Orientation: The topic of restraint of trade has attracted attention, with significant renewed interest in light of the role it is said to play in contributing to the executive‟s career moves and the protection it offers companies. At the heart of the issue is the perceived unfairness of the contract between the employee signing the contract and the company restraining the employee.Research purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe aspects the restraint of trade within the South African financial services industry.Motivation for the study: The motivation for the study was the development of a deeper understanding of restraint of trade, within the South African context, as the concept became prevalent over the past years with many questions remaining unanswered.Research design approach and method: The research was a qualitative, content study.Main findings/results: The primary finding was that, despite the wide use of such contracts they are not clearly understood, they are still perceived as unfair and are seen as a tool to curb career development.Practical managerial implications: The results suggest that the use of such contracts maybe popular but they are flawed, even though elements such as the period of the contracts and the quantum of payments are known the legal clarity and misunderstanding of these contracts is still an issue.Contribution/value add: The study provides context to Restraint-Of-Trade within a South African framework. It further provides key insight into the perception, misalignment of these contracts to the overall understanding and the aim they are meant to achieve. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

Psychological and physical stress can alter the immune system in both humans and animals. We have reported that mice subjected to chronic 12-h daily physical restraint for 2 days showed dramatic apoptosis in splenocytes. To identify genes that contribute to the splenocyte apoptosis, we compare gene expression in the spleens of restrained and unstressed mice using oligo microarrays consisting of 226 genes. We report here that mice subjected to chronic 12-h daily physical restraint for 2 days exhibited significantly altered expression of 50 of 226 genes. These genes included pro-apoptotic genes. We selected 5 genes of interest and confirmed the microarray results by real-time PCR. In this study, we identify a potentially important component of pro-apoptotic activity in restraint stress and suggest a possible target for anti-apoptotic therapy to protect splenocytes against stress-induced apoptosis.

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In this thesis, we examine the administrative responses by Ontario hospitals to fiscal restraint between 1977 and 1984. Using the conceptual 'model' of organizational change developed in James Thompson's Organizations in Action [1967], we predict that the most significant adaptations occurred in hospitals' administrative components, while "core" activities such as medical procedures remained relatively inflexible. More importantly, the observed changes in administrative tasks and activities can be accounted for by the role played by administrators in maintaining internal order and dealing with external contingencies. Accordingly, the greatest adaptations will be in how the administrative component assesses the performance cf "core" activities and communicates this to an external funding agency (i.e. Ministry of Health). We find that the empirical data collected is consistent with our predictions. As a result, we conclude that hospital adaptation during this time period was explicitly related to renewing the political conditions necessary for organizational growth. Moreover, we suggest that the organizational logic of fiscal restraint does not affect how hospitals perform medical activities, but rather, further entrenches this technology through the adoption of standardized funding formulae. / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA)

In this investigation, thirty-six shear walls measuring 8 feet (2.4 m) in width and possessing heights of 8, 9 and 10 feet (2.4, 2.7 and 3.0 m) were subjected to the reversed, cyclic loading schedule of the standard CUREE protocol in order to determine the performance capabilities of shear walls greater than 8 feet (2.4 m) in height sheathed with long panels. Of the thirty-six walls, a total of twelve walls measuring 9 and 10 feet (2.7 and 3.0 m) in height were sheathed with 4 x 8 feet (1.2 x 2.4 m) panels which required additional blocking members between the studs of the frame. Values obtained from the tests performed on these walls provided a direct comparison to those obtained from the walls of equal height, but sheathed with a long panel capable of spanning the entire height of the wall. The capabilities of long panels were investigated when used as the sheathing elements of shear walls with and without a mechanical hold-down device attached to the base of the end stud. An advantage of the long panel was investigated in which it was extended past the bottom plate and down onto the band joist to determine if significant resistance to the uplift present in walls without mechanical hold-down devices could be provided. Also, the effects of orienting the fibers of a 4 x 9 feet (1.2 x 2.7 m) panel in the alternate direction were examined. Average values of the parameters produced by walls sheathed with long panels either matched or exceeded those of its counterpart sheathed with 4 x 8 feet (1.2 x 2.4 m) panels in all configurations except the 10 feet (3.0 m) tall wall without hold-down devices. In fact, 4 x 9 feet (1.2 x 2.7 m) panels increased the performance of 9 feet (2.7 m) tall walls equipped with hold-down restraint significantly. Extending the long panels past the bottom plate and down onto the band joist improved the performance of both 8 and 9 feet (2.4 and 2.7 m) tall prescriptive shear walls significantly. Walls sheathed with panels made of fibers oriented in the alternate direction performed identically to those sheathed with panels of typical fiber orientation until the point of peak load. Once peak load was reached, walls sheathed with panels of alternate oriented fibers failed in a more sudden and brittle manner. / Master of Science

The current specification provisions for the prediction of lateral restraint forces in Z-purlin supported roof systems under gravity loads are in Section D3.1 of the 1996 AISI Cold-Formed Specification. The design equations contained in these provisions are empirical and based on statistical analysis. They were developed using elastic stiffness models of flat roofs and were verified by experimental testing. The provisions need refinement, because the treatment of roof slope and system effects is incorrect. Also, the current design provisions are based upon an assumed panel stiffness value, ignoring the significant difference in required restraint force that occurs when panel stiffness is varied. Therefore, a new restraint force design procedure, having a stronger reliance on engineering principles, is proposed. This new treatment of the static forces in Z-purlin roofs led to a more accurate method of addressing roof slope. Elastic stiffness models, with varying roof slope, panel stiffness, and cross-sectional properties, were used to develop the proposed procedure. The basis of the procedure is to determine the lateral restraint force required for a single purlin system and then extend this result to systems with multiple restrained purlin lines. Roof slope is incorporated into the calculation of the single purlin restraint force, which includes eccentric gravity loads and forces induced by Z-purlin asymmetry. The procedure includes a system effect factor to account for the observed nonlinear increase in restraint force with the number of restrained purlins. An adjustment factor varies the predicted restraint force depending on the shear stiffness of the roof panel. The proposed procedure applies to five bracing configurations: support, third-point, midspan, quarter point, and third-point plus support restraints. / Master of Science