Yes / As big data (BD) and data analytics gain significance in Europe, the industry expects that executives will eventually move towards evidence based decision making, and consequently would build sustainable competitive advantages for their organisations. Therefore, the lessons learned from experiences of European executives can be key for human development and also economic development. However, it also seems that in some cases decision makers in Europe seem to not use business intelligence systems at all. Since, executives are intelligent human beings with credible and proven expertise, it seems to raise a question mark on effectiveness of business intelligence systems, and the potential it has in human and economic development. Furthermore, repeated evaluation of literature pointed out that ultimately executives in Europe make decisions by intuition, and this leads to the question whether big data would ever replace intuition. In this paper, the mind-sets of executives about application and limitations of big data have been explored, by taking into account the cognitive factors in decision making. By using this, it is evaluated whether BD technologies can use to accelerate intuition development of the executives, and consequently lead to faster and sustainable economic development in the developing world.

This study explores the relationship between human development and military expenditure across a broad spectrum of developing countries. The United Nations Development Programme releases an annual report on the state of human development in the world. The report includes four composite measurements of different aspects of human development: Human Development Index, Human Poverty Index, Gender-related Development Index and Gender Empowerment Measure. This study uses multiple regression to determine the existence and strength of causal relationships between the independent variables and different measurements of military expenditure. Special attention is provided to the role of gender empowerment in shaping the behavior of countries. Attention is also paid to the unique human development and military issues of the Middle East, although countries on every continent are included in the analysis. The study concludes that Military Expenditure as a proportion of central government spending is moderately influenced by human development in general and strongly influenced by gender empowerment in particular. On the other hand, human development has a more limited impact on Military Expenditure as a proportion of Gross Domestic Product.

Counselors and other mental health professionals lack training on healthy sexuality and sexual identity development (SID). To begin to construct a comprehensive model of SID that can be used in counseling and counselor education, I conducted an exploratory study utilizing a grounded theory approach to collect and analyze SID stories from a purposive sample of eight adults from the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas area: four male and four female; seven White Caucasian-American and one Asian American; and self-identified as two gay, one lesbian, three heterosexual, and two sexually fluid. Participants elucidated a process model of the sexual-self that incorporated biological, psychological, social, cultural, and spiritual factors. Emergent themes included discovering, distinguishing, placing boundaries around, differentiating, and integrating the sexual-self. This preliminary model advanced a more holistic understanding of SID that counselors and other mental health professionals, educators, and researchers may find useful within their respective disciplines.

L’Homme représente la vraie richesse de la nation, car il poursuit le progrès social tout en cherchant son bien-être personnel par le biais d’actions concrètes pour améliorer son mode de vie. C’est pour cela que le Maroc a lancé à travers le discours du Roi Mohamed VI, l’Initiative Nationale pour le Développement Humain (INDH), le 18 mai 2005, pour lutter contre l’exclusion sociale, la précarité et la pauvreté et se hisser au rang des pays avancés. Notre étude de l’INDH prend appui sur l’évaluation du programme de lutte contre la précarité dans la région Chaouia-Ouardigha. Celle-ci est une des régions du Maroc qui a été étudiée de plus près pour avoir bénéficié de projets dans ce cadre. L’Initiative Nationale pour le Développement Humain est donc un vaste chantier permanent qui met l’Homme au centre du développement, et assure la durabilité de ses projets. Le développement humain a un caractère à la fois économique et social. Il suppose une politique publique active. C’est pourquoi, il n’aurait de raison d’être sans l’Etat, qui s’est affirmé dès la fin des années 1990, conformément aux travaux de A. Sen mettant l’accent sur le rôle de l’Etat dans le développement humain. / Man represents the true wealth of nation, as he persues social advance while seeking his personal well-being by means of concrete actions to improve his life style. That is why Morocco has launched the National Initiative for Human Development through king Mohamed Vl’ s speech on the 18th of May 2005, to fight against social exclusion, precariousness and poverty and to raise itself to the position of advanced countries. Our NIHD study rests on the evaluation of the fight program against precariousness in Chaouia-Ouardigha region. This is one of Morocco’s most closely studied regions, since it has benefited from projects within this framework. The National Initiative for Human Development is therefore a vast and permanent field which puts man at the heart of development and ensures the durability of his plans. The human development has both an economic and a social nature. It requires an active public Policy. That is why there would be no more reason for it to exist without the state, which asserted itself from the end of the nineties in accordance with A. Sen’ s Works which emphasize the role of the state in human development.

Master of Science / Department of Family Studies and Human Services / Rick J. Scheidt / This M.S. report provides an evaluative review of research on parental influences on adolescent sexual decision-making. Data show that a significant proportion of never-married female and male teens (ages 15-19) have had sexual intercourse at least once. Adolescent decisions on sexuality and possible consequences such as pregnancy or sexually-transmitted diseases may have profound personal and social impacts. Theoretical and empirical domains of parental influence are reviewed, including communication, morality, family structure and context, parental control, as well as the role of media. This review shows that adolescent sexuality has changed over time due to socio-historical factors and that parents continue to have an influence on their children’s decision-making abilities. Implications for applied professionals and researchers are discussed.

Master of Science / Department of Family Studies and Human Services / Karen S. Myers-Bowman / The current study focuses on qualitative data collected from youth and adults in two rural Kansas communities. The focal point of analysis was youth and adults' answers to questions about their experiences working with one another within community-based programs, specifically questions regarding youth's feeling of empowerment within the context of the program. Lerner's theory of developmental contextualism provided a framework for understanding how youth-adult relationships contribute to the development of youth empowerment. Youth voice, a construct related to the youth empowerment literature, appeared in the participants' responses across program sites. Common themes across settings were that teens who had been involved in the program the longest felt especially empowered, that youth became more responsible as a result of participating in the program, and that adults in both program sites fulfilled the six adult roles for youth empowerment that have been established in the research literature. Finally, three constructs significant in the youth development literature (confidence, connection and compassion) emerged as themes in relation to the experiences of the young people in the program. Implications of this study include exploring the impact youth-adult relationships have on adults and investigating how teens as role models or mentors for "littles" impact their feeling of empowerment. Suggestions for replication of this study are also given.

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This dissertation is a literary study with a qualitative component, provoked by family 'crises' and escalating single parenting, predominantly by mothers in default family structures beset by many childcare issues. It investigates- through tacit elimination of weak paradigms, a developmental mindset, empirical research and biblical consultation- a holistic family paradigm best suited for individual human development in care consciousness in society. The study assumes that, at grassroots levels of society, monogamy, faithfully practiced by morally responsible, natural, parental agencies, is ideal for holistic child care and is suitable for human development. It can also serve as a pre-emptive strategy against the following: delinquency, father absence, abuse, neglect, divorce, separation, indifference, family disintegration, relational poverty, pathological disorders, feminized poverty calling for government intervention, and general societal unrest. However, the monogamous family set up of the nuclear family variety requires relational adjustment. Through studies in ethics and theology, 'care' emerged as a fundamental concept of what it means to be human and is a potential entry point to relational conflicts and lack of development sustainability. Care can spread through inclusion, affirmation, participation and empowerment of the formerly marginalized sectors. Perlas‘ social three-folding strategy, engages the power of politics and economics to care for civil society‘s needs in tripartite partnerships. Similarly, family three-folding units can be effective, at grass root levels, in bringing about holistic child care. Appropriate interpretation, contextual and responsible application of biblical principles for family life from both the OT and NT is part of the interdisciplinary research process. Ephesians 5:21- 6:4; Genesis 1:27-28, 2:24; Deuteronomy 6:6-9 and other appropriate texts will be analyzed in this regard. Holistic child care should contribute significantly to improvement in quality of family life leading to sustainable societies where human rights are respected and caring attitudes promoted globally. The empirical research sought data triangulation, of outstanding family and child care issues, through a phenomenological design that engaged mothers as the units of analysis. Variables were, among others, mothers‘ sentiments and perspectives of men, fathers and husbands. Samples of 10 single mothers, using a mixed sampling methodology and 10 married mothers (the focus group), were selected. In-depth interviews using standardized open-ended questions were utilized. The projective technique was effective in eliciting hidden, negative and bitter sentiments on gender issues requiring urgent attention. Work-overloaded mothers perceived men as self-centered pleasure seekers who are disinterested in child care. Abusive, controlling and economically non-contributing husbands are a burden to their spouses. Spousal rape, enforcement of government restraining orders and 'ukhutwala' issues also surfaced. On the other hand, seasoned, respectful affirmations of men were voiced by a few mothers who have experienced the godly power of forgiveness. Consequently, a frame of reference for family three-folding was outlined in chapter 5, based on biblical teachings, participant mothers‘ conciliatory mindsets, Christian single mothers‘ experiences, human rights considerations, good parenting strategies and relevant generic literature contributions. Conclusions: By analogy, family three-folding indirectly reflects, the relational and functional aspects of the Triune God; reconciliation is a crucial part of the Christian calling; care consciousness is God consciousness and no family is ideal enough out of union/ fellowship [koinonia] with the Lord. Consequently, a believing single mother and her children also constitute a three-folding family, with God as Father to the fatherless. Single parent families deserve support and encouragement. Family three-folding recommends, through dialogues in communities, that: - Men learn to curb their domineering tendencies and practice service [diakonia] to others, guided by biblical principles of servanthood and the "One Man Can…"manual; - women welcome responsible male headship in families for peaceful co-existence and holistic child care; - decision-making be inclusive of family members on issues that concern them; - awareness campaigns on sound family three-folding principles, values and models be initiated through the media, formal education and dialogues at all levels of the society. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die studie is 'n verduidelikende argument met 'n kwalitatiewe komponent, aangespoor deur gesinskrisisse, stygende enkel ouerskap, hoofsaaklik van moeders in gebroke gesinstrukture en gekenmerk deur baie kindersorgprobleme. Deur eliminasie van nie-holistiese situasies word 'n ontwikkelende houding, empiriese navorsing en Bybelse verwysings gebruik om 'n holistiese gesinsparadigma daar te stel vir die optimale menslike ontwikkeling en gemeenskapsbewuste sorg. Die studie veronderstel dat holistiese kindersorg deur 'n moreel verantwoordelike en natuurlike ouerlike agentskap ideaal is vir menslike ontwikkeling en dien as'n voorkomende strategie teen sosio-ekonomiese onrus, veroorsaak deur familie disintegrasie, verarmde verhoudings, misdaad, psigies-sosiale versteurings, mishandeling, verwaarlosing, egskeiding, skeiding, afwesige vaders, onverskilligheid, selfgesentreerde moeders, veramde vroue, wat tussenkoms van die regering noodsaak. Deur 'n studie van etiek en teologie het 'sorg' na vore gekom as 'n fundamentele konsep van wat dit beteken om menslik te wees en is 'n potensiale toegangspunt tot konflik in verhoudings en volgehoue ontwikkeling. Sorg kan deur insluiting, bevestiging, deelname en bemagtiging van die voorheen verstotenes bevorder word. Perlas se sosiale driepunt strategie kombineer die tussenkoms van politiese en ekonomiese invloed om in 'n driebeengenootskap na die burgerlike gemeenskap se behoeftes om te sien. Op dieselfde manier kan drievoudige gesinsverhoudings effektief wees op grondvlak om holistiese kindersorg te weeg te bring. Toepaslike interpretasie en kontekstuele en verantwoordelike toepassing van Bybelse beginsels vir gesinslewe uit beide die OT en NT is noodsaaklik. Efesiërs 5:21-6:4; Genesis 1:27-28 en 2:24 Deuteronomium 6:6-9 en ander toepaslike teksverwysings sal in hierdie verband geanaliseer word. Holistiese kindersorg behoort grootliks by te dra om die kwaliteit van gesinslewe te verbeter en te lei tot standhoudende gemeenskappe, waar menseregte gerespekteer word en omgee-verhoudings globaal bevorder word. Die empiriese navorsing het driebeen data van uitstaande gesins- en kindersorg situasies gesoek, deur 'n fenomenologiese ontwerp wat moeders betrek as analiseringseenhede. Veranderlikes was, onder andere, moeders se houdings en perspektief van mans, vaders en eggenote. 'n Steekproef van 10 enkel moeders, deur 'n gemengde steekproef metodologie, en 10 getroude moeders (die fokus groep), is gekies. Die projektiewe tegniek was effektief in die verkryging van die verborge, negatiewe en bitter sentimente omtrent gesalgskwessies wat dringende aandag vereis. Werk-oorlaaide moeders het mans beskou as selfgesentreerde plesiernajaers sonder enige belang in kindersorg. Mishandelende, oorheersende en ekonomiese nie-bydraende mans is 'n las vir hul gades. Eggenootverkragting, die afdwing van beperkingsbevele deur die regering en 'ukhutwla' sake het ook na vore gekom. Aan die ander kant is tydige, respekvolle ondersteuning van mans, wat die goddelike krag van vergifnis ondervind het, deur 'n paar moeders genoem. 'n Verwysingsraamwerk vir drievoudige gesinsverhoudings is gevolglik uiteengesit in hoofstuk 5, gebaseer op Bybelse lering, deelnemende moeders se versoenende ingesteldheid, Christelike enkel moeders se ondervindings, mense regtelike oorwegings, goeie strategieë vir kinderopvoeding en toepaslike generiese literatuur bydraes. Die gevolgtrekkings is: driebeen-gesinsverhoudings is kontekssensitief, holisties en weerspieël indirek die beeld van ons relasionele, funksionele, liefdevolle Drie-enige God; versoening is 'n belangrike deel van die Christelike roeping; sorgbewustheid is God bewussyn en geen gesin is ideaal genoeg buite die vereniging / gemeenskap [Koinonia] met die Here nie. Gevolglik behels 'n gelowige enkelmoeder met haar kinders ook 'n driebeenverhouding, met God as Vader vir die Vaderlose. Enkel-ouer gesinne verdien ondersteuning en aanmoediging. Gesin drie-vou beveel aan dat deur dialoog in gemeenskappe: - mans hulle dominerende tendense leer bekamp en diens aan ander leer lewer [diakonia], met Bybelse beginsels van diens en die "One Man Can…" handleiding as riglyn; - vroue verantwoordelik manlike hoofskap verwelkom in gesinne vir vredevolle saambestaan en holistiese kindersorg - besluitneming ingesluit word by gesinslede omtrent sake wat op hulle van betrekking is - bewusmakingveldtogte oor gesonde, versoendende driebeen gesinsverhoudings, waardes en modelle deur die media, formele onderrig en dialoog bekendgestel word aan alle vlakke van die samelewing.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2010. / The Millennium Development Goals were commissioned by the United Nations in 2002 under the auspices of the Millennium Project with the aim of addressing development challenges faced by countries around the world in the areas of health, education, infrastructure, hunger and poverty via a series of time-related targets with a deadline for full achievement by 2015. Energy has typically been shown to be significantly correlated with the Human Development Index for a given country. In a similar manner, it is postulated that the various millennium development goal indicators are significantly correlated with total energy and electricity consumption per capita for a given nation. This study commences with a literature review of the origins and objectives of the Millennium Development Goals, followed by a review of the individual goals, targets and indicators. Some current literature regarding the intent and success to date of the Millennium Development Goals was reviewed to provide context. The link between the social and economic development of man, and access to and usage of energy was also explored. To understand the potential role that energy access and usage plays in economic and social development better, a systems thinking approach was adopted and related to how energy access and usage can impact on the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. Potential problem co-factors relating to economic, social and sustainable development were identified, following which a system dynamic model is presented, illustrating the interaction between the various co-factors and access to energy and its use. Finally, a quantitative evaluation was performed to determine whether energy usage indicators do exhibit a relationship with the indicators of the Millennium Development Goals as proposed. This is illustrated for goals one through six. Where relationships were visible, empirical models were fitted to the energy and millennium development goal indicator datasets, and the coefficient of determination, which represents the strength of the relationship, was calculated. For each of the millennium development goal and targets, the models which exhibited the strongest relationships were used to assess what change in energy or electricity consumption would be required to accompany the desired change to meet the targets outlined in the Millennium Development Goals. / Sasol

Low-income Caucasian married parents described lifespan processes and conditions that contributed to their individual assessments that their marriage was healthy. Spouses participated in an interview together, followed later by an individual interview with each. Interview scripts referenced the study‘s primary research questions which sought their reflections on (a) external conditions that they considered to be important to their development, and (b) personal thoughts, emotions and behaviors they deemed relevant to the success of their marriage. A third research question called for integration of participants‘ reflections into a cogent grounded theory regarding successful low-income marriages. Analysis incorporated grounded theory methods, and those procedures were assisted by computer software such as NVIVO 7.0 ® and Microsoft Excel ®. This work revealed a developmental systems theoretical framework that posits that individuals‘ developmental factors gave rise to certain personal actual qualities, and also had affect upon the qualities individuals desired and perceived in their partner. Qualities desired and perceived in their partner may have greater or lesser priority to a spouse depending upon the range of acceptable variance that the spouse assigns to any given quality. While several high-priority qualities emerged from the words of the twenty spouses who participated, four high-priority qualities emerged as fundamental to the success of the marriage: (a) being loving, (b) being committed, (c) being appreciative, and (d) being child-centered. Four abstract sets of developmental factors, assigned the term synergists, strongly promoted these qualities among study participants: (a) a sensitizing experience, (b) a partner-as-rescuer mindset (PARM) preceded by a person‘s adverse history, (c) influences from one or more parents, and (d) religious influences. These findings provide a foundation of information critical to those researchers and practitioners interested in the quest toward an increase in successful marriages among households whose income falls within 200% of the published guideline for poverty as determined by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Sport development is an emerging discipline in sport management due in part to the popular, normative associations between sport and its beneficial outcomes. However, concerns on how sport is used and designed as well as the miscomprehension of the word development cloud sport's utilitarian prospectus. Although research has started to address these concerns in youth and adolescent forums, research on adults using sport for developmental purposes is widely ignored. With life expectancy growing, the pressure to sustain living quality in late adulthood has become almost unmanageable. Maintaining quality of life in late adulthood is difficult. Drawing from human development and aging literature, quality of life is still possible in light of the challenges presented by multiple developmental forces. Developmental trajectories are the products of net gains and losses over the life course and are influenced by transitional events and the ability in people to adapt to them. In addition, development is both cumulative and innovative, which affirms that people in later stages of life can still develop. In order to do this, gerontological and psychological research argue that resources are key in the achievement of positive outcomes. However, research understanding mechanisms that affect resources that produce positive gains is still in its infancy. Hence, I constructed a dissertation with two studies using a multi-method approach to ascertain the role and efficacy of sport participation on the transitional process that undergirds the developmental trajectory. The impetus for this approach was to examine the utility of sport as a developmental force adults could consider in improving their overall quality of life. Study 1 used a life-history, qualitative method that reveals sports' role as an influential resource provider during life event transitions across a person's life. Data show that sport was believed to aid in the adaptation process that provided distinct benefits that other activities or support structures could not match or replicate easily. Study 2 used structural equation modeling to specify the magnitude of sport's role on resources during a specific transitional event that most adults will experience: retirement from the workforce. Quantitative evidence from this study yields support that sport participation can positively impact resources and retirement well-being directly. Both studies supply substantiation for the argument that sport participation can act as a positive developmental force for adults by assisting with the recruitment of resources and acting as a resource provider which affords adaptation assistance in transitions. The combined results demonstrate how sport may be viewed as a developmental tool which has practical implications for sport development and managers wishing to design sport for this purpose. In addition, the common assumption that sport development programming should be geared exclusively toward youth and adolescents is dismissed. This dissertation provides theoretical and empirical justification for creating positive adult developmental programming in sport. / text