Public interest in investments has increased dramatically during the past decades. Also parallely, there has been much research interest related with profitability, liquidity, and statutory and regulatory protection of investments, the three important pillars of investment. However, there is no similar research comparing the markets of Spain, USA and Russia in order to answer the research question of this thesis. Considering these factors, there exists need for this scientific research. The objective of this study was to discover the effect of statutory and regulatory protection in investment decision by comparing and analysing the legal environment of investments. The two steps to achieve this objective were: - Analyse and compare the legislation and securities market regulation international, national and institutional framework. - Survey. On a national level, we focused on three markets - Spain, the USA and Russia. On an institutional level, we concentrated on state agencies with regulatory power over securities markets of the above mentioned countries. The conclusion answered the main question of the work – “How does statutory and regulatory protection affect investment decisions?” This thesis in financial and business law is very relevant and will be of great interest to the investment sector. It can help interested parties in investment societies find specific solutions to improve the efficiency in investments in the above mentioned securities markets taking into consideration statutory and regulatory protection. Also, this work raises new questions for future research and indicates new possibilities of conducting future investigations. / Vicerrectorado de Investigación y Transferencia de Conocimiento (Escuela de Doctorado) "Convocatoria para la concesión de subvenciones con el objetivo de facilitar la obtención de la mención de Doctor internacional en el título de doctora o doctor, Ayudas Movilidad 2015". Jeffrey E. Smith Institute of Real Estate and Capital Markets of University of Missouri "Research Scholar (Becario de Investigación) - 01/02/2016-31/12/2017".

Le pacte d’actionnaires se place dans une forme de dépendance unilatérale au contrat de société qui n’est pas sans rappeler le rapport juridique d’accessoire à principal.En effet, s’il est fondamentalement distinct du contrat de société qu’il complète, tout pacte conclu par certains actionnaires, en dehors des statuts, afin d’organiser leurs relations interindividuelles d’actionnaires, trouve nécessairement sa matière et puise sa raison d’être dans le pacte social. Ainsi, la dépendance du pacte au contrat de société se manifeste-t-elle, de la manière la plus évidente, par la caducité qu’entraîne pour le pacte l’arrivée du terme du contrat de société ou la perte de la qualité d’actionnaire d’un partenaire.Dès lors, par analogie avec la règle selon laquelle l’accessoire a vocation à suivre le sort du principal, cette dimension d’accessoire du contrat de société justifie que le pacte subisse l’influence du cadre juridique auquel le contrat de société est lui-même soumis, à savoir le droit des sociétés et, en particulier, l’ordre public sociétaire.Cette dépendance au contrat de société, par essence commune à tous les pactes d’actionnaires en raison de leur objet matériel et de leur cause, est à géométrie variable. Elle repose en effet sur divers facteurs de rattachement au contrat de société que sont l’exercice du droit de vote, la détention des actions ou la qualité d’actionnaire des partenaires, lesquels impriment, selon qu’ils s’immiscent plus ou moins profondément dans le fondement, la structure ou encore le fonctionnement de la société, différents degrés de dépendance dans la relation pacte - contrat de société.Malgré l’hétérogénéité du régime des pactes d’actionnaires, il est alors possible de dégager,à l’aune de cette dimension d’accessoire, une tendance fondamentale qui anime, en droit positif, la jurisprudence relative aux pactes. Cette ligne directrice réside dans la variabilité du degré d’emprise des règles qui encadrent le contrat de société sur le régime des pactes d’actionnaires.La jurisprudence se révèle être, en effet, d’une manière générale et par-delà la casuistique, en cohérence avec cette influence proportionnelle de l’environnement sociétaire à l’intensité du degré de dépendance que présente chaque type de pacte en fonction du facteur qui le rattache au contrat de société. Les pactes caractérisés par une dépendance marquée au contrat de société bénéficient ainsi d’une marge de liberté à la mesure de celle dont bénéficie le contrat de société pour l’aménagement de l’exercice du droit de vote ou de la perte de la qualité d’actionnaire. Au contraire, les pactes caractérisés par une dépendance modérée au contrat de société, qui organisent des cessions ou des acquisitions d’actions,sont plus largement libérés des contraintes auxquelles est soumis le contrat de société au regard du principe de libre négociabilité des actions. Quant à l’influence sur les pactes de certains autres principes d’ordre public sociétaire, tels que la prohibition des clauses léonines ou l’expertise de l’article 1843-4 du Code civil, elle demeure incertaine en droit positif. Toutefois, la jurisprudence tend à reconnaître le particularisme de ces règles et à leur retirer, en conséquence, tout caractère impératif en dehors du cadre des relations entretenues collectivement par les actionnaires avec la société. / Shareholders’ agreement falls into a form of unilateral dependence to the companyagreement that is reminiscent of the legal relationship between the incidental and itsprincipal.Indeed, although it is fundamentally separate from the company agreement, which itsupplements, any agreement concluded by certain shareholders apart from the articles ofassociation, in order to organise their inter-individual shareholders relationships, is,nevertheless, necessarily based on and permitted by the company agreement. Thus, thecontractual dependency of the shareholders’ agreement to the company agreementmanifests itself, in the most obvious way, through the obsoleteness of the shareholders’agreement caused by the termination of the company agreement or by the loss ofshareholder status by a partner.Therefore, by analogy with the rule according to which the incidental is inclined to yield to theprincipal, such kinship to the quality of accessory to the company agreement justifies the factthat the shareholders’ agreement would be under the influence of the legal framework towhich the company’s memorandum and articles of association are submitted, that is to saycorporate law and, in particular, corporate law and order.This dependence to the company agreement, which is in essence common to allshareholders’ agreements due to their material object and cause, turns out to be flexible. Itrests indeed on different connecting factors to the company agreement, such as using thevoting right, shareholding or shareholder status of partners, which imprint, according to howdeep they work into the company foundation, structure or functioning, different degrees ofdependence in the relationship between the shareholders’ agreement and the companyagreement.In spite of the heterogenic regime of the shareholders’ agreements, it is possible to outline, inrespect to this type of accessory status to the company agreement, a crucial tendency thatleads, in positive law, agreements-related case law. This guideline lies in the variability of thehold on shareholders’ agreements regime by the rules that frame the company’smemorandum and articles of association.Indeed, case law proves to be, generally speaking and beyond casuistry, consistentwith this proportional influence of the company environment to the degree of dependenceeach type of shareholders’ agreement is subject to, according to the factor connecting it tothe company agreement. The shareholders’ agreements that show a strong dependence tothe company agreement are given a leeway commensurate with the one the company’smemorandum and articles of association benefit from regarding voting right or loss ofshareholder status arrangements. By contrast, the moderately dependant shareholders’agreements, organising transfer or acquisition of shares, are more widely released from therestrictions that govern the company’s articles of association regarding the principle of freetransferability of shares. Furthermore, the influence on shareholders’ agreements of someother principles of corporate law and order, such as the leonine clause prohibition or theexpertise of Article 1843-4 of the French Civil Code, remain uncertain in positive law.However, case law tends to recognize the distinctive identity of these rules and,consequently, to clear them from any imperative property beyond the frame of therelationships that the shareholders have collectively with the company.

An important change wrought by the post-1994 South African Constitutions is the attempt to have South Africa recognised as a democratic and sovereign state in the "family of nations." The new Constitutions make extensive reference to the state's international obligations and represent an endeavour to [re]define the status of international law vis-a-vis national law. Some provisions utilise international law in the interpretation and formulation of national jurisprudence and represent an [albeit not totally successful] endeavour to attain greater harmonisation between international and national law. This is an attempt to systematize the various criticisms levelled against these provisions to date, and to highlight certain interpretational difficulties and problems that present themselves in the process. The distinction between the various terminologies and branches of international law is also taken to task. Lastly, this paper attempts to determine the extent to which international law is applied at national level under the post-1994 constitutions. / Jurisprudence / LL. M.

Many South African families are beset by social, psychological and economic challenges placing children at risk. Family preservation services, capitalising on families’ strengths to resolve their problems, are crucial to avoid the removal of children from their homes. Using a qualitative approach, this study reveals the experiences and perceptions of twelve social workers providing family preservation services in the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan of Gauteng Province. These social workers articulate their understanding of and experiences with the Children’s Act (Act No. 38) of 2005. They are generally optimistic that family preservation services can offer a helping process with the potential to improve family functioning. Nevertheless, there are stumbling blocks to effective service delivery, such as the kinds of social problems experienced by families, lack of funding, high caseloads, lack of resources and little co-operation from other disciplines and agencies. Based on these findings, recommendations are made for practice, policy and further research. / Social Work / MA (Social Work)

The bulk of the matrimonial property regimes operating in Botswana were inherited from the country's colonial past. Since independence there ha'> not been any realistic attempt to reform them. The thesis set out to appraisal the legal regimes governing the determination of matrimonial property on divorce to ascertain their efficacy in realising the legitimate aspiration of married couples. Comparisons were made with similar countries to determine how these have tackled problems relating to determination of matrimonial property on divorce. The study found that where there is a dispute about matrimonial property in marriages out of community, the courts have no discretion to readjust the rights of the parties. This situation adversely affect nonworking wives who spent most of their time looking after their husbands and children without being able to acquire capital assets. Recognition is not given to such domestic contribution to the welfare of the family. It was also found that the exercise of the marital power by husbands of marriages in community of property deprives wives of those marriages the right to administer the joint estate. The patriarchal nature of customary law, which governs the majority of disputes about matrimonial property, discriminates against women. Consequently, the following, inter alia, are suggested as reform measures. (a) The courts should be g1ven a wide discretionary power, circumscribed by statutory guidelines, to reallocate matrimonial property on divorce irrespective of the matrimonial property regime that governs the marriage. TI1e underlying principle should be equality of sharing but this may be departed from where the circumstances of the particular case warrant it (b) A spouse's domestic contribution towards the welfare of the family should be recognised. (c) The marital power of husbands should be abolished. (d) The provisions of the Matrimonial Causes Act should be made applicable to customary marriages. / Private Law / LL.D.

A brief analysis of South African Law relating to intoxication as a defence prior to 1988 is given. This is followed by an in-depth discussion and evaluation of the statutory crime created by section 1 (1) of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1 of 1988. Various points of criticism against the wording of section 1 (1) as well as the problems with regard to its application in practice are set out. In conclusion a draft for a new, more effective wording for section 1 (1) is given / Criminal & Procedural Law / LL.M. (Criminal & Procedural Law)

This study examines the role of customary courts in the delivery of justice in South Sudan. In doing so, it analyses the legal background, the hierarchy and composition of the customary courts. The considerations behind the constitutional recognition of the customary law courts in the current constitutional dispensation and the jurisdiction of customary courts are limited to customary matters and only criminal cases with a customary interface. It is noted that the customary Judges do not only exercise judicial functions but also play executive and legislative functions which contravene the constitutional principle of separation of powers. Reconciliation and compensation are noted as the major principles applied in the customary law courts. The major concern is that most practices in the customary law courts violate fundamental human rights. / Public, Constitutional and International Law / LLM

The Thesis is devoted to the comparison of respecting children needs in Czech nursery schools and British nursery schools in the Czech Republic. It is concerned with the Czech statutory framework called Rámcový vzdělávací program pro předškolní vzdělávání and the British document called the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Using content analysis the work examines both the documents and determines their approaches to satisfy needs of children. The second part of the research, conducted through observation, is figuring out how needs according to the Maslow A. are met in the practise of these nurseries. The content analysis and observation is used to discern whether the practise of the nurseries corresponds with their educational program in the area of satisfying children needs.

Telemedizin ist der Einsatz von Telekommunikation und Informatik, um medizinische Dienstleistungen zu erbringen oder zu unterstützen, wenn die Teilnehmer räumlich getrennt sind. Die einzelnen telemedizinischen Anwendungen sind im Vordringen begriffen. Telemedizin ist allerdings kein eigenes Fachgebiet, sondern eine Methode, herkömmliche medizinische Maßnahmen zu unterstützen und zu verbessern. Da die Teilnehmer telemedizinischer Anwendungen nicht am selben Ort und zur selben Zeit agieren müssen, ist Telemedizin prädestiniert für die Überwindung der Sektorierung des Gesundheitssystems. Telemedizin kann insbesondere Rationalisierungsreserven mobilisieren und medizinische Dienstleistungen effektiver und effizienter gestalten. Ungeachtet dessen gibt es fünf Problemfelder, die beobachtet und weiter entwickelt werden müssen, um Telemedizin auch für die Zukunft möglich zu machen: Die unterschiedlichen Kommunikationsstandards müssen harmonisiert werden, damit der Datenfluß zwischen den Teilnehmer optimiert werden kann. Krankenkassen und Leistungserbringer müssen gemeinsam eine solide Basis für die Finanzierung derjenigen telemedizinischen Dienstleistungen etablieren, die dem Stand der wissenschaftlichen Erkenntnis entsprechen. Telemedizin mit Auslandsbeteiligung zieht in der Regel haftungsrechtliche Kollisionen nach sich, die von den Teilnehmern durch eine Rechtswahl- und eine Gerichsstandsvereinbarung vermieden werden können. Die sozialrechtlichen Möglichkeiten, insbesondere solche, Praxisnetze zu bilden, müssen noch in Einklang mit den berufsrechtlichen Vorgaben gebracht werden, da diese einer überörtlichen Leistungserbringergemeinschaft und einer entsprechenden Information des Patienten zum Teil noch im Weg stehen.Die durch die Telemedizin neu entstehenden Möglichkeiten der Kommunikation müssen durch zusätzliche Maßnahmen für Datenschutz und Datensicherheit flankiert werden. Insbesondere bei Datenübertragungen ins Ausland sollten sich die Teilnehmer durch eine gesonderte Einwilligung des Patienten in diesen Datenfluß absichern. / Telemedicine is the use of information and telecommunication technologies to provide and support health care when distance separates the participants. The single uses of telemedicine are growing in quality and quantity. Telemedicine, however, is not a medical field of its own, but a tool that can be used in most fields of medicine to enhance and support communication procedures. Since the participants must not act at the same time and at the same venue, telemedicine is bound to overcome the sectoral boundaries in a health system, which is separated in an outpatient and an inpatient world. Telemedicine can help to mobilise the health systems rationalisation potential and make procedures more effective and more efficient. There still are five tasks that have to be observed and to be solved, to make telemedicine possible in the future: Harmonisation of communicational standards must progress to optimise communication between the participants. Health insurance funds and medical persons must cooperate to insure a solid basis of financing for telemedicinal procedures that are state of the art. Participants of cross-border telemedicine must be aware of colliding laws and are well advised to agree upon the law to be applied and the court in charge. The professional law for doctors in Germany must be reconciled with the managed care concepts of practice networks that are legally permissible in terms of social law. Data protection and data security must be ensured under the new conditions of telemedicine. Especially cross-border data flow should be based on the informed consent of the patient involved

本論文以新加坡為例，探討新加坡文官制度之內涵在此間運作的相關議題。筆者從新加坡文官制度的發展歷史、法令規章、社會政經等因素的相互關係上，探討新加坡文官制度在靜態面、動態面所衍生出各種面向與特色。 新加坡同其它英屬殖民地一樣，沿襲英國文官制度的傳統與設計，在二次世界大戰後英屬殖民地國家紛紛獨立，但這些國家戰後似乎並未在國家發展與經濟建設上，締造出如同爭取殖民獨立一樣的奇蹟，唯獨新加坡能以一彈丸小國，在風雨飄搖中建國成功，並締造傲人的國家發展與經濟成就。新加坡成功之道當然很多，對於新加坡之研究大多涉及政治與經濟領域為多，對於文官制度的探討則甚為少見，文官制度的行政運作與政府政治的關係密切，兩者可說是一體兩面，彼此影響甚大，文官制度可以說是政府行政運作最主要的組織，對於新加坡文官制度的建立、組織、內涵、運作、特色等等，在本篇論文中即針對這些議題加以論述，使我們一步瞭解新加坡的文官制度，同時並提出一些看法及見解。 第一章「導論」。本章說明筆者的研究動機與研究目的、研究方法、研究資料收集與研究限制等論文寫作要項，並對文官制度所關聯的一些名詞作概念、定義與界定，以作為建構本篇論文的分析架構。 第二章「文官制度之形成與發展」。本章簡述新加坡的現況、政府組織與文官結構，並從新加坡的歷史發展瞭解文官制度的演變過程，探討殖民地到自治建國時期，文官制度的概況與文官制度的重建，從本章節中，筆者將描繪出殖民地時期文官的角色、功能及政治立場與心態，並探究文官制度在新加坡自治到獨立建國過程中，採取的具體方法與措施，如此對於新加坡文官制度健全的法制化，將有一全面性的瞭解。 第三章「人事行政機關」。本章節中將就新加坡主管文官的權限機關作一分析，探討新加坡文官制度屬於哪一個體制類型的機制，這樣對我們瞭解文官制度的權力運作，人事主管機關的對應位階有所瞭解，在章節中也將分析現行新加坡各級文官的人事行政機關，以及各級機關組織的設立、成員、功能與權限劃分。 第四章「文官制度的內涵」。本章節中將針對新加坡文官制度運作的人士機關製作--說明，諸如文官的聘任、考核、訓練、俸給、分類、福利、獎懲、退休、服務制度、肅貪廉政等都包括在內，從這些制度的運作過程中，對我們瞭解新加坡文官制度法制面的規範與實際運作，提供一個檢視比較的範圍。 第五章「文官制度的特色」。本章節中分別就文官制度在新加坡發展運作過程中，呈現的特色分別說明，包括(1)一級政府之行政組織；(2)菁英主義與功續制度的結合；(3)快速晉升與高薪政策；(4)專家行政的增加等四個部份，新加坡之所以被人稱為行政國家自有其一定的道理，從這些特色中可以讓我們發現新加坡行政效率成功之道，也可以發現在成功背後人才流失的危機，文官快速晉升與高薪政策的行程因素，以及專家行政的形成。 第六章「文官相關問題研究與探討」。在瞭解新加坡文官制度的歷史沿革，各級人事行政機關，文官制度的內涵與文官制度的特色後，在本章節中將進一步深入探討與評析文官制度對新加坡整體國家發展的影響與貢獻，文官在政治、社會、經濟領域的功能與角色扮演為何？在我們常強調的行政中立問題上，新加坡文官政治立場是否受到影響，以及文官在運作過程中所採取的政策與措施，不可能完美無缺，其所引申的弊端與問題為何？藉由這些問題的探討，提供我瞭解新加坡文官制度運作與發展的借鏡及參考。 第七章「結論」。本章總結筆者將整篇論文的一些要點概略地整理歸納出來，使讀者很容易對新加坡文官制度的瞭解進入狀況，同時並提出一些建議，作為我國在文官制度的參考。