Increasingly, client-server applications are implemented as web-based applications with user interfaces consisting entirely of web pages or equivalent renderings on other presentation channels (e.g. mobile or speech-based devices). However, the page-based medium and the stateless pull communication impose restrictions on the user interface that often manifest themselves in unsatisfactory dialog control, i.e. possibly severely diminished usability. We therefore present a Dialog Flow Notation that allows developers to encapsulate sequences of multiple dialog steps into reusable dialog modules that can be nested arbitrarily, and to specify different interaction patterns for different devices. The notation is complemented with a Dialog Control Framework that manages dialog flows on multiple channels, leaving only the tasks of implementing the device-independent application logic, designing the interface pages, and specifying the dialog flow to the developer.

The main objective is to organize and enrich the theory of Project Quality Management, which was achieved by several sub-objectives. There was performed a research on Project Quality Management in practice not only in Czech Republic, but also in the world. This research found the most common standard/methodology for Project Quality Management and subsequently was applied in practice. This thesis also includes selection of the most appropriate techniques and tools for Quality Management. Theoretical section explains basic terms related to the topic of thesis, described the most important standards and Project Quality Management methodologies, determined hypotheses and way of questionnaire survey carried out a research related to thesis topic. Given the results of the survey is the practical section devoted to application of PMBOK methodology into practical Project Quality Management. Follows an overview of the most appropriate techniques and tools suitable for Project Quality Management also based on results of research.

We discuss a new approach to the construction of software systems. Instead of attempting to build a system that is as free of errors as possible, the designer instead identifies key properties that the execution must satisfy to be acceptable to its users. Together, these properties define the acceptability envelope of the system: the region that it must stay within to remain acceptable. The developer then augments the system with a layered set of components, each of which enforces one of the acceptability properties. The potential advantages of this approach include more flexible, resilient systems that recover from errors and behave acceptably across a wide range of operating environments, an appropriately prioritized investment of engineering resources, and the ability to productively incorporate unreliable components into the final software system. / Singapore-MIT Alliance (SMA)

Estate planning is an important exercise aimed at increasing, preserving and protecting assets during a person's lifetime and providing for the disposition and continued utilisation of these assets after his death. The minimisation of estate duty, however, often dominates the motivation behind estate planning and many of the tools, structures and techniques used as part of the estate planning exercise are aimed at reducing or avoiding estate duty. One of these tools is the trust. In the 2010 Budget Review National Treasury suggested that taxes upon death should be reviewed. Such review may result in estate duty being abolished. Should this happen, the motivation behind many estate plans will dissipate and many estate plans that mainly focussed on estate duty will become ineffective. The question that comes to mind is whether trusts have a future as estate planning tools. Estate planning involves many different objectives and many of these objectives can be achieved through the use of trusts. Trusts have multiple benefits and only if a trust was set up solely to reduce or avoid estate duty, will such trust become superfluous. When looking at the use of trusts in countries that do not levy estate duty (such as Australia, Canada and New Zealand), it is clear that trusts remained useful and popular in these countries even after estate duty had been abolished. This is a strong indication that trusts have a future in South Africa and that the abolishment of estate duty will not affect the usefulness and popularity of trusts. / Thesis (M.Com. (South African and International Taxation))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

Estate planning is an important exercise aimed at increasing, preserving and protecting assets during a person's lifetime and providing for the disposition and continued utilisation of these assets after his death. The minimisation of estate duty, however, often dominates the motivation behind estate planning and many of the tools, structures and techniques used as part of the estate planning exercise are aimed at reducing or avoiding estate duty. One of these tools is the trust. In the 2010 Budget Review National Treasury suggested that taxes upon death should be reviewed. Such review may result in estate duty being abolished. Should this happen, the motivation behind many estate plans will dissipate and many estate plans that mainly focussed on estate duty will become ineffective. The question that comes to mind is whether trusts have a future as estate planning tools. Estate planning involves many different objectives and many of these objectives can be achieved through the use of trusts. Trusts have multiple benefits and only if a trust was set up solely to reduce or avoid estate duty, will such trust become superfluous. When looking at the use of trusts in countries that do not levy estate duty (such as Australia, Canada and New Zealand), it is clear that trusts remained useful and popular in these countries even after estate duty had been abolished. This is a strong indication that trusts have a future in South Africa and that the abolishment of estate duty will not affect the usefulness and popularity of trusts. / Thesis (M.Com. (South African and International Taxation))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

Competitive Intelligence (CI) has become increasingly important for organisations in the private sector, or profit-making organisations, because the level and intensity of competition has increased in recent years. This increase in the level and intensity of competition has also affected the public sector, or non-profit-making organisations, such as Public Service departments. In South Africa, the Public Service departments have undergone significant changes, in order to rectify the injustices of the past. Despite much progress, it is noticed that government does not have sufficient capacity to deliver and sustain a quality service to its citizens. It is further noted that improved service delivery cannot be implemented by issuing of circulars only, and it is not just an administrative activity, instead it is a dynamic process and to do this, Public Service managers require new management tools. The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) was chosen as the case study Public Service department for this study. The purpose of this study was to ascertain how competitive intelligence tools and techniques could be implemented in Public Service departments in South Africa to enhance the delivery of services. This aim was established during this study by addressing the following issues: • Identifying how CI tools and techniques could contribute to the functioning of the Public Service sector. The study outlined the benefits of CI for public service organisations and focussed on several tools and techniques that could be used. Most of these tools and techniques were not used in DHA. • Assessing the current state of Public Service delivery in South Africa. It became evident from the study that the Public Service sector and in particular DHA was experiencing several problems in terms of achieving its service delivery mandate. The Department lacked structured and formal frameworks, policies and strategies for conducting its operations. The organisation was viewed to have many unskilled and de-motivated staff. The current state of service delivery in South Africa also revealed disturbing findings of corruption, fraud, nepotism, and extreme despair in staff that had to work in these conditions. • Identifying gaps in the Public Service current strategies for service delivery. It was established that DHA does not use reliable techniques and methods when conducting its strategic planning. Furthermore, staff lacked the competencies, skills and experience to assist in strategic planning. The existing strategic plan for DHA does not address the future desires of the organisation and can be regarded as a plan to address the immediate issues of the organisation only. • Identifying the forms of competition that impact service delivery in Public Service departments in South Africa. Several forms of competition were encountered at DHA. These forms of competition can be divided into three different areas namely internal competition in DHA, external competition and left field competition. The information about these forms of competition was not readily available to managers and decision makers therefore appropriate actions could not be taken to counteract the impact of the competition on service delivery. • Identifying initiatives adopted by Public Service departments to improve service delivery. It was evident from the study that while the new initiatives being implemented by DHA to improve service delivery would be able to, and in some cases, have already had a positive impact on the operating and service delivery environment, several concerns were also identified. • Designing a new CI related framework for gathering and analysing information that can be used in all Public Service departments in South Africa to improve service delivery. From the empirical investigations it became evident that no single CI tool or technique would have been able to address the situation at DHA, therefore, a combination of tools was necessary. These tools were depicted in a CI framework that DHA could use to gather and analyse information for decision making and service delivery. • Suggesting proposed solutions and recommendations that can assist Public Service departments in South Africa in improving its service delivery. It was evident that CI can contribute towards the enhancement of decision making and service delivery not only in DHA but also in all other Public Service departments in South Africa. / Thesis (DPhil)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Information Science / unrestricted

Cílem disertace je ověřit existenci vztahu mezi využitím analytických nástrojů strategického řízení a výkonností podniků. Za tímto účelem bylo třeba nejdříve definovat množinu analytických nástrojů strategického řízení, které jsou v soudobé praxi našich firem nejčastěji používané a nalézt způsob, kterým lze hodnotit výkonnost podniků. K tomuto účelu byly připraveny dva výzkumy: výsledkem prvního bylo zjištění nejčastěji používaných analytických nástrojů strategického řízení a faktorů, které jejich využití ovlivňují, t.j. jejich znalost, spokojenost s nimi a velikost podniků. Výsledkem druhého výzkumu bylo navržení nového způsobu multikriteriálního hodnocení podnikového výkonu. Pomocí analýzy hlavních komponent (principal component analysis) byly definovány čtyři skupiny ukazatelů, které umožňují komplexní posouzení podnikového výkonu: ukazatele finanční výkonnosti, konkurenční pozice, orientace na zákazníky a organizační integrity. S použitím regresní analýzy (stepwise regression analysis) byl prokázán pozitivní vliv využití analytických nástrojů strategického řízení na výkonnost podniků.

The agile manifesto has certainly changed the way software is produced in the Information Communications Technology (ICT) industry. However, many persistent challenges cripple agile software development. One challenge is that the constant change in technology makes the requirements hard to implement. Another is that issues of the agile requirements engineering (ARE) process are abundant and pervasive throughout software projects. The aim of this study is to determine common issues in agile requirements engineering in the South African software industry and identify tools and frameworks to mitigate risks emanating from such problems. This includes finding out how much value software practitioners put in the agile principles. This study was essentially quantitative, based on a cross-sectional survey. Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect required data which was then subjected to exploratory data analysis using SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences), a tool for statistical analysis. The results show that software practitioners have a strong penchant for principles of the Agile Manifesto. Major issues in agile requirements engineering include lack of proper validation tools and techniques, scope problems, lack of proper documentation, issues of prioritisation, as well as unavailability of customer representative. A detailed baseline of issues in agile requirements engineering was created along with a set of recommended tools and techniques used in the software industry. As for the recommendation, it is suggested that companies invest more on validation tools and techniques and consider non-functional requirements integration during software development. / School of Computing / M. Sc. (Computing)

The principles of Total Quality Management (TQM) have been used in the business, commercial and industrial sectors to improve both product and service. In a limited number of schools worldwide, there have been attempts to adapt TQM theory and practice to the educational management of institutions. In this thesis there has been an attempt to adapt the TQM philosophy to the field of educational practice. Quality tools and techniques used in TQM organisations have been studied to ascertain their applicability in schools. During the course of the study, the researcher discerned the need to give TQM a distinct identity within the domain of educational management. In the management of schools, there are philosophies and practices which are different from those encountered in noneducational settings. The concept Total Quality Education (TQE) was used to acknowledge this reality. Action research was done over a three-year period at a South African co-educational public primary school. During the four research cycles of looking, thinking and acting, TQE principles were implemented in the school. Stakeholders such as parents, learners and teachers identified areas for improvement of the quality of education. Areas identified included the curriculum, physical resources, extramural activities, staff development, learning and financial management of the school. Quality tools and techniques were applied by all stakeholders to effect the desired improvements. In the fourth and last cycle of the research a questionnaire was given to a sample of the parent community. Progress made in the improvement of the quality of education provided was noted and areas to be improved further were identified. The researcher submits that TQE can be meaningfully applied in South African schools. The various stakeholders can make contributions to the betterment of schools. Through the application of the principles of the TQE philosophy, it is possible to transform South African schools into institutions where all learners can experience education of true quality. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Educational Management)

The principles of Total Quality Management (TQM) have been used in the business, commercial and industrial sectors to improve both product and service. In a limited number of schools worldwide, there have been attempts to adapt TQM theory and practice to the educational management of institutions. In this thesis there has been an attempt to adapt the TQM philosophy to the field of educational practice. Quality tools and techniques used in TQM organisations have been studied to ascertain their applicability in schools. During the course of the study, the researcher discerned the need to give TQM a distinct identity within the domain of educational management. In the management of schools, there are philosophies and practices which are different from those encountered in noneducational settings. The concept Total Quality Education (TQE) was used to acknowledge this reality. Action research was done over a three-year period at a South African co-educational public primary school. During the four research cycles of looking, thinking and acting, TQE principles were implemented in the school. Stakeholders such as parents, learners and teachers identified areas for improvement of the quality of education. Areas identified included the curriculum, physical resources, extramural activities, staff development, learning and financial management of the school. Quality tools and techniques were applied by all stakeholders to effect the desired improvements. In the fourth and last cycle of the research a questionnaire was given to a sample of the parent community. Progress made in the improvement of the quality of education provided was noted and areas to be improved further were identified. The researcher submits that TQE can be meaningfully applied in South African schools. The various stakeholders can make contributions to the betterment of schools. Through the application of the principles of the TQE philosophy, it is possible to transform South African schools into institutions where all learners can experience education of true quality. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Educational Management)