Published Article / Increased diversity in the agricultural sector in South Africa is forcing farmers to focus on the production of value-added commodities in the face of mounting global competitive pressures. However, many farmers, by operating individually, are unable to expand operations to the scale necessary to become involved in value-adding processing. This requires too much capital, skills, and time. By pooling resources and forming integrated small and medium sized agricultural enterprises even small producers can enter the processing arena successfully. This paper focuses on the specific driving forces, pitfalls and strategies that agricultural SMEs need to pursue in order to survive.

The overall purpose of this research was to develop an inter-agency reporting protocol for the child protection system in the Free State. The aim was to integrate current legislation and policy into this inter-agency reporting protocol to create standardised reporting procedures to ensure effective access to and response from the child protection system for the child in need of care and protection. The thesis comprises six sections: SECTION A: This section comprises the problem statement, the research purpose statement and objectives, the central theoretical statement, the approach to the research, the research methodology, as well as the limitations and restrictions of the research. Furthermore, key words are defined and an explanation of the research report is provided. The problem statement shows that problems have been experienced for quite some time regarding the way reports are being handled within the child protection system. The result is that children in need of care and protection do not have effective access to the child protection system and they don’t get effective response when their cases are reported. Although the rights, interests and wants of the child in need of care and protection are addressed in existing legislation and policy, there is still a problem with the implementation and enforcement of said legislation and policy. SECTION B: This section comprises four consecutive articles: Article 1: Legislation and policy for reporting within the child protection system of South Africa In this article, Phase 1 (problem analysis and project planning) of the intervention model was used. An analysis was made of the existing legislation and policy regulations currently in use in South Africa during reporting at the child protection system. This was done by means of literature analysis. Article 2: Agents, cases, persons and response during reporting at the child protection system In this article, Phase 2 (information gathering) of the intervention model was used. An analysis was made of the stipulations of current legislation and policy in South Africa regarding agents, cases, persons and response that should be kept in mind when developing an interagency reporting protocol for the child protection system. It was done by means of literature analysis. Article 3: Reporting procedures and protocols from abroad applicable to an inter-agency reporting protocol for the child protection system In this article, Phase 2 (information gathering) of the intervention model was used. The contents of foreign reporting procedures and protocols were analised in an effort to determine what contribution such procedures and protocols can make to the development of an inter-agency reporting protocol for the child protection system. It was done by means of literature analysis. Article 4: An inter-agency reporting protocol for the child protection system in the Free State In this article, Phases 3 (design), 5 (evaluation and advanced development) and 6 (dissemination) of the intervention model were used. The researcher used the information that came to the fore during the literature analysis in Phases 1 and 2 of the intervention model, to design an inter-agency reporting protocol and flow charts for the child protection system in the Free State. The suitability of this protocol was tested by means of semi-structured interviews with the agents responsible for handling reports within the child protection system. The qualitative data obtained from this was used for the further development of an inter-agency reporting protocol for the child protection system in the Free State. SECTION C: This section comprises a summary of the collective findings and conclusions that came to the fore during the research, whereafter recommendations were being made. SECTION D: This section comprises the various appendices used during the research. SECTION E: This section comprises a complete list of references. SECTION F: This section comprises the final inter-agency reporting protocol for the child protection system in the Free State. / PhD (Social Work), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Cette thèse s'inscrit dans la perspective d'augmentation de la sensibilité de scanners de tomographie d'émission par positrons (TEP) en baissant le seuil d'énergie pour intégrer les événements de faible énergie dans l'image TEP.Cette baisse du seuil nécessite une évaluation correcte des interactions multiples particulièrement dues à la diffusion Compton inter-cristal, afin d'assurer un comptage précis des coïncidences fortuites et vraies, et conséquemment une quantification exacte de la distribution de l'activité dans l'objet. Afin d'atteindre cet objectif, et vu la complexité des phénomènes de la diffusion Compton et des coïncidences fortuites, les développements ainsi que la validation de ce travail de recherche ont été assistés par le simulateur évolué GATE"Geant4 application for tomographic emission". D'abord un modèle de simulation GATE pour le scanner LabPET a été développé et validé théoriquement et expérimentalement. Ce modèle a ensuite servi à l'étude du mécanisme de la diffusion Compton inter-cristal et des coïncidences fortuites, notamment en lien avec la fixation du seuil d'énergie. Finalement, une technique d'estimation des fortuits tenant compte des interactions multiples a été développée et validée dans différentes conditions d'imagerie et pour différents seuils d'énergie, en utilisant principalement le modèle GATE du LabPET et aussi d'autres géométries de scanners. À l'opposé des méthodes revues dans la littérature, cette technique assure une faible erreur d'estimation des coïncidences fortuites (< 2%) même à très bas seuils d'énergie en présence de la diffusion Compton inter-cristal ou à très hautes activités, et permet d'atteindre une haute sensibilité de scanner.Cette thèse a fait l'objet de différentes communications scientifiques dans des conférences et journaux internationaux.

Pour dresser le portrait complet du fonctionnement des personnes ayant subi un accident vasculaire cérébral (AVC), il est utile d'inclure une évaluation de leur participation sociale, englobant à la fois l'accomplissement des activités courantes et des rôles sociaux. Le niveau de participation sociale peut être mesuré avec un questionnaire validé documentant les perceptions de la personne de sa situation, comme la Mesure des habitudes de vie (MHAVIE). Les personnes ayant des déficits cognitifs importants ne peuvent cependant pas être interrogées directement, de sorte qu'elles sont exclues des études sur la participation sociale, réduisant la généralisation de leurs résultats. L'utilisation des réponses de proches-aidants pourrait s'avérer une alternative envisageable pour estimer la participation sociale s'il était démontré que leurs perceptions reflètent suffisamment celles des personnes avec un AVC. Cette étude visait justement à évaluer la concordance entre les réponses de personnes avec un AVC et de leurs proches-aidants à l'aide de la MHAVIE. Un second objectif consistait à explorer les caractéristiques des participants et du contexte de leur relation associées aux divergences entre leurs cotations respectives. L'étude a été réalisée auprès de 40 dyades formées d'une personne ayant subi un AVC, âgée de 50 ans ou plus et sans atteinte cognitive significative, ainsi que d'un proche-aidant. Lors d'une entrevue individuelle, les participants répondaient au questionnaire MHAVIE. Parmi les 12 domaines d'activités courantes et de rôles évalués par cet outil, l'éducation et le travail avaient été exclus en raison de leur non-applicabilité auprès d'une grande proportion de la population étudiée. Les données sociodémographiques et cliniques des sujets étaient recueillies, ainsi que certaines caractéristiques pouvant influencer le niveau de concordance entre les répondants. La concordance entre les réponses des personnes avec un AVC et des proches-aidants était mesurée avec le coefficient de corrélation intraclasse (CCI). Des analyses de régression linéaire multiple permettaient d'explorer les facteurs associés aux divergences entre les personnes aidées et leurs aidants. Les résultats suggèrent une concordance modérée à excellente entre les cotations de la MHAVIE par les personnes avec un AVC et les proches-aidants [CCI et intervalle de confiance (I.C.) à 95 %: 0,82 (0,67-0,90) pour le score total de la MHAVIE, 0,87 (0,70-0,93) pour le sous-total des activités courantes et 0,73 (0,54-0,85) pour celui des rôles sociaux ]. Dans 7 des 10 domaines de participation, les proches-aidants perçoivent des restrictions plus importantes que les estimations des personnes aidées (p = 0,035 à 0,001). La présence de graves déficits moteurs du membre inférieur est le facteur le plus important contribuant aux divergences entre les membres des dyades. La gravité des déficits moteurs et le fonctionnement cognitif de la personne aidée expliquent ensemble 40% de la variation des divergences au score total de la MHAVIE. Les niveaux de concordance satisfaisants entre les résultats des entrevues auprès des deux groupes de répondants fournissent des indications de la pertinence d'utiliser l'information fournie par le proche-aidant pour estimer la participation sociale des personnes avec un AVC ne pouvant être interrogées directement. Certaines caractéristiques, comme la gravité de l'atteinte, peuvent cependant contribuer aux divergences entre les perceptions de l'aidé et de l'aidant et devraient être considérées lors de l'utilisation de cette forme d'évaluation substituée, particulièrement lors de l'interprétation des résultats. L'utilisation éclairée de l'information recueillie auprès d'un proche-aidant, agissant comme substitut d'une personne incapable de répondre à une entrevue sur sa participation sociale, pourrait aider à mieux cibler ses besoins et à orienter les services sociaux et sanitaires pertinents.

No description available.

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Dysfunctional exclusion between Christians and Muslims in Northern Nigeria in general, and Gombe State in particular, is understood to be a trigger of religious crises in Northern Nigeria. History has shown that Northern Nigeria has been experiencing religious crises from 1980 to the present. The crises have grossly affected the relationship between these two religious groups, despite the fact that they all live in the same community and in some cases in the same family. The reoccurrence of religious crises has created fear and suspicion of one another between the adherents of the two religions, thus giving more ground to the practice of dysfunctional exclusion. In 1999, the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) formed a forum, called the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC), for the purpose of tackling the problems of dysfunctional exclusion and religious crises between Christians and Muslims. Dialogue is one of the most relied approaches adopted by NIREC in addressing the challenges. Unfortunately the application of dialogue among the Christians and Muslims in Gombe state has not been effective as the problem of dysfunctional exclusion persist. This calls for reconsideration of the application of dialogue or to consider an alternative approach which will effectively deal with the dysfunctional exclusion among the two religious adherents in Gombe state. As a contribution to the fight against dysfunctional exclusion, I suggests a co-pathic approach. The research question is can co-pathy effectively contribute in addressing the challenge of dysfunctional exclusion within Christian/Muslim relationships? This will be answered with a focus on the outlined goals of the research following the methodology of Richard Osmer (2008) – the four tasks of practical theology. First, the descriptive-empirical task; this task answers the question what is going on? It examines the practice of dysfunctional exclusion among the Christians and Muslims. Second, the interpretive task, which answers the question why is this going on? This will discuss the concept of co-pathy, and its relevant application to the Christian/Muslim relationship. Third, the normative task; this task answers the question what ought to be going on? It explores a co-pathic theological foundation for interreligious understanding. And lastly, the pragmatic task answers the question how might we respond? This presents, in the concluding chapter, the contribution of the research to the fight against dysfunctional exclusion. The research will create an awareness of a pluralistic religious society and the need for interreligious understanding and consciousness. Co-pathy will be used as a point of convergence between Muslims and Christians and will stand at the centre of their relationships, as both religions recognise and value the virtue of co-pathy. This will motivate the life of togetherness in passion, thus paving the way for the recognition of each other‘s religion with regard, tolerating religious practices, and considering one another as members of the same community without religious segregation. The research is significant, as the issue of dysfunctional exclusion dehumanises and triggers religious crises, which have claimed many lives in the northern states of Nigeria. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Wanfunksionele uitsluiting onder Christene en Moslems in Noord-Nigerië in die algemeen, en in Gombe Staat spesifiek, gee aanleiding tot godsdienstige krisisse in Noord-Nigerië. Die geskiedenis toon dat Noord-Nigerië sedert 1980 godsdienstige krisisse ervaar. Hierdie krisisse het 'n groot effek op die verhouding tussen hierdie twee godsdienstige groepe, ten spyte daarvan dat hulle almal in dieselfde gemeenskap, en soms in dieselfde gesin, woon. Die herhaling van godsdienstige krisisse het gelei tot vrees en agterdog tussen die navolgers van die twee godsdienste, wat nog meer gronde gee vir die praktyk van wanfunksionele uitsluiting. In 1999 het die Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) en die Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) 'n forum gevorm met die naam Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) om probleme met betrekking tot wanfunksionele uitsluiting en godsdienstige krisisse tussen Christene en Moslems te hanteer. Dialoog is die benadering wat die meeste deur NIREC gebruik word om die uitdagings aan te spreek. Ongelukkig was die toepassing van dialoog tussen Christene en Moslems in Gombe Staat nie effektief nie, aangesien die probleem van wanfunksionele uitsluiting voortduur. Dit vereis dus 'n heroorweging van die toepassing van dialoog, of om 'n alternatiewe benadering te oorweeg wat doeltreffend met die wanfunksionele uitsluiting onder die twee godsdienstige groeperinge in Gombe Staat sal kan handel. As 'n bydrae tot die stryd teen wanfunksionele uitsluiting, stel ek 'n ko-patiese (copathic) benadering voor. My navorsingsvraag is kan ko-patie doeltreffend bydra tot die aanspreek van die uitdaging van wanfunksionele uitsluiting in Christen/Moslemverhoudings. Dit sal beantwoord word deur te fokus op die doelwitte van die navorsing volgens die metodologie van Richard Osmer (2008) – die vier take van praktiese teologie. Eerstens, die beskrywende-empiriese taak; dit antwoord die vraag, wat gaan aan? Dit ondersoek die praktyk van wanfunksionele uitsluiting onder Christene en Moslems. Tweede, die verklarende taak, wat die vraag beantwoord – hoekom gaan dit aan? Hier sal ek die konsep van ko-patie en die relevante toepassing daarvan op die Christen/Moslem-verhouding bespreek. Derdens, die normatiewe taak; hierdie taak antwoord die vraag, wat behoort aan te gaan? Dit verken 'n ko-patiese teologiese fondament vir intergodsdienstige verstandhouding. En laastens, die pragmatiese taak, wat die vraag, hoe kan ons reageer? beantwoord. In die finale hoofstuk stel ek die bydrae van hierdie navorsing voor in die stryd teen wanfunksionele uitsluiting. Hierdie navorsing sal bewussyn skep van 'n pluralistiese godsdienstige samelewing en die behoefte aan intergodsdienstige begrip en bewussyn. Ko-patie sal gebruik word as 'n punt van konvergensie tussen Moslems en Christene en sentraal in hulle verhoudings staan, aangesien beide godsdienste die deug van ko-patie erken en waarde daaraan heg. Dit sal die lewe van samesyn in passie motiveer en dus die weg berei vir die erkenning van mekaar se godsdiens met agting, die verdra van godsdienstige praktyke en 'n beskouing van mekaar as lede van dieselfde gemeenskap sonder godsdienstige afsondering. Die navorsing is betekenisvol omdat die kwessie van wanfunksionele uitsluiting mense ontmens en godsdienstige krisisse veroorsaak, wat al baie lewens in die noordelike state van Nigerië geëis het.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 26-29, 1992 / Town and Country Hotel and Convention Center, San Diego, California / In recent years, many designers have turned to digital techniques as a means of improving the fidelity of instrumentation data recorders. However, single and multi-channel recorders based on professional VHS transports are now available which use innovative methods for achieving near-perfect timebase accuracy, inter-channel timing and group delay specifications for long-duration wideband analog recording applications. This paper discusses some of the interesting technical problems involved and demonstrates that VHS cassette recorders are now a convenient and low cost proposition for high precision multi-channel wideband data recording.

This thesis attempts to resolve the deadlock to achieve an equitable division of taxes, and thereby internation equity. As the present tax laws were not negotiated, it is not considered here as fair. In this thesis it is proposed that an equitable division could be achieved through a division based on the levels of human development (combining Rawlsian schema and Sen’s capability approach). Therefore, it is argued that such a division would be equitable; because it would be based on entitlements (territorial claims), it would generate cooperation and thereby lead to greater efficiency. Importantly, this thesis establishes that the present tax treaties neither generate cooperation nor cohere with global welfare. Similarly, it is also found that the other institutions (OECD, IMF, WB and Dispute Settlement) related the tax regime presently do not promote development based on human capabilities. This could help developing countries to pursue a division favouring development (laws favouring development) and understand the institutions better suited to pursue such goals.

The current literature indicates that research concerning the area of industrial interorganisational relationships (lORs) and relationship marketing (RM) in an international context is growing in size as well as importance, and is regarded by many as constituting a paradigmatic shift in contemporary marketing thought. The study of lORs, however, has suffered from empirical neglect, particularly in an international context. The extant literature is unclear concerning the development process of relationships. In particular, the antecedents of commitment in affectively committed relationships (positive attachment) and calculatively committed relationships (negative attachment) and their performance outcomes, the causes of dissolution in previously committed relationships and the impact national culture has on the process when it traverses national borders is not well understood. Therefore, the primary objectives of this study were to investigate the stages of the development process of international lORs, and to determine the level of influence national culture exerted on this process. Two stages of empirical research using a mixed methodology were conducted. The first stage of fieldwork -an exploratory case study approach -used seven in-depth interviews with UK. import/export executives in charge of relationship development within their respective companies. The first stage of fieldwork was used to examine the stages of international lOR development and the influence national culture exerts on it in order to develop a set of hypotheses for subsequent testing. Stage two -a mail survey approach was mailed to 3000 UK import/export executives and used data from 322 questionnaires to test a set of hypotheses developed from the first stage of fieldwork. The study had significant findings in three key areas. Firstly, the research identified that the antecedents of commitment in affectively and caculatively committed relationships differed significantly and furthermore, relationships based on affective commitment enjoyed relatively greater levels of performance outcomes in comparison to relationships based on calculative commitment. Secondly, the study identified the causes of dissolution in previously committed relationships in four categories: buyer factors, supplier factors, competitor factors, and environmental factors. The findings also indicated that relationship dissolution could be classified in three ways: full exit, partial exit and temporary exit, and that dissolution was influenced by the motive for commitment prior to dissolution. The period of time spent in dissolving relationships was often found to be lengthy and was influenced by five categories of factors that impede partners' speed of exit. Finally, the study applied the assumptions of Hofstede (1980; 1991) to examine the extent to which national culture affects relationship development when it crosses national borders. The findings revealed little concrete evidence to suggest that national culture has a strong influence on international business relationships. International business relationships were, however, susceptible to factors such as infrastructure barriers and political barriers that were obstacles to foreign market success. The thesis contributes to current knowledge by offering the first empirically supported model of lOR development from pre-formation to dissolution in the extant literature; principally, identifying the antecedents of effective and ineffective relationships and also the stages of dissolution when relationships dissolve. The national culture literature within the domain of Marketing, and in particular, the literature concerning lORs, is advanced by suggesting that Hofstede's (1980; 1991) cross-cultural assumptions may not impact significantly on international lORs in a manner prescribed by Hofstede. In order to achieve the primary research objectives a number of scales were operationalised including scales to measure the influence of national culture on lORs, and aspects of relationship development including a multi-dimensional scale to measure trust. The study offers a number of recommendations for practitioners, and presents a number of future research directions. These are principally, to identify the antecedents of calculative commitment (that are hitherto unknown), and incorporate variables that may legitimately act as antecedents of commitment not examined in this study.

No description available.