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The importance of search partnerships has grown as a mode to search for innovations. However, in spite of this development, notions of open innovation combined with new propositions to change the search process in favour of sustainability have unravelled a need to take stock of the existing literature of search partnerships and the aims that these partnerships follow. This review addresses this shortcoming and synthesises the literature on search partnerships to analyse the current state of knowledge to deliver future research opportunities. A systematic review process was adopted by means of a set a set of pre-defined stages. These stages included the formulation and positioning of the review question within the larger literature domains, a systematic research process which included the adoption of search strings, relevance and quality appraisal criteria, as well as a stock-taking process of descriptive and thematic features, which followed the logic of prescriptive synthesis. This process led to a representative sample of 73 articles which were analysed subsequently. The tentative findings reveal that the literature is underpinned by a combination of theories linking to evolutionary or transaction-based understandings of search partnerships. Also, six conditions were found to drive search partnerships and when they are likely to form. Moreover five interventions were identified that relate to the use of search methods, boundary spanning activities, and the number, type and involvement levels with the partner. Finally search partnerships have been found to yield five outcomes: partnerships, and various types of innovations, higher social goals, as well as market knowledge. By combining contexts, interventions, and outcomes, research opportunities are identified that should inform future reviews, including the need for more research in sustainability-led search partnership contexts and a better understanding of search strategy configurations in relation interventions used and anticipated search partnership outcomes obtained.

The thesis investigates the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and financial performance. The thesis is organised into three parts. The first part, the literature review, is in three sections, the first section provides an introduction to the field of corporate social responsibility, its grounding in economic theory and its historical background. The second part of the literature review covers the social and environmental issues relevant specifically to the food and agriculture sector. The third section is a systematic review of the studies that examine the relationship between corporate social performance and financial performance. This review was carried out using a modified Cochrane systematic review method, more commonly found in the medical literature than in the economics literature. The results showed that 70% of the studies reviewed showed a positive and statistically significant relationship between CSR and financial performance. The second part of the thesis includes three empirical studies. The first study, an event study, assessed the impact of the FTSE4Good Index on firm price. The study examined the return to companies of being included in a modified share index that signals good performance in terms of CSR. The results of this event study showed that companies are not rewarded for being included in the index and are not penalised for being deleted from it. The second empirical study, a probit analysis, aimed to identify the probability of a company passing a social and environmental screen given information about the company’s size, financial performance and sector. Results showed that companies with small market capitalisation, low income gearing and high net profit margins were more likely to pass the screen than other companies. Companies in the energy sector were less likely to pass than other companies, and financial sector companies more likely to pass. The third empirical chapter assessed the effect on the financial performance of companies of passing a socially responsible investment screen. The results showed that there was a relationship between passing the screen and higher earnings per share, but the relationship between passing the screen and other financial indicators was not proven. These studies demonstrated the difficulties that exist to provide statistically strong evidence for the relationship between corporate social responsibility and financial performance. Thus the third part of the thesis moved into a different area, from the supply to the demand side. This is the valuation of non-financial indicators and their relationship with CSR, this included a discursive chapter on intangibles and their relationship with CSR and a final empirical study: a choice experiment. This study demonstrated that MBA students take nonfinancial and ethical issues into account when making investment decisions. In conclusion, providing strong evidence for the relationship between corporate social responsibility and financial performance is difficult. There are many ways of measuring CSR and many ways of measuring financial performance. Depending on the measures used, different results are obtained. Looking beyond conventional financial performance measurements, to intangibles, provides a more holistic picture of what is going on in the relationship and shows that there is more to company valuation and investment decision making than financial performance indicators. CSR is an important component of company reputation and has an intrinsic value that is difficult to measure but is no doubt very high.

This thesis investigated behaviour and behavioural phenotypes in the Mucopolysaccharide (MPS) disorders. The MPS disorders are a group of rare lysosomal storage disorders which are characterised by a period of normal development followed by gradual cognitive and/or physical decline.Paper 1 describes a systematic review of the extant literature on cognitive, motor, social, linguistic and behavioural presentation in all of the MPS disorders. 25 papers were reviewed and the methodology they employed was assessed. Sleep disturbance was found to be part of the behavioural phenotype of MPS III. In MPS I and II fearfulness and sleep problems occurred in most cases. In MPS II participants with the mild form were found to have relatively normal development and few or no behavioural problems, while those with the severe form had behavioural problems, delayed speech, delayed development and limited motor function. High rates of challenging behaviour, most commonly associated with aggression, hyperactivity, orality, unusual affect and temper tantrums were consistently observed in children with MPS III.Paper 2 describes an empirical study investigating the behavioural phenotype of MPS III, Sanfilippo syndrome. Parents of 20 children with MPS III, 5 adults with MPS III and 25 children with Intellectual Disability (ID) completed questionnaires relating to their son/daughter’s behaviour and adaptive skills. The frequency of challenging behaviours displayed by children aged 2-9 years with MPS III and ID were high but not significantly different. Behaviours associated with hyperactivity, orality, body movements and inattention were seen significantly more frequently in 2-9 year olds with MPS III than ID. The frequency of challenging behaviours displayed by children with MPS III and their adaptive skills was found to decrease with age. Children age 10-15 years with MPS III displayed significantly fewer problem behaviours than children of the same age with ID. It is recommended that parents with a child with MPS III aged 2-9 years are offered clinical services to support them with managing challenging behaviour while those with a child of 10 years or over are offered support with managing health concerns and end of life care.The third Paper, provides an evaluation of the strengths and limitations of the literature review and the empirical study. The findings and clinical implications from both studies are discussed. The process of conducting research into rare, life limiting, genetic syndromes is reflected upon and recommendations for replication and further research are made.

Submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master’s Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Durban University of Technology, 2014. / Background: Practitioners are required to practice evidence-based medicine. The availability of large volumes of information make this practice style difficult for the practitioner. However, a systematic review allows literature to be organised, rated and allows current, abbreviated research resources for practitioner in clinical practice. Objectives: The effectiveness of the Gonstead Chiropractic Technique (GCT) was evaluated to present current evidence available for various conditions for which the GCT is utilised in clinical practice. Thus, the aim of the study was to systematically review, collate and evaluate the research evidence in the literature to determine the effectiveness of the GCT. Method: A literature search was conducted, based on key terms including: Gonstead and manual, Gonstead and technique, and Gonstead and manipulative/manipulation. Databases searched were: CINAHL Plus, Google Scholar, MEDLINE, Metalib, Pubmed, Science Direct, Springerlink and Summons. The articles were screened according to inclusion and exclusion criteria, after which secondary hand and reference searches were done. Thereafter the articles were reviewed by six independent reviewers. Appropriate scales were used to rate the methodological rigour of each article (e.g. PEDro). The results were analysed and ranked, before these outcomes were classified and contextualised in the clinical conditions on which the included studies were based. Results: A total of 477 citations were identified; after screening 26 English articles remained. Two articles were added through the secondary hand-search. Limited to no evidence existed for the effectiveness of GCT for neck pain / headache / face pain and limited evidence existed for gynaecological issues, scoliosis, neurological disorders, fractures, blood pressure and physiological presentations. Consensus was evident for gynaecological issues, neurological disorders, fractures (with the exception of the undiagnosed fracture) and physiological presentations, whereas the neck pain / headache / face pain and scoliosis were conflicting. Conclusion: Limited evidence shows a need for future studies with stringent methodological rigour, so as to investigate the appropriateness / inappropriateness of the use of the GCT. The lack of evidence for GCT may compromise appropriate informed consent and treatment. Therefore practitioners are encouraged to use appropriate and validated tools to measure the patient’s clinical progress

Introduction: Thromboprophylaxis recommendations for hospitalized cancer are based on trials done for the general medically patients, as there are no randomized clinical trials(RCTs) looking at thromboprophylaxis in medically ill patients with cancer. Methods: To determine if thromboprophylaxis is safe and effective to prevent VTE these patients, a Systematic Review(SR) was done. A survey was performed to assess: clinical equipoise, trial design and minimally clinically important difference(MCID) for a potential trial. Lastly, a pilot study for an RCT was designed. Results: The pooled RR of VTE was 0.91 (95%CI:0.21 to 4.0;I2:68%) among hospitalized cancer patients receiving thromboprophylaxis compared to placebo. 63.9% believe there is clinical equipoise and 58.3% would consider participating in a RCT comparing different agents/dosing. The MCID for absolute reduction in symptomatic VTE between two arms was 2% and for “acceptable” increase in major bleeding events was 1%. Conclusion: The risk-benefit ratio of current doses of thromboprophylaxis administered to hospitalized cancer patients is unclear and additional RCTs are necessary.

With the threat of avian influenza, influenza laboratory testing and surveillance capacity has increased globally. Data from global surveillance activities have been used to identify circulating influenza strains for vaccine policy decisions, and have provided evidence of influenza disease among various populations. A recent meta-analysis, which includes findings from these surveillance efforts, has shown that influenza contributes to 10% of pediatric respiratory hospitalizations. Although statistical models indicate a high burden of influenza-associated morbidity among older adults and pandemic studies reveal an increase in hospitalizations among young adults, the global burden of seasonal influenza among adults remains unknown. In order to estimate the global burden of seasonal influenza among adult respiratory hospitalizations, we conducted a systematic review of the published literature, and identified 48 eligible articles published between January 1996 and June 2012 that met our inclusion criteria. We combined these published datasets with 29 eligible, unique datasets from year-round, influenza hospital-based surveillance. These combined data covered 50 countries with varying income and vaccine policies. Extracting numbers tested and positive for influenza, we calculated crude median positive proportions and evaluated potential differences in crude proportions among variables using Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric tests. We observed differences by data source and country development status when we included the 2009 pandemic year. With the exclusion of the 2009 pandemic year, we then generated adjusted pooled estimates using the log binomial model. We found 11% of cases from adult respiratory hospitalizations worldwide were laboratory-confirmed for influenza. This pooled estimate was independent of age but increased as country development or income level decreased. Our findings suggest that influenza is an important contributor to severe acute respiratory illness among both young and older adult populations. For countries without reliable influenza data, we provide an estimate that they may use in planning and allocating resources for the control and prevention of influenza.

This thesis comprises three studies that empirically evaluate the perceptions of sports managers and academics of the importance of competencies for sports managers in Taiwan. First, a systematic review technique is conducted to review the literature on competency-based studies in sports management and this is followed by three empirical studies. Study I is designed to develop an appropriate research instrument for the evaluation of the perceptions of the importance of competencies to the successful conducting of a sports manager's job in Taiwan. Study II analyzes the underlying features in these competencies and provides a comparison of the perceptions of the two populations. Study III identifies and evaluates the process of curriculum construction in three leading academic institutions and its relationship to competency-based education. The thesis concludes that although there are many globaUshared phenomena in the development of sports management, the perceptions of important competencies of sports managers may vary in different local contexts and thus locally based analysis is necessary to identify culturally specific features.

<b>Background:</b> The aim of this thesis was to develop an evidence-based approach to the post-marketing withdrawal of medicinal products when harms are attributed to their use. <b>Methods:</b> Electronic and non-electronic searches were conducted to identify medicinal products withdrawn from the market because of adverse reactions. Data relating to the time periods between launch, first adverse reaction reports and withdrawals, the mechanism through which the adverse reactions occurred, and the countries of withdrawal were extracted. Standard criteria were used to document the levels of evidence used by drug regulators to make the withdrawal decisions; scatter plots and two-by-two tables used to explore the trends over time. A previously published algorithm was used to examine the justification for withdrawals. To examine the benefits and harms of medicinal products before regulatory approval, searches were conducted on drug regulatory websites and scientific databases. The Cochrane criterion was used to examine the risk of bias, Review Manager Software for meta-analysis, and GRADE criterion to rate the quality of evidence. <b>Results:</b> Improvements in pharmacovigilance over the past six decades have resulted in quicker detection of harms caused by approved medicinal products; however, there have not been corresponding improvements in how quickly harmful products are withdrawn from the market following the reports of harms. Harmful drugs are significantly less likely to be withdrawn in low resource settings. The quality of evidence in drug trials for which regulatory approval decisions are based is on the whole, poor. There is a lack of consistency in the methods used by drug regulators to assess the harms of medicinal products before granting marketing licences. <b>Conclusions:</b> Universally accepted guidelines for deciding when to withdraw approved medicinal products from the market should be developed. Pharmacovigilance systems in low-resource settings should be strengthened. The methods used to assess harms in clinical trials require improvement.