Social work as a science and profession, particularly through its social work research, has always concerned itself with the verification of the impact of its interventions. However, in practice, formal systematic impact studies have lagged behind. Grantmaking, which is fast becoming a career, is also under scrutiny regarding the measurement of its funding impact. The aim of the study was to measure the impact of Ithuba Trust’s financing policy and operations for access to its funds. Data was collected by means of a literature review on poverty and inequality and an empirical study. The empirical study was conducted in two stages. During the first qualitative study, data was collected by means of a series of focus group interviews. Mailed questionnaires and document analysis of the sample files kept at Ithuba Trust offices were used to collect data in the second quantitative phase. The research findings revealed that Ithuba Trust funding policy and operations facilitated access to its funding as a contribution towards poverty eradication. Notwithstanding, the organization was found lacking in narrowing the gap between developed and under-developed communities. This discrepancy was ascribed to Ithuba Trust’s adherence to the past apartheid laws which were in force at the time and favoured developed communities. Poverty eradi-cation is about partnerships. This study concluded that the uneven distribution of Ithuba Trust’s funding is a microcosm of the uneven trade relations in the global poverty eradication initiatives, which involve partnerships between the poor and the rich. Due to barriers such as digital divide, globalization and access to markets, which favour the rich and powerful, poor people become marginalized from such skewed partnerships, reinforcing the increasing levels of poverty as resources get misplaced. The contribution of the study lies in sensitizing development practitioners on the significance of impact studies in intervention programmes in order to ensure that the poor people’s interests are defended and protected for their ultimate development. The outcome of the study was a Community Ownership Market Development Strategy to be presented to the Ithuba Trust Board of Trustees as a recommendation for consideration regarding their intended amendments to the existing funding policy and procedures. / Thesis (DPhil (Social Work))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Social Work and Criminology / Unrestricted

Background: Acquiring capital is a crucial component for developing countries to strengthen their economies and gathering it solely through national channels is challenging. Public-private partnerships allows for foreign capital to fund projects aimed at developing infrastructure through private investors. Yet, the topic of how to attract investors to public-private partnerships is largely unexplored.   Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate how investors with different levels of experience perceive attributes of public-private partnerships in developing countries. Furthermore, to add to the current body of knowledge of the topic, as it is limited to investors with extensive experience. Thus, we investigate investors with a range of previous knowledge and their observed preferences regarding investment opportunities.  Method: This bachelor thesis is written in accordance with a positivist approach where quantitative data was extracted through a questionnaire from 31 individuals with different investments experience. The results are later analysed in terms of mean value, standard deviation, multivariate multiple regression analysis and p-value approach. The data is later discussed in terms of relevance, connection to literature and in context to the frame of reference.    Conclusion: The results gathered in this thesis showcased that 3 out of 14 factors indicated a statistical significance. Which refers to that the level of investor experience influence how the individual investor perceives adequate local expertise, political support and acceptance of PPPs and capabilities of the developing country. This on the other hand also represents the overall homogenous perception and assumption regarding various factors of PPPs in developing countries from an experienced and inexperienced investors perspective. Moreover, this study provides additional knowledge and literature background regarding how investor experience influence perception on various factors associated with PPP markets in developing countries.

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Climate alliances like the Climate Council Jönköping have a big impact on combating environmental issues on a local level. Research shows that communication plays a crucial role in such cross-sector partnerships to enhance the collaboration between its members. This thesis wants to explore the impact of climate alliances on their members’ sustainable communication and CSR initiatives, using the example of the Climate Council Jönköping. Based on different theories, namely Communication Constitutes Organization Theorizing, the Model of CSR Implementation, and the Value Belief Norm Theory of Environmentalism, the aim was to contribute knowledge to the research fields of sustainable communication, CSR, and collaboration. To explore the existing research gap, twelve semi-structured interviews with experts from different member organizations of the Climate Council were conducted. By applying qualitative content analysis, it became visible that the Climate Council’s impact on communication and CSR efforts differs among the members. On the one hand, it can be difficult to include the campaigns of the council into one’s own communication. On the other hand, the membership raises awareness about sustainability and environmental topics and enables collaboration and knowledge exchange through cross-sector partnerships. Based on the findings, it can be recommended to the Climate Council to provide more communication material for the members for easy integration. Additionally, more events can increase the visibility of the council and raise awareness for local cross-sector collaborations to tackle environmental problems, enable new networking options, and establish innovative partnerships.

This thesis aims to provide insights on how private-sector inter-organizational collaboration creates interaction and synergistic value towards sustainability. Value propositions are directed towards individuals, organizations and society at large. To achieve this purpose, an explorative, in-depth case study on the NextWave initiative is conducted to address the sustainability challenge of marine plastic pollution. An abductive research approach is applied, matching main theories of both private-sector partnerships and value co-creation with empirical data gathered through semi-structured interviews with NextWave members. The study looks at individual as well as collaborative activities leading to the cocreationof interaction and synergistic value. It is further analyzed, how these created values lead toexternal system change towards sustainability. Key findings are limited to the case of NextWave as the intent of the study is an initial exploration of the topic. The data leads the authors to an affirmative conclusion, delivering a number of activity and process examples that foster collaboration and promote interaction and synergistic value. That, in turn, allows for system change and a more sustainable development. Therefore, this thesis makes valuable contributions to the theoretical knowledge of collaboration and value creation. Additionally, a conceptual and analytical framework based on contemporary literature contributes to the body of knowledge as well as allows practical application.

Startups and new businesses are important for the development of technology, the economy, and the society as a whole. To be able to contribute towards this cause, startups need to be able to survive and grow. It is therefore important for startups to understand how they can scale up their business. This led to the purpose of this study: to determine success factors for technological startup companies to increase their scalability. Five areas were identified to have an impact on the scalability of a business, namely; partnerships, cloud computing, modularity, process automation and business model scalability. Within these areas, several subareas were found, which were certain areas of interest within the theory. Together, these subareas helped answer how companies can work with scalability in each area. These areas, and their subareas, went into an analytical model that formed the structure of the empirical and analytical parts of the study. The study is a multicase study, consisting of 15 B2B companies, of varying size and maturity, whom all offered software as a part of their solutions. The study concludes that there are six important factors for succeeding with scalability. An important factor to succeed with scalability is to adopt partnerships, since this will allow for outsourcing, and give access to resources, markets and customers. It is also concluded that cloud computing is a very scalable delivery method, but that it requires certain success factors, such as working with partners, having a customer focus, having the right knowledge internally, and having a standardized product. Further, modularity can enable companies to meet differing customer needs since it increases flexibility, can expand the offer, and make sales easier. The study concludes that process automation increases the efficiency in the company, and can be done through automating a number of processes. Focusing both internally and externally is another important factor for success, by allowing companies to develop a scalable product that is demanded by customers. Lastly, a scalable business model is found to be the final objective, and that it is important to work with the other areas to get there, something that includes trial and error to find what works best for each individual company. The six important factors formed the basis for the recommendations. The study recommend that startups should utilize partnerships and process automation. Startups should also be aware of, and work with, the success factors of cloud computing, use modularity when selling to markets with different customer needs, automate other processes before automating sales, keep customer focus when developing the product, and work actively to become more scalable.

In recent years, humanitarian organisations increasingly embraced biometric technologies to respond to refugee crises. Therefore, this thesis studied the features and effects of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’ (UNHCR) biometric cash transfer programme in Jordan. The method that has been used is an analysis of relevant academic literature, reports, policies, and news articles examining biometric tools and the varying uses of biometrics in humanitarian contexts. In particular, attention has been paid to the effects of biometrics on refugee management, as well as on UNHCR and its beneficiaries in Jordan. The analysis uses the concepts of accountability, humanitarian neophilia, and humanitarian technology governance to improve understanding of what the use of biometrics means for the humanitarian sector and those dependent on it. The analysis shows that UNHCR’s biometric cash transfer programme has improved downward accountability by speeding up registration processes, thereby ensuring quicker financial inclusion of refugees. Biometrics also improve upward accountability by providing instant metrics regarding beneficiaries, distributions, and other audit trails. Yet, the analysis also reveals serious concerns about experimentation with new technologies in humanitarian settings, a lack of informed consent and data safeguards for refugees, and UNHCR’s increasing dependence on the private sector. UNHCR’s use of biometrics also improves the reputation of these technologies, generates new protection challenges, and increases exclusion risks for non-registered refugees.

Music educators employed by the Large Overseas American School System (LOASS) at the center of this study live and work within the borders of allied host nations. Their students are dependents of military and civilian personnel stationed on bases situated on allied foreign soil. The researcher explores numerous perceptions of music educators and students who have engaged in intercultural collaboration, an unexplored activity occurring in the context of LOASS. Participants report on particular circumstances and issues surrounding activities in music education that include overseas host nation stakeholders. Contributions to the body of literature include re-envisioning the process through which one becomes intercultural, the role of antenarrative and what it comprises, as well as distinguishing unidirectional musical exchange from the activity of omnidirectional collaboration. Data sources include surveys, interviews, and historical evidence such as photos, school yearbooks and newspaper accounts. Survey results obtained from former LOASS music educators and students inform readers of the depth and breadth of the LOASS system, and the demographics of its participant pools. Interview data were manually coded, and revealed several emergent themes: motivations for initiating collaborative activities and what those activities look like; impact of collaborations on former music teachers, their students and host nation counterparts; barriers which inhibit such collaborations from taking place; strategies for overcoming those barriers, and what participants believe qualifies such collaborations as being successful. Yearbook and photographic relics provided an historical sense of overseas schools’ vision and legacy through writings and pictures archived over a 68-year continuum. In totum, these data comprise an antenarrative ‘story before the story’ from which participants’ narratives emerge and are presented in their own words. Framed within this context, the results provide a blueprint of how other members of the music education community can engage in such activities and successfully overcome any potential barriers that may inhibit them. Finally, a number of actionable alternative research methodologies are proffered to future researchers that may address peripheral issues regarding intercultural collaborations through activities in music education worldwide. In doing so, this study may encourage other like-minded music educators and their students to do the same.

Early childhood educators working to establish and maintain productive parent-teacher relationships are essential to the success of school-community partnerships in military- connected schools. The purpose of this study was to seek understanding of what early childhood educators had experienced while working with military families. Epstein's model of school, family, and community partnerships provided the conceptual framework for this study. The questions that guided this case study were designed to explore how early childhood educators established and maintained relationships with military families. Data collection consisted of semi-structured interviews with 8 early childhood educators in military-connected schools. Inductive data analysis was used to code the data initially and then to determine these 5 themes: (a) educators used many methods to communicate with families; (b) parent involvement was influenced by educator communication, family life, and school culture; (c) deployments impacted student achievement; (d) strong community resources were deemed necessary; and (e) military children benefitted from having resilient educators. Participants believed timely training addressing the unique needs of military families would be advantageous. A 3-day professional development for early childhood educators was developed to incorporate the findings of this study. School districts implementing the professional development for early childhood educators in a strong school, family, and community partnership will result and will lead to positive social change by increasing the academic achievement, emotional wellbeing, and social welfare of children of military families attending military-connected schools.

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