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The issue of standards for household latrines is complex because discussions related to standards for latrines in literature from the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector tend to focus on the negative aspects of standards and highlights cases where the miss-application of standards in the past has caused problems. However, despite concerns about the constraints that standards can seemingly impose, there is an acknowledgement that standards can play a more positive role in supporting efforts to increase access to household latrines. The World Health Organisation has long established and widely recognised standards for water supply quality and quantity but there are no equivalent standards for sanitation services and there is currently no guidance that deals with the topic of standards for household latrines. Household latrines are a small component of the wider sanitation system in a country and by considering how standards for household latrines operate within this wider sanitation system the aim of this research is to understand what influences standards can have on household latrines and explore how the negative perceptions about standards and latrine building can be overcome. The development of guidance on how to develop well written standards is the core focus of this research. This research explores the factors that can influence the development and use of a standard for household latrines in Rwanda using three data collection methods. Document analysis using 66 documents, including policies and strategies, design manuals and training guides from 17 countries throughout Sub-Saharan Africa was used in conjunction with the Delphi Method involving an expert panel of 27 from Rwanda and 38 semi-structured interviews. The research concludes that perceptions about standards for household latrines are fragmented and confused with little consensus in Rwanda on what need a standard should meet and what role it should play. The study has found that the need for a standard must be considered in the context of the wider sanitation system otherwise it can lead to duplication of efforts and increased confusion for all stakeholders. The study also found that there is an assumed link between standards and enforcement of standards through regulation and punishments which creates the negative perceptions about standards in Rwanda. However, despite this aversion to standards, there are still intentions to promote the standardisation of latrine technologies and designs, led by national government in Rwanda and in other Sub-Saharan African countries. The contribution to knowledge of this research includes a decision process presented at the end of the study which can be used by decision makers who are interested in developing a standard for household latrines. The decision process acts as a tool for outlining how a standard can operate within the national sanitation system. This understanding provides decision makers with the basis for continuing the debate on what a well written standard looks like in the national context and supports the development of a standard that is fit for purpose and provides a positive contribution to the sector.

In the 1950s and 1960s, after gaining independence from their colonial powers, most developing countries adopted “market substitution” as their policy for economic development and growth. In essence, this was an industrialisation strategy followed by these developing economies to concentrate on home-grown products and nurture their expertise in order to reach the status of industrialised nations. However, by the end of 1970s, many developing countries began to realize the failures of their inward-looking approach to industrialization when their economies were mired with high unemployment, inflation and chronic external debt. By the middle of 1980s, many of these countries began to change their policies and reorient themselves into market economies. However, with financial crises and economic recessions that resulted from pursuing market driven liberalization policies, these economies began to realize the flaws of the market driven approach to industrialization. Nevertheless, they continued with the liberalised policies incorporating market as well as non-market (institutional) reforms, aimed at strengthening regulation, improving corporate governance and curbing corruption to avoid the destabilising consequences of financial liberalization. The evolving economic policies that influenced financial development and growth in developing economies came about with the objective of enhancing household and private sector‘s savings. These policies have been designed to influence financial development and economic growth (which can impact upon private savings) in two different ways: (i) by increasing saving due to households taking precautionary motives, or (ii) negatively by spending more due to increase in overall expenditures. Theoretically, the combined effect on private saving is therefore ambiguous. The purpose of this thesis is to assess empirically the importance of various economic factors influencing private sector savings in emerging market economies. In addition, the influence of non-market institutional factors on savings is explored from the incorporation of newly institutional measures into these countries economic policies. Several econometric methodologies are employed with empirical analysis conducted on data for twenty emerging economies across three primary regions in the world, i.e. Asia Pacific, Middle East and North African (MENA), and South America. The twenty countries also include other emerging economies that are proximate to MENA regions such as South Africa, Turkey and Israel. In general, the findings based on SUR (Seemingly Unrelated Regression) methodology show that per capita growth, financial development, government savings, and trade openness have a positive impact on private savings; while youth and old dependency-age groups, real interest rate, and urban growth have a negative effect on private savings. In general, most of these results are consistent with previous studies for other countries. Additionally, causality tests are conducted using Vector Autoregressive (VAR) methodology as well as Pedroni and Johansen cointegration methods within the Vector Error Correction (VEC) model to determine both short-term and long-term causality effects between financial development and economic growth. The results indicate that in the long run financial development has a causal effect on growth; however, in the short run the results are quite mixed. For example, the short run result using the VAR method shows that income growth has Granger causality effect on financial development, but the F-test result for the VEC method shows evidence of bivariate causality. The long-term causality results also confirm the finding of previous research about the importance of developing financial sector in order to spur the country‘s economic growth. The final empirical investigation is to conduct panel data regression to test the impact of non-market institutions on private savings. The main result here is that sound institutional factors based on respect for property rights (e.g. bureaucracy, accountability and regulation quality) have a positive effect on aggregate private savings. Furthermore, political stability is found to have a negative impact on savings while efficient bureaucracy has a positive impact on savings. It can be construed that with an uncertain political environment, i.e. diminishing political stability, the public in general would save more than spend. On the other hand, efficient bureaucracy would boost public confidence about the country‘s governance, which can lead to increased overall savings by the public.

This study is based on discussions with three focus groups on the issue of individuals' views on environmental responsibility in everyday life. Responsibility is the red thread that emerged from the empirical material from the focus groups and the theoretical framework. The discussions have been focused on whether the problems from household related environmental issues are caused by individual or structural reasons and whether they should be resolved through changes in individuals' behavior or helping structures. Car usage has been a particular focus, since from all household activities that is the one causing the greatest environmental impact (SCB 2015b). Objectively speaking, most participants argued that environmental problems are or should be easy to solve and that the solutions should involve influencing individuals' values ​​and norms, thus referring to internal factors. Based on the individual's own situation, however, most participants indicated mainly external factors as obstacles from living out environmental responsibility in the way that they felt they should. Tendencies of various psychological and sociological defense mechanisms could be distinguished, which is an expected impact of the cognitive dissonance that many apparently are experiencing regarding environmental responsibility. Working for enabling structures is an important conclusion from this study. Regarding the car's role it is likely that it is about finding more ways of helping individuals to change their travel mode since the environmental impact of car usage is something that most people are aware of, but feel unable to change. Solutions must therefore involve external factors. / Denna uppsats bygger på samtal med tre fokusgrupper i frågan om individers syn på miljöansvar i vardagen. Ansvar är den röda tråd som vuxit fram mellan det empiriska materialet från fokusgrupperna och det teoretiska ramverket. Det har handlat om huruvida problem kopplade till hushållsrelaterade miljöfrågor är orsakade av individuella eller strukturella anledningar och om de bör lösas genom förändringar i individers beteenden eller hjälpande strukturer. Bilanvändningen har getts ett särskilt fokus, då det av hushållens olika aktiviteter är den som orsakar allra störst miljöpåverkan (SCB 2015b). Rent objektivt konstaterade de flesta deltagarna att miljöproblem är eller borde vara enkla att lösa, att lösningarna handlar om att påverka individers värderingar och normer, alltså inre faktorer. Utifrån individernas egen situation angavs dock främst yttre faktorer som hinder från att leva ut det miljöansvar på de sätt som de kände att de borde. Tendenser till olika psykologiska och sociologiska försvarsmekanismer kunde skönjas, vilka är väntade effekter av den kognitiva dissonans som många tycks uppleva i fråga om miljöansvar. Att arbeta för möjliggörande strukturer är därför en viktig slutsats. Gällande bilens roll, kan förmodas att det även här handlar om att hitta fler hjälpande sätt för individer att ändra färdsätt, då miljöeffekterna av bilanvändningen är något som de flesta är medvetna om men själva känner sig oförmögna att förändra. Lösningarna måste därför handla om yttre faktorer. / <p>Alternativ svensk titel:</p><p>Ingen kan inte göra allt, men alla kan göra något? - En komparativ studie om hur individer resonerar kring miljöansvar i vardagen</p>

The main objective of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of the strategies employed by the City of Harare in household solid waste management. To achieve these, structured questionnaires, interviews, observations and focus group discussions were employed in data gathering together with secondary data. The study was conducted in Harare’s low, medium and high density income suburbs. Findings revealed that organic solid waste constituted the largest proportion of waste generated in Harare and other forms are also generated yet their collection is very minimal. Residents resort to illegal night dumping, resulting in the proliferation of associated diseases. In light of these findings, it was recommended that waste collection entities be capacitated, people be educated on waste recycling, reduction and reusing. A commission was to be put in place to ensure proper enforcement of waste legislation, effective and sustainable day in running of household solid waste management in the city / Environmental Sciences / M.Sc. (Environmental Management)

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Achieving food security and reducing hunger requires comprehensive measurement for proper identification of the food insecure, the severity of food insecurity, its causes, and progress in reducing food insecurity. Measuring food security is challenging due to its multidimensional nature as all four dimensions (availability, access, utilisation, and stability) need to be achieved simultaneously. Comprehensive measurement has not been achieved as most existing indicators have a unidimensional focus and efforts to find a ‘composite indicator’ (a catch all measurement tool) have thus far been unsuccessful. This study therefore identified how the three most widely used indicators of food security, the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS), Dietary Diversity Score (DDS) and the Coping Strategies Index (CSI), can complement one other in capturing the multiple dimensions of food security. The study brought them together in one cross-sectional household survey of 409 randomly selected households in Taraba State, Nigeria. The results show that 69 percent of households in Taraba had a very low food security status, 23 percent had low food security, and 8 percent had high or marginal food security. About 34 percent of the households used very erosive coping strategies. Very low food security status was found to be associated with: a household head who is a farmer, less educated, or divorced; low household income and expenditure; large household size; and not owning large plots of land. The survey revealed that most households that obtain the greater proportion of their food from own production, and spend most of their income on the purchase of starchy staples were in the very low food security category. Those that sourced their food mainly through purchase, and spent more on fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, fish, eggs, and processed foods were in the high or marginal food security category. The study showed that the key indicators followed a clear complementary pattern. The bivariate analysis showed a significant difference (P<0.01) in DDS and CSI across HFIAS categories. The HFIAS very low food security category is characterised by the lowest food diversity and highest CSI, revealing that the depth of food insecurity is intense among the extreme group. The study demonstrated that these three indicators can be used together for a fuller understanding of the relationships between the different dimensions of food security, and recommended more studies in using complementary indicators to measure food security. This thesis is presented as the two academic articles option: the first article reviews the measurement of food security and complementarity of the three measures, while the second article discusses the findings of the survey. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die bereiking van voedselsekerheid en die bekamping van hongersnood vereis omvattende meting vir die korrekte identifikasie van voedselonsekerheid, die erns daarvan, die oorsake daarvan, en die proses van voedselonsekerheidvermindering. Die meting van voedselsekerheid is ʼn uitdaging as gevolg van die multidimensionele aard daarvan, aangesien die onderskeie dimensies (beskikbaarheid, toegang, benutting, en stabiliteit) tegelyktydig bereik moet word. Omvattende meting is nog nie bereik nie, aangesien bestaande aanwysers ʼn eendimensionele fokus het, en aangesien pogings om ʼn ‘saamgestelde aanwyser’ (‘n allesomvattende metingsinstrument) te vind, tot dusver onsuksesvol was. Hierdie studie het dus geïdentifiseer hoe die drie mees algemene aanwysers vir voedselsekerheid, naamlik die Huishoudelike Voedselonsekerheid Toegangskaal (HFIAS), die Dieetkundige Diversiteitstelling (DDS) en die Hanteringstrategieë Indeks (CSI), mekaar kan aanvul om die verskeie dimensies van voedselsekuriteit vas te vang. Die studie het die bogenoemde instrumente saam geïmplementeer in ʼn deursnee-huishoudelike opname van 409 ewekansig-geselekteerde huishoudings in Taraba Staat, Nigerië. Die resultate het 69 persent van huishoudings in Taraba met ‘n baie lae voedselsekerheid-status getoon, 23 persent met ʼn lae voedselsekerheid-status, en 8 persent met ʼn hoë of geringe voedselsekerheid-status. Ongeveer 34 persent van die huishoudings het baie verwerende hanteringsstrategieë gebruik. Baie lae voedselsekerheid-status is bevind om meer geassosieer te word met: ʼn huishoudelike hoof wat ʼn boer is, minder opgevoed is, of geskei is; waar daar lae huishoudelike inkomste en uitgawes teenwoordig is; ʼn groot huishoudelike grootte; en die nie-besitting van eiendom. Die opname het geopenbaar dat die meeste huishoudings wat die grootter proporsie van hulle voedsel vanaf eie produksie verkry, en die meeste van hulle inkomste op die aankoop van styselagtige stapelvoedsel spandeer, in die baie lae voedselsekerheid-kategorie geval het. Diegene wat hulle voedsel hoofsaaklik deur aankope verkry het, en meer spandeer het op vars vrugte, groente, vleis, vis, eiers en geprosesseerde kosse, was in die hoë/ geringe voedselsekerheid kategorie. Die studie het bevind dat die sleutelaanwysers ʼn duidelike aanvullende patroon gevolg het. Die tweeveranderlike ontleding het ʼn beduidende verskil (P<0.01) in DDS en CSI oor HFIAS-kategorieë getoon. Die HIFIAS baie lae voedselsekerheidkategorie word gekenmerk deur die laagste voedseldiversiteit en hoogste CSI, wat openbaar dat die diepte van voedselonsekerheid intensief is onder die uiterste groep. Die studie het gedemonstreer dat hierdie drie aanwysers saam gebruik kan word om ʼn beter begrip van die verhoudings tussen die verskillende dimensies van voedselsekuriteit te verkry, en daar is aanbeveel dat meer navorsing onderneem word aangaande die gebruik van aanvullende aanwysers om voedselsekuriteit te meet. Hierdie tesis word aangebied as die twee-akademiese-artikels opsie: die eerste artikel bied ʼn oorsig van die meting van voedselsekerheid en die aanvullendheid van die drie instrumente, terwyl die tweede artikel die bevindinge van die studie bespreek.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: China are one the fastest growing major markets in the world. Since joining the World Trade Organisation in 2002 China is officially open for business to the rest of the world. China is both a very lucrative market and a dangerous market to enter for various reasons. Trade fairs are an age old tradition in China and are still a very effective and widely used medium of trade in China. To the new entrant to the market, the trade fair offers a very effective and relatively inexpensive way for promoting your product to a wide and interested audience. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: China is een van die snel groeiende ekonomieë in die wêreld. Sedert sy aansluiting by die Wêreld Handelsorganisasie in 2002 is China amptelik oop vir besigheid vir die res van die wêreld. Om verskeie redes is China 'n baie winsgewende sowel as 'n gevaarlike mark om te betree. Handelskoue is 'n eeue ou tradisie in China en is steeds 'n algemene en baie effektiewe vorm van handel dryf. Vir die nuwe toetreder tot die mark bied die handelskou 'n relatiewe goedkoop manier om sy produk aan 'n wye gehoor bekend te stel.

In the waste management system of Peru, there is a lot to fix, change and improve from households areas. In this report is presented why and how necessary is the construction of landfills to have an appropriate place to dispose the waste of the collection .At the same time, the report shows how profitable can be from social, economic and ecologic way, with the investment of treatment plants that use biogas from the landfills to produce energy. Differents solutions – vehicle fuel production, electricity generation etc – are discussed in light of the different economy, geography and social situation in three selected cases.

We examine the existence of dividend clienteles in Sweden using a unique dataset containing yearly information on age, gender, income and portfolio composition of about 200 000 Swedish stockholders. The data covers the years between 2005 and 2010. More specifically, we investigate whether investor preferences for dividends differ depending on their age or income. Furthermore, we seek to establish if there are any differences in performance, based on abnormal return, between investors with different dividend yields. We find that age clienteles exist in Sweden; older investors hold stocks with higher dividend yields and invest a larger portion of their portfolio in dividend paying stocks than younger investors. We do not find support for the existence of income clienteles; low-income investors tend to invest in stocks with a higher dividend yield than high-income investors. However, we find that different income groups hold about the same portfolio weight in dividend paying stocks. Overall, we find no significant differences in performance within or between various age or income groups. The main finding of this paper is the identification of age clienteles in Sweden.

In the face of high population growth and declining natural resource base, tackling rural poverty necessitates an increase in overall factor productivity or a rise in the market rate of return of assets possessed by the poor. Towards achieving these objectives, the role of spatial integration of markets and the efficiency with which these markets operate are considerably important, as these factors shape the structure of incentives and the level of opportunities open to the rural poor. As a result, factors that hinder the spatial integration of markets and their efficient operation will have significant impact on rural poverty. In Ethiopia markets are often segmented mainly due to high transport cost associated with poor road infrastructure. The existing poor quality and low road density are expected to contribute to rural poverty through limiting the size of the market, increasing market risk (price volatility), widening the spatial prices gaps, reducing the market return to land and labour, inflating the profitability of new technologies and reducing the incentive to produce for market. This research endeavours to empirically substantiate if there is a robust link between farm income and the quality of road infrastructure farm households have access to as well as the pathways through which the effects of road on rural income are felt. The empirical result consistently showed that improving rural road access will have significant impact on rural income in general and the income of the poor in particular. The mechanisms by which road boosts rural income and reduce poverty are also found to work through narrowing down spatial price gaps, promoting technology adoption, boosting resource allocation efficiency and raising the market return to land and labour. The result also showed that the rural poor benefits from road induced income growth.