Recording and monitoring vital signs is an essential aspect of home-based healthcare. Using contact sensors to record physiological signals can cause discomfort to patients, especially after prolonged use. Hence, remote physiological measurement approaches have attracted considerable attention as they do not require physical contact with the patient’s skin. Several studies proposed techniques to measure Heart Rate (HR) and Heart Rate Variability (HRV) by detecting the Blood Volume Pulse (BVP) from human facial video recordings while the subject is in a resting condition. In this thesis, we focus on the measurement of HR. We adopt an algorithm that uses the Independent Component Analysis (ICA) to separate the source (physiological) signal from noise in the RGB channels of a facial video. We generalize existing methods to support subject movement during video recording. When a subject is moving, the face may be turned away from the camera. We utilize multiple cameras to enable the algorithm to monitor the vital sign continuously, even if the subject leaves the frame or turns away from a subset of the system’s cameras. Furthermore, we improve the accuracy of existing methods by implementing a light equalization scheme to reduce the effect of shadows and unequal facial light on the HR estimation, a machine learning method to select the most accurate channel outputted by the ICA module, and a regression technique to adjust the initial HR estimate. We systematically test our method on eleven subjects using four cameras. The proposed method decreases the RMSE by 27% compared to the state of the art in the rest condition. When the subject is in motion, the proposed method achieves a RMSE of 1.12 bpm using a single camera and RMSE of 0.96 bpm using multiple camera.

For a graph G = (V (G), E (G)), a set S ~ V (G) dominates G if each vertex in V (G) \S is adjacent to a vertex in S. The domination number I (G) (independent domination number i (G)) of G is the minimum cardinality amongst its dominating sets (independent dominating sets). G is k-edge-domination-critical, abbreviated k-1- critical, if the domination number k decreases whenever an edge is added. Further, G is hamiltonian if it has a cycle that passes through each of its vertices. This dissertation assimilates research generated by two conjectures: Conjecture I. Every 3-1-critical graph with minimum degree at least two is hamiltonian. Conjecture 2. If G is k-1-critical, then I ( G) = i ( G). The recent proof of Conjecture I is consolidated and presented accessibly. Conjecture 2 remains open for k = 3 and has been disproved for k :::>: 4. The progress is detailed and proofs of new results are presented. / Mathematical Science / M. Sc. (Mathematics)

No contexto de imagens geradas por computador, efeitos multi-fragmento são aqueles que determinam a cor do pixel baseados em informações computadas a partir de mais de um fragmento. Nesse tipo de efeito, a contribuição de cada fragmento é extraída de sua visibilidade com respeito a um determinado ponto de vista. Observando uma sequencia de fragmentos vista através de um pixel, a visibilidade de um fragmento depende da sua relação espacial com os demais fragmentos. Essa relação pode ser reduzida ao problema de ordenação de múltiplos fragmentos. Portanto, ordenação é essencial para correta avaliação de efeitos multi-fragmento. A pesquisa desta tese foca em dois problemas multi-fragmento clássicos: transparência independente de ordem e anti-aliasing de fragmentos transparentes. Enquanto o efeito de transparência necessita de ordenação de fragmentos ao longo do raio de visualização do pixel, anti-aliasing aumenta a complexidade do problema ao adicionar informação espacial do fragmento com respeito à área do pixel. A contribuição desta tese é o desenvolvimento de uma solução para visibilidade de fragmentos que pode tirar proveito do pipeline de transformação e iluminação, implementando nas GPUs de hoje. Nós descrevemos ambos os problemas de transparência e anti-aliasing, discutindo soluções anteriores, além de classificá-las e compará-las. Nossa análise associa soluções a implementações específicas, comparando uso de memória, desempenho e qualidade de imagem. Os documentos resultantes fornecem uma visão geral das áreas abordadas, contendo: qual é o estado-da-arte atualmente, o que ele é capaz de fazer e quais são suas limitações, ou seja, onde melhorias são possíveis. Como parte integrante desta tese, nós propomos duas novas técnicas para processar transparência independente de ordem. Nós mostramos como obter o menor consumo de memória para cálculo exato de transparência, em um número finito de passos de geometria; permitindo aumento da complexidade das cenas representadas e da resolução da imagem final, em relação aos métodos anteriores, dada uma determinada configuração de hardware. Adicionalmente, demonstramos que, para a maior parte dos casos, os fragmentos mais próximos ao observador tem maior impacto sobre a cor final do pixel. Também mostramos como esta perspectiva sobre o problema inspirou novas técnicas. A pesquisa também inclui a investigação de uma nova abordagem para anti-aliasing para fragmentos transparentes. Através do uso de uma única amostra por fragmento, nosso objetivo é reduzir o consumo de memória enquanto melhoramos desempenho e qualidade. Experimentos preliminares apresentam resultados promissores em comparação com a técnica mais usada para anti-aliasing. / Multi-fragment effects, in the computer-generated imagery context, are effects that determine pixel color based on information computed from more than one fragment. In such effects, the contribution of each fragment is extracted from its visibility with respect to a point of view. Seen through a pixel’s point of view, the visibility of one fragment depends on its spatial relationship with other fragments. This relationship can be reduced to the problem of sorting multiple fragments. Therefore, sorting is the key to multi-fragment evaluation. The research on this dissertation is focused on two classical multi-fragment effects: order-independent transparency and anti-aliasing of transparent fragments. While transparency rendering requires sorting of fragments along the view ray of a pixel, anti-aliasing increases the problem complexity by adding spatial information of fragments with respect to the pixel area. This dissertation contribution relies on the work towards the development of a solution for the visibility of fragments that can take advantage of the transformation and lighting pipeline implemented in current GPUs. We describe both transparency and aliasing problems, for which we discuss existing solutions, analyzing, classifying and comparing them. The analysis associates solutions to specific applications, comparing memory usage, performance, and quality. The result is a general view of each field: which are the current state-of-the-art capabilities and in which direction significant improvements can be made. As part of this dissertation, we proposed two novel techniques for order-independent transparency rendering. We show how to achieve the minimum memory footprint for computing exact transparency in a bounded number of geometry passes; allowing increasing scene complexity and image resolution to be feasible within current hardware capabilities. Additionally, we demonstrate that, for most scenarios, the front-most fragments have the greatest impact on the pixel color. We also show how the perspective we propose has inspired recent transparency techniques. The research includes the investigation of a novel anti-aliasing approach for transparent fragments. Through the use of a single sample per fragment, we aim at reducing memory footprint while improving performance and quality. Preliminary experiments show promising results, in comparison with a well established and largely used anti-aliasing technique.

This thesis explores similarities and differences between interventions and beliefs about autism in Turkey and England. It is known that Turkish culture is interdependent and English culture is independent. It is also known that differences in interpersonal relatedness affect views about social behaviour, life goals and social priorities. This thesis, therefore, also explores whether interpersonal relatedness influences interventions and belief about autism in both countries. This research is based on case studies of special and mainstream schools in two cities, one in Turkey and one in England. The study used mixed research methods including questionnaires, interviews and observations. Participants included teachers, parents, children and clinicians. The quantitative data from questionnaires showed similarities between parents in both contexts regarding beliefs and priorities, but also important differences in interpersonal relatedness, sense of support and goals for their children. There were also differences within the two countries in the degree to which parents had an interdependent or independent orientation. Interdependent orientation across both contexts was associated with lower self-esteem, higher sense of helplessness and beliefs about the need for socio-communicative interventions. The qualitative data from interviews and observations showed similarities in the desire to improve outcomes for children with autism with many similarly held priorities and commitment to a range of interventions and approaches. Nevertheless there were substantial differences in resources and approach to teaching and involvement of family and community in the education of the children. Both the qualitative and quantitative data indicated that cultural orientations linked to interpersonal relatedness, societal priorities and resources influenced the care and education that children received and the relationships between families, schools and other professionals.

This thesis examines the influence of Romanticism on a selection of seven films from four contemporary American filmmakers: Sofia Coppola, Wes Anderson, Charlie Kaufman, and Spike Jonze. The research questions are as follows: How do particular Romantic ideas, either canonical ones or those located on the more critical fringes of Romanticism, relate to the work of the filmmakers I consider? What Romantic features do these films regularly exhibit, both aesthetically and in terms of narrative? How do these features inform their overall point of view? Finally, how do such Romantic ideas and aesthetics relate to the current cultural milieu in which the films were created? There are many familiar and more obscure Romantic strains running through the films. These include a preoccupation with personal history and memory; an undercurrent of deeply felt emotion and reliance upon mood and tone to convey it; a foregrounding of the creative process and the imagination; and an ambivalent relationship to both the natural world and civilised society. In terms of aesthetics, the films in question depend on qualities of the beautiful, picturesque, and sublime to represent the complex emotional states of their characters and to elicit emotional responses in their audiences. Above all, these films represent a preoccupation with subjectivity and self-consciousness: specifically, the coming to personal self-consciousness that creates a rift between the individual subject and a greater sense of society. By utilising the work of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Romantic authors and philosophers such as Friedrich Schlegel, William Wordsworth, Henry David Thoreau, John Keats and others, combined with twentieth- and twenty-first century readings of these works via literary and cultural theorists and critics such as Harold Bloom, M.H. Abrams, Leo Marx and Anne Mellor, I emphasise the historical trajectory of general Romantic concepts. Taking established cinematic theories (“quirky” cinema, “smart” film, the “new sincerity”) as a point of entry, I explore the underlying stylistic and narrative connections between the films I discuss. I argue these films share a fundamentally Romantic form and vision specific to their own historical and cultural environment.

As informações contábeis são de grande importância para o equilíbrio do relacionamento entre os stakeholders, sendo direcionadoras para a alocação de seus recursos. A auditoria independente, nesse contexto, surge como um importante mecanismo que contribui para proporcionar confiabilidade a essas informações, reduzindo o conflito de agência inerente a esse relacionamento, ao expressar uma opinião sobre a adequação das demonstrações contábeis às praticas de contabilidade. Diversas são as empresas de auditoria independente cadastradas na Comissão de Valores Mobiliários para realizar tais trabalhos no Brasil; no entanto, quatro empresas se destacam nesse rol: PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, KPMG e Ernst & Young. Essas quatro empresas são mundialmente conhecidas como Big Four. Até 2001, tal grupo era denominado Big Five e tinha como integrante a Arthur Andersen, que deixou de atuar no ramo a partir de 2002. Este trabalho buscou verificar a participação dessas empresas no Brasil no período de 1997 a 2008. Para tanto, as empresas auditadas foram classificadas pelo ramo de atividade, controle acionário e negociação em bolsa de valores, a fim de verificar a participação das empresas de auditoria sob diferentes aspectos. A amostra foi composta de 2.024 empresas constantes do banco de dados da FIPECAFI no período contemplado na pesquisa. Os resultados apontam que, na média do período, aproximadamente 80% dos ativos das grandes empresas atuantes no Brasil são auditados por empresas do grupo Big Four. Em 2008 a líder geral no Brasil foi a KPMG, responsável por auditar mais de 30% dos ativos da amostra. Outro objetivo deste trabalho foi detectar características das empresas auditadas que poderiam ser indicadores para a empresa escolher um auditor componente do grupo das maiores empresas de auditoria independente, focando-se na influência dos credores nessa decisão. Para esse objetivo foram coletados dados contábeis das empresas auditadas, além das informações não contábeis já utilizadas na primeira análise de participação das auditadas (ramo de atividade, controle acionário e negociação em bolsa de valores) e aplicado o teste estatístico de regressão logística. Os resultados não mostraram que a situação econômica e financeira da auditada influencia essa escolha, mas apontaram para a importância do controle acionário e do porte da auditada. / Accounting information have great importance for the balance of the relationship among stakeholders, and driving to the allocation of its resources. The independent audit, in this context, emerged as an important mechanism that helps to provide reliability of this information, reducing the agency conflict inherent in that relationship, to express an opinion on the adequacy of financial statements to accounting practices. There are several independent auditing firms registered at the Securities Commission to carry out such works in Brazil, however, four companies stand out in this list: PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, KPMG and Ernst & Young. These four companies are worldwide known as \"Big Four\". Until 2001, this group was called \"Big Five\" and had as a member Arthur Andersen, which no longer operate in the sector since 2002. This study aimed to verify their participation in Brazil from 1997 to 2008. For this, the audited companies were classified by line of business, stock control and trading on stock exchanges in order to assess the role of audit firms under different aspects. The sample consisted of 2024 companies listed in the database FIPECAFI the period covered in the survey. The results show that the average period of approximately 80% of the assets of large companies operating in Brazil are audited by firms of the group \"Big Four\". In 2008 the overall leader in Brazil was KPMG, responsible for auditing more than 30% of assets in the sample. Another objective was to identify characteristics of the audited companies that could be indicators for the company to choose an auditor of the component group of the largest independent audit, focusing on the influence of creditors in that decision. For this purpose, data were collected from accounting firms audited in addition to the information which were already used in the prior market share analysis (line of business, ownership control and stock trading on stock exchanges) and applied logistic regression statistical test. The results have shown that the economic and financial situation do not have any influence in that choice, but pointed the importance of ownership control and audited firms size in that choice.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:24:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2009-09-29Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:51:21Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 matuck_fca_me_bauru.pdf: 4537967 bytes, checksum: d737163765ca16c4c88373b6687f60c8 (MD5) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / Este trabalho analisa a coletânea de vídeos HayMotivo.com, definida como documentário on-line (docweb), a partir do conceito e da abordagem histórica do documento como gênero, seus limites com o cinema de ficção e sua migração para o ambiente web. Depois, de descrito e contextualizado, HayMotivo.com é analisado na perspectiva englobante, a partir da aplicação do percurso gerativo do plano da expressão, de Jacques Fontanille, que permite explicitar a integração dos níveis de pertinência semiótica, enfatizando o objeto-suporte (internet) e as práticas e estratégias (técnicas audiovisuais utilizadas. Comprovado que HayMotivo.com representa uma nova prática de produção de documentário em ambiente web, escolhemos quatro vídeos, corpus desta pesquisa, para analisar numa perspectiva englobada: Español para extranjeros, Soledad, Kontrastasun e Catequesis. A aplicação do percurso gerativo do plano do conteúdo, de A. J. Greimas, permite uma análise mais fina, ao evidenciar os semas recorrentes e as oposições no nível profundo, os papéis actanciais e os objetos-valor no nível narrativo e as figuras, os temas e as marcas de enunciação e simulacros, no nível discursivo. A pesquisa teórica e a análise comparativa revelam outros aspectos que foram explicitados com a aplicação de alguns conceitos da gramática tensiva de Claude Zilberberg. Condensadas no Quadro de Categorias, as práticas e estratégias de HayMotivo.com serviram de alicerce para nosso exercício prático, a produção do docweb experimental Brincadeira de criança, publicado no Youtube.com, que representa o resultado principal de nossa pesquisa: a passagem da teoria à prática. / This work analyses the collection of videos HayMotivos.com, defined as an online documentary (docweb), from the concept and historical approach of documentary as a genre, its boderline with fiction cinema and its migration to the web environment. After it is described and contextualized, HayMotivo.com is analyzed in a comprehensive perspective, through the use of the generative process of the expression plan, by Jacques, Fontanille, which allows to make explicit the integration of the levels of semiotic pertinence, emphasizing the support-object (internet) as the practices and strategies (audiovisual techniques used). Once it has been proved that HayMotivo.com represents a new practice for the production of documentaries in the web, we chose four vídeos, corpus of this research, to analyze in an enclosed perspective: Español para extranjeros, Soledad, Kontrastasun and Catequesis. The use of generative process of the content plan, by A. J. Greimas, allows for a finer analysis, by evidencing recurring semes and deep level oppositions, actant roles and value objects in the narrative level and the pictures, thermes and enunciation marks and simulacrum, in discourse level. Thje theoretical research and the comparative analysis revealed other aspects which have been explicated through the use of some concepts of the tensive grammar by Claude Zilberberg. Condensed in the Category Table, the practices and strategies of HayMotivo.com served as basis for our practical exercise, the production of the experimental docweb Brincandeira de criança (Child play), published on Youtube.com, which represents the main result of our research: the passing from theory to practice.

Submitted by Vasti Diniz (vastijpa@hotmail.com) on 2017-10-02T12:48:32Z No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 2144800 bytes, checksum: 85bef00cdcbaf033ae94751b6d93556a (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-10-02T12:48:32Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 2144800 bytes, checksum: 85bef00cdcbaf033ae94751b6d93556a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-08-27 / This work proposes the production of an independent journalism website whose articles are written in the light of the Literary Journalism aesthetics, which aims to unite modalities that envisage the new, either in journalism or in the digital world – the website ARRUAR. For this purpose, studies both bibliographical and documental were conducted on the following topics: webjournalism, independent journalism and Literary Journalism. We seek to understand the new possibilities brought by the Internet in Journalism and how it affects the journalistic practice. At the same time, with the emergence of both the digital and independent journalism, we analyse the disruptor movement (CHRISTEN, 2012) attempted by these new journalistic practices. Taking into account the map of independent journalism in Brazil released by Agência Pública, we think about a business model for the website Arruar. Regarding the literary journalism, we present the characteristics of this genre (PENA, 2006; WOLF, 2005) and a brief historical background on the relationship between Journalism and Literature in Brazil and the world. In the methods, we explain the sections held on the website (investigative reporting, profiles, photojournalism and social media content curation) as well as the procedures applied (name choice, site domain, colour, typography, logo, Wordpress use, social media, funding and business model canvas). At last, we present a report about the first articles, as well as layout production, making some considerations on the trodden path and possibilities arising from this new perspective. / Este trabalho propõe a produção de um site de jornalismo independente que tenha suas matérias escritas utilizando a estética do Jornalismo Literário, com o intuito, portanto, de unir algumas das modalidades que vislumbram o novo, seja no jornalismo, seja no mundo digital – o site ARRUAR. Para isso, realizamos um estudo bibliográfico e documental sobre os seguintes temas: webjornalismo, jornalismo independente e Jornalismo Literário. Buscamos apreender as novas possibilidades que a Internet trouxe para o mundo do jornalismo e quais mudanças essa realidade trouxe à prática da profissão. Observamos a emergência do jornalismo digital e do jornalismo independente, analisando o movimento disruptor (CHRISTEN, 2012) empreendido por essa nova forma de prática jornalística. Parte-se do mapa do jornalismo independente no Brasil lançado pela Agência Pública para pensar um modelo de negócio para o site Arruar. Em relação ao jornalismo literário, apresentamos as características do gênero (PENA, 2006; WOLF, 2005), e uma breve trajetória histórica da união entre Jornalismo e Literatura no Brasil e no mundo. Na parte metodológica do projeto, explicamos as seções que irão conter o site (grandes reportagens, perfis, fotojornalismo e curadoria das redes sociais) assim como os procedimentos metodológicos utilizados para sua produção (escolha do nome, domínio do site, escolha das cores, escolha da tipografia, criação da logo, uso do Wordpress, redes sociais, métodos de financiamento e método canvas business). Por fim, apresentamos o relatório das primeiras reportagens produzidas, assim como da produção do layout, fazendo algumas considerações sobre o caminho trilhado e as possibilidades que surgem para essa nova perspectiva de atuação.

Submitted by Jorge Silva (jorgelmsilva@ufrrj.br) on 2016-10-11T21:19:41Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2015 - Bruno Oliveira de Carvalho.pdf: 1725115 bytes, checksum: 78e6b6f127705b066a8a0f75bbb08e88 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-10-11T21:19:41Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2015 - Bruno Oliveira de Carvalho.pdf: 1725115 bytes, checksum: 78e6b6f127705b066a8a0f75bbb08e88 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-03-17 / CAPES / The knowledge of bacterial genetic information has enable advances in many areas allowing detecting microorganisms and evaluating the production of virulence factors and resistance in certain populations. This knowledge allows the detection of microorganisms, as well as the evaluation of virulence and resistance factors production in certain populations. More recently, molecular diagnosis based on the detection of specific fragments from these agents has been implemented in no viable bacterial cultivation environments or hampered by biotic or abiotic conditions. Besides specific agent detection, bacterial diversity analysis might be an important criterion, such as assessing soil quality. Cultivation has been the most common way for evaluating bacterial diversity. However, most of soil bacteria are not cultivable; therefore, the employment of molecular tools has been increasingly used on this sort of analysis. This survey aimed standardizing the use of cultivation independent techniques for granting three agriculture sectors demands. The first chapter standardized the employment of DGGE technique for analyzing milk bacterial diversity from mastitis and healthy teats belonging to the same animal. Results pointed to differences on bacterial profile from both groups. The second chapter evaluated the impact of the employment of drill cuttings with castor beans and cramble pies association as agricultural fertilizers by DGGE analysis. The application of this technique was efficient for evaluating treatments, as well as, confirming the treatments contribution for increasing bacterial diversity in soil samples. The third chapter compared the cultivation technique sensitivity for American Foul Brood (AFB) diagnosis, a bee disease caused by Paenibacillus larvae, to cultivation independent technique by PCR. This survey demonstrated that sensitivity of the technique was greater than that one by P. larvae cultivation technique. Thus, the present survey concluded that cultivation independent techniques were useful for granting agriculture sectors demands. / O conhecimento das informa??es gen?ticas bacterianas tem permitido avan?os em diversas ?reas do conhecimento. Esse conhecimento permite detectar microrganismos, bem como avaliar a produ??o de fatores de virul?ncia e resist?ncia em determinadas popula??es. Mais recentemente, o diagn?stico molecular pela detec??o de fragmentos de DNA espec?ficos desses agentes vem sendo implementado em situa??es onde o cultivo bacteriano n?o ? vi?vel ou ? dificultado por condi??es bi?ticas ou abi?ticas. Al?m da detec??o de agentes espec?ficos, o conhecimento da diversidade bacteriana presente em alguns ambientes pode ser um importante crit?rio, como, por exemplo, para avaliar a qualidade do solo. A forma mais comum de avaliar a diversidade bacteriana se d? atrav?s do cultivo. Por?m, a maior parte das popula??es bacterianas presentes no solo n?o s?o cultiv?veis, com isso, a utiliza??o de ferramentas moleculares s?o cada vez mais utilizadas nesse tipo de an?lise. O presente estudo teve como objetivo padronizar a utiliza??o de t?cnicas independentes de cultivo para atender demandas de tr?s setores da agricultura. O primeiro cap?tulo padronizou a utiliza??o da t?cnica de DGGE (Eletroforese em Gel de Gradiente Desnaturante) para an?lise da diversidade bacteriana do leite de tetos mast?ticos e sadios de um mesmo animal. Os resultados apontaram para diferen?as no perfil bacteriano dos dois grupos analisados. O segundo cap?tulo avaliou o impacto sobre a microbiota bacteriana em solos tratados com associa??es de cascalho de perfura??o e tortas de mamona e crambe como adubos agr?colas atrav?s da an?lise de DGGE. A aplica??o da t?cnica de DGGE foi eficiente na avalia??o e confirmou que os tratamentos contribu?ram para o aumento da diversidade bacteriana nas amostras de solos estudadas. O terceiro experimento comparou a sensibilidade da t?cnica de cultivo, oficial para diagn?stico da Cria P?trida Americana (CPA), uma doen?a ap?cola causada por Paenibacillus larvae, com t?cnica de independente de cultivo por PCR do material extra?do direto do mel. Este estudo constatou que a sensibilidade da t?cnica proposta foi superior ? obtida pela t?cnica de cultivo de P. larvae. Com isso, conclui-se que as t?cnicas independentes de cultivo foram ?teis no atendimento das demandas das quest?es dos setores agr?colas contemplados no estudo.

Thesis (MTech (Business Administration))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2009. / This study provides a comprehensive overview of challenges and obstacles that are caused by high telecommunications costs within the callcentre industry in Cape Town, South Africa. This study couldn't have come at a better time considering the current turbulent economic circumstances around the world. The study focuses on key areas such as, growth, profitability, employment creation and sustainability of callcentres. In order to fulfil research requirements, primary data was collected by using a quantitative data collection approach in the form of questionnaires and interviews. Results indicate that the biggest obstacle to growth within the callcentre industry in the Western Cape, is high telecommunications costs. The study recommends that our Government should intervene through its communications departments as means to reduce current telecommunications costs. Callcentres should also explore use of new telecommunications technology, namely VoIP. A solution to the high telecommunications costs will not only benefit the callcentre industry but the entire country through foreign direct investments, job creation and poverty alleviation. This will result into true empowerment of our society.