This study examined the impact of in attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in developing economies. ‘Institutional Advancement ‘is defined as the degree to which a host country's institutional environment matches the standards well-established in developed market economies. The World Governance Indicators developed by the World Bank were used as a measure to determine Institutional Advancement. The developing and developed economies were compared to determine whether Institutional Advancement had the same effect in attracting FDI in different economies. An additional variable, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was introduced to investigate whether the state of the economy in each of the economy types also impacted on inward FDI. Data was collected from 2000 to 2009, however the analysis was done from 2002 due to the absence of a report on the World Governance Indicators in 2001. The results show that the World Governance Indicators did not present significant evidence that they impacted in attracting FDI in developing economies. GDP appeared to be a better predictor of FDI inflows than the World Governance Indicators in developing economies. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

This study examined the characteristics and predictors of Millennial alumni who donated financially to their alma mater and those who did not by reviewing data from the Alumni Attitude Survey (AAS). The data set was composed of 2,108 Millennial respondents and 1,110 as Generation X respondents. This study can help university foundation and alumni association staff members to determine why their donors, specifically Millennial alumni, give to their institution and how to be more effective in requesting for a financial donation from them. Generating consistent support from alumni and other donors is an economic necessity for postsecondary institutions. As current students graduate, institutions need to know how they can entice these alumni to provide financial support. This dissertation fills the gap in the literature by providing new research on the effect Millennial student involvement has on the likelihood they will become donors to their alma mater. This dissertation used Astin's (1984) involvement theory as a foundation for the research. The connection that alumni have with their alma maters and the outcome of donations after graduation may stem from the connections that these alumni established while involved in activities as undergraduates. Astin's involvement theory provides some insights into identifying the experiences that help to inspire alumni to donate financially and helps institutions identify and devise new ways of using these experiences to help increase donations. The positive emotional experiences from undergraduate involvement may be motivation to donate to one's alma mater. This study identified the involvement characteristics of undergraduate Millennial alumni donors, the differences between these donors and nondonors, and predictors of undergraduate Millennial alumni donor behavior. This study focused on the potential relationship between involvement and student satisfaction and subsequently, found statistically significant variables that influenced Millennial alumni to donate to their alma mater. Specifically, Millennial alumni who were involved in organizations that relate to peer involvement; such as fraternity/sorority involvement, participation in intramural athletics, community service, residence halls participation, and the alma mater providing or encouraging relationships with other students, encouraging the attendance at athletic events, providing student leadership opportunities and providing opportunities to interact with alumni relate to one donating to their alma mater. These variables were statistically significant, but they were also practically significant, meaning that the findings do make a difference in helping to identify factors that lead to Millennial alumni to donate to their alma mater. The findings in this dissertation reiterate the importance of student engagement on the campus. An institution's faculty and staff involvement with undergraduates, specifically those staff who work directly with student organizations, are vital for student engagement that lead to graduation and future donations as an alumnus.

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to investigate the motivational factors that lead to faculty giving to their employing institutions. Giving practices in relation to the life experiences and independent influences of faculty members who were employed at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) were examined. In addition this study contributes to the limited amount of literature provided on HBCUs institutional advancement offices as well as the effectiveness of their solicitation efforts as perceived by faculty members employed at the colleges and universities. Three research questions were considered in this study. First, what life experiences contribute to the predisposition of faculty donors in giving to their institutions? Second, what intrinsic motivational elements influence faculty donors to give to their employing institutions? Third, how are the strategies used to solicit funding from faculty related to giving? Basic interpretive qualitative methodology was used to analyze the data gathered from the research participants. In-depth interviews were conducted with seven faculty members employed at HBCUs in the southern region of the United States. It was determined that faculty members attribute their giving practices to many of their life experiences. Religious involvement, childhood experiences, and family history, were all discussed by faculty members as being instrumental to their giving habits. Participants also discussed the sense of community that is established at HBCUs as being inspirational in determining whether or not they gave of their time, talent, or financial resources. Responses to open-ended questions about the effectiveness of institutional advancement offices provided additional qualitative data that could be used by HBCUs to increase the amount of annual giving to the university.

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The purpose of this study was to determine what institutional advancement processes are currently operating in a sample of Southern Baptist 4-year colleges and universities ("what is") and how these processes compare with Wesley K. Willmer's model of an effective small college institutional advancement program ("what ought to be"). An overview of advancement literature suggested that Willmer had developed the best model of an effective, small college advancement program. Willmer's model consisted of five benchmarks which focused on the following: institutional commitment, authority and organizational structure, personnel resources, advancement activities and functions, and evaluation. Willmer developed the model based on his review of advancement literature and results from a survey he sent to 191 small colleges as part of his 1980 dissertation. The same survey instrument, with slight revisions, was subsequently mailed to more than 650 small colleges over a seven year period and through a series of three studies in 1985, 1989, and 1992.