Much debate has been raging in development discourse about the role of the state in development economics. Neo liberal theorists call for the state to remove itself from the process and leave markets to determine the direction of economic development. The challenge to this theory was reinforced by the success of the East Asian counties in encouraging economic development through a process which involved extensive state intervention. The process of globalisation has added a new dimension to this debate where states are increasingly feeling the need to take steps to protect their economies from the negative impacts of globalisation and take other steps so that the positive rewards can be reaped. The debate of this interaction between the state and economic forces is evident on all levels of governance, from the national to the local. Theorists such as Stone, Molotch, Logan and Stoker have researched this question on the local level in cities in the United States. They found that there is extensive interaction between political and economic bodies for the economic development of urban spaces. Specifically, these two major groups are represented by an elite grouping of individuals who play an important role in the planning and implementing of development initiatives. This study attempts to examine this relationship of the economic elite and political elite in the city of Durban. This is particularly relevant in the context of the critical need for economic development in the city and the mandate that the city is given by national legislation to promote such development. The study furthermore examines the extent to which the role players in this interaction are part of the post-Apartheid 'new' elite, or if the interactive process is still dominated by the 'old' white elite. The interactions were found to be limited to a 'project' basis which did not reflect a coalition in terms of the sharing of strategic decision making and planning. Furthermore, this process is dominated by the traditional white, corporate elite, although non-white individuals do have key roles in this process. There is however, a stark absence of a new non-white elite in the city who could emerge as an important force in encouraging development initiatives which will contribute to the economic development of the city. However, projects are been implemented that are being driven by individuals who are members of a economic or political elite grouping. These projects are based on a trickle down approach where the growth is presumed to filter down and positively affect the poorer members of Durban. There is a real possibility however, as various theorist have warned, that such projects currently being implemented by the elite in the city, might have limited positive benefits for the poor in the city , and could in fact have long term detrimental implications. / Thesis (M.Dev. Studies)-University of Natal, Durban, 2002.

The adoption of modernisation as the national development strategy has put Indonesian cities at the centre of development for boosting economic advancement. Occasionally, as those cities grow through processes of densification and agglomeration, some of the indigenous settlement (kampung) areas are put at risk of disappearing under corporate sector investments. However to some extent there is an indication that the kampung dwellers, the corporate-sector developers and those who are involved in the wider activities of the corporate sector, have an economic and social symbiotic relationship. The aim of this research is to identify the processes of change in a low-income inner city neighbourhood’s community system, in an area that is being encroached upon by modern business activities and other aspect of modernity, to explore shifts between conventionally understood roles of the kampungs, and to speculate on present theory in throwing light on processes of change which might be able to lead to new paths for urban development. The research approach is to work through the relevant literature, and then to move on to a case study approach in an Indonesian city, through which it will be possible to reflect back on the efficacy of prevailing theory. Surabaya was chosen as a representative city and kampung Kaliasin as the observed area.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Michigan State University, 1987. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 268-276).

Thesis (M. Soc. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 102-106).

Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1996. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 108-115).

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1996. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 108-115). Also available in print.

Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 102-106) Also available in print.

Thesis (Ph.D. Development Studies)--University of Waikato, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 242-268) Also available via the World Wide Web.

O presente trabalho tem como propósito realizar um estudo geoeconômico e político da relação entre o desenvolvimento econômico e a interiorização da educação profissional e tecnológica, institucionalizada na Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná - UTFPR. A questão norteadora é: Por que educação profissional e tecnológica? Por que e como a interiorização do Centro Federal de Educação Tecnológica - CEFET-PR se deu nessas cidades? A universidade tecnológica em seu percurso centenário desenvolveu sistematicamente durante grande parte de sua história uma educação pragmática e utilitária submetida às demandas da transformação produtiva, como responsável pelo ensino técnico. A diferenciação institucional, primeiramente como instituição multicâmpus e posteriormente como universidade especializada proporcionaram avanço, com a manutenção das bases anteriores. O afunilamento das políticas educacionais rumo à espacialização das universidades federais via Plano de Reestruturação e Expansão das Universidades Federais - REUNI, faz da UTFPR precedente no processo, justificando a necessidade da análise das diferentes repercussões na implementação das unidades descentralizadas em cidades do interior do Paraná, especialmente enquanto vetor de desenvolvimento local/regional, diversificação econômica e empregabilidade. / This paper aims to conduct a geo-economic and political study of the relationship between economic development and internalization of vocational and technological education in institutionalized Federal Technological University of Paraná - UTFPR. The guiding question is: Why vocational and technological education? Why and how the internalization of Federal Center of Technological Education - CEFET-PR occurred in these cities? A technological university in its centenary route developed systematically during much of its history, a subject pragmatic and utilitarian education demands of productive transformation, responsible for technical education. The institutional differentiation, first as multicampus institution and subsequently as a specialized university advancement provided with the maintenance of the previous bases. The bottleneck of educational policies towards spatialization of federal universities via Plan of Reorganization and Expansion of Federal Universities - REUNI, makes the previous UTFPR in the process, justifying the need analysis of the different effects in the implementation of the decentralized units in the inner cities of Paraná, especially as vector of local/regional development , diversification economic and employability.

The Akosombo Dam on the Volta River in Ghana was built in 1963 to provide cheap energy to fuel industry and to accelerate the economic growth of the country. It provides hydroelectric power, enhanced fishing and water transportation upstream, and improved opportunities for irrigated farming, especially in the lower reaches, and their attendant economic multiplier effects. A few years after the construction of this major dam, a rapid expansion of industrialization took place in Ghana. This brought about an exponential increase in demand for more electrical power. This led to the construction of a smaller dam at Akuse, downstream of the Akosomho Dam in 1981 and the formation of a headpond at Kpong. The impoundment of the river at the two sites (Akosombo and Kpong) caused an alteration in the existing ecological and biophysical processes in the river basin, including a slowing of the flow of the river, upstream and downstream. Changes in the natural processes, such as a reduction in the flow of the river and an increase in nutrient status of the water, resulted in an invasion of aquatic weeds, increasing the density of aquatic snails (intermediate hosts of schistosomiasis), silting and closure of the estuary, as well as other more subtle effects. The invasion of the river's main course and the dams by aquatic plants led to a corresponding reduction of navigable water both upstream and downstream. The aim of this thesis was to quantify the impact and control of waterweeds, especially water hyacinth, Eichhornia crassipes (Mart) Solms-Laubach (Pontederiaceae), in Ghana. A floral survey on the Kpong Headpond recorded 49 emergent, 12 free floating and I submerged aquatic plant species, many of which were indigenous, but the exotic or introduced water hyacinth was recorded at most of the sampling sites, and was the most abundant and had the biggest impact on the utilization of the water resource. Mats of water hyacinth served as substrates for other, indigenous species to grow out into the main channel of the headpond, including the intake point of the Kpong head works of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) and landing sites for boats. These mats resulted in a reduction of the fish (fin and shell) harvest, reducing the annual production to far below demand. Water hyacinth was also shown to have severe health implications. A survey of the Ministry of Health records showed that the prevalence of both urinary and intestinal schistosomiasis had risen significantly over time as the abundance of waterweeds, most notably water hyacinth, increased, and ranged between 70% and 75% but up to 100% in some lakeside communities. Based on the work done by an NGO on board the medical boat ("Onipa Nua "), losses in terms of money due to the effect on health of the aquatic weed infestations on the Volta River in 2006 amounted to US$ 620,000. Economic losses due to invasive alien aquatic weeds were also calculated on the Oti River Arm of Lake Volta. It was estimated that about US$2.3 million per annum would be lost to the Volta Lake Transport Company and individual boat transport operators if this section of the river were 100% covered by aquatic weeds (water hyacinth and Salvinia molesta D.S. Mitchell (Salviniaceae)). It was also estimated that US$327,038 was spent annually in monitoring and managing the weeds in the Oti River. Control interventions for aquatic weeds have been implemented in river systems in Ghana. The biological control agents Neochetina bruchi Hustache (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) and Neochetina eichhorniae Warner (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) have been used on water hyacinth infestations in the Oti River Arm of Lake Volta, the Tano River and the Lagoon complex in the south-western part of the country. Cyrtobagous salviniae Calder and Sands (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) has been used to control salvinia, and Neohydronomous affinis Hustache (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) to control water lettuce, Pistia stratiotes Lilmaeus (Araceae) in the Tano River and Lagoon complex. Although these projects have been regarded as successful, they have relied on research from elsewhere in the world and no postrelease quantification has been conducted. In evaluating the impact of the biological control agents Neochetina bruchi and Neochetina eichhorniae weevils on water hyacinth infestations in the Tano River, fresh adult feeding scars were recorded as well as the numbers of adult weevils on each water hyacinth plant sampled at six sites. Despite being released in 1994, weevil numbers and resultant damage to plants in the Tano Lagoon was low in comparison to other regions of the world where these agents have been used. The main reason for this is that this lagoon floods seasonally, washing weevil-infested plants out to sea. Water hyacinth then re-infests the lagoon from seed and the weevil populations are low. To resolve this situation, two courses of action are proposed. The first is to mass rear the weevils along the shore of the lagoon and release them when the first seedlings recruit. The second proposal is that additional agents that have shorter lifecycies and are more mobile than the weevils should be released. To this end, the water hyacinth mirid, Eccritotarsus catarinensis (Carvalho) (Hemiptera: Miridae) was imported from South Africa and released onto the Tano Lagoon in 2009. Retrospective laboratory host specificity trials were conducted on Neachetina eichharniae and Neachetina bruchi weevils 15 years after their release into Ghana to see if any variation in their host ranges had occurred. Considerable damage was inflicted on the E. crassipes leaves by the Neachetina weevils, while little feeding damage was recorded on both Heteranthera callifalia Kunth. (Pontederiaceae) and Eichharnia natans (P.Beauv.) Solms (Pontederiaceae). All the weevils introduced on H callifalia and E. natans died after the first week. This study served to confirm the host specificity and thereby the safety of these agents. Invasive alien aquatic macrophytes have negative impacts on the environment and economy of Ghana. The control of these weeds is essential to socioeconomic development and improved human health standards in riparian communities. Biological control offers a safe and sustainable control option, but requires diligent implementation. However, aquatic weed invasion is more typically a result of the anthropogenically induced eutrophication of water bodies, and this is the main issue that has to be addressed.