The purpose of this study was to explore how the middle manager implements strategy at a South African government department. This study was conducted in response to the call for more research to be done using the strategy-as-practice perspective to explore the involvement of middle managers in a South African government context with regard to strategy. The current study sought to identify the roles that the middle manager undertakes with regard to strategy implementation, inclusive of the barriers that they face on a daily basis. The study aimed at providing feedback on how the middle managers implement strategy, overcome the barriers they face and some changes that participating middle managers proposed to the current practices in strategy implementation in a government context. A single case study, utilising an exploratory qualitative research design, was undertaken at a government department in South Africa. The data was gathered using semi-structured interviews. The researcher used the interviews to provide rich, detailed descriptions of how strategy is implemented by middle managers. The study portrayed the participating middle managers as playing an integral role as interpreters, communicators and implementers of the strategy within the government context. Findings confirmed that most of the middle managers were not involved in the crafting of the high level strategy of the government department. The participating middle manager fulfilled eight key roles in the implementation of the strategy: leadership role, management role, implementation role, monitoring role, reporting role, supporting role, communication role and information-sharing role. The participating middle managers dealt with many barriers with regard to strategy implementation on a daily basis, such as lack of understanding of government work, monitoring, support, skilled personnel, skill development, funding and information. The participating middle managers were found to be innovative and creative in utilising strategy tools to overcome the barriers they faced. Although these results cannot be generalised but may be transferrable to similar contexts. / Business Management / M. Com (Business Management)

In the thesis a methodology of understanding and explicating Christian faith consistent with the mystery of the simultaneous close connection and radical difference of God, human beings and the physical-organic cosmos environment is been mapped out. The theanthropocosmic principle as an expression of the mystery functions as the heuristic key in opening up the notion of kenosis (and incarnation) of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit within the scope of the enduring interaction of . The Spirit in the kenotic sense of the word connects and differentiates the overall processes of being and becoming, here and there, now and then of the mystery of the `presences' of God, human beings and the natural cosmic world in being there (Dasein), being thus and thus (Sosein) and being dynamically actual (Aktsein). God acts in terms of the Spirit's operational kenotic presence within the margins of the creatureliness of people and the natural cosmic world as the kenotic clothing of God. A dynamic interpretation of the integral and differential character of being and becoming suggests that making sense of the dynamics of the formation of identities and identification is an ever ongoing endeavour. It implies a continuous process of negotiation whilst experiencing various continuums, remaining open-ended in an ever-increasing sense of wonder and mystery of "exitus a Deo-reditus in Deum". / Systematic Theology and theological Ethics / D. Th. (Systematic Theology)

This dissertation explores how middle managers use their micro-strategising practices of agency and sense-making to shape strategic outcomes during and after strategic change implementation within an enabling and/or constraining organisational social structure. The researcher examined this phenomenon through the theoretical lenses of strategy-as-practice perspective and sense-making. The qualitative case-study research design with an interpretivist, social constructionist paradigm captured the lived organisational social reality of the administrative middle managers over time at a for-profit educational brand of a private higher education (PHE) provider. A thematic data analysis approach integrated manual coding with electronic coding to analyse data gathered through an emergent research design of text messages and e-mail journals over a four-month period. Data-driven inductive coding was synthesised with structural deductive coding in response to the research questions. The dissertation concludes that administrative middle managers use micro-level strategising practices of retrospective and prospective cognitive and emotional sense-making and the practical coping of agency, or embodied sense-making, to navigate a complex and contradictory organisational socio-cultural context that is both enabling and constraining. A further contribution of the current study speaks to the embedded practices between the two discrete levels of organisation and individual, which has been interpreted through the contradictions following the equivocal signals that these two main levels demonstrate. The porous inter-dependency between the two levels of organisation and individual creates an inter-woven entity where the strands of individual and organisational action are difficult to pull out and name distinctly, without unravelling the tapestry that is the organisational entity. These contributions affirm the intellectual puzzle which sought to understand and/or restore the balance of the individual within an organisational socio-cultural context to attain organisational security and equilibrium after organisational change. The findings of this current study is not generalisable to the other seven educational brands of the PHE provider. / Boithuto bona bo shebana le tsela eo ka yona baokamedi ba mahareng ba sebedisang ditlwaelo tsa ketso ya meralo e menyane (micro-strategising) ya diejensi le ketso ya moelelo ho bopa diphetho tsa meralo nakong ya le kamora ho kenngwa tshebetsong ha phetolo ya moralo kahare ho sebopeho se dumellang le/kapa se thibelang sa setjhaba. Mofuputsi o hlahlobile mohopolo ona ka leihlo la thiori ya moralo-jwalokaketso le ketso ya moelelo. Sebopeho sa dipatlisiso tsa phuputso ya boleng se nang le saense ya setjhaba le paterone ya kgaho ya setjhaba se hapile mokgatlo wa setjhaba wa sebele o phetsweng wa baokamedi ba mahareng ba tsamaiso nako e telele letshwaong la thuto la phaello ho mofani wa thuto e hodimo ya poraefete (PHE). Katamelo ya manollo ya pokello e amanang le thuto e ikgethang e kopantse tokiso ya tokomane ka letsoho le ka elektoniki ho manolla pokello e bokelletsweng ka sebopeho sa dipatlisiso se qalang sa melaetsa ya mongolo le di-emaili nakong ya dikgwedi tse nne. Mongolo wa qaleho o tsamaiswang ke pokello o ile wa hlahiswa ka elektoniki le mongolo o latelang dikarolo tse itseng tsa molao o akaretsang ho araba dipotso tsa dipatlisiso. Thuto e phethela ka hore baokamedi ba bohareng ba tsamaiso ba sebedisa ditlwaelo tsa mekgwa e boemong bo tlase ba ketsahalo ya moelelo boiphihlelong ka ho kgutlela morao le ho nahanela pele ka kellelo le maikutlo le ho sebetsa ho kgonehang ha mokgatlo, kapa ho fana ka moelelo boiphihlelong ho kopantsweng ho batlisisang maemo a rarahaneng le a hananang a moetlo wa mokgatlo a nolofatsang le a thibelang ka bobedi. Monehelo o eketsehileng wa thuto ya morao-rao o bua ka ditlwaelo tse keneletseng dipakeng tsa maemo a mabedi a fapaneng a mokgatlo le a motho ka mong a tolokuweng ka ho hanyetsana ho latela matshwao a ka tolokehang ka ditsela tse fapaneng tseo maemo ana a mabedi a ka sehloohong a di bontshang. Ho emelana hona ho kenellanang ho dipakeng tsa maemo a mabedi a mokgatlo le motho ka bo mong ho theha mokgatlo wa kgokahano oo ho ona dikgwele tsa motho ka bo mong le kgato ya mokgatlo di bang thata ho hulwa le ho reha ka tsela e hlakileng kantle le ho senya lesela leo e leng mokgatlo. Menehelo ena e netefatsa selotho se neng se batla ho utlwisisa le/kapa ho tsosolosa tekanyo ya motho kahare ho maemo a setso sa setjhaba sa mokgatlo ho fumana tshireletso ya mokgatlo le boikgutso kamora ho fetoha ha mokgatlo. Diphumano tsa thuto ena ya morao-rao ha di akareletswe ho matshwao a mang a thuto a supileng a mofani wa PHE / Lolu cwaningo lucubungula udaba lokuthi izimenenja ezisezikhundleni ezimaphakathi zizisebenzisa kanjani izinkambiso zazo zokwenza amaqhinga namasu emazingeni aphansi okusebenzisa ikhono lazo lokuzikhethela nokuthatha izinyathelo ngokuzimela (agency) nokwenza kuzwakale futhi kuqondakale lokho ezikwenzayo nezikushoyo (sense-making) ngenhloso yokubumba imiphumela enobuqhinga ngaphambi kokuba kuqaliswe uguquko olunobuqhinga futhi nangenkathi sekuqaliswa uguquko olunjalo olwenzeka ngaphakathi ohlakeni lwesakhiwo senhlalo esivumelayo kanye/noma esivimbelayo. Umcwaningi wakuhlaziya futhi wakuhlolisisa lokhu esebenzisa indlela yokubheka izinto ngokwethiyori yokusebenzisa iqhingasu njengenkambiso (strategyas- practice perspective) kanye nokwenza kuzwakale futhi kuqondakale lokho okwenziwayo nokushiwoyo. Idizayini yocwaningo lwesigameko olukhwalithethivu olugxile ekutheni izimenenja zibheke izinto njengoba zinjalo ngokweso lezigameko ezidlule kuzona izimenenja, ngokuqhubeka kwesikhathi, ekuxhumaneni nasekusebenzeni kwazo nabanye abantu esikhungweni semfundo ephakeme esithile esizimele esiqhuba umsebenzi wokuqeqesha ngenhloso yokungenisa imali nokwenza inzuzo, phecelezi umhlinzeki we-private higher education (PHE). Ucwaningo lwasebenzisa indlela yokuhlaziya idatha ngokucubungula nokuqopha amaphethini, okuyindlela eyadidiyela ukuhlelwa nokuhlungwa kwedatha ngesandla nangobuchwepheshe bekhompyutha ngenhloso yokuhlaziya idatha eqoqwe kusetshenziswa i-emergent research design yemiqhafazo (text messages) kanye namajenali ama-imeyili esikhathini esiyizinyanga ezine. Ukuze kuhlinzekwe ngezimpendulo emibuzweni yocwaningo kwahlanganiswa indlela yokuhlela nokuhlunga idatha esuselwa kuhlobo lwedatha eqoqiwe (inductive) kanye nendlela yokuhlunga ngokusebenzisa uhlelo olwenziwe ngaphambi kokuqoqwa kwedatha (deductive). Ucwaningo luphetha ngokukhipha umbono wokuthi izimenenja ezisezikhundleni ezimaphakathi zisebenzisa izinkambiso zazo zokuqhamuka namaqhinga namasu emazingeni aphansi okwenza izinto ziqondakale ngokusebenzisa ingqondo nemizwa mayelana nezigameko ezenzeke esikhathini esedlule, nalezo ezingahle zenzeke esikhathini esizayo kanye nokubonela kwikhono lomunye umuntu, njengoba linjalo, lokuthatha izinyathelo nokwenza izinto ngokuzimela noma ukwenza izinto ziqondakale, okuyingxenye yalokho, ngenhloso yokuchusha nokuthubeleza esimweni senhlalo-masiko esiyinkimbinkimbi futhi esiziphikisayo, esikwenza kokubili ukuvumela kanye nokuvimbela. Elinye futhi igalelo lalolu cwaningo lwamanje liphathelene nezinkambiso ezifakwe zagxila emazingeni amabili ahlukene ngokucacile phakathi kwenhlangano kanye nomuntu ngamunye, ahunyushwe ngokuphikisana okulandela izimpawu eziyindida futhi ezingaqondakali kahle eziboniswa yilawa mazinga amabili amakhulu. Ukuncikana nokuxhasana okuntekenteke phakathi kwalawa mazinga, okuyinhlangano kanye nomuntu ngamunye, kwakha uhlaka oluxhumene lapho kunzima ukutomula nokugagula ngokucacile izingxenye ezakhe izenzo nezinyathelo zenhlangano ezingxenyeni ezakhe izenzo zomuntu ngamunye, ngaphandle kokuqaqa nokuhlukanisa ingxenye ngayinye eyakhe inhlangano ebumbene. Lawa magalelo ocwaningo aqininisekisa futhi asekele indida-mqondo (intellectual puzzle) ebihlose ukuqonda kanye/noma ukubuyisa ukuzimelela komuntu ngamunye esimweni senhlalo-masiko yenhlangano ukuze kuzuzwe ukuvikeleka kwenhlangano nozinzo-kulingana (equilibrium) emva koguquko olwenzekile enhlanganweni. Imiphumelangqangi etholakale kulolu cwaningo lwamanje ayinakuthathwa njengemiphumela engaphinde isetshenziswe futhi iqondaniswe nezimo ezitholakala kwezinye izikhungo eziyisikhombisa zomhlinzeki we-PHE. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)

Evil and suffering are a constant reality of this world and major catastrophes and issues such as swine flu and bird flu gain enormous relief funding, media coverage and frantic government action, yet HIV/AIDS, a cause of immeasurable suffering after years of being in the public spotlight receded into the background. This study grapples with evil and suffering in the light of creation, reconciliation, renewal and consummation from the viewpoint of a diversity of cultures and religions, with a particular focus on HIV/AIDS. The cluster of sin, evil and suffering are reflected upon and this revolves around five angles: firstly, multicultural and multi-religious sense making God-human-world approaches; secondly, the mystery of the simultaneity of the close connection and radical otherness of: God, being human and the natural world; thirdly, the full Gospel of God’s grand acts of creation, reconciliation, renewal and consummation; fourthly, different approaches towards texts, theories, natural processes and human doings; and fifthly, the multidimensionality of God, human beings and the natural world. In the thesis the origin of evil and suffering is discussed, which leads to a discussion of dualist views, amongst others, Zoroastrianism and its influence on modern monotheistic religions. Moreover, the response of the major faith groups towards evil and suffering are discussed and consensibly negotiated with the purpose of achieving better co-operation between faith groups in their tackling of HIV/AIDS. An attempt at establishing the outlines of a theology of HIV/AIDS is considered as well as the role, value and enhancement of faith counseling. Modern and postmodern views of evil and suffering are touched upon especially regarding the close proximity of God, humanity and the natural world to the sufferer. Despite significant differences in the various faith systems, sufficient commonality around respect for human beings is found to exist. Finally, in terms of consensible negotiation of portions of the various scriptures a way forward is envisaged that undergirds the notion of solidarity in support of HIV/AIDS sufferers in various faith systems. / Systematic Theology and Theological Ethics / D.Th. (Systematic Theology)

In John Calvin and Ellen G White’s sense making approaches God’s act of redemption and reconciliation in and through Jesus Christ takes the centre stage in the foursome of God’s acts expressed in the biblical historical timeline as creation, reconciliation in Jesus Christ, renewal through the Holy Spirit and fulfilment at the end of time. While the 16th century Calvin emphasised God’s acts of creation and reconciliation in Christ more than God’s acts of renewal and fulfilment, the 19th century White’s emphasis was more on God’s acts of reconciliation in Christ and fulfilment at the end of time than on creation and renewal through the Spirit. With all the differences in their sense making approaches their central perspectival focus in their writings, sayings and doings is the way God and humanity, heaven and earth are closely connected in a unity without being fused and mixed in Jesus Christ. Their central christological theme of ‘God staying God’ and ‘human staying human’ in an interactional substantialist sense in Christ designates the great alternative view that differs on the one hand, from the view of the trans-substantialist option in which the human being Christ Jesus is in a sacramental-sacred way transformed into ‘a divine human being’ –, and on the other hand, the view of the consubstantialist option in which the human being Jesus is permeated and diffused by his divinity, thereby becoming ‘the human God.’ Calvin and White in their reflection operating within the realm of divine historicity that is staying within the biblical historical timeline from Genesis to Revelation were viewed by many as not theologians in the real sense of the word. Calvin and may be to a greater extent White worked and contributed to the new and emerging field of Faith Studies in which a theologian or theorist of faith cannot reflect on God, human beings or the natural cosmic world in three separate avenues as was commonly the case with speculative and scholastic theologies in history. White’s Faith Studies contribution is in the global arena of theology where the omnipresent ‘–logies’ of mainline church theologies such as Christology, Ecclesiology, Pneumatology and Eschatology hold sway.

L'objectif de cette étude est de développer un modèle d'information pour représenter les besoins des personnes dans les organismes de bienfaisance de l'Arabie Saoudite. La population cible sont les organismes de bienfaisance qui s'intéressent à la collecte et à la distribution des dons à leurs électeurs.Le but de cette étude est atteint par trois objectifs ; Le premier objectif est d'identifier l'état actuel de l'utilisation des systèmes d'information dans le secteur des organismes de bienfaisance. Le deuxième objectif est d'identifier les besoins d'information de ces organismes de charité à l'égard de leurs bénéficiaires.. En utilisant la théorie des sens et son ensemble de méthodes, nous avons pu comprendre les besoins informatiques du point de vue des utilisateurs eux-mêmes. Le troisième objectif est de faire correspondre les besoins résultant des besoins d'information des organismes de charité avec les dimensions des besoins de développement humain par Narayan et al., (2000) qui a été étudié pour informer le rapport sur le Développement Mondial de la Pauvreté et du Développement. Cette étude est significative parce qu'elle n'a pas été menée dans cette échelle ou cette portée avant, et elle fournit une image claire de l'état actuel de l'utilisation des systèmes d'information dans le secteur, elle fournit également un modèle de recherche éclairé qui aidera à mieux répondre aux besoins des personnes pauvres inscrites dans ces organismes de bienfaisance. Le modèle de besoins d'information résultant de cette étude fournit un élément précieux pour un système d'information futur, basé sur des données de recherche visant à améliorer l'efficacité, la fiabilité et la responsabilité dans la gestion des dons pour le bien-être du constituant.Les données de cette recherche ont été recueillies au moyen de deux études, la première étude a porté sur l'ensemble de la population d'organismes de bienfaisance par le biais d'un sondage électronique et le nombre de cas au final était de 83 organismes de bienfaisance. Cette étude visait à étudier l'état actuel de l'utilisation des systèmes d'information dans les organismes de bienfaisance, les interrogés ont répondu à 18 questions divisées en quatre sections. La première section portait sur le profil de l'organisation. La deuxième concerne les systèmes d'information pour les bénéficiaires. et les dons. La troisième concerne les bénéficiaires. Le quatrième, était une information supplémentaire sur l'adaptation des SI futurs. La deuxième étude a été une entrevue avec 15 organismes de bienfaisance de la région de Riyad. Ils comprenaient des organismes de bienfaisance masculins et féminins, et des organismes de bienfaisance de différentes localités comme le village et la petite ville. Cette étude a utilisé la théorie des sens de Brenda Dervin pour étudier les besoins d'information duPage 2 sur 2point de vue de l'utilisateur à l'organisme de bienfaisance en ce qui concerne les bénéficiaires. et les dons. Les entrevues ont été menées face à face avec chaque cas dans la deuxième étude.Les résultats de cette recherche montrent que l'utilisation des systèmes d'information dans les organismes de bienfaisance est répandue, avec 89,2% des organismes de bienfaisance utilisant un SI dans certains ou tous les processus de travail. Il a également révélé la diversité des processus dans lesquels les organismes de bienfaisance employés SI, comprenant 4 thèmes majeurs et 22 processus de travail distincts. Il a également révélé que les besoins d'information des organismes de charité ont sept ensembles distincts, et chaque ensemble comprend entre 2 et 19 lacunes en matière d'information. Les résultats montrent également que les besoins d'information des organismes de bienfaisance ont une grande couverture des dimensions de bien-être du rapport sur le développement mondial de 2000/2001, couvrant une couverture de 50% à 100%. / The aim of this study is to develop an information model for representing people’s needs in charity organizations of Saudi Arabia. The target population are the charity organizations that are concerned with donations gathering and distribution to their constituents.The aim of this study is achieved through three objectives; the first objective is to identify the current state of information systems use in the sector of charity organizations. The second objective is to identify the information needs of those charity organizations with regard to their constituents. By using the sense-making theory and its set of methods, we were able to understand the informational needs from the perspective of the users themselves. The third objective is to match the resulting sets of informational needs of charity organizations with the dimensions of human development needs by Narayan et al., (2000) which was researched to inform the World Development report on Poverty and Development. This study is significant because it was not conducted in that scale or scope before, and it provides a clear picture of the current state of information systems use in the sector, it also provides a research informed model, which will help better fulfill the needs of the poor people registered at those charities. The information needs model resulting from this study provides a valuable building block for a future information system, which is based on research data to improve efficiency, reliability and accountability in donations management for the wellbeing of the constituent.The data for this research was collected through two studies, the first study was targeted at the whole population of charity organizations through an electronic survey, and the final case number was 83 charities. This study aimed at investigating the current state of information systems use at charity organizations, respondents answered 18 questions divided in four sections. The first section was about the organization’s profile. The second was about information systems for constituents and donations. The third was about the constituents. The fourth, was additional information about adaptation of future IS. The second study was an interview with 15 charity organizations from Riyadh region. They included masculine and feminine charities, and charities of different localities such as village and small-city. This study used the sense-making theory byPage 2 of 2Brenda Dervin to investigate the information needs from the user’s perspective at the charity with regard to constituents and donations. The interviews were conducted face-to-face with each single case in the second study.The results of this research show that the use of information systems at charities is widespread, with 89.2% of charities using an IS in some or all work processes. It also revealed the diversity of processes in which charities employee IS, comprising 4 major themes and 22 distinct work processes. It also revealed that the information needs of charity organizations has seven distinct sets, and each set included between 2 and 19 information gaps. The results also show that the information needs of charities has a great coverage of the wellbeing dimensions of the World Development report of 2000/2001, spanning from 50% to 100% coverage. It also revealed that the number of all information sources, which could bridge the information gaps, are 18 sources spread across five sectors in the country.The information needs model for representing people’s needs was a result of the combination and analysis of all research findings to develop that model. It has nine dimensions of information and its corresponding data inputs, leading to the desired knowledge about the constituent. The model covers all aspects of the life of the constituent and can be modified by individual charities to satisfy their own objectives and to lead to new and relevant knowledge.

Against a backdrop of feminist and social scientific research on sex, female embodiment, and normality this thesis aims to discern how young women, who in adolescence have learned that their bodies are developing in ways considered ‘atypical’ for the female sex, make sense of their bodies and their situation. In focus are the ways in which the women make sense of and negotiate female embodiment; how they, particularly in stories about their interactions with others, position their embodied selves; and how norms and beliefs about sexed embodiment, heterosexual practice, and in/fertility are strengthened and challenged in the interviewees’ sense-making. The data comprise 23 in-depth interviews with women who in adolescence have learned that they do not have a uterus and a vagina, or who have learned that they do not have two X chromosomes and have no, or non-functioning, ovaries. Through narrative and thematic analysis the thesis shows how the women’s sense-making can be obstructed by norms about female embodiment, heterosexual practice, and in/fertility, expressed through medical terminology and practice and in interaction with family, friends, and peers, as described by the interviewees. Concomitantly, as the thesis demonstrates, medical terminology can be experienced and function as a resource in the women’s sense-making. Diagnostic categories enable them to put the specificities of sex development into words and raise awareness about bodily variation. Furthermore, in their stories about others’ reactions to their bodies and about their experience and management of certain medical treatments, the women question norms about female embodiment, heterosexual practice, and in/fertility that were previously taken for granted. The complexity of the women’s sense-making is demonstrated through the ways in which the interviewees, on the one hand, align with norms about female embodiment, heterosexual practice, and in/fertility, and in which they, on the other hand, succeed in challenging the same. In this ‘juggling’ of reinforcement and resistance, the thesis argues, the women are found to expand rather than dismiss beliefs about female embodiment.  Thus, the thesis contributes with deepened knowledge about what it can be like to live with these specific conditions and with problematizations of how norms about female embodiment can be enacted and questioned. / Mot bakgrund av feministisk och samhällsvetenskaplig forskning kring kön, kvinnlig kroppslighet och normalitet syftar avhandlingen till att undersöka hur unga kvinnor, som i tonåren fått reda på att deras kropp utvecklas på ett sätt som anses ”otypiskt” för det kvinnliga könet söker förstå och skapa mening kring sin kropp och situation. Framförallt undersöks dessa kvinnors meningsskapande, hur de i sina berättelser positionerar sig i relation till andra, och hur normer och föreställningar om kvinnlig kroppslighet, heterosexuell praktik och in/fertilitet förstås, förhandlas, stärks och ifrågasätts i berättelserna. Materialet som undersöks utgörs av 23 djupintervjuer med kvinnor som i tonåren fått reda på att de antingen inte har någon livmoder och vagina eller att de inte har två X kromosomer och inga eller  icke-fungerade äggstockar. Genom narrativa och tematiska analyser visar avhandlingen hur kvinnornas meningskapande formas av normer kring kvinnlig kroppslighet, heterosexuell praktik och in/fertilitet, då de uttrycks i kvinnornas berättelser om sin situation i möten med andra och i relation till medicinsk praktik. Samtidigt, visar avhandlingen, kan medicinsk terminologi, specifikt diagnoser, och praktik utgöra resurser i kvinnornas meningsskapande som möjliggör för dem att sätta ord på och sprida kunskap om kroppslig variation. I kvinnornas berättelser om andras reaktioner på deras kroppar och om deras erfarenhet och hantering av specifika medicinska behandlingar utmanas vidare normer som kvinnorna tidigare har tagit för givet. Genom analysen framträder således komplexiteten i kvinnornas meningskapande då de å ena sidan anammar förgivettagna normer om kvinnlig kroppslighet, heterosexuell praktik och infertilitet och å andra sidan utmanar de samma. I detta ”jonglerande” av anpassning till normer och motstånd mot desammasyns kvinnorna expandera snarare än avfärda föreställningar om kvinnlig kroppslighet. Avhandlingen fördjupar därmed kunskapen om hur det kan vara att leva med dess specifika tillstånd och till att problematisera hur normer om kvinnlig kroppslighet kan ta sig uttryck och ifrågasättas.

Infrastructure is presenting significant national and global challenges. Whilst often seen as performing well, infrastructure tends to do so against only limited terms of reference and short-term objectives. Given that the world is facing a new infrastructure bill of ~£40T, improving the benefits delivered by existing infrastructure is vital (Dobbs et al., 2013). This thesis investigates strategic intent and the management of infrastructure systems; how factors such as organisational structure and business practice affect outcomes and the ways in which those systems — not projects — are managed. To date, performance has largely been approached from the perspective of project investment and/or delivery, or the assessment of latent failures arising from specific shocks or disruptive events (e.g. natural disaster, infrastructure failures, climate change). By contrast, the delivery of system-level services and outcomes across the infrastructure system has been rarely examined. This is where infrastructure forms an enduring system of services, assets, projects, and networks each at different stages of their lifecycle, and affecting one another as they develop, then age. Yet system performance, which also includes societal, organisational, administrative and technical factors, is arguably the level relevant to, and the reality of, day-to-day public infrastructure management. This research firstly investigated industry perceptions in order to test and confirm the problem: the nub of which was the inability to fully deliver appropriate and relevant infrastructure outcomes over the long term. Three detailed studies then explored the reasons for this problem through different lenses; thereby providing an evidence-base for a range of issues that are shared by the wider infrastructure industry. In confirming its hypothesis that “the strategic intent and the day-to-day management of infrastructure systems are often misaligned, with negative consequences for achieving the desired long-term infrastructure system outcomes”, this research has increased our understanding of the ways in which that misalignment occurs, and the consequences that result. It found those consequences were material, and frequently not visible within the sub-system accountable for the delivery of those outcomes. That public infrastructure exists, not in its own right, but to be of benefit to society, is a central theme drawn from the definition of infrastructure itself. This research shows that it is not enough to be focused on technical outcomes. Infrastructure needs to move beyond how society interacts with an asset, to the outcomes that reflect the needs, beliefs, and choices of society as well as its ability to respond to change (aptitude). Although the research has confirmed its hypothesis and three supporting propositions, the research does not purport to offer ‘the solution’. Single solutions do not exist to address the challenges facing a complex adaptive system such as infrastructure. But the research does offer several system-oriented sense-making models at both the detailed and system-level. This includes the probing methodology by way of a diagnostic roadmap. These models aim to assist practitioners in managing the transition of projects, assets, and services into a wider infrastructure system, their potential, and in (re)orienting the organisation to the dynamic nature of the system and its societal imperative.

Summaries in English and Afrikaans / In die tesis word die modernistiese en laat/postmodernistiese reduksionistiese benaderings in die Adventiste wêreld nie bloot afgewys nie, nie net omdat dit deel van ons ervaring is nie maar ook omdat die reduksies wat in die moderne en laat/postmoderne tyd ontstaan het in ʼn gemodifieërde sin die boustene is van ʼn hermeneutiese benadering wat poog om holisties en in multiverse sin oorvleuelend te werk met die antieke, moderne en laat/post moderne benaderinge. In ʼn hermeneutiek wat holisties oorvleuelend en multivers integrerend aan die gang is, vorm die vierledige opset van die handelinge en beweginge van God, die menslike bewustelike self, medemens(e) as die ander mens en die natuurlike kosmiese wêreld ʼn misterie van vierledig aktiewe teenwoordighede wat nie-vermengd saambestaan maar tog ontsettend naby aan mekaar is as die voortgaande ervaringskaart van elke konteks en situasie. Juis die uitmekaar ruk van die vierledige aktiewe teenwoordighede inonservaringswêrelde vorm die agtergrond vir moderne teologisme met God alleen speler van die spel, psigologisme met die bewustelike menslike self as die kaptein van sy siel en die meester van sy lot, humanisme waarin die mensheid as kollektiewe menswees die enigste roerder van die menslike brousel in die geskiedenis is en naturalisme waarin die natuurlik kosmiese omgewing die naturaliserende ordeningsagent van die kosmiese chaos is. Wat radikaal deur ʼn holisties oorvleuelende en multiverse integrerende aanpak sny, is dat die vierledige teenwoordighede gedra word asook ingebou is in wat in die Bybels-historiese tydslyn vorendag kom as die vier prominente dade van God se voortgaande skepping, versoening in Jesus Christus, alomvattende vernuwing deur die Gees en voleindende volmaking tot in die aanbreek van die nuwe hemel en die nuwe aarde. Binne die omraming van ʼn hermeneutiek wat holisties oorvleuelend en multiversintegrerend werk, word algemene moderne en postmoderne benaderinge oor tekse, teorieë, menslike handelinge en die natuurlike kosmiese gebeurtenisse beskryf. Terwyl die moderniteit – en ook die postmoderniteit – uitgaan van die hoofsaaklik opponerende verskille tussen sinmakende beskouinge word hier gepoog om eers die oorvleuelingsareas refleksief te betrek en daarna aandag gee aan die verskille. Die drie breë benaderinge wat hoofsaaklik beskryf word is die van fundamentalistiese spieëling, liberale interpretasie en die konsinlike onderhandeling van tekse, teorieë, menslike handelinge en natuurlik kosmiese gebeure.Juis teen hierdie agtergrond word diverse SDA omgangspatrone met die Bybel, ervaringe in die kerklike arena en alledaagse ervaringe in ʼn draaikolk van multivers oorvleuelende en differensiërende refleksiwiteit beskryf. / In the thesis Adventist approaches making use of modernist and late/postmodernistic reductionist philosophies are not rejected out of hand. Not only are the reductions which emerged in the modern and late/modern era part of our experience but they are in a modified sense the building blocks of a hermeneutical approach in which an attempt is made to work in an overlapping holistic and multiverse way with approaches of the ancient world, modernity and late/post modernity. In a hermeneutics that operate holistically with overlaps and in a multiverse integrative sense, the quadruple setting of actions and movements of God, the conscious human self, neighbour(s) as the other human and the natural cosmic world forms a mystery of foursome active presences that do not exist together in a mixed sense but are very close to each other as the continuous experiential map of every context and situation. The dislocation of the foursome active presences in our experiential worlds forms the backdrop of modern theologism in which God is the sole player in the game, psychologism with the conscious human self as the captain of his or her soul, humanism in which humanity as the collectiveness of being human is the only stirrer of the human concoction in history and naturalism in which the natural cosmic environment is the only naturalistic agency that arranges the cosmic chaos. Cutting radically through the holistic overlapping and multiverse integrative approach is that the foursome presences are carried and built into what come to the fore in the biblical historical timeline as the four grand acts of God of continuous creation, reconciliation in Jesus Christ, all embracing renewal through the Holy Spirit and fulfilling fulfilment as in the dawn of the new heaven and the new earth. Within the embrace of a hermeneutics which works with overlaps in a holistically and integrating in a multiverse sense general modernist and late/post modern approaches regarding texts, theories, human doings and natural cosmic events are described. While modernity – and late/post modernity - depart from mainly opposing differences between sense making views the attempt is made here firstly to engage oneself in a reflexive sense with the areas of overlapping and only then to pay attention the differences. The three broad approaches mainly described are that of fundamentalist mirroring, liberal interpretation and consensual negotiation of texts, theories, human doings and natural cosmic events. It is against this background that diverse SDA engagement patterns with the Bible, experiences in the arena of the church and everyday experiences is described in a vortex of holistic overlapping and multiverse integrative reflexivity. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / D. Th. (Systematic Theology)

This paper interweaves narrativized readings and experiential narratives as personal and cultural resources for counterhegemonic cultural critique within our historical context of globalization and ecological crisis. Framed by perspectives on epistemology, everyday life, and place, these reflections seek to engage and revitalize our notions of community, creativity, and the individual, towards visioning the human art of community as a counternarrative to globalization. Such a task involves confronting the meanings we have come to ascribe to work and economy which so deeply determine our social fabric. Encountering the thought of key 19th and 20th century social theorists ranging from William Morris, Gregory Bateson, and Raymond Williams, to Murray Bookchin, Martin Buber, and Wendell Berry, these reflections mark the indivisible web of culture in the face of our insistent divisions, and further, iterate our innate creativity as the source for a vital, sustainable culture that might reflect, in Bateson’s terms, the pattern that connects.