. The result shows that the knowledge and implementation of the growth plan reached, and was executed within, the Municipal Administration, the Childcare and Education Board, and by the managers of the Childcare and Education Administration. Only one out of three of the interviewed employees in Childcare and Education Administration had any knowledge of the growth plan before the study. The perception of the growth plan's relevance varied between both managers, elected officials, and employees. The result shows that the communication does not reach employees successfully. In this way, implementation within the entire municipal organisation is not fulfilled and it is deficient downwards within the units. / Begreppet tillväxt kopplat till kommunal utveckling handlar om att möta problem och skapa förnyelse utifrån den situation kommunen befinner sig i. Genom Tillväxtplaner och andra styrdokument skapas strategier för vad som behöver göras för att skapa tillväxt. Studien ser närmare på Östersunds kommun och Tillväxtplanen Mer Östersund som fortlöper och skall anammas i kommunen mellan åren 2014 och 2020. Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur Tillväxtplanen Mer Östersund implementeras, kommuniceras och följs upp internt i kommunens organisation. Ett praktiskt syfte har tagits fram för att ge ansvariga bakom framtagandet av Tillväxtplanen inblick i hur uppfattningen är internt bland kommunens enheter. För att besvara studiens frågeställningar och syfte har en avgränsning gjorts till två av kommunens åtta förvaltningar, Barn- och utbildningsförvaltningen med tillhörande nämnd och kommunledningsförvaltningen. Totalt har 11 intervjuer genomförts för att ta del av information från anställda på olika positioner i kommunens organisation. Resultatet visar att kännedom och implementering av Tillväxtplanen nåtts och genomförts inom kommunledningsförvaltningen, Barn- och utbildningsnämnden och bland Barn- och utbildningsförvaltningens chefer. Endast en av de tre intervjuade medarbetarna i Barn- och utbildningsförvaltningen hade vetskap om Tillväxtplanen inför studien. Uppfattningen om Tillväxtplanens relevans varierar mellan såväl chefer, förtroendevalda och medarbetare. Information och kommunikation når chefer, förtroendevalda och ansvariga på ett bra sätt genom bland annat Tillväxtenheten och via Chefsdagar. Resultatet visar dock att information inte når medarbetare på ett tillfredställande sätt, utan ofta stannar vid cheferna. På så sätt sker inte implementering genom hela den kommunala organisationen utan är bristfällig nedåt i enheterna.

Most of the scholars argue that the big challenge for the SMEs in order to grow is access to finance. They consider financing as the most crucial need of a growing company. Based on the previous researches, companies need to move from the internal financing to the external financing through growth. In this situation, one way for SMEs is, to take advantage of a bank loan; however, many researchers argue that accessing a bank loan is not easy for SMEs. On the other hand, in the last decade since the number of SMEs increased in many countries, tendency of the banks, regarding cooperation with SMEs; gets increased as well. Although, many of the SMEs are still not satisfied with the lending process. Thus, this study investigates if some factors can have an effect on the lending process. Since, the factors which affect the lending process are various, the purpose of this study is, to examine how having an appropriate business growth plan could be helpful in order to have access to a bank loan. There is a lack of literature regarding observation of this process in developing countries and comparing the lending process in developing countries with developed countries, this paper will examine the lending process and influence of business growth plan in one developed country (Sweden), and one developing country (Iran) and compare all the systems with each other. In order to achieve the required information, multiple case study was chosen. The main result of this study is that a business growth plan has a different effect on the lending process in each country, since it is seen as a positive sign in Iran while it has both an advantage and disadvantage in Sweden.

Educational dispensation has brought about radical changes in schools, particularly with reference to curriculum changes and delivery, not only internationally but specifically in South Africa. With a move towards the introduction of new curricular in schools, the concept Continuous Professional Development has been revisited and thus has propagated further review on new approaches of teaching and learning, which leads to the need for establishment of school-based professional development of educators to meet the new challenges of curriculum changes. The school based training of educators should not be seen as short courses or workshops done for the educators, only to be left without a continuous support and guidance. It should be noted that school based educators are part of the community of learners with the shared purpose of ensuring quality learning experiences of all learners, every day, without exception and this is reinforced by the following goals: -- Providing of all school personnel with opportunity of further developing, and enriching their professional skills and knowledge. -- Challenging all school personnel to examine their attitudes and beliefs regarding the capacity of all students at high level, as well as their accountability for continuous improvement in student performance (Fer, 2005:2). The problem is how to cultivate the culture of school based continuous training and participation of all educators in the programmes. The Employment of Educators Act offers enormous possibilities for educators’ professional development. The principal is tasked with the responsibility of establishing staff development progammes, both school based, school focused and externally directed (Personnel Administrative Measures (PAM) of 1998, as determined by the Minister of Education in terms of the Employment of Educators Act, 1998). It also stress that curriculum delivery is the basic of training in order to effect changes. This study draws a distinction between short courses and workshops, and continuous professional development. Short courses is about training educators for about three to five days and leave the on their own. Continuous professional development means training educators on regular bases with follow ups after thereafter. Finally, principals and School Management Teams should ensure that there school based professional development programmes are established at schools and all educators should participate to ensure appropriate curriculum delivery. / Dissertation (MEd (Leadership))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Education Management and Policy Studies / MEd / unrestricted

The purpose of the study was to investigate individual professional development needs of teachers with the aim of developing guidelines that may assist foundation phase teachers to do individual needs analysis effectively. The main research question was: Which strategies can be used to conduct individual needs analysis effectively among the foundation phase teachers in order to improve their effectiveness? The researcher was guided by the interpretive paradigm which implies that participant’s interpretations, perceptions, meanings and understandings were regarded as primary sources. The qualitative research design was used to obtain participants’ primary data. Interviews and observations were used to collect data and to maximise trustworthiness of the findings. Purposive sampling was used to select key informants who were going to provide rich information to help achieve the objectives of the study. The researcher selected the sample of 10 foundation phase teachers, 5 principals and 5 Development Support Groups attached to primary schools under Imfolozi Circuit. Data analysis was done throughout data collection through open, axial and selective coding. The hierarchical category system illustrated in schematic representation representing the main theme and subthemes was used. The findings suggest that there is a serious gap regarding how individual professional development needs and provision of professional development are concerned. The focus was more on training teachers about the new curriculum leaving behind the individual needs of each teacher. The study identified some inconsistencies and lack of uniformity in the way needs analysis was currently done in schools. The major recommendation of this study is that needs analysis should be integrated within all school activities instead of once a year. There is a need for close monitoring of teacher development in order to improve the current learner performance in schools. The researcher believes the study will assist in understanding, informing and improving teaching practice. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)