This research project has explored the issues surrounding East Gippsland Institute of TAFE's (EGTAFE) inability to expand the training in Hospitality and Tourism (H&T). EGTAFE is a small regional public provider of training covering a large area in regional Victoria and it has a pivotal role in the provision of knowledge and skills to assist Gippsland's transition to an innovative economy (www.egtafe.vic.edu.au/corporate/corporate). During this project discussions were held with a variety of stakeholders, namely local business owner/operators in the H&T Industry, researching issues such as industry skills requirements and also employers perception of EGTAFE. Action Research was employed as the methodology of this research project, as the cyclical process of planning, acting, observing and reflecting has facilitated the understanding and development of improvements to practices across the Hospitality and Service Industries (H&SI) team. Interviews, questionnaires and workshops were all part of the data collection method. As a result of this research project the main outcomes that have emerged are 1) a better understanding of the needs of employers and employees; and 2) the development of a strong collaborative partnership with employers. Due to the connections with industry that were made because of this research project, the H&SI team is now in a position not only to deliver industry skills requirements, but also to be a partner in the process.

No description available.

This study’s purpose was to glean a comprehensive list of the leadership challenges faced and strategies utilized during campus crisis and tragedy. It also sought to examine the goals of leadership at different phases of a crisis, aspects of leadership focused on, and recommended leadership practices to follow. A typology was created to identify appropriate crises. The typology classified crises as (a) institution as victim, (b) natural disaster, or (c) institution having legal liability. Fourteen interviews were conducted at eight schools. Interview transcripts were segmented into units for analysis. These data units were coded, grouped into categories, and named as themes. Once all themes were identified, overarching themes established the findings. Eight major challenges were identified for campus leaders during crisis: (a) leading in spite of a loss of control, (b) coping with deficient, inadequate, or non-existent technical and human crisis response measures or systems, (c) evaluation of leadership decisions occurring almost simultaneously to leadership actions, (d) altering operations and relationships, (e) managing transitions within the life of the crisis, (f) communicating about the crisis, (g) dealing with multiple constituency groups, and (h) dealing with longterm effects. Ten categories of strategies were identified: (a) making safety the priority, (b) leading planning and policy development, (c) garnering resources, (d) leading intentional communications efforts, (e) clarifying the leadership infrastructure, (f) accepting responsibility for crisis leadership, (g) modifying the leadership approach, (h) framing the crisis for others, (i) leading the healing process, and (j) leading efforts to learn from the crisis. Study findings suggested that it is not the type of crisis but the amount of devastation that determines leadership challenges and approaches. Leadership challenges evolve through predictable stages, invoking a broad range of leadership skills and concepts. During crisis, campus leaders focus on collaborative, symbolic, and logistical leadership. Sharing a common orientation during crisis is facilitative in the decision-making process. Policy development is a powerful means of bringing structure to a chaotic situation and of demonstrating an ethic of care. Findings from this study provided not only an overview of leadership challenges and strategies during campus crisis, but insight into a variety of crisis types, and practical application strategies for university administrators.

Estimated worldwide losses due to cybercrime are approximately $375-575 billion annually, affecting governments, business organizations, economies, and society. With globalization on the rise, even small businesses conduct transactions worldwide through the use of information technology (IT), leaving these small businesses vulnerable to the intrusion of their networks. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the managerial strategies of small manufacturing business owners to protect their financial assets, data, and intellectual property from cybercrime. The conceptual framework was systems thinking and action theory. Participants included 4 small manufacturing business owners in the midwestern region of the United States. Data were collected via face-to-face interviews with owners, company documentation, and observations. Member checking was used to help ensure data reliability and validity. Four themes emerged from the data analysis: organizational policies, IT structure, managerial strategies, and assessment and action. Through effective IT security and protocols, proactive managerial strategies, and continuous evaluation of the organization's system, the small business owner can sustain the business and protect it against potential cyberattacks on the organization's network. The findings of the study have implications for positive social change by informing managers regarding (a) the elimination or reduction of cybercrimes, (b) the protection of customers' information, and (c) the prevention of future breaches by implementing effective managerial strategies to protect individuals in society.

No description available.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Grondhervorming en dit wat daarmee gepaard gaan, is een van die hoekstene van die normalisering van ons samelewing en is sedert 1994 deel van die transformasieproses. Die huidige regering gaan uit van die oortuiging dat blywende vrede nie verkry kan word sonder dat dié ongelykhede reggestel word nie. Is daar ‘n antwoord op Suid-Afrika se ongelyke grondbesit, en kan kontrakboerdery 'n rol speel in die oorbrugging van die probleme? Een van die belangrikste aspekte van die regstelling van die ongeregtighede van die verlede, is die uitwissing van armoede, en in hierdie verband is Landbou 'n belangrike rolspeler. Ten einde armoede te bestry en werk te skep, moet die toekomstige generasie bemagtig word deur eienaarskap te versprei. Die Wet op Inheemse Grond van 1913, die Inheemse Trust- en Grondwet van 1936, en die Groepsgebiedewet van 1950 het swart Suid-Afrikaners die geleentheid ontneem om plaaseenhede te besit en te bedryf in die blanke gebiede van Suid- Afrika wat, soos ons almal weet, verreweg die grootste gedeelte van die land asook die meer produktiewe boerderygrond uitgemaak het. Die grondhervormingsproses streef om die erfenis van hierdie wette ongedaan te maak. Sedert die Suid-Afrikaanse grondhervormingsprogram in 1994 van stapel gestuur is, heers daar groot debat oor die beleid, implementeringstrategieë en die impak van sodanige pogings op landbougrond, die lewens van die bevoordeeldes, en die Suid-Afrikaanse ekonomie. Met die toename in skaal en kompleksiteit van grondhervorming het dit al hoe moeiliker vir die Regering geword om die proses te monitor en te evalueer. Dit is nou alombekend dat, behalwe vir kwantitatiewe aanwysings, daar baie leemtes bestaan in die inligting oor grondhervorming. In die lig van die veranderende aard van wêreld-landbou- en voedselmarkte en die voortspruitende behoefte vir vertikale integrasie van die voedselverskaffingskettings, het hierdie werkstuk ten doel om die rol van kontrakboerdery as 'n instelling te ondersoek, ten einde die voortgesette deelname te verseker van kleinboere in ontwikkelende lande in die markte vir hoëwaarde produkte. Die klem val spesifiek op die Suid-Afrikaanse omstandighede vir grondhervorming. Die werkstuk bespreek die teoretiese rasionaal van kontrakboerdery, en illustreer hoe dié vorm van boerdery aangewend kan word om markmislukkings en a-simmetriese informasieprobleme te oorkom. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Land reform and associated matters are some of the cornerstones of the normalizing of our society and have been part of the transformation process since 1994. The present regime is of the conviction that lasting peace cannot be achieved without such unequalities being addressed. Is there an answer to unequal ownership of land in South Africa, and can contract farming play a role in bridging these problems? One of the most important aspects of the unrighteousness of the past, is poverty and in its eradication, agriculture is an important role player. In order to combat poverty and create jobs, the future generation must be empowered by ownership of the economy. The Indigenous Land Act of 1913, The Indigenous Trust and Land Act of 1936, and the Group Areas Act of 1950 deprived Black South Africans of the opportunity to own and run farming units within the white areas of South Africa that, as we all know, formed by far the largest part of the land as well as the more productive farming land. The land reformation process strives to annul the legacy of those laws. Since the South African land reform program was started in 1994, a heated debate has raged about the policy, implementation stategies, and impact of such efforts on agricultural land, the lives of the beneficiaries, and the South African economy. With the increase in scale and complexity of land reform, it became more and more difficult for the regime to monitor and evaluate the process. It is now common knowledge that, except for qualitative indications, many shortcomings are apparent in the information on land reform. In light of the changing nature of world agricultural and food markets and the subsequent need for vertical integration of the food-supply chains, this study aims at investigating the role of contract farming as an institution, in order to ensure the continued participation of small farmers in developing countries in the markets for high-value products. The emphasis falls specifically on the South African conditions for land reform. This study describes the theoretical rationale of contract farming, and illustrates how this form of farming can be applied to overcome market fiascos and assimmetrical information problems.

A presente tese evidencia o estado da arte da Teoria Jogos nas Relações Internacionais, e analisa estratégias de negociação decorrentes de processos decisórios no âmbito comercial. Ao delimitar - em tempo e espaço - a trajetória da Governança Mercantil Global, confere-se posição de destaque à Convenção de Viena de 1980 (CISG), regime dotado de ampla legitimidade, concebido sob a égide das Nações Unidas e recém ratificado pelo Brasil. A análise do referido processo de vinculação dá-se a partir de instrumentos metodológicos conferidos pela Teoria dos Jogos, culminado com a apresentação dos limites do modelo e de alternativas viáveis para seu desenvolvimento. / The present thesis sheds light on contemporary game theoretical approaches in International Relations, in particular as they pertain to the role of strategy setting in cross-border trade. The study of Global Trade Governance leads to questions of regime legitimacy, culminating with the adoption of the 1980 United Nations Vienna Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG), recently ratified by Brazil. The analysis of the aforementioned ratification process validates the threshold of game theory as its stands today, and proposes, on the other hand, viable alternatives for the development of the model.

A presente tese evidencia o estado da arte da Teoria Jogos nas Relações Internacionais, e analisa estratégias de negociação decorrentes de processos decisórios no âmbito comercial. Ao delimitar - em tempo e espaço - a trajetória da Governança Mercantil Global, confere-se posição de destaque à Convenção de Viena de 1980 (CISG), regime dotado de ampla legitimidade, concebido sob a égide das Nações Unidas e recém ratificado pelo Brasil. A análise do referido processo de vinculação dá-se a partir de instrumentos metodológicos conferidos pela Teoria dos Jogos, culminado com a apresentação dos limites do modelo e de alternativas viáveis para seu desenvolvimento. / The present thesis sheds light on contemporary game theoretical approaches in International Relations, in particular as they pertain to the role of strategy setting in cross-border trade. The study of Global Trade Governance leads to questions of regime legitimacy, culminating with the adoption of the 1980 United Nations Vienna Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG), recently ratified by Brazil. The analysis of the aforementioned ratification process validates the threshold of game theory as its stands today, and proposes, on the other hand, viable alternatives for the development of the model.