The purpose of this study was to evaluate the integration of the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) and Performance Management System (PMS) processes in the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality. The aim of this study will not be to find solutions to the lack of service delivery, but to evaluate the lDP and PMS process as well as the theory. The need for this study was considered relevant and necessary as municipalities today have become focus points for service delivery as per their constitutional obligations. The IDPs are management and planning instruments and are only effective if they enable municipalities to improve and accelerate the delivery of essential services and development. Central to the constitutional mandate, amongst other things, the Municipal Systems Act 32 of 2000 (SA, 2000) requires municipalities to establish a Performance Management System that will play a pivotal role in promoting a culture of Performance Management. It is through Performance Management that priorities, objectives and targets are set, as contained in the Integrated Development Plan, are implemented and measured. Along with the implementation of lDPs, the Municipal Structures Act (117 of 1998) also mandates the implementation of performance management systems within the structures of the municipality. It was found during the literature review that the processes of IDP and PMS are linked, the resulting performance is more likely to meet the needs of an institution. There are various legislative acts and policy documents that state and mandates the use of these processes. Along with this are various guidelines that have been formulated to assist municipalities to successfully implement the lDP and a performance management system. / MBA, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The aim of this study was to evaluate if there was a connection between performance management and customers service within retail branches in Gauteng. In the service industry service is the key component of retaining customers and gives the competitive edge over their rivals. A thorough literature study was conducted by using the views of different authors and combining them. The concept of service delivery was defined and discussed looking at the various components of service. Further to this the concept performance management was defined. Based on the literature study it was found that there is a large human component in service delivery and the perception of the customer in terms of that service delivery. “Knowledge where value resides and what constitutes customer value from the standpoint of the customer has been very critical in the strategies of firms in all industries and elsewhere (Day, 1990. Mckenna, 1991. Ibidunni, 2004). Ensuring that individual values and goals are aligned to the organisation and that each is driving the same strategies becomes fundamental to their success. PM can be used as a tool to align these strategies and to strive towards one goal, retaining the customer through exceptional service delivery and ensuring that the brand talks to one standard service delivery throughout all of its channels. Conclusions regarding the findings of the research were presented and recommendations were made. It is important to note that these recommendations are guidelines that correlates directly to the empirical analysis made. The research study was evaluated against the primary and secondary objectives with the correlation that both were achieved. / Thesis (MBA)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

South Africa faces major challenges for public service delivery to its citizens. It is crucial to monitor service delivery needs through effective governance and service administration. Local government is the key functionary of the delivery and development of transformational South Africa. The Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) is a conditional grant to municipalities and it complements the equitable share grant for local government. South African municipalities participating in the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) programme are required to establish or share project management units (PMUs). The former Department of Provincial and Local Government (DPLG) issued guidelines known as MIG Guidelines (2004) for the establishment of the PMUs. The Municipal Infrastructure Investment Framework (MIIF) covers the maintenance of roads. The framework for the delivery of municipal infrastructure is based on Chapter 3, section 41 (j) of the Constitution. The purpose of this study is to explore the functioning of the PMU on the basis of the theories of project management and the MIG Guidelines, and to identify its service delivery function with regard to road maintenance. The main contribution of this study is to provide a framework and guidelines for the PMU to extend its further development with regard to the maintenance of roads. / Thesis (Master of Development and Management)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

The Sedibeng District Municipality (SDM), according to its Integrated Development Planning Report 2009, is a Category C municipality established in the Gauteng Province. It is the only area of the Gauteng Province that is situated on the banks of Vaal River and Vaal Dam, covering the area formally known as the Vaal Triangle including of Nigel and Heidelberg. It includes the towns of Vereeniging, Vanderbijlpark, Meyerton, and Heidelberg as well as the historic townships of Evaton, Sebokeng, Bophelong, Sharpville, and Ratanda, which have a rich political history and heritage. The SDM covers the entire southern area of Gauteng Province, extending along 120 km axis from East to West. The total geographical area of the municipality is 4630 square kilometers and the numbers of households living are 241223. In order to serve the communities, the municipality needs technologically advanced systems to deliver services efficiently. The study therefore focused on the implementation of e-administration for enhanced service delivery at SDM. The review of Sedibeng District Municipality Integrated Development Plan 2009 regarding service delivery does not indicate any statement recorded regarding e-government as the tool to help speedup service. According to SDM IDP, 2009 the Sedibeng District Municipality has other ICT initiatives such as the implementation of the CCTV in Vanderbijlpark CBD. While Sedibeng District Municipality Website 2009 states that the e-government will be implemented, even the Sedibeng District Municipality‘s website has outdated information. Other pages are still on development viz. visitors, business and residents. There is not much information on the clusters regarding their plans‖. In order to improve the challenge, the study hypothesized that ―lack of effective implementation of e-administration may lead to inefficient service delivery at Sedibeng District Municipality. The findings from the literature review and the empirical research support the central statement. Findings indicate that the SDM is aware regarding the significance of e-administration. The employees at the SDM are therefore receiving training from external service providers to enhance their expertise in the field of e-administration. The SDM needs to be aware and empower community members to understand the utility of e-administration for fast and convenient delivery of services. The SDM needs to invest in human resources to advance the service delivery through appointment of skilled and expert personnel. The adequate implementation of e-administration at the SDM level and the appropriate e-participation by the community members are the foundation blocks of improved and enhanced service delivery. The study recommends that SDM needs to appoint personnel advanced in technology; organize training sessions to enhance technological skills of existing employees on continuous basis; organize public participation forums for community members regarding the significance and utility of e-administration for improved service delivery; organize training sessions for community members to empower them with the technological means of participation; improve its website for the community members to log-in their requests; establish one-stop centres for the community members to utilize the e-administration. This is an imperative step as not all community members have access to computers and internet at home; deploy facilitators to train community members regarding the procedures of e-administration in their local language(s); and to improve on e-infrastructure in the form of establishment of kiosks in rural areas. This will assist geographically scattered community members to approach the municipal officials with ease The study recommends to further explore the concept of e-administration to combat bureaucracy and enhance transparency in the government processes in general and at the grass-roots level in particular. / Thesis (M. Development and Management)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2011

The Sedibeng District Municipality (SDM), according to its Integrated Development Planning Report 2009, is a Category C municipality established in the Gauteng Province. It is the only area of the Gauteng Province that is situated on the banks of Vaal River and Vaal Dam, covering the area formally known as the Vaal Triangle including of Nigel and Heidelberg. It includes the towns of Vereeniging, Vanderbijlpark, Meyerton, and Heidelberg as well as the historic townships of Evaton, Sebokeng, Bophelong, Sharpville, and Ratanda, which have a rich political history and heritage. The SDM covers the entire southern area of Gauteng Province, extending along 120 km axis from East to West. The total geographical area of the municipality is 4630 square kilometers and the numbers of households living are 241223. In order to serve the communities, the municipality needs technologically advanced systems to deliver services efficiently. The study therefore focused on the implementation of e-administration for enhanced service delivery at SDM. The review of Sedibeng District Municipality Integrated Development Plan 2009 regarding service delivery does not indicate any statement recorded regarding e-government as the tool to help speedup service. According to SDM IDP, 2009 the Sedibeng District Municipality has other ICT initiatives such as the implementation of the CCTV in Vanderbijlpark CBD. While Sedibeng District Municipality Website 2009 states that the e-government will be implemented, even the Sedibeng District Municipality‘s website has outdated information. Other pages are still on development viz. visitors, business and residents. There is not much information on the clusters regarding their plans‖. In order to improve the challenge, the study hypothesized that ―lack of effective implementation of e-administration may lead to inefficient service delivery at Sedibeng District Municipality. The findings from the literature review and the empirical research support the central statement. Findings indicate that the SDM is aware regarding the significance of e-administration. The employees at the SDM are therefore receiving training from external service providers to enhance their expertise in the field of e-administration. The SDM needs to be aware and empower community members to understand the utility of e-administration for fast and convenient delivery of services. The SDM needs to invest in human resources to advance the service delivery through appointment of skilled and expert personnel. The adequate implementation of e-administration at the SDM level and the appropriate e-participation by the community members are the foundation blocks of improved and enhanced service delivery. The study recommends that SDM needs to appoint personnel advanced in technology; organize training sessions to enhance technological skills of existing employees on continuous basis; organize public participation forums for community members regarding the significance and utility of e-administration for improved service delivery; organize training sessions for community members to empower them with the technological means of participation; improve its website for the community members to log-in their requests; establish one-stop centres for the community members to utilize the e-administration. This is an imperative step as not all community members have access to computers and internet at home; deploy facilitators to train community members regarding the procedures of e-administration in their local language(s); and to improve on e-infrastructure in the form of establishment of kiosks in rural areas. This will assist geographically scattered community members to approach the municipal officials with ease The study recommends to further explore the concept of e-administration to combat bureaucracy and enhance transparency in the government processes in general and at the grass-roots level in particular. / Thesis (M. Development and Management)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2011

The disproportionate burden of disease in the Aboriginal population in Canada has become so great that it is now being referred to as a health ‘crisis’. Evidence suggests that the answer to these ills lies not in the western biomedical model of heath care, but within the Aboriginal traditions of self-determination and holism (RCAP, 1996; O’Neil, Lemckuk-Favel, Allard & Postl, 1999; Romanow, 2002; CIHI, 2004; Maar, 2004; First Nations & Inuit Regional Health Survey, 2004). To this end, First Nations communities have been negotiating with the federal government and transferring responsibility for their community-based health services since 1986, despite the limitations of the federal Health Transfer Policy (Gregory, Russell, Hurd, Tyance & Sloan, 1992; Lavoie, et al, 2005; RCAP, Vol 3, Chp 3, 1996; Speck, 1989). These self-determination initiatives in health attempt to improve the health status of community members. Thus, determining an approach to health service delivery that contributes to positive health outcomes is of particular significance. Examining Island Lake’s evolving model of health service delivery indicates the success of the intergovernmental, interdepartmental, and intersectoral partnership approach they have taken; as evidenced by the Regional Renal Health Program, with dialysis treatment services, that has been established, perhaps for the first time in the country, in a remote First Nations community without existing hospital services. There remains work to be done in creating a holistic system of health service delivery that reflects their unique worldview within a context of health promotion and self-determination; however, their accomplishments to date, established processes, willingness to put their dreams into action and build what has not been built before demonstrate a potential to improve community health and well-being.

This study is about helping managers identify and enhance the idiosyncratic firm resources required for delivering superior perceived use value to customers. Specifically, the research has focused on the organisational knowledge required for routinised service delivery, and has operationalised this organisational knowledge as activities. Project 1 was a comparative study involving observation and interviews in two similar but differentially performing financial services organisations in order to identify the activities involved in service delivery and the differences between the two operations. Project 2 identified customers’ perceptions of value through customer interviews, and then mapped the links between these and the service delivery activities identified in Project 1. Project 3 involved a clinical inquiry intervention aiming to encourage and leverage the firm specific resource of inter-team coordination to enhance the delivery of customer value. The research has confirmed the role of firm specific resources as a source of competitive advantage, and has demonstrated a link with customers’ dimensions of perceived use value. In this study, effective inter-team coordination is identified as the firm specific strategic resource that appears to enable effective service delivery as perceived by customers, through the sharing of knowledge and interpretations, and the development of service process innovation. Many of these coordination activities are discretionary rather than prescribed, with implications for management practice. From this research, a framework has been developed for considering and managing firm specific sources of advantage at the detailed operational level. This is a micro level approach that makes specific links between the customer experience and internal activities, through identifying internal and external competitiveness factors, mapping the ‘inside-outside’ connections, and achieving alignment between internal activities and customer perceptions of value.

The disproportionate burden of disease in the Aboriginal population in Canada has become so great that it is now being referred to as a health ‘crisis’. Evidence suggests that the answer to these ills lies not in the western biomedical model of heath care, but within the Aboriginal traditions of self-determination and holism (RCAP, 1996; O’Neil, Lemckuk-Favel, Allard & Postl, 1999; Romanow, 2002; CIHI, 2004; Maar, 2004; First Nations & Inuit Regional Health Survey, 2004). To this end, First Nations communities have been negotiating with the federal government and transferring responsibility for their community-based health services since 1986, despite the limitations of the federal Health Transfer Policy (Gregory, Russell, Hurd, Tyance & Sloan, 1992; Lavoie, et al, 2005; RCAP, Vol 3, Chp 3, 1996; Speck, 1989). These self-determination initiatives in health attempt to improve the health status of community members. Thus, determining an approach to health service delivery that contributes to positive health outcomes is of particular significance. Examining Island Lake’s evolving model of health service delivery indicates the success of the intergovernmental, interdepartmental, and intersectoral partnership approach they have taken; as evidenced by the Regional Renal Health Program, with dialysis treatment services, that has been established, perhaps for the first time in the country, in a remote First Nations community without existing hospital services. There remains work to be done in creating a holistic system of health service delivery that reflects their unique worldview within a context of health promotion and self-determination; however, their accomplishments to date, established processes, willingness to put their dreams into action and build what has not been built before demonstrate a potential to improve community health and well-being.

Thesis (M.G.S.)--Miami University, Dept. of Sociology and Gerontology, 2006. / Title from first page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 30-31).

Magister Legum - LLM (Public Law and Jurisprudence) / Zambia has had a system of local government whose origin can be traced back to the colonial era. This system of local government, which is comprised by local authorities, did not have constitutional recognition. The 1996 Constitution of Zambia was the first to recognise the institution of local government. Nevertheless, the only aspect of local government which was entrenched was the provision that councils were to be democratically elected by universal adult suffrage. Other key principles of local democracy, such as citizen participation, local accountability and transparency, that are necessary pillars to an effective system of local government, were not recognised in this Constitution. It was not a surprise that most Zambians experienced challenges in accessing basic public and social services such as water supply, sanitation, housing and health care, which are a responsibility of local government. The absence of sufficient democratic content in the 1996 Constitution and in the enabling legislative and policy framework partly contributed to the ineffectiveness of local authorities.