The Homesite Severance Policy of British Columbia’s Agricultural Land Commission permits the subdivision of the farmer’s home from the farm property. Its purpose is to balance the protection of the agricultural resource with fair treatment for retiring farmers. This study documents the land use implications of the policy as well as its development, charting its origins and changes over the decades. Critics of the policy have noted two major problems. Urban sized lots have been scattered throughout the agricultural community, increasing the possibility of urban - rural conflicts (over the noises and smells of farming). Scarce arable land has also been lost, through construction (of the home or barns), on the remnant property. To determine if the agricultural resource has been compromised by the policy the frequency, location and actual area taken by homesite severance will be reviewed. In addition the study will explore the rationale and results of the two reviews of the policy. Suggestions will be offered (as they emerge from the findings and discussion) to alleviate the negative effects of the policy.

Competition policy is an important tool for assurance of the efficient allocation of resources in functioning market economies. Applicability of modern competition policy to situations in former planned economies, however, raises doubts because of fundamentally different states of competition in such markets. This study analyses development of competition policy in Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic. Particular attention is given to the influence of the EU competition policy in the framework of negotiations for final membership in the EU. / This study proposes reassessment of the competition policy of the three countries in order to better tackle the economic complexities of transition to fully functioning market economies. Harmonization of competition policy of the three candidate countries for EU membership with competition policy of the EU assumes appropriateness of EU competition policy for transition situations. Contrary to this assumption, the thesis argues that competition policy in transition should be tailored closely to the needs of transition. Since harmonization of competition law is only an instrument to evaluate whether a candidate country has a functioning market economy that can be integrated in the EU Internal Market, competition policy aimed at better promoting competition should be welcomed.

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: E-commerce developed as a direct result of the Internet and it has impacted the way South African businesses conduct its operations and consumers receive their information. It is impossible to quantify the e-commerce phenomenon locally - this research study aims to cover most of the important areas impacted bye-commerce in South Africa. There are some barriers slowing the development of e-commerce in this country. The goal of this study is to determine if the local market is ready to accept e-commerce technologies that are already widely used in global markets. This research study examines the history of the Internet in South Africa and also raises the question whether the market was affected by the global dot com crash (also known as the dot bomb crash) experienced in 2000. The study also aims to identify the barriers hindering effective e-commerce in South Africa. It further highlights the importance of other areas of online commerce, such as mobile commerce (m-commerce), to bring the power of technology to consumers and collaboration commerce (c-commerce), to streamline business operations. Lastly, the study aims to explore the South African government's initiatives to effectively formulate a policy for e-commerce to protect the consumers' rights. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: E-handel het ontwikkel as gevolg van die Internet. Dit beïnvloed die manier waarop Suid-Afrikaanse besighede werk, en verbruikers kommunikasie ontvang. Dit is onmoontlik om die omvang van e-handel in Suid-Afrika te kwantifiseer - hierdie navorsingstudie se doel is om te fokus op die belangrikste areas wat deur e-handel beïnvloed is. Daar is hindernisse wat die ontwikkeling van e-handel in Suid-Afrika belemmer. Die doel van hierdie studie is om vas te stelof die plaaslike mark gereed is om e-handeltegnologie, wat alreeds in internasionale markte in gebruik is, te aanvaar. Die navorsingstudie ondersoek die geskiedenis van die Internet in Suid-Afrika en vra ook of die mark beïnvloed was deur die internasionale dot com ineenstorting van 2000 (dit word ook die dot bom ineenstorting genoem). Die studie kyk ook na wat effektiewe e-handel in Suid-Afrika keer. Dit fokus op die belangrikheid van ander areas van e-handel, soos mobiele elektroniese handel (m-handel), wat tegnologie op verbruikers se voorstoepe plaas, en saamwerk elektroniese handel (s-handel), wat besighede meer vaartbelyn maak. Laastens ondersoek die studie die Suid-Afrikaanse regering se pogings om 'n effektiewe beleid op te stel wat die verbruiker se regte te beskerm.

The Homesite Severance Policy of British Columbia’s Agricultural Land Commission permits the subdivision of the farmer’s home from the farm property. Its purpose is to balance the protection of the agricultural resource with fair treatment for retiring farmers. This study documents the land use implications of the policy as well as its development, charting its origins and changes over the decades. Critics of the policy have noted two major problems. Urban sized lots have been scattered throughout the agricultural community, increasing the possibility of urban - rural conflicts (over the noises and smells of farming). Scarce arable land has also been lost, through construction (of the home or barns), on the remnant property. To determine if the agricultural resource has been compromised by the policy the frequency, location and actual area taken by homesite severance will be reviewed. In addition the study will explore the rationale and results of the two reviews of the policy. Suggestions will be offered (as they emerge from the findings and discussion) to alleviate the negative effects of the policy. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

Municipal unauthorized immigration policy, as an area of study, is underexplored. The literature is in the early stages of development, and little specific theory to guide research exists. To advance this emerging field, my study addresses two questions. First, what unauthorized immigration policies do local governments pursue, under what circumstances, and for what reasons? Second, what explains city-to-city variation in municipal responsiveness to the policy preferences and interests of residents without legal status? The dissertation also presents a typology of municipal responsiveness to unauthorized immigrants, based on my exploratory research. To explain intercity differences in the policy processes and choices of local government, I explore three possible explanations--Hero's (1998) social diversity thesis, urban regime theory, and political culture and policy entrepreneurship. My study engages these theoretical ideas with the findings of a comparative case study of three mid-size, reemerging gateway cities: Sacramento, California; Denver, Colorado; and Portland, Oregon. I explore whether associations between local factors and municipal unauthorized immigration policy emerge in the recent history of the three case cities. Analysis of data gleaned from document study suggests that political culture, as expressed through entrepreneurial political leaders, has been important in shaping regime development and subsequent policy action on unauthorized immigration, while differences in the ethnoracial structure of cities accounts for variation in policy approach.

No description available.

The problem of biodiversity loss has been raised as a significant global issue for several years. There have been many significant attempts to cooperate at an international level. The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) was launched as a mechanism for multinational cooperation for global biodiversity conservation at international policy level among the signatory parties. Despite the formulation of the CBD, biodiversity policy has suffered in its framework, institution and practices. Biodiversity has continued being destroyed at a rapid rate. Previous research on biodiversity policy evaluation studied only some parts of the policy cycle but did not point out the strengths and weaknesses clearly leading to difficulties in holistic policy cycle of both formulation and implementation. This thesis evaluates effectiveness of biodiversity policy in Thailand as a signatory nation of CBD, principally in Indo-Burma and Sundaland biodiversity hotspots. They are important as a reservoir of the richest but most threatened plants and animals. While biosphere reserve has been established to allow locals utilising biodiversity as well as conservation, biodiversity threats have continuously been found. The policy was formulated and implemented to conserve them. The research was conducted to address this gap by thoroughly investigating the policy cycle in the development, implementation and evaluation of biodiversity policy, which truly reflecting political, socio-economic, cultural and environmental contexts. Thailand was taken as a case study and within this, three culturally diverse geographic locations were selected: North, Northeast and South biosphere reserves reflecting different ecosystems and cultures. This offered a detailed and complex analysis of development and implementation of the biodiversity policy throughout Thailand. An inductive approach and qualitative methods were applied using in-depth semi-structured and unstructured interviews with policy makers, decision makers, as well as focus groups with local stakeholders through the application of culturally sensitive policy evaluation methods. The findings suggested that biodiversity policy implementation failed in Thailand and policy formulation had a low level of participation from the locals. Local stakeholders demonstrated little engagement with the need for biodiversity information from the government. Bureaucrats, decision makers and policy developers also shared little enthusiasm for initiating effective policy. It is important that awareness raising and education enhancement, particularly with children so that they will learn from early age. At local level, the policy must be carefully implemented to engage local stakeholders in biodiversity conservation. It is significant that biodiversity policy will be effective if it applies a bottom-up approach and requires grassroots participation. The recommendations for biodiversity policy, in the long term, the government should take into account local views towards national policy and bring this to the international level to achieve sustainable biodiversity conservation. Thus, it offers new insights into the success or failure of biodiversity policy in developing countries that was affected by cultural factors which must be taken into account during the entire policy cycle by the international community.

During the last fifty years the city of Benghazi in Libya has attracted huge streams of migrants from villages and small towns. This is due to the pull factors of jobs and social services in the city and to the push factors associated with the neglect of villages and small towns. This resulted in the city quickly increasing in size, leading to rapid population growth, culminating in many economic, social and demographic problems. However, little is known about Libyan migration especially in relation to the challenges posed by internal migration. Therefore, there is a need to examine the phenomena of internal migration and its effect on Benghazi, in order to provide planners and policy makers with up-to-date and relevant information to help them make appropriate decisions. The key aim of this study was to determine and critically evaluate the impact of internal migration on Benghazi using an interpretive approach. This was achieved by combining quantitative and qualitative methods. The empirical core of this thesis is based on field work data, including questionnaire interviews with 150 heads of household who had migrated to Benghazi; supplemented by 10 in-depth narrative studies with selected families; and semi structured interviews with key informants (policy makers) to investigate Government policy and the economic, social and demographic impact of internal migration on the city of Benghazi. The starting point of the theoretical basis of this study is based on theories developed by Ravenstein, Lee and Sjaastad. The research shows that there has been a high rate of migration flow to Benghazi over the last fifty years, and that the economic elements (job opportunities, higher incomes and more regular work) are the most important motives for migrating, in addition to social factors namely attending education and having access to health services. The research found that migration to Benghazi involved a bulk exodus of the whole family unit to take advantage of a better lifestyle in Benghazi. The thesis further reveals that these family streams of migrants have affected the social, economic and demographic situation of Benghazi. Despite the Libyan Government seeking to reduce streams of internal migrants, some of these policies have worked, others have not. There is thus difference between what was planned and what has actually been achieved on the ground, demonstrating the need for research such as this.

published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Politics and Public Administration / Master / Master of Philosophy