The approach to development finance and sound financial policies are crucial aspects that impact on the success of any development finance institution (DFI). The success of a DFI is measured on the basis of its ability to operate with as little financial dependency on external sources or none at all. Other key factors are the ability to carry out its mandate and objectives, as well as to meet expectations of the community it is supposed to serve. International best practices in rural finance are known to ensure sustainability of organisations. Institutions that have proved to be successful have become reference points in terms of best practice. The legacy of such institutions and the examples they have set can be useful in developing frameworks for restructuring DFIs. Through reference to literature on the justification for restructuring a DFI, it can be determined and confirmed whether it is indeed necessary for any institution to undergo restructuring. The restructuring framework and the international best practices can be used to perform a gap analysis for the purpose of identifying the shortfalls in the restructuring of an institution. Given the context within which an institution operates, that is, the environment, socio-economic aspects and the historical background, a gap analysis can be performed as a way of benchmarking the targeted institution with best practice institutions. In the event that the synthesis of the gap analysis reveals that the current restructuring processes within an institution need tightening, completely new strategies need to put in place. Recommendations can be based on the strategies of best practice institutions and the policies of the new approach to development finance, as well as Kotter’s (1995) guidelines on transformation, as quoted by Coetzee (2002). This study will contribute to the restructuring and transformation of DFIs by proposing strategies that the Mpumalanga Agricultural Development Corporation (MADC) can use to achieve its objective of becoming a self-sufficient institution. Where restructuring has already begun in the MADC, this study attempts to identify those areas with gaps and recommend strategies that can be put in place. In its endeavour to asses the gaps in MADC’s approach to development finance, it was found that the MADC had weak strategies with regards to products and services offered, capitalization, governance, measurement and reporting as well as human resources. In order to close the gaps identified, recommendations to make up for the specific gaps were made based on what proved to work for best practise institutions. By accepting the findings of this study and implementing the proposals outlined here, it is envisaged that the MADC will be able to review the strategies that were established and implemented after embarking on a restructuring process. / Dissertation (M Inst Agrar (Agricultural Economics))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development / M.Inst.Agrar / unrestricted

Includes bibliographical references. / In this thesis, the energy sector of the Central Africa region is investigated with a special attention to Zaire. The region's political trends, economic performance, demographic and social patterns as well as their implications in the development of the energy sector are presented. For each country of the region the resource potential and the ability to produce, distribute and use these energy resources, are analyzed. The potential for the development of energy resources of the region is examined and its future energy demand forecast. The scope for energy interchange inside and outside the region is analyzed and regional integration in the energy sector discussed. The findings of this thesis are: * there is an abundance of energy resources though not evenly distributed throughout the region, * there is a heavy reliance on woodfuel, and * there are many problems constraining the development of the energy sector. The principal issues facing the energy sector are: *the shortage of woodfuel due to the non-sustainability of supply, *the low reliability of power supply and the existence of surplus capacity in some countries, *the high supply cost of petroleum products, *the limited size of the local commercial fuel market and the lack of finance to develop domestic energy resources, *the low level of management and financial autonomy for energy utilities, *the lack of energy trade because of political instability, and institutional shortcomings. Forecasts of future energy consumption in the region indicate that woodfuel will continue to be the dominant energy form, followed by oil and electricity, and that electricity will play an increasing role. Recommendations for the woodfuel subsector relates to improving the production and utilization efficiency - valid also for the other energy carriers, increasing the supply through reforestation programmes and accelerating electrification. Other recommendations to improve the development of the energy sector include: * recovering energy supply cost through adequate pricing and improved collection practices, * reducing government interference and introducing private participation in the energy sector with the subsequent benefit of the transfer of new technology and managerial competence, and * strengthening energy institutions to enable them to improve planning, implementations, operations, and ensure the integration of traditional and commercial energy structures . The possibilities of energy interchange are large for oil and electricity, and energy trade could improve energy utilization, lower supply costs, etc. Under prevailing socio-economic conditions, regional integration is thought to be the only realistic strategy leading to the economic exploitation of energy resources and the adequate supply of energy to support industrial development of the region and to meet the social needs of its people. In this connection, major efforts should be directed towards the establishment of appropriate regional energy institutions, but political stability is a prerequisite to any effective energy integration.

This dissertation examined the student discipline policies of 1,025 Texas school districts, as well as data from the Texas Education Agency’s Academic Excellence Indicator System in order to identify demographic patterns regarding corporal punishment policies in Texas schools. the study also studied the relationship between a district’s corporal punishment policy and student achievement. the dissertation utilized legal research methods and document analysis as its research methodology. Document analysis was the primary methodology used to answer the research questions whereby individual school district policies were identified and classified based on a number of demographic characteristics as well as the variations in corporal punishment policies among the various districts. the results of the study found that although more Texas school districts permit corporal punishment than have banned the practice, 60 percent of Texas school children go to school in districts where corporal punishment is not permitted. Corporal punishment is generally permitted in rural areas, with the majority of school districts in West Texas and the Texas Panhandle still allowing it by policy. a case study affirmed a finding from a national study regarding the type and locale of a student that is most likely disciplined using corporal punishment. the study determined that the larger Texas school districts have moved away from using corporal punishment as a disciplinary tactic. No district categorized as “Major Urban” by the Texas Education Agency permits corporal punishment of students. None of the larger districts categorized as “Urban” or “Major Suburban” that prohibit corporal punishment were identified as “Academically Unacceptable” under the State accountability system. This study also found that districts that prohibit corporal punishment and have a large number of minority students tend to have higher AEIS ratings. This study’s findings suggest that the elimination of corporal punishment in highly populated Texas school districts may be an indication that corporal punishment in the schools is gradually changing from being a largely Southern occurrence to being a primarily Southern rural phenomenon. This information could prove valuable for policy makers and legislators who are under a misconception that their constituents support corporal punishment.

After the end of legislated apartheid, the South African government changed old policies that had been driven by segregation against the black majority. Black small-scale farmers in rural areas were encouraged to join commercial agriculture to capitalise on state subsidies and support. Municipalities including Buffalo City Metropolitan, Great Kei, Amathole and others in the Eastern Cape, in collaboration with the Eastern Cape Department of Agriculture and agro industry, introduced programmes such as the Massive Food Production Programme and the current Cropping Project to support rural farmers and to reduce poverty in the province. The initiatives included the introduction of genetically modified maize seeds, chemical fertilisers, chemical herbicides, and pesticides, as well as herbicide-resistant and pest-resistant crops. However, joining state-funded initiatives meant farmers had to give up the farming practices and knowledge systems that had sustained them for years, and they lost the kinship they had built with the local soil and its organisms. By kinship I am referring to a symbiotic relationship that does not separate nature from society, a relationship that is mutualistic and in which there is no mastery of one party over the other. Working with rural Eastern Cape small-scale farmers who participated in these programmes, this study employs a multidisciplinary approach to understand the changing agricultural landscape in rural South Africa, focusing on the consequences of state-funded programmes on local soil knowledge in the context of current Eastern Cape industrial agrarian policies. Navigating from small-scale farmers' voices, remote sensing technology, history, African environmentalism, soil science and the human psyche, the study examines what happens when corporations and the government encroach on traditional and small-scale agriculture. This integrative research methodology of the Environmental Humanities, framed from the Global South, compels us to reconceptualise our relationship with nature. The study argues that while agro-industrial technologies can be used with existing local practices to assist farmers, they should never be introduced as a replacement for existing local knowledge of soil fertility. Moreover, where policies focus on the financialisation of the agrarian economy, such policies risk benefitting agrobusinesses instead of poor, small-scale farmers. If policies intended to stimulate rural development are to be effective, the needs of rural small-scale farmers must be taken into consideration when such policies are initiated.

In this thesis, we focus on linear online power control policies for the energy harvesting communications. In the first part of the thesis, greedy policy is investigated as a special case of linear policies. The tight upper and lower bounds on the greedy threshold (c*) are provided in semi-universal settings where few parameters are known from the actual arrival distribution and clipped arrival distribution. Then the optimality region of the greedy policy is discussed. In the second part, various notions of optimal slope (s*) linear policy are discussed. The numerical results show the existence of optimal linear policy with strictly better performance than the conventional fixed fraction policy in terms of the multiplicative ratio. / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc)

No description available.

Development assistance has been important in providing sustained socio-economic progress in a developing country. Overall, it has decreased consumption poverty, contributed to a rapid expansion of modern sectors (industry), enhanced government spending, and increased aggregate investment. However, not all countries and aid organizations follow the same development guidelines but compose different development strategies. In this research, I will make an analytical comparison between China's development strategy, which is mainly directed at achieving societal development, and Sweden's development strategy which is more focused on the rights of the individual. This research will analyze the development strategies of the two aforementioned countries in Ethiopia, as both countries have a longstanding relationship of providing development assistance there. Furthermore, the Ethiopian government has been showing signs of developmental authoritarianism, which is concurrent with China's development strategy and national political system. Nevertheless, various conflicts and human rights violations suggest the need for policies more focused on individual rights, as Sweden presented. I will analyze the current situation in Ethiopia through the theoretical concept "negative-positive peace framework". Additionally, this research will analyze if and how the donor countries are benefiting from the development assistance, and how the development strategies affect global actors outside of Ethiopia.

Background Organized sports offer an opportunity to promote physical activity and healthy eating. However, current data suggest that youth sports settings may not necessarily provide these benefits. In one study, youth were sedentary nearly half of a soccer match and in another foods and beverages offered at different youth sporting events were found to be energy-dense with little nutritional value. Parents, coaches and their respective sports organizations have the capacity to support a positive sports environment by promoting nutritious foods and beverages as well as optimal movement. To date, there is little research available on physical activity and sports trends of younger audiences, as well as perceptions of coaches and parents of young children toward sports snacks and policies to support healthy eating. The goal of these three studies were to better understand the youth soccer setting as an opportunity to address healthy eating and physical activity. Study 1 Objective: Assess snack offerings of parents and coaches of young soccer players, and policies. Methods: Beverage and Snack Questionnaires were distributed among all parents (n=120) and coaches (23) participating in recreational under five (U5) and under six (U6) soccer. The questionnaires assessed: socio-demographic information; types, as well as frequency, of snacks and beverages offered to children; reasons for snack and beverage choices; and attitudes toward snack policies. Results: Of the 44 parents and 23 coaches that participated, nutrition was ranked as the number one factor in choosing snacks and beverages for children participating in soccer. Yet parents and coaches reported offering many low-nutrient dense foods to their children as snacks. Coaches were receptive to limiting snack options and recommending healthy alternatives. Study 2 Objective: Observe snack offerings for young, recreational soccer players at combined practices and games to determine nutrient content and energy density of the foods and beverages provided. Methods: Snack observations for multiple, randomly selected teams were recorded using an observational checklist by trained researchers following all scheduled combined practices/games. Mean values across all snack foods and beverages were computed for the following key nutrients: calories, protein, fat, carbohydrates, fiber, sugars, and sodium. Results: Offered snacks were high in sugar, contributing nearly 77% of recommended total sugar intake per day, and low in sodium, fiber, and protein. Study 3 Objective: Determine the level of physical activity among young soccer players. Methods: Six random U5 and U6 teams were selected with 36 eligible players to participate in accelerometer collection data. Participants wore magnetic running pouches containing an accelerometer for a combined practice/game totaling 60 minutes. Informed, voluntary consent was obtained from each child and parent. Results: For the entire recorded session, average speed was 2.2 km/hour, average distance was 1.3 miles. Children were considered sedentary 55.0% of the recorded time. Discussion and Conclusions Organized sports settings offer an ideal avenue for promoting health and wellness among youth athletes. The current culture unfortunately promotes unhealthy snacking and sub-optimal physical activity. While the location and sample sizes limit generalizability, our results support research conducted with older children and highlight the importance of nutrition education for parents and coaches, as well as the potential for snack policies and strategies to encourage more vigorous physical activity in youth sports settings. / Master of Science

This thesis examines the relative effectiveness of monetary and fiscal policy in Pakistan by utilizing an open economy framework. There is a great need for research about the effectiveness of macroeconomic policies as the knowledge of the relative importance of monetary and fiscal policy could prove useful to policymakers and help them understand the macroeconomic adjustment processes of these policy measures.

There has been a recent trend in Western Europe that is out of place with the liberal society that exists there. Governments have been passing laws that are discriminatory against Muslims. This may seem to be a result of the September 11th attacks in America. However, this is not the case. Britain, France, and the Netherlands have all had their own events that have changed the perspectives of their people. These events did not all make the international news in the way that September 11th did. Yet these events are just as important to look at when asking why this level of discrimination is allowed to exist. Once the event is identified, one must look at how the society and government are structured .. What are the unique cases and situations in each country that allowed the event to take place? Who decided to change the laws? What effect have these laws had? What could these changes mean in the future? With the War on Terror, Islam has come under the microscope. Using textual analysis of other authors and scholars, I hope to answer these questions. However, one cannot look at just Islam alone in hopes of solving the very real problems facing these states today. These states have to deal with a new wave of immigration, and those that are coming in have a much different culture. Values· are hard to change. A workable solution needs to be found in order for both groups, Muslims and non-Muslims, to live in peace.