<p> From 1914 to 1990, Assemblies of God (AG) church planting efforts in Africa produced approximately ten thousand local churches and two million adherents. Since 1990, African Assemblies of God (AAG) churches emphasized ambitious church planting initiatives resulting in the addition of approximately fifty-four thousand local churches and fourteen million believers. This study examines the narratives of AAG church planters in West Africa to ascertain those factors influencing their church planting perceptions and activities in relation to Pentecostal missiology, the sociocultural context, leadership, and organizational development. </p><p> In order to discover those factors influencing church multiplication and growth, interview narratives of twelve leaders and fifty-one AAG church planters in West Africa were examined, delimited to the Anglophone context of Nigeria and the Francophone context of Togo. Using a qualitative data collection and analysis process known as grounded theory methodology, I discovered those factors that influence the perceptions and activities of church planters in the contexts of the study. </p><p> The findings show that church planters experience transformation in Christ and seek the transformation of their past, represented in the village, by planting new churches of transformed converts. This is a process of "backwarding" the Gospel to the village. These efforts lead to a renewal of the African self in a search for true belonging, enabling redemption of the African past and reclamation of the African future through Christ in Spirit empowerment. Church planting results in the local AAG church being a place of belonging and belonging to a place. This is described as ecclesiastical belonging, dimensionalized accordingly as proximal church planting, accessible church planting, and assimilation church planting. Belonging in these contexts is experiential through Gospel proclamation in Spirit empowerment to meet African aspirations to experience the divine. Additionally, belonging is relational, for the local AAG belongs to a global Pentecostal faith community.</p>

Theoretical work indicates that HIV-1 epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa will cause major demographic changes. The current study assesses the extent to which these changes can already be seen in two rural areas of Manicaland, Zimbabwe and investigates the determinants of the epidemic and its demographic impact. The study utilizes demographic survey methods and qualitative sociological techniques. Data analysis is conducted using statistical packages and is guided by insights generated from mathematical models of the epidemiology and demographic impact of HIV-1 infections. HIV-1 prevalence is high in both areas. Among women, HIV-1 infection is associated with age and marital status. Indirect evidence indicates that religion, education, migration and socio-economic characteristics of husband may also be important determinants. Each of these factors influences the pattern of sexual behaviour. Rates of sexual partner change are heterogeneous for women but appear more homogeneous for men. Mixing patterns are disassortative: men form partnerships with women with high and low rates of partner change. Mortality has undergone a recent upturn, almost certainly associated with HIV-1 infections. Adults aged 20-45 years and men, in particular, are most affected at this (early) stage of the epidemic. Religion is an important local determinant of demographic patterns, whose influence on mortality appears to be changing vua its effect on sexual behaviour and the spread of HIV-1. Orphanhood has increased, but, as yet, there is little change in population structure. Fertility has declined since the late 1970s. It is too early in the AIDS epidemic to see an impact of HIV-1 at the population level. However, some signs of behaviour changes which affect the proximate determinants of fertility were detected. These changes may accelerate the decline in birth rates, especially at younger ages. New demographic projections for Zimbabwe are developed, based on observed trends in HIV- 1 infection and fertility, and underlying behaviour patterns. These indicate substantial further increases in mortality, particularly among women and young children, greatly reduced population growth, relative shortages of young children and older adults, and further increases in orphanhood. Families and communities will require support in facing this slowly unfolding disaster.

Most countries in the world are working hard to attract more foreign direct investment. Identifying the key determinants of foreign direct investment is therefore seen as a crucial task for policy makers. Compared to other parts of the world, the performance of Sub-Sahara African countries in attracting foreign direct investment is poor. This study deals with identifying the determinants of foreign direct investment inflow in Sub-Saharan Africa. The study employed panel data analysis: pooled ordinary least square method, fixed effects and Random Effect methods. Fourteen Sub-Saharan Africa countries were sampled for the study. Trade openness, gross domestic product, gross domestic product growth, gross domestic product per capita, telephone line (per 100 people), gross fixed capital formation, inflation and the lag of FDI are explanatory variables while the stock of FDI inflow is dependent variable. The analyzed data covered for the period 1986-2010.  The study finding shows that trade openness, gross domestic product, inflation, and lag of FDI are the most significant determinants of foreign direct investment inflows to sub-Saharan Africa.

Thesis (doctoral) - WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management, Vallendar, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. [233]-246).

Thesis (Th. M.)--Dallas Theological Seminary, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 78-86).

Thesis (Th. M.)--Dallas Theological Seminary, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 78-86).

Thesis (doctoral)--Göteborgs universitet, 2008. / Extra t.p. with thesis statement inserted. Includes bibliographical references (p. [250]-273).

Revised (doctorial) thesis. - University of London, 19-- / Previous ed.: 1996. Includes bibliographical references (p. 320-341) and index.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Miami University, Dept. of Political Science, 2006. / Title from second page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 129-139).

Thesis (MComm (Logistics))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / Although global changes like political security, depletion of natural resources, energy supply and global warming are affecting all continents; Africa struggle the most to cope with these changes. This is due to the many historical impediments that Africa still has to overcome. Examples of these impediments are the negative effects caused by civil wars, poverty, poor infrastructure and a lack of skills. Providing reliable, effective and efficient infrastructure underpins all attempts to facilitate trade, grow the economy and reduce poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). SSA transportation related infrastructure is limited and generally in a poor condition. This poor state of transport infrastructure impedes SSA's development. However, it is not only the state of the infrastructure that challenges Africa - complicated customs and administrative procedures and inefficiencies when goods are handled at terminals and transferred from one transport mode to another also impede its potential for economic growth. In spite of these limitations, the SSA economy has been growing. As many as 28 countries (out of 48) in SSA recorded improvements in growth in 2006 and 2007. This growth was underpinned by improvement in macro-economic management in many countries, and a strong global demand for key African export commodities (sustaining high export prices, especially for crude oil, metals and minerals). Greater flows of capital to Africa, debt relief and increasing trade with the developing Asia have also helped increase resources and lift growth across SSA. The strong economic growth in the region also reflects the institutional improvements, structural reforms, and more rigorous economic policies that have started to bear fruit in many countries.