This thesis assesses the evolution of historic maps of Ireland using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and quantitative approaches. Each of nineteen early modern maps dating to the sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries (c.1530 – 1610), a formative period of Irish cartographic history, was analysed to statistically assess the relative positional accuracy of places included on the cartography. Building upon previous studies of analysing cartographic veracity using quantitative approaches, notably Tobler's (1994) bidimensional regression technique, it is the first of its kind to apply these techniques to a series of historic maps. The aim is to test these approaches systematically and critically, compare the statistical techniques, and offer insights into their analytical potential in the history of cartography and historical geography. The thesis also aims to enhance our understanding of the evolution and development of maps and map-making during an age often regarded as revolutionary in scientific cartography in Europe. The study highlighted two main historical and cartographic groups; (I) earlier maps of Ireland created prior to Lythe’s survey cartography in which mapmakers appeared to take a more artistic rather than a ‘measured’ approach to mapping and; (II) maps created subsequent to Lythe’s and of generally higher cartographic precision in illustrating the island's geography. Enduring map ‘errors’ that survived through to the seventeenth century are discussed, and illustrate that the development of maps of Ireland did not progress in a linear fashion. Map lineage was complex, and plagiarism between mapmakers was rife with one map, by Robert Lythe (PHA 9581, c.1571), shown to form the basis for many subsequent maps. The methodology developed in this thesis is a fundamental addition to early map research, by adding to key debates in the history of cartography concerned with how early maps developed and evolved, and providing new insights on Ireland’s early cartography.

Thesis (MPhil (Sociology and Social Anthropology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The concern of this study is primarily with insights, either acquired or original, which may be gleaned from the works of Michael Quinn Patton, especially his seminal book, “Utilization-Focused Evaluation” with regards to utilisation of evaluation. The importance of utilisation of evaluation processes and findings cannot be overemphasised. Use is critical to the success of multiple development programmes in South Africa which collectively will ultimately determine the country’s accomplishment of its developmental goals. The study is an analysis of the relevant literature on utilisation of evaluation; comparing and contrasting Patton’s writings with those of other scholars on this topic of utilisation. The process of understanding these insights involves a brief biography of Patton to get a glimpse into the factors which influenced the development of his ideas and to learn from them as well as from his innovative ideas. The major theme of utilization-focused approach to evaluation is utility and actual use of evaluations. The study therefore devotes special attention to these concepts in order to find out how he defines them, his motivation to focus on them and his perceptions of the purposes of evaluation. These determine his conception of the evaluation field; and his success in promoting evaluation utilisation is measured against them. The study also contains a detailed discussion of the so-called “paradigms debate” between the quantitative and qualitative paradigms in the educational and social sciences in the 1960s and 1970s. This debate was necessary to quell the division triggered by the domination of the quantitative paradigm over qualitative one in these fields and to promote understanding of the need to prioritise research questions by designing studies to answer to them instead of research problems being fitted into “onesize- fits-all” readymade designs, the study argues. The role played by Patton in turning evaluation into a profession is also discussed at length. His works on this subject include a contribution towards enhancing quality and credibility of evaluation, major input on the Standards of Excellence for Evaluation as well as assisting in the development of methods for evaluation. The inevitability of politics in evaluation is highlighted together with the importance of their ethical conduct. The debates in the American Evaluation Association are very illuminating and Patton’s involvement in them is detailed in the study. They cover a range of issues which are useful to deepening of understanding of evaluation conduct and particular factors which affect use. The study ends with a critical analysis of Patton’s contribution to utilisation of evaluations by programme decision makers and its significance to South Africa. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van dié studie het hoofsaaklik te doen met insigte, hetsy oorspronklik of ontleen aan ander bronne, wat afgelei kan word van die werk van Michael Quinn Patton, veral van sy invloedryke boek, “Utilization-Focused Evaluation,” ten opsigte van die toepassing van program-evaluasie. Die belangrikheid van die toepassing van evalueringsprosesse en -bevindings, kan nie oorbeklemtoon word nie. Toepassing is krities tot die sukses van veelvuldige ontwikkelingsprogramme in Suid-Afrika wat gesamentlik uiteindelik sal bepaal of die land sy ontwikkelingsdoelwitte sal bereik. Die studie is ’n analise van die tersaaklike literatuur oor die toepassing van evaluering; wat Patton se werk met dié van ander skrywers oor die onderwerp van toepassing vergelyk. Die proses om dié insigte te verstaan, behels ’n kort biografie van Patton ten einde ’n vlugtige blik te kry oor die faktore wat tot die ontwikkeling van sy idees aanleiding gegee het en om van hulle, sowel as van sy innoverende idees, te leer. Die hooftema van die toespitsing op die toepassingsbenadering vir evaluering, is sy veelsydigheid en die werklike gebruik van evaluasies. Derhalwe le die studie hom dus veral op dié konsepte toe ten einde vas te stel hoe hy hulle gebruik het, wat sy motivering was om daarop te fokus en sy siening rondom die doelwitte van evaluasie. Dít bepaal sy begrip van die gebied van evaluasie, en sy sukses ten einde die toepassing van evaluasie te bevorder, word hierteenoor gemeet. ’n Uitvoerige bespreking oor die sogenaamde “ paradigma-debat’’ tussen die kwantatiewe en kwalitatiewe paradigmas in die opvoedkundige en sosiale wetenskappe van die 1960’s en 1970’s word ook hierin saamgevat. Verder voer die studie aan dat die debat noodsaaklik was ten einde die verdeeldheid te oorkom wat deur die oorheersing van die kwantitatiewe oor die kwalitatiewe paradigmas op dié terreine veroorsaak is, en om begrip te bevorder betreffende die behoefte om navorsingsvrae voorrang te gee deur studies te ontwerp wat dié vrae beantwoord, in plaas daarvan om navorsingsprobleme in ’n klaargemaakte een-grootte-pas-almal ontwerp te plaas. Patton se rol om program-evaluasie in’n professie te omskep, word breedvoerig bespreek. Sy werk oor die onderwerp sluit ’n bydrae in om die gehalte en geloofwaardigheid van evaluasie te verhef, belangrike insette ten opsigte van die Standaarde van Uitnemenheid vir Evaluasie, sowel as om met die ontwikkeling van evaluasiemetodes te help.

The main purpose of this study was to determine: * If there is a relationship between certain personality traits and participation in sport. * Whether cricket players possess certain personality traits in general and with regard to levels of play, playing positions and age. The literature study indicated that the study of personality tend to be complex and showed a relationship between personality traits and participation in sport. Furthermore the literature study showed that personality is not static, but dependant on acquired traits and responses. The empirical study revealed that certain personality traits in cricket players figure stronger than others regarding levels of play, playing positions and age, for example cricket players on club level tend to have more self control than school players and bowlers tend to show a larger tendency to disregard social rules and tend to be more enthusiastic, and greater risk-takers than batsmen and wicketkeepers. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

The main purpose of this study was to determine: * If there is a relationship between certain personality traits and participation in sport. * Whether cricket players possess certain personality traits in general and with regard to levels of play, playing positions and age. The literature study indicated that the study of personality tend to be complex and showed a relationship between personality traits and participation in sport. Furthermore the literature study showed that personality is not static, but dependant on acquired traits and responses. The empirical study revealed that certain personality traits in cricket players figure stronger than others regarding levels of play, playing positions and age, for example cricket players on club level tend to have more self control than school players and bowlers tend to show a larger tendency to disregard social rules and tend to be more enthusiastic, and greater risk-takers than batsmen and wicketkeepers. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

The Nigeria economy is wholly dependent on revenue from oil. However, bitumen has been discovered in the country since 1903 and has remained untapped over the years. The need for the country to complement oil exploration with the huge bitumen deposit cannot be overemphasized. This will help to improve the country's gross domestic product (GDP) and revenue available to government. Bitumen is classifled as heavy crude with API (American petroleum Institute) number ranging between 50 and 110 and occurs in Nigeria, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela etc from which petroleum products could be derived. This dissertation looked at the Canadian experience by comparing the oil and tar sand deposit found in Canada with particular reference to Athabasca (Grosmont, Wabiskaw McMurray and Nsiku) with that in Nigeria with a view of transferring process technology from Canada to Nigeria. The Nigeria and Athabasca tar sands occur in the same type of environment. These are the deltaic, fluvial marine deposit in an incised valley with similar reservoir, chemical and physical properties. However, the Nigeria tar sand is more asphaltenic and also contains more resin and as such will yield more product volume during hydro cracking albeit more acidic. The differences in the components (viscosity, resin and asphaltenes contents, sulphur and heavy metal contents) of the tar sands is within the limit of technology adaptation. Any of the technologies used in Athabasca, Canada is adaptable to Nigeria according to the findings of this research. The techno-economics of some of the process technologies are. x-rayed using the PTAC (petroleum technology alliance Canada) technology recovery model in order to obtain their unit cost for Nigeria bitumen. The unit cost of processed bitumen adopting steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD), in situ combustion (ISC) and cyclic steam stimulation (CSS) process technology is 40.59, 25.00 and 44.14 Canadian dollars respectively. The unit cost in Canada using the same process technology is 57.27, 25.00 and 61.33 Canadian dollars respectively. The unit cost in Nigeria is substantively lesser than in Canada. A trade off is thereafter done using life cycle costing so as to select the best process technology for the Nigeria oil/tar sands. The net present value/internal rate of return is found to be B$3,062/36.35% for steam assisted gravity drainage, B$I,570124.51 % for cyclic steam stimulation and B$3,503/39.64% for in situ combustion. Though in situ combustion returned the highest net present value and internal rate of return, it proved not to be the best option for Nigeria due to environmental concern and response time to production. The best viable option for the Nigeria tar sand was then deemed to be steam assisted gravity drainage. An integrated oil strategy coupled with cogeneration using MSAR was also seen to considerably amplify the benefits accruable from bitumen exploration; therefore, an investment in bitumen exploration in Nigeria is a wise economic decision. / Thesis (M.Ing. (Development and Management))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

The Nigeria economy is wholly dependent on revenue from oil. However, bitumen has been discovered in the country since 1903 and has remained untapped over the years. The need for the country to complement oil exploration with the huge bitumen deposit cannot be overemphasized. This will help to improve the country's gross domestic product (GDP) and revenue available to government. Bitumen is classifled as heavy crude with API (American petroleum Institute) number ranging between 50 and 110 and occurs in Nigeria, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela etc from which petroleum products could be derived. This dissertation looked at the Canadian experience by comparing the oil and tar sand deposit found in Canada with particular reference to Athabasca (Grosmont, Wabiskaw McMurray and Nsiku) with that in Nigeria with a view of transferring process technology from Canada to Nigeria. The Nigeria and Athabasca tar sands occur in the same type of environment. These are the deltaic, fluvial marine deposit in an incised valley with similar reservoir, chemical and physical properties. However, the Nigeria tar sand is more asphaltenic and also contains more resin and as such will yield more product volume during hydro cracking albeit more acidic. The differences in the components (viscosity, resin and asphaltenes contents, sulphur and heavy metal contents) of the tar sands is within the limit of technology adaptation. Any of the technologies used in Athabasca, Canada is adaptable to Nigeria according to the findings of this research. The techno-economics of some of the process technologies are. x-rayed using the PTAC (petroleum technology alliance Canada) technology recovery model in order to obtain their unit cost for Nigeria bitumen. The unit cost of processed bitumen adopting steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD), in situ combustion (ISC) and cyclic steam stimulation (CSS) process technology is 40.59, 25.00 and 44.14 Canadian dollars respectively. The unit cost in Canada using the same process technology is 57.27, 25.00 and 61.33 Canadian dollars respectively. The unit cost in Nigeria is substantively lesser than in Canada. A trade off is thereafter done using life cycle costing so as to select the best process technology for the Nigeria oil/tar sands. The net present value/internal rate of return is found to be B$3,062/36.35% for steam assisted gravity drainage, B$I,570124.51 % for cyclic steam stimulation and B$3,503/39.64% for in situ combustion. Though in situ combustion returned the highest net present value and internal rate of return, it proved not to be the best option for Nigeria due to environmental concern and response time to production. The best viable option for the Nigeria tar sand was then deemed to be steam assisted gravity drainage. An integrated oil strategy coupled with cogeneration using MSAR was also seen to considerably amplify the benefits accruable from bitumen exploration; therefore, an investment in bitumen exploration in Nigeria is a wise economic decision. / Thesis (M.Ing. (Development and Management))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

The aim of the dissertation thesis is to evaluate the concept of corporate social responsibility in management and economics of surveyed small and medium sized enterprises. In the same time, to assess whether corporate social responsibility in current business environment represents benefit by analysing the relationship between the level of corporate social responsibility and the surveyed enterprises' financial situation within. The present dissertation thesis characterizes current social responsibility practice of surveyed small and medium sized enterprises with the help of the created composite indicator of corporate social responsibility level evaluation consisting of 14 selected indicators. The essential results represent statistical analysis of the causal effect of corporate social responsibility level on the financial health of surveyed companies. As the summary of the processed analyses and overall results, there was created model covering the key elements of social responsibility with ties to the management and economics of surveyed small and medium sized enterprises.