Assessing the causes of SMME learner drop-out and attrition in the national rollout of the Productive Capacity Building Programme (PCBP): A Case StudyThe aim of this evaluative research study is to investigate the causes of learner dropout and attrition within the national rollout of the Productive Capacity Building Programme PCBP of the National Productivity Institute (NPI). This study is undertaken using a case study format with particular interest in the behaviour of adult learners within the context of a learning environment as well as particular interventional measures that could be undertaken by adult educators and facilitators in retaining adult learners within contact training programmes. The research study not only has internal validity in terms of the PCBP training programme operations but also contextual importance for long distance education, e-learning, other modes of learning delivery as well as the larger human resources development (HRD) domain. The ultimate objective is to minimize PCBP training costs resulting from adult learner attrition and the failure to meet training targets. A survey population comprising sixty (x60) small, medium and micro enterprise (SMME) learners who attended PCBP training is selected using simple random sampling. The study is undertaken using case study format from a learning practitioner’s perspective. Utilizing a questionnaire instrument and interview method, the survey population is interviewed through a qualitative research method. Historical training statistics as well as post-implementation training statistics resulting from the application of recommendations are stratified and compared. Qualitative data collection methods such as observation, interview and documents are utilized. The study ends with recommendations for business application and the practical effects brought about by the implementation of initial recommendations.An analysis of recommendations indicates that adult learner dropout within the PCBP training programme is minimized through the introduction of adult learning principles within the delivery of the programme.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:51:42Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DissJFPJ.pdf: 724498 bytes, checksum: 72058d90b6e1572903d553ad3e5d24af (MD5) Previous issue date: 2004-02-26 / Initially this work explains, appraises and characterizes industrial cluster in the following classes: (C1) they are the Regional Cluster without formal coordenation that many authors call by Industrial Districts; (C2) class is about the clusters for Exportation e (C3) is about the Cluster Commanded by a Mother-company. The first class has been widely studied in literature. The group of research PLACOP of the Department of Production Engineering at Federal University in São Carlos has been developed research directed toward the classes C2 and C3. It is made a literature review on disturbance in the productive capacity once these factors are ones of the main problems of the current productive system; it is appraised change and disturbance, analyzed the impact of the disturbance and considered the classification of the types of disturbance in the productive capacity. After this it is briefly revised the problem of resource allocation. Later the problem of order allocation in industrial cluster in function of great disturbance in the production is studied, contemplating the definition of the problem with proposal of process of order allocation, the construction of the model and the use of the language of Modeling GAMS to get the results of the model. Finally a case study is presented that deepens the problem of disturbance in the productive capacity and order allocation in industrial cluster of the shoes´s sector of Birigüi (SP) commanded by a mother- company; in this case, the data are collected, the results are obtained and analysed. Since this research explore an aspect important and neglected by the Operations Management literature, this research brings a contribution for this knowledge area. / Esse trabalho inicia-se contextualizando, conceituando e caracterizando aglomerados industriais nas seguintes classes: (C1) são os Aglomerados Regionais sem coordenação formal que muitos autores denominam de Distritos Industriais; (C2) tratam-se dos Consórcios para Exportação e (C3) tratam-se dos Aglomerados Comandados por Empresa-mãe. A primeira classe tem sido amplamente estudada na literatura. O grupo de pesquisa PLACOP do Departamento de Engenharia de Produção da Universidade Federal de São Carlos vem desenvolvendo pesquisas voltadas para as classes C2 e C3. É feita uma revisão literária sobre distúrbios na capacidade produtiva uma vez que esses fatores são uns dos principais problemas do sistema produtivo atual, conceituando mudança e distúrbios, analisando o impacto dos distúrbios e propondo a classificação dos tipos de distúrbios na capacidade produtiva. A seguir é revisado de forma sucinta o problema de alocação de recursos. Depois é estudado o problema de alocação de pedidos em aglomerados industriais em função de grandes distúrbios na produção, contemplando a definição do problema com proposta de processo de alocação de pedidos, a construção do modelo e o uso da linguagem de Modelagem GAMS para obter os resultados do modelo. Por fim é apresentado um estudo de caso que aprofunda o problema de distúrbios na capacidade produtiva e de alocação de pedidos em um aglomerado industrial do setor calçadista de Birigüi (SP) comandada pela empresa-mãe, com levantamento dos dados, obtenção dos resultados e avaliação dos resultados de forma a proporcionar uma contribuição para a área de Gestão da Produção, pois explora um aspecto importante e pouco explorado formalmente.

Banco do Nordeste do Brasil / A proposta deste trabalho à avaliar os efeitos do Programa Nacional de Fortalecimento da Agricultura Familiar (PRONAF), na modalidade destinada a assentados da reforma agrÃria, o PRONAF-A, na capacidade produtiva do Assentamento Banhos, em Morada Nova-CE. O estudo considerou como metodologia a pesquisa bibliogrÃfica, documental e a pesquisa de campo com abordagem quantitativa e qualitativa. Os resultados da pesquisa mostram que o PRONAF-A foi responsÃvel pelo aumento da capacidade produtiva no assentamento, tendo em vista que proporcionou o aumento da Ãrea plantada de 2,3ha para 4,5ha, o aumento da produÃÃo e da produtividade das atividades agrÃcolas financiadas, a diversificaÃÃo das atividades exploradas, contribuindo para a manutenÃÃo de 28 empregos diretos. O estudo tambÃm mostrou que deve haver um maior acompanhamento/fiscalizaÃÃo por parte das instituiÃÃes financeiras e de assistÃncia tÃcnica para manter a efetividade do programa, bem como a necessidade da intersetorialidade tanto dos programas destinados especificamente ao meio rural quanto os destinados à oferta de serviÃos pÃblicos, como saÃde, transporte e educaÃÃo. / The proposal this study was to evaluate the effects of the National Program to Strengthen Family Agriculture (PRONAF), in the form intended for agrarian reform settlers Pronaf A, in the productive capacity in Assentamento Banhos em Morada Nova - CE. The study considered the The methodology utilized bibliographical and documental research as well as a qualitative and quantitative field research. The research results show that Pronaf A was responsible for increasing productive capacity in the settlement, given that the higher the planted area of 2.3 to 4.5 ha, increasing production and productivity of agricultural activities financed, diversification of activities explored, contributed to maintenance of 28 direct jobs. The study also showed that there should be greater monitoring and control by financial institutions and technical assistance to maintain the effectiveness of the program and the need for intersectoral programs both aimed specifically at rural areas as well as offer public service of health, transportation and education.

International trade has been a staple of the world economy for centuries. In today‟s world, as the pressure of globalization takes hold, and as the role of the state recedes while the role of regions increase, the need to maximize the benefits of international trade and investment inflows becomes even more accentuated. Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) in particular, has perennially been on the periphery of global trade and investments, contributing no more than 3-4%, notwithstanding SSA having proportionately much higher population and natural resource base. To improve SSA ability to be competitive in international trade as well as to multiply intra-african trade, the continent‟s leaders have long resorted to forming regional economic communities (RECs). But more than five decades of regional economic integration in SSA has produced mostly failed RECs. Yet regional integration is being touted as SSA surest bet for relevance in the global economy. Therein lies the paradox! How can an undertaking that have produced mostly failures be the self-same route out of global economic irrelevance? In this study, it is shown that the model for regional integration adopted by many SSA RECs, the linear model, also considered the Eurocentric model of regional integration, buttressed by an intergovernmental legal framework, does not suit the peculiar circumstances of the region and is the cause for the near total failure of regional integration on the continent. This research, using the ECOWAS specialized institutions as case studies – the West African Power Pool (WAPP) and the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERERA) – argues for a paradigm shift in the conceptualisation of regionalism on the continent. It argues for a shift to developmental regionalism, buttressed by strong supranational legal framework. The study shows that the West African regional bloc, ECOWAS, now recognises the nexus between the development of trade-related infrastructure and intra-african trade on the one hand, as well as the nexus between the development regionalism and the expansion of SSA trade with the rest of the world, on the other hand. Accordingly, the study concludes that ECOWAS institutionalization of a regional electricity market via the establishment of regional institutions of WAPP and ERERA is the new model for regional integration in SSA. / Dissertation (LLM)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / gm2015 / Centre for Human Rights / LLM / Unrestricted