Fundamental issues of natural resource management revolve around diverse worldviews, knowledges and practices, which cannot all be captured within the policy framework. The Western worldview, which reflects mainly the utilitarian, economistic view of resources, has influenced and shaped the trend management of natural resources has taken world-wide. The Western worldview contrasts with local knowledges, which are uniquely innovative, highly dynamic, tacit, contextual and/or locality-specific. This thesis explores the fuelwood problem in Nyando Division of Kisumu District in Kenya, seeking both a holistic understanding and an emphasis on the interface between official policy and local rural practice, including the varying knowledges. The study focused on two case study clans, Muga and Kadhier in Awasi and Kochogo Locations, respectively. Most fuelwood in the study areas is from on-farm and multiple accessible sources. This contradicts the 'fuelwood orthodoxy' school which associates fuelwood consumption with deforestation and 'woodfuel crisis'. Aerospace imageries clearly illustrated a change and decline in stand density of the woody vegetation cover in Nyando Division over time. Differences in fuelwood availability and inequalities in endowment of wood/tree resources in and between the study localities exemplify critical questions of entitlement in the face of 'abundance'. Tree planting was not seen to be synonymous with fuelwood availability. This scenario promotes the fuelwood trade, high dependence on fuelwood purchase and supplements of crop residues by local households. Land privatisation has exacerbated the situation. Distances travelled to collect fuelwood have decreased as people turn to alternative and purchased fuels. Opportunities in the study area for the resolution of the fuelwood problem include promotion of less culturally restricted and less economically valuable trees, and a more farmer-sensitive approach from government and NGOs which recognises farmers as active partners in the interface between policy and rural practice.

A mathematical model is presented for growth and yield of Cupressus lusitanica, Pinus radiata and Pinus patula growing in the highlands of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Malawi, based on permanent sample plot data. Stand dominant height is predicted by a log/reciprocal function of age and site Index. Initial diameter distributions are predicted by spacing at a dominant height of 7 metres and generated by a Weibull function. The diameter distribution of stems is simulated by a vector of 10 cumulative percentiles which are incremented over each growth period by a function based on relative basal area, dominant height, and tree dominance. Relative basal area is defined in terms of maximum basal area, which. itself is modelled by a Chapman-Richards function in terms of dominant height. Dominance is defined as the ratio of tree diameter to stand dominant diameter. Thinnings are simulated by a novel and efficient algorithm that takes some trees from all size classes but is biassed to the smaller stems, although the degree of bias varies with thinning intensity. Tree volumes are determined by a new tree taper function using a quadratic/cosine model of relative height and relative sectional area. An algorithm is presented based on the taper function for subdividing stand volume into classes determined by log diameter and length. Validation of the model showed that diameter increment and height prediction, as well as the thinning routine were very accurate over a wide range of stand conditions; but the taper function was biassed towards underestimation of larger sizes and required re-fitting by a suitable method of weighting, whilst the initial distribution estimation required an additional variable to account for some of the variation occurring in practice. Two computer programs and a subroutine library are presented in the Appendix. VYTL-2 is a program to produce variable yield tables; whilst PYMOD is a forecasting program for multicompartment forests.

Please read the abstract in the section, 00front of this document. / Thesis (DPhil)--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Communication Management / DPhil / Unrestricted

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Business Administration, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for Degree of Master of Management. / The concept of storytelling and management / organisation throughout the World has been intensively researched in recent years. For instance, Blunt and Jones, 1991; Lessem, 1989, 1993, 1994; Christie, 1993; Chown, 1994; Mbigi, 1993; Zemke, 1990; O'Reilly. 1985; Wilkins, 1984 and many more, have made a significant contribution towards storytelling and management. This report was aimed at providing a partial answer to the following question: "At the level of management style or in their technique, are South African managers inspired storytellers or detached analysts?" The fundamental aim was to establish whether storytelling forms an important part of the South African manager' s leadership repertoire. In conjunction with this aim, the proposition made by Lessem (1994) that storytelling competence is an important subset of communal management, was tested. Propositions for this research were as follows: Storytelling is an important competency for South African managers. • Storytelling is used consciously by South African managers to achieve specific aims. • South African managers can identify the characteristics of good, healthy stories and good storytellers in organisations. • South African managers can identify specific examples ·of stories used in their own organisations. • South African managers can identify other managers who use storytelling as part of their leadership repertoire. The research was confined to organisations operating within the PWV boundaries. the method of "snowball" sampling was utilised to collect the data, whereby telephonic contact was made with individual members of' executive teams in organisations. These individual managers were asked if they could identify any persons within the executive team whom they would characterise as using stories as part of their leadership repertoire. (Abbreviation abstract) / Andrew Chakane 2019

More than 80 per cent of wastewater from human activities is discharged into the rivers or sea without any pollution removal, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to halve this proportion and increase recycling and reuse globally by 2030. Treatment plants in Sub-Saharan Africa often fail due to lack of operating funds, poor regulation and poor design that does not take into account human factors. The failure of treatment plants can also be put down partly to the funding structures for management, which are often dependent on the disposal tariffs charged. Without sufficient regulation and enforcement, which is often lacking in Sub-Saharan Africa, this often leads to illegal disposal of faecal sludge. Due to the nutrient content and energy potential of wastewater, there is increasing focus on reuse of faecal sludge in ways that can contribute funds for maintenance and incentivise good management of treatment facilities. This research investigates potential designs for the re-use of faecal sludge in small cities in Sub-Saharan Africa to ensure proper treatment. Conducting two case studies using qualitative and quantitative methods, the research looks at the potential for re-use to be scaled up in Sunyani, Ghana and Mzuzu, Malawi, and whether different designs can ensure good management. Building upon the research investigation into how previous designs have failed in case studies, the research also investigates the use of agent-based modelling (ABM) as a modelling approach to explore social and technical aspects of sanitation systems to predict how different designs and management approaches can work. In Sunyani, biogas was the most acceptable option to customers whilst also providing a good business model to fund faecal sludge treatment, either as a decentralised system at public toilets where the fresh sludge is better for biogas production, or centrally at the existing disposal site. The success of biogas as a model that can fund maintenance and ensure good management would depend on the faecal sludge quality of public toilet sludge in the city and the investment level required and how any operating approach would work between the government and private sector. In Mzuzu, two main approaches to faecal sludge re-use exist currently: the implementation of Skyloos as above ground household toilets which provide compost, and a central disposal site from which compost is illegally harvested. At disposal, farmers remove sludge from the ponds and apply it untreated directly onto agricultural land. At times, private sector emptying services do not use the ponds, but also apply untreated sludge to agricultural land. Skyloos were found to have varying levels of success from different Non- Governmental Organisation (NGO) projects, with key sustainability issues being the availability of financing mechanisms, management between landlords and tenants and the trust of and engagement with implementing organisations. Existing approaches to waste management and re-use were found to be inaccessible and not working when implemented for the poorest and people with disabilities. Adopting re-use of faecal sludge in agriculture in Malawi would require improved marketing of sanitation options, financing options for households to incentivize adopting the technology, not targeting to poorest households and people with disabilities, and an improved management model for the treatment site to ensure safe disposal and production of compost. Looking at ABM as a way of modelling faecal sludge treatment systems in Sub- Saharan Africa, two models of different approaches in Mzuzu were developed to look at scaling up Skyloo toilets and managing the treatment plant. Both models demonstrate the potential of ABM to incorporate social and technical aspects into predicting the performance of different designs and approaches. The success and use of modelling depends on the quality of data that can be collected before implementing system approaches. Overall the thesis presents different models of treatment and re-use that can work and contribute to operating and maintenance of systems. It is unlikely that any design system will be so profitable that the treatment and re-use of sludge will be able to ensure good management without regulation, so the success of designs depends on relationships between the government and private sector and households in small cities.

South Africa‟s participation in international peace missions is guided by the White Paper of 1998 and premised specifically on the country‟s foreign policy objectives based on its vision of “a better South Africa, a better Africa and a better world”. South Africa recognises itself as an integral part of the African continent and therefore sees its national interests as being intrinsically linked to Africa‟s stability, unity and prosperity. Since 1994, South Africa has placed itself at the forefront of Africa's peace and security endeavours, trying to transform itself from international villain during apartheid years to Pan-Africanist peacemaker. The country has played an instrumental role in both shaping and setting the normative agenda of the African Union and Southern African Development Community. South Africa‟s participation in conflict resolution and peace missions in Africa is informed by an understanding of the nexus that exists between peace, security and sustainable development. This research focuses on South Africa‟s diplomatic and peacekeeping engagement in Lesotho, covering the constitutional and electoral crises from 1994 - 2015 constitutional crisis. The author shows the importance and way forward to resolve conflicts before they become escalated and deadly. The study calls for a „timely‟ reaction to disputes and conflicts on the African continent via preventive diplomacy, conflict provention and addressing of underlying issues that give rise to disputes and conflict.

This study covers an investigation into project management best practices in Southern Africa. The purpose of the research was to determine which of the current accepted project management tools and techniques are seen as critical in the region. It also focuses on determining any external or internal factors that hamper effective development of project management in the Southern African region. The study further tries to determine whether there are any noticeable differences between accepted project management practices in the developed world and practices used in the region. The study was conducted using a survey with a mix of open and scaled questions and was sent out to a number of companies selected because they employ established project managers. A total number of 400 questionnaires were sent out and 42 completed questionnaires were received from respondents. The study found that there are no significant differences between the techniques used for project management in Southern Africa and techniques used in the rest of the world. There are, however, several factors influencing project management development in the region that are unique to the region including a severe shortage of skilled people and infrastructure problems. There is also a lack of knowledge about project management practices amongst respondents and amongst other members of their organizations including senior management. This lack of knowledge combined with the shortage of skilled people can result in serious problems with the execution and management of projects in the Southern African region. / Graduate School of Business Leadership / MBL

This study covers an investigation into project management best practices in Southern Africa. The purpose of the research was to determine which of the current accepted project management tools and techniques are seen as critical in the region. It also focuses on determining any external or internal factors that hamper effective development of project management in the Southern African region. The study further tries to determine whether there are any noticeable differences between accepted project management practices in the developed world and practices used in the region. The study was conducted using a survey with a mix of open and scaled questions and was sent out to a number of companies selected because they employ established project managers. A total number of 400 questionnaires were sent out and 42 completed questionnaires were received from respondents. The study found that there are no significant differences between the techniques used for project management in Southern Africa and techniques used in the rest of the world. There are, however, several factors influencing project management development in the region that are unique to the region including a severe shortage of skilled people and infrastructure problems. There is also a lack of knowledge about project management practices amongst respondents and amongst other members of their organizations including senior management. This lack of knowledge combined with the shortage of skilled people can result in serious problems with the execution and management of projects in the Southern African region. / Graduate School of Business Leadership / MBL

Thesis (M.A. in International Security and Civil-Military Relations)--Naval Postgraduate School, March 2003. / Thesis advisor(s): Letitia Lawson, Jeff Knopf. Includes bibliographical references. Also available online.

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