The development of linguistic data, especially annotated corpora, is imperative for the human language technology enablement of any language. The annotation process is, however, often time-consuming and expensive. As such, various projects make use of several strategies to expedite the development of human language technology resources. For resource-scarce languages – those with limited resources, finances and expertise – the efficiency of these strategies has not been conclusively established. This study investigates the efficiency of some of these strategies in the development of resources for resource-scarce languages, in order to provide recommendations for future projects facing decisions regarding which strategies they should implement. For all experiments, Afrikaans is used as an example of a resource-scarce language. Two tasks, viz. lemmatisation of text data and orthographic transcription of audio data, are evaluated in terms of quality and in terms of the time required to perform the task. The main focus of the study is on the skill level of the annotators, software environments which aim to improve the quality and time needed to perform annotations, and whether it is beneficial to annotate more data, or to increase the quality of the data. We outline and conduct systematic experiments on each of the three focus areas in order to determine the efficiency of each. First, we investigated the influence of a respondent’s skill level on data annotation by using untrained, sourced respondents for annotation of linguistic data for Afrikaans. We compared data annotated by experts, novices and laymen. From the results it was evident that the experts outperformed the non-experts on both tasks, and that the differences in performance were statistically significant. Next, we investigated the effect of software environments on data annotation to determine the benefits of using tailor-made software as opposed to general-purpose or domain-specific software. The comparison showed that, for these two specific projects, it was beneficial in terms of time and quality to use tailor-made software rather than domain-specific or general-purpose software. However, in the context of linguistic annotation of data for resource-scarce languages, the additional time needed to develop tailor-made software is not justified by the savings in annotation time. Finally, we compared systems trained with data of varying levels of quality and quantity, to determine the impact of quality versus quantity on the performance of systems. When comparing systems trained with gold standard data to systems trained with more data containing a low level of errors, the systems trained with the erroneous data were statistically significantly better. Thus, we conclude that it is more beneficial to focus on the quantity rather than on the quality of training data. Based on the results and analyses of the experiments, we offer some recommendations regarding which of the methods should be implemented in practice. For a project aiming to develop gold standard data, the highest quality annotations can be obtained by using experts to double-blind annotate data in tailor-made software (if provided for in the budget or if the development time can be justified by the savings in annotation time). For a project that aims to develop a core technology, experts or trained novices should be used to single-annotate data in tailor-made software (if provided for in the budget or if the development time can be justified by the savings in annotation time). / PhD (Linguistics and Literary Theory), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The development of linguistic data, especially annotated corpora, is imperative for the human language technology enablement of any language. The annotation process is, however, often time-consuming and expensive. As such, various projects make use of several strategies to expedite the development of human language technology resources. For resource-scarce languages – those with limited resources, finances and expertise – the efficiency of these strategies has not been conclusively established. This study investigates the efficiency of some of these strategies in the development of resources for resource-scarce languages, in order to provide recommendations for future projects facing decisions regarding which strategies they should implement. For all experiments, Afrikaans is used as an example of a resource-scarce language. Two tasks, viz. lemmatisation of text data and orthographic transcription of audio data, are evaluated in terms of quality and in terms of the time required to perform the task. The main focus of the study is on the skill level of the annotators, software environments which aim to improve the quality and time needed to perform annotations, and whether it is beneficial to annotate more data, or to increase the quality of the data. We outline and conduct systematic experiments on each of the three focus areas in order to determine the efficiency of each. First, we investigated the influence of a respondent’s skill level on data annotation by using untrained, sourced respondents for annotation of linguistic data for Afrikaans. We compared data annotated by experts, novices and laymen. From the results it was evident that the experts outperformed the non-experts on both tasks, and that the differences in performance were statistically significant. Next, we investigated the effect of software environments on data annotation to determine the benefits of using tailor-made software as opposed to general-purpose or domain-specific software. The comparison showed that, for these two specific projects, it was beneficial in terms of time and quality to use tailor-made software rather than domain-specific or general-purpose software. However, in the context of linguistic annotation of data for resource-scarce languages, the additional time needed to develop tailor-made software is not justified by the savings in annotation time. Finally, we compared systems trained with data of varying levels of quality and quantity, to determine the impact of quality versus quantity on the performance of systems. When comparing systems trained with gold standard data to systems trained with more data containing a low level of errors, the systems trained with the erroneous data were statistically significantly better. Thus, we conclude that it is more beneficial to focus on the quantity rather than on the quality of training data. Based on the results and analyses of the experiments, we offer some recommendations regarding which of the methods should be implemented in practice. For a project aiming to develop gold standard data, the highest quality annotations can be obtained by using experts to double-blind annotate data in tailor-made software (if provided for in the budget or if the development time can be justified by the savings in annotation time). For a project that aims to develop a core technology, experts or trained novices should be used to single-annotate data in tailor-made software (if provided for in the budget or if the development time can be justified by the savings in annotation time). / PhD (Linguistics and Literary Theory), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Thesis (PhD (School of Public Management and Planning ))—Stellenbosch University, 2008. / This study focuses on the determinants for the development of a human resource strategy in the Provincial Government Western Cape (PGWC).The context is that a new regulatory framework for human resource development in South Africa, namely the National Human Resource Development Strategy (NHRDS) was developed by the National Ministries of Education and Labour in 2001. The purpose of the NHRDS was to provide a plan to ensure that people in South Africa are equipped to fully participate in society, to be able to find or create work, and to benefit fairly from it. At the heart of the NHRDS is the belief that enhancing the general and specific abilities of all citizens is a necessary response to the current situation in South Africa. The hypothetical point of departure of this study is formulated in such a way that acceptance of it constitutes support for the findings obtained from the literature and observations on HRD strategies as well as the implementation of the NHRDS in the PGWC. The problem for the purpose of this dissertation focuses on the research question: What is the role and context of HRD in the South African public service and does the implementation of the NHRDS justify the need and development of a HRD strategy in the PGWC? The qualitative research method that was chosen for this dissertation is the triangulation of grounded theory and a specific case study (mixed method). In this case, data used to provisionally assess the extent of implementation of the NHRDS in the PGWC, are specific key documents. To facilitate the research, to identify the core theoretical concepts and to investigate the problems identified in this study, the focus was subdivided into five research objectives which are analysed in chapters two to six of the dissertation. These are: · To provide an analysis of the nature, development, scope and concepts of Human Resource Management, Human Resource Development (HRD), training, and education, in order to examine the influence of these important external variables on the process of HRD in a public sector organisational setting and to provide context to the need for a NHRDS in South Africa. · To provide an overview of the relevant trends of transformation in South Africa with a focus on the origin, nature and implications of the transformation of South Africa after 1994 as well as the impact of the public service transformation HRD interventions in general. · To provide a systemic exploration of the scope and legislative and policy framework for HRD in the public sector in South Africa in general through an overview of the NHRDS and other HRD education and training strategies in order to provide an exposition of the rationale of the NHRDS and to get clarity on the conceptualisation of HRD in terms of skills for service delivery in the public sector. · To provide an exploration of conceptual knowledge of the variables influencing HRD through the application of a literature and documentary study of the present strategies (both internal and external) of the PGWC to develop its human resources, in order to describe and analyse the outcomes of the NHRDS process in the PGWC as well as the strategies and procedures employed to implement the NHRDS in the PGWC. · To develop a set of indicators against which the interaction of the variables influencing a successful strategy for HRD can be measured through the implementation of the NHRDS in the PGWC. The last chapter presents a synthesis of the study, taking into account the key findings. This dissertation is an attempt to make a contribution, in general, to the understanding of the role of the development of human resources through the NHRDS and is completed in the trust that the findings recorded here and the proposals made will be useful for future research. The potential benefits that can arise from the implementation of the NHRDS in the PGWC are significant. It could create a virtuous circle of increased economic growth and employment, an improved standard of living, and a more educated and trained citizenry. In conclusion, it can be stated that the hypothetical point of departure that were formulated for this study, was proven to be correct in theory and practice.

The study was aimed at discovering the extent to which the education system of Venda satisfies the human resource needs of that area. Chapter one not only outlines the aim of the study but also defines certain terminology used in the text. It also gives an outline of the research methodology. Chapter two identifies the theoretical guidelines with regard to how the education system is related to human resource needs. In defining the education system the chapter indicates that education cannot be divorced from the society in which it exists and therefore must be seen as a social, cultural and economic phenomenon. Chapter three examines the manner in which human resources function as a determinant of the education system. In examining the meaning of human resources it indicates the importance of developing the skills of the people as well as indicating the importance of attitudes towards work of the people, thus showing that skills and attitudes together help create good human resources for the growth and development of society. Chapter four indicates general educational needs as well as the criteria to be used for the purposes of this research. It indicates that basic skills should be developed in all people so that they can be able to adjust properly to the workplace. It emphasises the importance of reading, writing, computation and speaking abilities as the basis for education which intends to develop good human resources. Chapter five is the empirical study. It therefore indicates how the postal questionnaire was used. It also contains the results of the empirical study, and explains them. Chapter six gives the conclusions as well as the recommendations that are a result of this research. It concludes that the education system and society are bound together and should not be separated, that human resource development is an important aim of education systems and therefore development should not be one-sided but should be complete, that is, it should include social and cultural skills and economic development. Thus education in Venda should not ignore this, and should be of a good quality as from the lowest standards, so that whether a person has an education of up to Standard 5, 8 or 10 it should not be an insurmountable handicap to adjustment to the work situation. / Thesis (MEd (Vergelykende Opvoedkunde))--PU vir CHO, 1996

The demand-driven and participatory approach to water resource development and management in Tanzania has been both praised and criticized; some see progress where others see increased inequalities. This study focuses on one progressive, demand-driven NGO which has a participatory approach to water resource development and management. This NGO, MSABI, is active in Kilombero Valley in southern Tanzania, and can be considered successful as it manages to keep 91 % of its water points functional, whilst the national average for pump functionality is just above 50 %. To study the performance of MSABI from a user perspective, it was decided that two sites in Kilombero Valley should be investigated in terms of users’ views on water access and quality. The identification of sites is based on population density and landcover change, so that the issues of scale and urban bias, as well as changes in the landscape affecting hydrological processes, are accounted for. In total, 29 interviews were conducted (October to November 2014), 15 at the Ifakara study site, the more densely populated location, and 14 at the Mchombe Ward study site. The interviews were semi-structured, using a participatory approach, focusing on users’ perspectives on water sources and the access to and quality of those water sources in dry and rainy seasons. The information gathered was used to construct definitions for water access and quality. These definitions, as well as the two locations and categorization of participants according to socio-economic status, were then used to sort and analyse the collected material. The results show that MSABI does not manage to make water accessible in an equitable way because of its demand-driven and participatory approach to water resource development and management. However, MSABI offers the only improved water source at the Mchombe Ward study site, except for one improved open well. MSABI manages to counter urban-bias better than any of the other water resource development and management facilitators encountered at the two study sites. The seasons influence water access, especially at the more peripheral locations, where improved water sources are less common and, as open water sources, are more prone to drought and contamination. When participants in Ifakara seasonally migrate for farming, during 4-5 months per year, the majority’s access to improved water sources is lost. At the distant seasonal fields, open water sources are more common and few report that they treat the unsafe water. The migration to peripheral farmlands coincides with the rainy season, causing open water sources to have their lowest water quality when seasonal migrants utilize them. This underlines the importance of securing safe water supply for people at remote locations, and the important role MSABI plays as water resource developer at those locations. In conclusion, if the current demand-driven and participatory approach to water resource development and management is to be retained, regardless of the heavy criticism it has received with regards to equity, this study suggests that the practices of MSABI should be spread further based on MSABI’s ability to increase safe water access at remote locations. Another recommendation is to further look into the effects of seasonal migration on access to safe water. The effect seasonal migration has on water access in Kilombero could exist in other areas in Tanzania or in other countries. The aspect of seasonal migration might show that water access statistics are misleading, as the seasonal water consumption in remote locations risks being omitted in official statistics.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (the KSA) has a rapidly growing and diversifying economy that has made significant progress in manufacturing, construction, and agriculture. However, the KSA remains a difficult place for the practice of human resources management (HRM) because of, among other factors, a large non-native workforce and a majority of family-owned firms. These complicating factors mean that, in Saudi firms, HRM practices are adopted in a gradual manner and specifically, training programs are conducted with a view to develop talents and improve worker performance. The study explored the current state of HRM practices in KSA, perception on the training programs conducted and training effectiveness captured as ‘Intent to participate’. The study primarily used qualitative as well as quantitative data collected from family-owned business firms. It helps to gain a deeper understanding of how perceptions on training programs vary across different organisations and demography of the trainees that include age, qualification and experience. A framework predicting intent to participate by the perception on training programs was developed based on the review of extant literature. In order to capture the differences in the perception on training programs across different organisations, age, qualification and experience, Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) was used. Results show that perception differed across organisations, age, qualification and experience. In order to predict intent to participate by perception on training programs, multiple regression analysis was used. Results show that perception on identification of training needs, clarity of objectives, training design, behavioural modification and performance improvement predict intent to participate. The researcher also explored perception on training programs in family-owned business firms by conducting an interview with 33 HR managers using a semi-structured interview schedule. The HR managers belong to those companies where the employees hail from. The schedule was developed and standardised using content validity and reliability. The study also gained insights into various areas of training required by the employees in order to achieve their business results. It further provides inputs in terms of HR concerns and suggested HR Interventions to make the management training function better aligned and integrated. The study concludes with a set of recommendations for firms on implementing management training effectively. Ultimately, the study proposes a model of training for family-owned businesses in the KSA.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Educational Leadership / Jeffrey T. Zacharakis / Leaders of organizations are becoming more aware of their company’s potential adverse impact on society and are facing added pressure from stakeholders to find ways to mitigate this impact (Lancey, Cooper, Hayward, & Neuberger, 2010). The field of adult education, through its history in human resource development and social responsibility, can directly influence an organization’s corporate social responsibility strategy and thus its impact on society (Garavan, Heraty, Rock, & Dalton, 2010). This study aims to provide insight into the relationship between socially conscious human resource development training programs and the recommendation of new corporate social responsibility ideas for the organization. Furthermore, as many organizations are increasingly using entrepreneurial approaches to enhance their corporate social responsibility strategies (Austin, Leonard, Reficco, & Wei-Skiller, 2006), this study explores the relationship between entrepreneurial and social organizational antecedents perceived by 152 company managers and the development of new corporate social responsibility ideas for the organization. This research utilizes exploratory factor analysis and multiple regression to analyze the results of an online survey. The results of the analysis indicated that a statistically significant relationship existed between the number of socially conscious human resource development training programs attended and the recommendation of new corporate social responsibility ideas. Additionally, this research indicated that a manager’s perception of the level of social proactiveness in a firm is a significant organizational antecedent that correlates with the recommendation of new corporate social responsibility ideas.

Bakgrund: Flertalet organisationer värderar den mänskliga resursen som den viktigaste resursen i ett företag. Trots betydelsen av att ha kompetent personal i organisationer har tidigare studier påvisat ett samband mellan individers kön eller ålder och tillgång till kompetensutveckling. Med kompetensutveckling avses de insatser som organisationer vidtar för att utveckla och förnya kompetens hos en individ. I flertalet fall har kvinnliga och äldre medarbetare inte erbjudits kompetensutveckling i lika hög grad som manliga respektive yngre medarbetare. Syfte: Studien syftar till att undersöka vilken roll jämställdhetsarbetet har vid de kompetensutvecklingsinsatser som organisationer inom industrin vidtar, vilket kan påvisa flera förklaringar till faktorer som utgör ett eller flera hinder till individers kompetensutvecklingsmöjligheter. Dessa påverkansfaktorer kan uppmärksamma och inspirera andra organisationer inom industrin till att identifiera medarbetares kompetensutvecklingsmöjligheter i sina företag. Metod: Denna uppsats baseras på flermetodsforskning då de två forskningsansatser som ligger till grund för studiens utförande utgör en metodkombination. En kvantitativ forskningsansats har antagits för att studera insamlad statistik från respektive företag och på så vis kunna besvara frågeställningen om hur fördelningen av hur individers möjlighet till kompetensutveckling ser ut utifrån kön och ålder. En kvalitativ forskningsansats har sedan tillämpats för att undersöka vilka påverkansfaktorer denna fördelning beror på. Resultat/Slutsats: Fördelningen över antalet deltagande medarbetare i utbildning, utifrån kön och ålder, har påvisat ett jämställt resultat vilket motsäger tidigare forskning. Studien har istället identifierat tre andra faktorer som påverkar medarbetares möjlighet till kompetensutveckling i de företag som studien baseras på. Dessa tre faktorer kan urskiljas i Stockfelts (1988) kompetensperspektiv. / Background: Most organizations value the human resource as the most important resource. Despite the importance of having competent staff in organizations, previous studies have shown a connection between individuals' gender / age and access to develop competence. Human Resource Development refers to the initiatives that organizations take to develop and renew the competence of an individual. In several cases, female employees and older employees have not been offered the opportunity to develop competence to the same extent as male employees and younger employees. Purpose: This study aims to examine which role equality has during the competency development efforts that organizations within the industry take, which can point to several explanations to factors that cause one or several obstacles with regards to individuals’ competency developmental opportunities. These influential factors can inspire other organizations within the industry to identify employees’ competency developmental opportunities within their companies. Method: This thesis is based on multi-method research, since the two research approaches that form the basis of the study requires a method combination. A quantitative research approach has been adopted to study collected statistics from each company and thus be able to answer the question of how the distribution of how individuals' ability to competency development is based on gender and age. A qualitative research approach has then been applied to examine underlying causes of this distribution. Results/Conclusion: The distribution of the number of employees participating in education, based on gender and age, has shown a result of equal opportunities which contradicts previous research. The study has instead identified three other factors that affect employees' ability to develop and maintain competence in the companies which this study is based on. These three factors can be distinguished in Stockfelt's (1988) competence perspective.

The present study was concerned with seeking the opinions of Nigerian employers, Nigerians studying in the United States, and those studying in Nigeria concerning the need for human resource development in Nigeria. Data were collected through questionnaires mailed to selected Nigerian employers and to Nigerian students studying at various United States college campuses and at Nigerian university campuses. Problems of unemployment and critical shortages of skilled manpower continue to be rampant in Nigeria. The present investigation, through an analysis of questionnaire responses, seems to support the impression that little is really being done by Nigerian organization to upgrade and strengthen personnel talent in a planned and organized way. Most companies have no central long-range goal to guide their manpower development efforts. Much more time, effort, and expense are likely being devoted to the introduction of new operating systems or pieces of equipment than to the improvement of people.

Amidst recent mobilizations of Indigenous land-based resistance and the hypocrisy inherent in the state’s implementation of UNDRIP they render visible, resource-extractive corporate capital is uniquely invested in the state’s continued ability to dispossess land from Indigenous peoples. This paper suggests that growing emphasis on Indigenous-state relations within industry-funded think tanks offers corporate capital an unprecedented avenue to participate in the evolution of federal policy discourse on state-Indigenous reconciliation. It draws on a content analysis of policy materials from four of these institutions ranging from far-right groups such as the Fraser Institute to the more moderate Institute on Governance, contextualizing findings in recent and substantive shifts in federal policy development in this area. Findings suggest that the groups’ relative diversity is underscored by common discursive themes infused by neoliberal governing rationalities that invoke a diffuse, flexible and agile policy landscape that erases the question of land—and Indigenous jurisdiction over land—which many Indigenous peoples identify as critical to meaningful reconciliation efforts. / Graduate / 2020-04-29