The reduction of the maternal mortality rate is part of the priority agenda of governments in Africa, including South Africa. Research shows that a large portion of maternal deaths are preventable because they are largely due to lack of inappropriately prepared staff. In South Africa, outcome studies on the quality of comprehensive prepared nursing graduates reflect some concerns regarding their levels of competence. These studies, however, are general; they did not directly target the competence of these graduates in their midwifery practice, therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore and describe the perceived level of competence of newly qualified-midwives functioning in midwifery units. Based on the positivist paradigm, an exploratory descriptive design, using a quantitative approach, was adopted in this study. Two structured questionnaires were used to collect data: one for the newly-qualified midwives and one for the supervisors. A total of 48 newly-qualified midwives and 26 supervisors from five hospitals at eThekwini District participated in this study. Ethics principles and other considerations were observed throughout the study. Data were analyzed statistically using a computer Software Package (SPSS, version 15.0) and a variety of statistical tests were carried out. . From the findings there was a positive congruence between graduates and their supervisors' ratings of the newly-qualified midwives clinical competencies. There were, however, significant differences in a few skills with graduates tending to rate themselves higher than did their supervisors. On the whole though one can conclude that although VI the findings in this study are not conclusive, compared to the previous studies in this area, there is an improvement in the level of competence of newly-qualified midwives. The improvement was noted in their level of competence in midwifery clinical practice, clinical teaching, management and research. The findine;s, however, revealed some areas that need special attention in the theory and clinical preparation of midwives. Recommendations included reviewing the curriculum and strengthening the research component. In midwifery clinical practice there needs to be more attention paid to neonatal care skills, problem solving and record keeping. Further research is also recommended. / Thesis (M.N.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.

This was a study of the devolution of water and sanitation management functions from the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry and Rand Water Board to Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality. This affects the functions and the infrastructure that goes with it. This exercise is the fulfilment of the provisions of Water Services Act that empowers municipalities to become Water Services Authorities and where capacity exists to also become Water Services Providers. It was found that though constitutionally, water and sanitation functions resort under municipalities, in the area of study, the Tshwane municipality did not directly deliver these functions. This happened due to the fact that Tshwane did not have human capacity to deal with the functions, they provided the funding as a subsidy to Rand Water Board who in turn provided financial support to Odi Retail Water that is currently responsible for water and sanitation management as a subsidiary to Rand Water Board. The following are recommendations derived from the findings: That the political activities be raised in the areas to encourage people to pay for their services and take responsibility for meter reading on their own like it is happening in Denmark. In Denmark each household reads meters for both water and electricity personally and submits the readings to the municipality for billing. As a result the municipality did not employ special meter readers and by so doing they safe on salaries. That greater resource allocation is made to cover the shortfalls that were experienced due to lack of management capacity and other resources that would enable Tshwane municipality to run the functions on their own. That capacity building and support for professionals be streamlined on the current Odi Retail Water staff for future absorption by municipality. 4. That promotion of community-based development be continued to encourage community ownership on water management functions. This could be done through the formation of community water associations. While community-based approaches are now accepted as the norm, the necessary: capacity to support them in most cases does not generally exist at the higher levels (national, district and local) and Tshwane needs to look at this. Communities currently remain uninterested in taking part in wider water management for a number of reasons, including lack of ownership or control over decisions; lack of real power to make allocation and use decisions; high transaction costs of involvement; and poorly developed frameworks by which the views of large communities can be represented at stakeholder fora. Therefore, Tshwane must make sure that community's interest is supported in all respect. If the municipality cannot handle these functions on its own, then privatisation should be considered for efficient and effective water and sanitation management and provision. / Thesis (MBA) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2002

Background: The health care systems across are characterised by the gross shortage of nurses. A number of initiatives have been reported which seek to address this challenge. Literature shows that males remain an inadequately tapped source, They remain a minority in nursing compared to their female counterparts. Literature also shows that gender-based barriers for male nurses exist. The purpose of this study was to explore gender-related constructs that influence the recruitment and retention of men in nursing as experienced by male nurses in three selected hospitals in the eThekwini district. Research Methodology: A qualitative, explorative and descriptive design was used in this study to illuminate the views of male nurses regarding their recruitment and retention in nursing .. Purposive sampling was used to select male nurses from three hospitals for interviews and a total of 37 participants participated in this study. The participants were drawn from private and public hospitals. Data was collected through individual and focus group interviews and was analyzed qualitatively. Research Findings: Four major themes emerged from data. These included the journey to nursing, experiences of males in the nursing profession, retention of male nurses and strategies to recruit and retain males in nursing. Findings from the groups and categories of males in nursing in different hospitals showed similarities which reflected that the barriers faced by men in the nursing profession were still pervasive, consistent and had undergone few changes over time. Recommendations: Recommendations were categorised into community, general education, nursing education, nursing practice and nursing research. / Thesis (M.N.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.

This thesis is developed upon inquires on urban spatial structure of Southeast Asian extended metropolitan region (EMR) and its impacts on travel. Literature suggests that while efforts in promoting transport sustainability in the developed world have included policy measures involving urban spatial structure and its physical features as a consequence of the understanding on strong link between land use and transport, there has been lack of understandings on the spatial structure in major cities in Southeast Asia. Exploratory spatial data analysis (ESDA) is adopted for identification of important components of the spatial structure of employment in the Jakarta Metropolitan Area (JMA). The approach has been specifically designed in order to extract clusters as suggested in the Southeast Asian EMR concept. It is found that the spatial structure of employment in the JMA consists of the following major components: the urban core of Jakarta; the single dominant and expanded regional CBD within the urban core of Jakarta; manufacturing corridors that are largely follow toll roads radiating out of the urban core; local government regions that in general have not been developed into substantial sub-centres; desakota areas overlapping the manufacturing corridors and the agricultural areas; and portions of agricultural areas in the outer parts of Bekasi, Bogor and Tangerang regencies. The result shows that spatial structure of JMA conforms to the Southeast Asian EMR concept rather than the monocentric, polycentric or sprawl patterns debated for the case of developed cities. Commuting impacts of the identified spatial structure of employment and its physical features are investigated using the desireline analysis, home-to-work trip pattern comparisons (ANOVA) by the employment clusters, and ordinary linear regression and logistic regression models. It is found that the spatial structure identified and its physical features have significant associations to variations in the pattern of commuting across the region. The physical features of the employment spatial structure identified include important policy sensitive variables such as job density, job to household ratio, land use diversity and job accessibility. Policy implications of the findings are developed and centred on recommending both the spatial structure of employment and its physical characteristics that promote more sustainable transport in the JMA.

Thesis (M.A.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 1997. / Bibliography: leaves 168-173.

This thesis examines Chinese metropolitan planning management system taking lessons from its past as well as current development and involving recommendations for its future improvement. It investigates the historical and current developments in the metropolitan planning management systems and also makes recommendations about how to improve the future systems. It aims to find potential ways which can make the Chinese metropolitan planning management system work well and move the metropolitan planning management to good governance. This thesis also constructs a theoretical framework from the perspective of decentralization, focusing upon the change of relationships between the Chinese government, market and society, to gain an in-depth insight of changes in the development of Chinese planning management system since 1978. It considers a case study approach to analyze the current situation of the metropolitan planning management system. It employs a qualitative research methodology that comprises of questionnaire and interviews with governmental officials, planners and experts, to study the behaviors of different actors involved in the core operations of planning management system, and investigate relationships between the government, market and society in order to examine the fundamental institutional factors producing the problems. In the end, on basis of the global public management paradigm transformation and in view of the overall trend of the governance transition, it makes recommendations regarding an improved metropolitan planning management system in China. It identifies factors influencing the Chinese metropolitan planning management system. It argues that the planning management system changes with the administrative system. The administrative management system reform has become the most direct and fundamental motive for promoting the transition of planning management system. It scrutinizes the problems in metropolitan planning management system. It argues that inadequate modern bureaucracy is the primary characteristic of current planning management systems, which is inducing problems in the metropolitan planning management system. It argues that the focus of Chinese metropolitan planning management system reform is the allocation of power and responsibility among different interest groups. It argues that reform of the metropolitan planning management system needs continuous improvement and has to surpass the bureaucracy moderately. The essence of metropolitan planning management system reform is rationalizing relationships between different levels of governments as well as relationships between the government, market and society. It insists that improved metropolitan planning management system in China needs support from other governance tools.

Durante muito tempo, os membros das câmaras de vereadores brasileiras tiveram suas atuações políticas limitadas à circunscrição territorial dos seus respectivos municípios. Isso se deve muito à forma de organização e à outorga de competências conferidas aosentes federativos. O modelo de federação criado no Brasil apresenta peculiaridades em relação a outros modelos existentes no mundo. Uma das mais evidentes é o reconhecimento constitucional dos municípios como ente integrante de sua estrutura, dotando-os de autonomia em relação aos Estados-membros e à União, bem como conferidas atribuições políticas e administrativas próprias. Esse status transformou consideravelmente o papel das municipalidades brasileiras após o advento da Constituição de 1988. Mas, infelizmente, a forma de distribuição dos recursos públicos do país concentra grande parte das receitas nos entes federativos de maior dimensão, em especial da União. Essa desproporcionalidade impede que as municipalidades exerçam, de forma plena, todas as missões que lhes foram outorgadas. Em consequência,eles sentem o peso das várias incumbências a serem desenvolvidas, sem que possuam as verbas suficientes para isso. Uma das soluções para minimizar essa situação está na iniciativa dese integrarem a outros entes para que, de forma conjunta, concretizem as políticas públicas necessárias à população. Atualmente, verifica-se que muitos problemas existentes nos municípios são comuns a todos que estejam situados em determinada região. Esse fenômeno ocorre principalmente quando a expansão urbana gerou as conurbações, interligando os municípios de uma forma tal que acabam compartilhando, os anseios e mazelas. Prevendo essa situação, o constituinte brasileiro de 1988 outorgouaos Estados-membros a prerrogativa de instituir as regiões metropolitanas e outras formas de unidade territorial urbana.Possibilitou, comoisso, a criação de uma organização administrativa que pudesse desenvolverações estatais de dimensão regional, conjugando os esforços dos entes federativos envolvidos para a consecução do bem comum. Aproveitando a existência dessas regionalidades administrativas, surgiunas câmaras de vereadores o anseio de ampliar seu campo de atuação para levar à discussão regional os temas inerentes a todos os municípios que as integram.Assim, criaram-se em algumas partes do país, os parlamentos metropolitanos.Consistem em um fórum de discussão e atuação integrada das edilidades municipais inseridas nessas unidades territoriais urbanas. A presente pesquisa tem como objeto central analisar a formação e atuação desses parlamentos, bem como os resultados já alcançados por alguns, além de sugerir propostas que venham fortalecer o seu papel. Essas instituições podem contribuir consideravelmente para o aperfeiçoamento da denominada governança interfederativa das regiões metropolitanas, nos termos que são propostos pelo Estatuto das Metrópoles (Lei Federal n. 13.089/15). Trata-sede um vetor de colaboração e associação entre os entes e órgãos de poder integrantes da região metropolitana, em busca de concretizar as funções públicas de interesse comumem prol da população nela inserida. / For a long time, members of the Brazilian assembly of councilors had had their political actions limited to the territorial circumscription of the respective municipalities. this is due much to the bestow of conferred competences to federal entities. The federation model created in Brazil shows peculiarities in relation to other existing models in the world. One of the most evident is the constitutional recognition of municipalities as integrant entity to its structure, providing them with autonomy in relation to the Member States and the Union as well as attributions conferred the own political and administrative duties. This status has transformed considerably the role of the Brazilian municipality after the advent of the Constitution of 1988. But unfortunately, the way of distribution of public resources of the country focus its great part of the revenues in the larger dimension federal entities, particularly of the Union. This disproportionality prevents that the municipality exerts, fully, all the missions that were bestowed to them. As a result, they feel the weight of the various tasks to be developed without having sufficient funds for it. One of the solutions to minimize this situation is the initiative to join the other entities ones so that, jointly, they can concretize the public policies necessary to the population. Currently, check itself that existing problems in the cities are common to all who are located in a given region. This phenomenon occurs, principally when urban sprawl generated the conurbations, linking municipalities in such a way that end up sharing the anxieties and ills. Anticipating this situation, the Brazilian constituent 1988 has bestowed to the Member States the prerogative to institute the metropolitan areas and other urban land unit. Allowed, therewith, the creation of an administrative organization that could develop state actions with a regional dimension, conjugating the efforts of the federal entities involved in an attainment the common good. Taking advantage of the existence of these administrative regionalities arose in the councilors chambers the desire to enlarge their actuation field to take the regional debate the issues inherent to all municipalities that comprise it. Thereby, were created in some parts of the country, metropolitan parliaments. They consist of a discussion forum and integrated performance of the inserted town council these urban units. This research has as its central object to analyze the formation and actuation of these parliaments and the results already achieved by some, besides suggesting proposals that will strengthen its role. These institutions can contribute substantially to the improvement of the so called interfederativa governance of metropolitan areas, in the terms that are proposed by the Statute of the Metropolis (Federal Law n. 13.089/15). Its about a collaborative vector and association among entities and organs of integrated power of the metropolitan area, seeking concretizing the public functions of common interest on behalf of the population.

Orientador: Geraldo Biasoto Junior / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Economia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-06T17:52:47Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Semeghini_UlyssesCidade_D.pdf: 1220469 bytes, checksum: 76fe149625be2d9d172736c4d1334e5b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006 / Resumo: O tema central da tese é o da gestão e financiamento metropolitanos. Sua prática no Brasil, mesmo em seu período mais efetivo (segunda metade dos anos 70), parece pouco encorajadora, olhada retrospectivamente. Não obstante, as razões para efetivação de formas integradas de gestão metropolitana permanecem válidas. No caso do Brasil, essas justificativas tornam-se ainda mais relevantes, dada a escala dos problemas, a limitação de recursos e os tremendos desequilíbrios sociais e espaciais. A tese inicialmente procura esboçar um quadro conceitual sobre as metrópoles e a evolução de seus aparatos institucionais de gestão e financiamento. Na seqüência, reconstituem-se as trajetórias demográfica, econômica e financeira recentes, bem como os processos determinantes da evolução da mancha urbana no caso da Região Metropolitana de Campinas. Nos capítulos finais é feita uma apreciação crítica da experiência recente de gestão e de financiamento na RM de Campinas À guisa de conclusão, procura-se destacar elementos que podem representar um salto de qualidade na constituição e no desempenho do aparato de gestão e financiamento para a Região Metropolitana de Campinas / Abstract: Not informed. / Doutorado / Teoria Economica / Doutor em Ciências Econômicas

Nesse trabalho partimos da hipótese de que associado à recuperação econômica da região metropolitana do Rio de Janeiro em meados da década de 1990 estaria ocorrendo um processo de reestruturação espacial, marcado pela ocorrência da dispersão metropolitana e da reconfiguração da centralidade metropolitana. A dispersão metropolitana e a reconfiguração da centralidade metropolitana são vistas como facetas de um mesmo processo de reestruturação espacial que se desenvolve com ritmos diferenciados em diferentes regiões metropolitanas. A dispersão metropolitana significa o esgarçamento do tecido metropolitano, com a ampliação dos vazios entre as áreas efetivamente ocupadas e entre os extremos da região metropolitana, o que se dá a partir da produção de áreas urbanizadas descontínuas que conjugam enclaves e outras formas de urbanização como loteamentos populares e conjuntos habitacionais. A reconfiguração da centralidade metropolitana representa a transição de uma estrutura monocêntrica para uma estrutura policêntrica de centros, que se dá à medida que alguns municípios metropolitanos ampliam o grau de concentração de funções centrais além de passar a concentrar algumas funções anteriormente somente encontradas na metrópole. Ambas as facetas da reestruturação espacial na atualidade apontam para uma forma de produção do espaço mais dispersa, fragmentada e articulada em escala regional. Na região metropolitana do Rio de Janeiro, região essa marcada por uma extrema concentração de população e atividades econômicas na metrópole, a reestruturação espacial se evidencia a partir de um ponto de ruptura nas tendências seculares de concentração econômica e populacional na metrópole. / In this work, we start from the hypothesis that associated with the economic recovery in the mid-1990s was occurring a restructuring process, marked by the occurrence of metropolitan dispersion and reconfiguration of metropolitan centrality. The metropolitan dispersion and reconfiguration of metropolitan centrality are seen as facets of the same spatial restructuring process that develops at different paces in different metropolitan regions. The metropolitan dispersion means the fraying of the metropolitan urban area, with the expansion of the voids between the effectively occupied areas and between the extremes of the metropolitan region, what happens from the production of discontinuous urban areas that combine enclaves and another form of urbanization like popular allotments and housing states. The reconfiguration of metropolitan centrality represents the transition from a monocentric structure to a policentric structure of centers, thats happen according as some metropolitan municipalities extend the degree of concentration of central functions besides passing to concentrate some central functions previously only found in the metropolis. Both facets of present spatial restructuring point to a form of production of space more dispersed, fragmented and articulated on a regional scale. In the metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro, region marked by an extreme concentration of population and economic activities in the metropolis, the spatial restructuring is evidenced from of a breaking point in the secular trends of economic and population concentration in the metropolis.

The society in which we live is economically based and the greater part of our activities centres in the economy. Within this context, the Department of Trade and Industry recognized that small business development was an important area for government intervention. A long process of highlighting the importance of this sector and creating the right environment in which small businesses could grow and flourish was initiated at the level of policy and legislation. In the Labour Relations field, an attempt at achieving some measure of certainty in previously disputed areas was made through the passing of the Labour Relations Act of 1995. This study aims at exploring the effects of this Act on the growth and development of the small business sector in the Nelson Mandela Metropole. In fulfilling this aim, the focus was restricted to factors such as dismissal of workers, strikes and lock-outs, freedom of association and dispute resolution. The theory pertaining to Labour Legislation and small business development was obtained by means of conducting a comprehensive literature study. The literature study included all relevant perspectives on the Labour Relations Act and Government Policy on small businesses. From the study, a questionnaire was developed to test the impact of the Act on the growth and development of the small business sector in the Nelson Mandela Metropole. The empirical results, in general, indicated non-compliance with the Labour Relations Act and negative views on the value of the Act on the growth and development of the small business sector in the Nelson Mandela Metropole. From the literature study and the findings of the research questionnaire, it became apparent that: · A comprehensive audit of the small business sector in the Nelson Mandela Metropole is needed. The aim of the audit would be to review the current operations of the small business sector in the Metropole. This outcome will indicate the extent of understanding and compliance with the various aspects of the Labour Relations Act. · The acquisition of industrial relations knowledge and skills by owners and leaders in the sector is vital for the development of the sector. The Skills Development Act provides a funding framework for skills training that is relevant to a specific industry. The small business sector could benefit significantly from the provision of this piece of legislation. · A comprehensive support programme for SMME’s is a necessary prerequisite for the growth and development of the sector. The support system could include tax incentives, flexible labour legislation and training as indicated in the above paragraph.