published_or_final_version / Housing Management / Master / Master of Housing Management

published_or_final_version / Housing Management / Master / Master of Housing Management

published_or_final_version / Housing Management / Master / Master of Housing Management

published_or_final_version / Housing Management / Master / Master of Housing Management

The primary objective of this dissertation is to assess the impact of regulation on the asset management industry. The secondary aims of the study are to investigate whether the South African asset management industry regulation is aligned towards creating an enabling economic environment, analyse the regulatory regime affecting the asset management industry and provide recommendations regarding the strategies that may be adopted by asset managers, in order to effectively and efficiently comply with existing and new regulations. A quantitative research methodology was adopted. A survey was conducted by means of questionnaire design. The questionnaire was administered to a sample of asset management companies registered with the Financial Services Board. Through empirical research the researcher gained in-depth knowledge regarding the impact of regulation on the asset management industry. There is an appreciation of the economic importance of the asset management industry, as a creator of employment and its effect on the growth and development of the South African economy in general. The regulation of the asset management industry contributes towards an enabling economic environment and development of the industry. The rationale and objectives of regulation of the asset management industry, as it pertains to systematic issues associated with externalities, market imperfections and failures, economies of scale in monitoring, consumer confidence and the consumer demand for regulation, would seem to justify the existence and development of compliance requirements. Regulation must however balance the goals of competition and efficiency versus safety and soundness. The current regulatory universe applicable to the asset management industry is justifiable, beneficial and is achieving the intended objectives. The rapid changes in regulation and costs of regulation of the asset management industry, which entails utilisation of resources such as personnel, time and systems required and limitation on investment freedom and creativity, remain the cause for concern. However based on the outcomes of the research, there is adequate evidence to suggest that the benefits of regulation of the asset management industry outweigh the costs thereof. The outcomes of the research suggest that under the new paradigm, success will be determined by how asset managers can solve several key challenges such as enhancing operational efficiency, complying with the complex and rapidly changing regulatory environment and meeting the changing customer expectations. The new era of compliance will force asset managers to focus on an enterprise-wide integration of business strategy and not simply short-term tactical solutions. For asset managers that effectively meet the challenge of the changing regulatory environment, substantial investments in infrastructure or data architecture and implementation of an enhanced operating model will provide opportunities to enhance profitability and ensure growth. / Economics / M. Com.

Reported is an exploratory study of problems and conditions within the organizational work context that influence posttraining use of training outcomes. Training is widely perceived and supported as an effective means for facilitating planned change in organizational performance. Little empirical evidence is available to support such supposition. Of the several studies of training impact, few have focused on why training does or does not produce behavioral change back on-the-job. Accordingly, training management is often incomplete and ineffective. This study employed a questionnaire methodology, directed to a national sample of 391 local, county, and state law enforcement personnel who graduated from a two-week accident investigation training program. Questions elicited ratings on 29 problem/conditions hypothesized within the literature as influential to organizational work behavior. A Likert type scale was used to rate the perceived influence of each problem/condition on the application of specific training outcomes during investigation of a recent most serious accident. An index was used to measure level of training use. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Scheffe's comparisons test, and multiple regression analysis were used to answer study questions. Problem/conditions identified by more than 30% of the respondents as a Moderate or Major impediment to their use of training outcomes were: lack of rewards or incentives to conduct thorough investigations or to use knowledge and skill acquired through training; lack of time to apply investigative techniques by training; lack of resources and equipment necessary to apply training; lack of follow through by agency decision makers to see that training was put into use; and, lack of communication from top administrators indicating how the training was to be used. Isolated as predictors of training use were: the relative seriousness of the situational context within which training was applied; the trainee's opinion of the course; level of specialized training received; relative frequency of investigative assignment; and, level of conflict perceived to exist between behaviors specified by training and agency standard operating procedures. / Ed. D.

published_or_final_version / Housing Management / Master / Master of Housing Management

No abstract available. / Thesis (LL.M.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2006.

Tropical deforestation is singled out as one of the more critical issues facing African countries during the last few decades. In discussing causes of forest depletion, local farmers are often the first to be identified. However, these local farmers have been living in legal, political, social, and economic environments that have had tremendous effects on the system of natural resources management in Africa as well as elsewhere in the tropics.This research project was designed to generate testable hypotheses evaluating the effectiveness of forest policies dating from 1985 in Francophone West Africa including Mali., Senegal, Niger, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire, Benin, and Togo. Since 1985, because of factors such as the droughts of the 1970s and the 1980s, the growing pressure of humans on forest resources, the failure of six decades of centralized forest management policies, and the influence of the international community, national authorities have undertaken a series of reforms of their forest policies to adopt a decentralized management of forest resources. This decentralized forest management policy is aimed at involving local people in the development and the management of their forest resources, promoting local governance, increasing revenues, and achieving sustainable forest management. The actual situation is that new policies have been or are being implemented throughout the region, but until now an inability to evaluate their effectiveness for sustainable forest management exists. The purpose of this research was to identify ways to overcome this problem.The research was limited to reviewing written information on forest policies and legislation, conventions and programs that are related to forest management, to interviewing knowledgeable persons based in Washington, DC, who are interested in forest policy in Africa, and to personal and professional observations in the United States and in Africa. From the review and interviews, a conceptual analysis of key components of forest policies was made to highlight their meanings and usefulness in evaluating decentralized forest management policy. This analysis led to the formulation of hypotheses about decentralized forest management and the enumeration of criteria and indicators of sustainable forest management to measure the effectiveness of new forest policies dating from 1985 in Francophone West Africa. / Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management

Text in English / Lebowakgomo congregation is situated in the Northern Province the growth point of former Lebowa Government The study was based on the understanding the procedures and processes which were followed when legitimising the congregational secession . Secession is an act to withdraw formally from a union, especially from a religious organisation. The secession of Lebowakgomo congregation from Lerato congregation took a decade before it was implemented. The secession was delayed by technical problems such as the expulsion of the minister, the death of an eider's son, the arrival of three ministers and various interpretations of the Church Order. The Process of secession was affected by the legacy of change within the community. That is, the idea of secession was introduced to the congregation by the minister in trying to curb congregation administration problems. This process could not take off because some of the congregants had not fully conceptualised the idea. The process of secession ended into conflicts of ideology and also in the interpretation of the Church Order of which lead to additional attitudinal developments within the management structures of the NGKA. The church council of Lebowakgomo also developed an attitude against the Synodical commission which lead to the involvement of the court of law as an arbitrator. The hypothesis tested in this thesis is: "Is Lebowakgomo congregation a legitimate congregation within the structures of the NGKA?" Lebowakgomo congregation is the first to challenge a decision made by the Synod. It is the first to demand its rights through the court of law. This was a drastic change with regard to the Church history of the NGKA. Thus, this study has traced the development of Lebowakgomo secession until it was legitimised by the court of law. The main thrust of this study was to provide academic reasoning to the following questions, Is secession legitimised after being approved by: - the Church council? - the Presbytery council? - after a secession ceremony was held? - after registration by the Synodical commission secretary? - after being published in the Church news paper? The positive ruling by the court of law in legitimising Lebowakgomo congregation within the structures of the NGKA, was noted in spite of dissatisfaction expressed by some church structures and church management. This clearly indicated that the role of church managers in a changing society is one in constant metamorphosis with regard to reconstructing and developing church organisation and management. / Church History / Th. M. (Church History)