Magister Commercii (Industrial Psychology) - MCom(IPS) / Since the early 2000‟s there has been a wave of global downsizing of employees in many organisations. A question can be posed, to what extent have organisations focused to adopt a downsizing policy framework for ensuring a balance of procedural and efficiency imperatives (Chew & Howitz, 2002). Organisational downsizing has recently become an increasingly important issue that needs to be addressed to ensure fair employment practices. Companies worldwide have used downsizing to improve employee competitiveness, profitability, organisational effectiveness, efficiency as well as to reduce the size of their workforce. Downsizing has ramifications for everyone in the organisation, regardless if employees are remaining in the organisation or those. As a result of restructuring, employees might be suspicious about the future direction of the organisation and their role in it. Trust is especially important in knowledge-based organisations because it is known to support knowledge-creation processes and related interactions (Blomqvist 2002; Tyler 2003). Employees are often sceptical about change, as new work roles assigned may cause them anxiety and previous interpersonal relationships may be lost; however companies regard downsizing positively. The reaction of those who survive the downsizing determines the future success of the organisation (Hopkins & Weathington, 2006). An organisation, in a dominant market, share position due to downsizing and restructuring its strategic business units, thus is more complex and emotionally draining than being the leader during periods of growth. Different organisations, at present, have joined the military march of the global epidemic infected with layoffs that is redefining effective leadership and employee motivation, loyalty and commitment (Noer, 2010). Downsizing essentially involves the reduction in the number of workforce within the organisation, which can be achieved through several techniques including, retrenchments, early retirements or casualisation of staff (Hellgren, Nȁswell, & Sverke, 2005). Robbins (as cited in Ndlovu & Parumasur, 2005, p. 14) intensifies the above by defining downsizing as a practice of reducing the organisations size through extensive layoffs, whereby whole layers of the organisation are eradicated and management is done with fewer people. On the other hand, as outlined by Chew and Horwitz (2002), downsizing may not necessarily result in the loss of jobs where employees are retrained and re-deployed, or where other measures such as non-replacement of staff that leave occur.

Wind energy provides an environmentally friendly and renewable source of electricity, that can help meet Canada's Kyoto commitments, help safeguard against future blackouts, reduce air pollution and create economic opportunities in the form of manufacturing jobs and land leases for farmers. From a land use planning perspective, however, wind turbines create challenges that municipalities and planners have to deal with more frequently. Ontario in particular lags behind countries such as Ireland and Australia in terms of providing a clear, equitable and comprehensive land use planning framework to deal with wind energy. <br /><br /> What is lacking in particular is a clear understanding of how Ontario municipalities are dealing with the issue of wind energy developments, whether the policies that are being developed adhere to good planning principles, what are the land use planning issues that are impacting wind energy development in Ontario and what are some recommendations that could be made to improve wind energy policies. A secondary goal of this thesis was to identify common elements of good wind energy planning frameworks that could be used to develop wind energy planning policies in the City of Stratford, which currently does not have any policies or a wind energy land use planning framework and is also where the author is employed as the City Planner. <br /><br /> To address this lack of information, this report focuses on the current state of wind energy planning policy development in southwestern Ontario and in particular; the types of wind energy planning frameworks have been developed in the world, the elements of "good" planning principles and frameworks and whether or not they are found in these frameworks, whether there are components of these policies that would be appropriate for wider adoption in Ontario and finally, what types of framework should the City of Stratford develop for wind energy? <br /><br /> To address these questions, a literature review was conducted on wind energy land use planning issues and examples of international wind energy planning guidelines were reviewed. Additionally, five southwestern Ontario municipalities with wind energy policies were selected as case studies and Planners and other wind energy stakeholders were interviewed. <br /><br /> This study found that the main issues and barriers surrounding wind energy planning policy development in Ontario are visual impact, lack of education and a lack of a municipal planning framework. It was also determined that, the public reaction to wind energy proposals in Southwestern Ontario has been mostly positive and the conflicts that have arisen have been in instances where wind turbines are proposed in the vicinity of recreational properties. In terms of a wind energy planning framework, southwestern Ontario municipalities have for the most part opted for General Official Plan policies supporting wind energy development in principle and directing its development to certain land use designations subject to a zoning by-law amendment. The planning frameworks in the case studies for the most part conform to good planning principles identified, however, there was a large variation between the municipalities in terms of the level of detail within the planning framework. Finally, it was determined that the City of Stratford Official Plan and Zoning By-law are inadequate in terms of policy and regulations for wind energy. <br /><br /> This study recommends that the Ontario Provincial Government should follow up on the Wind Energy Information Sheet and the recent Provincial Policy Statement with a comprehensive land use-planning framework for wind energy developments that should borrow on existing international guidelines that have been developed. This study also recommends that the City of Stratford should update its Official Plan to include policies that address wind energy generation, should initiate a study to determine if there are any areas within the City that are considered to be natural heritage views or areas that should be protected from the visual impacts of wind energy production, should investigate permitting wind energy facilities in certain industrial areas of the City, subject to a zoning by-law amendment and should work with the County of Perth to develop a common set of zoning by-law regulations for wind energy developments.

Wind energy provides an environmentally friendly and renewable source of electricity, that can help meet Canada's Kyoto commitments, help safeguard against future blackouts, reduce air pollution and create economic opportunities in the form of manufacturing jobs and land leases for farmers. From a land use planning perspective, however, wind turbines create challenges that municipalities and planners have to deal with more frequently. Ontario in particular lags behind countries such as Ireland and Australia in terms of providing a clear, equitable and comprehensive land use planning framework to deal with wind energy. <br /><br /> What is lacking in particular is a clear understanding of how Ontario municipalities are dealing with the issue of wind energy developments, whether the policies that are being developed adhere to good planning principles, what are the land use planning issues that are impacting wind energy development in Ontario and what are some recommendations that could be made to improve wind energy policies. A secondary goal of this thesis was to identify common elements of good wind energy planning frameworks that could be used to develop wind energy planning policies in the City of Stratford, which currently does not have any policies or a wind energy land use planning framework and is also where the author is employed as the City Planner. <br /><br /> To address this lack of information, this report focuses on the current state of wind energy planning policy development in southwestern Ontario and in particular; the types of wind energy planning frameworks have been developed in the world, the elements of "good" planning principles and frameworks and whether or not they are found in these frameworks, whether there are components of these policies that would be appropriate for wider adoption in Ontario and finally, what types of framework should the City of Stratford develop for wind energy? <br /><br /> To address these questions, a literature review was conducted on wind energy land use planning issues and examples of international wind energy planning guidelines were reviewed. Additionally, five southwestern Ontario municipalities with wind energy policies were selected as case studies and Planners and other wind energy stakeholders were interviewed. <br /><br /> This study found that the main issues and barriers surrounding wind energy planning policy development in Ontario are visual impact, lack of education and a lack of a municipal planning framework. It was also determined that, the public reaction to wind energy proposals in Southwestern Ontario has been mostly positive and the conflicts that have arisen have been in instances where wind turbines are proposed in the vicinity of recreational properties. In terms of a wind energy planning framework, southwestern Ontario municipalities have for the most part opted for General Official Plan policies supporting wind energy development in principle and directing its development to certain land use designations subject to a zoning by-law amendment. The planning frameworks in the case studies for the most part conform to good planning principles identified, however, there was a large variation between the municipalities in terms of the level of detail within the planning framework. Finally, it was determined that the City of Stratford Official Plan and Zoning By-law are inadequate in terms of policy and regulations for wind energy. <br /><br /> This study recommends that the Ontario Provincial Government should follow up on the Wind Energy Information Sheet and the recent Provincial Policy Statement with a comprehensive land use-planning framework for wind energy developments that should borrow on existing international guidelines that have been developed. This study also recommends that the City of Stratford should update its Official Plan to include policies that address wind energy generation, should initiate a study to determine if there are any areas within the City that are considered to be natural heritage views or areas that should be protected from the visual impacts of wind energy production, should investigate permitting wind energy facilities in certain industrial areas of the City, subject to a zoning by-law amendment and should work with the County of Perth to develop a common set of zoning by-law regulations for wind energy developments.

Increasing costs associated with fossil fuel generation and a recognition and acceptance of the finite nature of this resource, have partially contributed to the growing popularity of alternative energy generation technology. International environmental treaties have also forced many states, primarily developing states, to deliberately review their fuels use. Jamaica having such a challenge requires accurate information regarding the impact of integrating generation from such technologies into its existing network. However, given a lack of resources, little work has been done to gather the relevant data that is required to evaluate the impact of embedded generation. Instead the findings from networks in other jurisdictions that have different operational and technical characteristics have been utilized. Anecdotal information regarding the availability of satisfactory renewable resources and the minimal impact that certain levels of integration will have on the existing network abounds among the engineering community on Jamaica. This research reviews the electricity and energy sectors of Jamaica. It further considers the efforts made by policy makers to fulfil the energy needs through a possible mix of fossil and renewable sources. Focus is then shifted to the analysis of available wind resource data which is then modelled to represent usable wind data for electricity generation. Actual system data is then used to produce an acceptable model of the current transmission network. The operation of the network is then considered on varying generation and loading conditions both with and without the inclusion of renewable sources. A final assessment of the impact of such sources is then made based on the magnitude and location in the network. The study concludes by highlighting the benefits to be derived from this work and reviews the challenges faced while conducting the study. It also recommends ways in which improvements to the system can be realized.

This thesis explores some of the central problems confronting policymakers and planners in local government. These problems are seen to stem from a view of planning which is characterised as top-down. Previous attempts to apply cybernetic ideas to these problems - characterised as the 'systems approach' - have failed partly on account of their failure to question this view. Cybernetics, it is argued, offers a fundamentally different perspective on planning, which emphasises the importance of processes, whereby the plans and policies of different organisations are mutually adjusted to each other - from the bottom up. The dynamics of this process are examined and cybernetics, most notably the work of Ashby, is shown to offer a number of insights into how it can be facilitated. Such a radical re-assessment of the nature of planning requires, at the same time, a much wider conception of the role of policy. Policies, it is suggested, are all too often thought of as purely prescriptive. A policy framework must instead be regarded as incorporating also a complex hierarchy of values, aims, goals and objectives, whose inter-relationships can be compared to that between the various components of a body of scientific knowledge. Such a perspective on planning and policy-making points towards a novel conception of government. Instead of imposing order from above, its primary function would become that of facilitating and encouraging the mutual adjustment process and collaboration between local organisations.

Magister Legum - LLM / The methods of energy use and production in South Africa are currently unsustainable, and have dire environmental and health impacts. This is largely due to fossil fuel based energy generation and use. Currently 89% of energy generated in South Africa is derived from fossil fuels including coal, oil and gas. This figure is likely to increase in the near future with the construction of new coal-fired electricity generation and coal/gas to liquid fuels stations. South Africa has an abundance of both non-renewable and renewable energy resources.Renewable energy technologies will be key in the battle to reduce carbon and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, as they do not produce the large amounts of carbon and GHG emissions that conventional fossil-fuel based methods do. Renewable energy, as the name indicates, can be considered an infinite reserve. Most renewable energy is generated from solar power it can be relied upon as long as the sun keeps shining. Energy efficiency as well as improvements in technologies relating to energy generation can play a significant role in reducing carbon and GHG emissions. For example, the 'Basa njengo Magogo' method used to ignite coal in coal-fired power stations makes use of a 'top-down ignition process' which reduces smoke emissions by 80-90 percent, heats up quicker and uses less coal than the conventional method. The barriers to the implementation of sustainable and renewable energy measures are: the relatively cheap cost of coal based energy, due to the abundance of the resource in South Africa, as well as the uncoordinated nature of legislation dealing with energy, and the implementation of sustainable energy practices. However the means and resources do exist for South Africa to reduce its carbon and GHG emissions and reliance on carbon based energy. Therefore this paper will examine the legislative and international obligations government has to sustainable and renewable energy and what policies have been developed to give effect to these obligations. Section 24 of the Constitution explicitly recognises the obligation to promote justifiable 'economic and social development', which is essential to the well-being of human beings. Development both social and economic require energy, however South Africa's energy is derived mainly from fossil fuels, which when used have a significant detrimental effect on the environment.

The Circular Economy (CE) has quickly become a very popular discourse and is considered to be the solution to the manifold socio-economic challenges of the Anthropocene. What this actually means, however, is still unclear and contested, as different actors and sectors pursue a different degree of ecological, economic, political and social transformation. At the same time, many government organisations have embraced the concept and have set ambitious targets for the CE, with the Dutch government setting a goal of becoming fully circular by 2050. In this context, this paper contributes to the scholarship of CE discourse by critically examining what Dutch policy actors understand by the concept of CE and what this implies for the future of the CE in the Netherlands. This research examines the circular discourse in the Netherlands by means of eleven semi-structured interviews with Dutch policy actors in which the following five narratives are identified: (I) the Equal Collaborations; (II) the Circulate Raw Materials; (III) the Addictive Lifestyle; (IV) the Cross-boundary Cooperation; and (V) the Just Transition. The circular discourse typology of Calisto Friant et al. is put central in this study to analyse the five narratives distinguished. By mapping out the five narratives on this typology grid, this research provides insights into which type of circularity discourse is most strongly advocated among Dutch policy actors. The results of this study show that the Reformist Circular Society discourse is most firmly upheld through the identified narratives, which discourse offers very optimistic perspectives for the circular future of the Netherlands by combining economic and environmental objectives. Yet, this particular discourse does not adequately address all the challenges that the CE faces. By examining the CE discourse in the Netherlands, this research aims to contribute to a comprehensive and inclusive discussion on the concept of CE and reveal what circular futures might exist.

Esta tese buscou explorar, por meio da análise das narrativas pró-direito ao aborto no Brasil, os níveis meso e macro do narrative policy framework (NPF), bem como testar as possíveis contribuições das técnicas de text mining para as análises de narrativas de políticas públicas. Foram analisados documentos pró-direito ao aborto elaborados por ativistas feministas entre 1976 e 1988 e documentos de organizações feministas, projetos de leis e documentos de políticas públicas sobre aborto referentes ao período de 1989 a 2016. Foi feita uma análise de conteúdo dos dois conjuntos de documentos usando o software OpenLogos. Os resultados da pesquisa revelam que as feministas fizeram uma escolha estratégica por uma narrativa de saúde pública de modo a expandir a coalizão pró-direito ao aborto por meio da inclusão de atores da área da saúde. A aliança com a saúde levou a conquistas para a coalizão, com a criação de serviços de aborto legal e a inclusão da anencefalia entre os casos em que o aborto é permitido. A narrativa de saúde pública foi, assim, institucionalizada, tornando-se tanto a principal narrativa da coalizão quanto a principal narrativa contida nos documentos de políticas públicas. Essa institucionalização é um objetivo da atuação das coalizões de militância, mas também impõe limites (constraints) à sua atuação futura, já que seu abandono pode colocar em risco a coalizão, ao mesmo tempo em que demandas futuras têm de ser elaboradas a partir da estrutura de políticas públicas já existente. A análise da institucionalização de narrativas é uma contribuição ao NPF, explorando seu nível macro, ainda menos desenvolvido. A tese revela ainda que as feministas, em resposta à percepção de derrota, buscaram contrair o escopo da disputa em torno do aborto, restringindo-a às áreas técnicas da saúde e ao Supremo Tribunal Federal, o que contraria as hipóteses do NPF. Por fim, a tese apresenta contribuições possíveis de técnicas de text mining para a análise de narrativas de políticas públicas. / framework (NPF) through an analysis of pro-abortion rights narratives in Brazil. It also sought to test possible applications of text mining techniques to policy narrative analyses. I analyzed pro-abortion rights documents from feminist activists from 1976 to 1988 and documents from feminist organizations, law proposals and policy documents regarding abortion from 1989 to 2016. I carried out a content analysis of these documents using the OpenLogos software. Results show that feminists strategically opted for a public health narrative so as to expand the pro-abortion rights advocacy coalition through the inclusion of actors from the health field. The alliance with health sectors led to victories for the coalition, with the creation of legal abortion services and the inclusion of anencephaly among the exceptions to the abortion ban. The public health narrative thus became institutionalized: it became both the main narrative used by the coalition and the main narrative contained in policy documents. Coalitions seek to have narratives institutionalized, but this also constrains future action: abandoning an institutionalized narrative may threaten the coalition, while any future demands must be formulated within the framework of exiting policies. This dissertation further reveals that feminists, in response to perceived losses, sought to contract the scope of the dispute surrounding abortion, restricting it to technical health areas and to the Supreme Court. This contradicts NPF hypotheses. Finally, the dissertation also presents possible applications of text mining techniques to policy narrative analyses.

The emergence of electronic healthcare have caused numerous changes in both substantive and procedural aspects of healthcare processes. Such changes have introduced new risks to patient privacy and information confidentiality. Traditional privacy policies fall too short to respond to privacy needs of patients in electronic healthcare. Structured and enforceable policies are needed in order to protect patient privacy in modern healthcare with its cross organizational information sharing and decision making. Structured Patient Privacy Policy (S3P) is a framework for a formalized and enforceable privacy policy in healthcare. S3P contains a prototype implementation of a structured and enforceable privacy policy based on eXtensible Access Control Markup Language (XACML). By simulating healthcare scenarios, S3P provides a means for experts from different professional backgrounds to assess the effect of policies on healthcare processes and to reach ethically sound privacy policies suitable for electronic healthcare.

Esta tese buscou explorar, por meio da análise das narrativas pró-direito ao aborto no Brasil, os níveis meso e macro do narrative policy framework (NPF), bem como testar as possíveis contribuições das técnicas de text mining para as análises de narrativas de políticas públicas. Foram analisados documentos pró-direito ao aborto elaborados por ativistas feministas entre 1976 e 1988 e documentos de organizações feministas, projetos de leis e documentos de políticas públicas sobre aborto referentes ao período de 1989 a 2016. Foi feita uma análise de conteúdo dos dois conjuntos de documentos usando o software OpenLogos. Os resultados da pesquisa revelam que as feministas fizeram uma escolha estratégica por uma narrativa de saúde pública de modo a expandir a coalizão pró-direito ao aborto por meio da inclusão de atores da área da saúde. A aliança com a saúde levou a conquistas para a coalizão, com a criação de serviços de aborto legal e a inclusão da anencefalia entre os casos em que o aborto é permitido. A narrativa de saúde pública foi, assim, institucionalizada, tornando-se tanto a principal narrativa da coalizão quanto a principal narrativa contida nos documentos de políticas públicas. Essa institucionalização é um objetivo da atuação das coalizões de militância, mas também impõe limites (constraints) à sua atuação futura, já que seu abandono pode colocar em risco a coalizão, ao mesmo tempo em que demandas futuras têm de ser elaboradas a partir da estrutura de políticas públicas já existente. A análise da institucionalização de narrativas é uma contribuição ao NPF, explorando seu nível macro, ainda menos desenvolvido. A tese revela ainda que as feministas, em resposta à percepção de derrota, buscaram contrair o escopo da disputa em torno do aborto, restringindo-a às áreas técnicas da saúde e ao Supremo Tribunal Federal, o que contraria as hipóteses do NPF. Por fim, a tese apresenta contribuições possíveis de técnicas de text mining para a análise de narrativas de políticas públicas. / framework (NPF) through an analysis of pro-abortion rights narratives in Brazil. It also sought to test possible applications of text mining techniques to policy narrative analyses. I analyzed pro-abortion rights documents from feminist activists from 1976 to 1988 and documents from feminist organizations, law proposals and policy documents regarding abortion from 1989 to 2016. I carried out a content analysis of these documents using the OpenLogos software. Results show that feminists strategically opted for a public health narrative so as to expand the pro-abortion rights advocacy coalition through the inclusion of actors from the health field. The alliance with health sectors led to victories for the coalition, with the creation of legal abortion services and the inclusion of anencephaly among the exceptions to the abortion ban. The public health narrative thus became institutionalized: it became both the main narrative used by the coalition and the main narrative contained in policy documents. Coalitions seek to have narratives institutionalized, but this also constrains future action: abandoning an institutionalized narrative may threaten the coalition, while any future demands must be formulated within the framework of exiting policies. This dissertation further reveals that feminists, in response to perceived losses, sought to contract the scope of the dispute surrounding abortion, restricting it to technical health areas and to the Supreme Court. This contradicts NPF hypotheses. Finally, the dissertation also presents possible applications of text mining techniques to policy narrative analyses.