Thesis (M.P.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.P.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references (leave 123-129). Also available in print.

Thesis (M.P.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available in print.

The purpose of this research is to study the development of Christianity in contemporary China. It adds to the limited literature that explores how Christianity has developed as the fastest growing religion in China post the Chinese Cultural Revolution. The data derive from semi-structured and focus group interviews with Chinese Christians and field observation notes collected at both official and non-official Christian churches in Beijing. I found an ambivalent attitude toward the development of Christianity across different social levels in China. At the state level, the Chinese government expects Christianity to provide a much-needed stabilizing influence in an increasingly self-centered and materialistic society. At the same time, the government fears that Christianity's increasing power may pose a threat to the Communist regime. Correspondingly, at the community level, Chinese Christians wish to see an increasing Christian influence throughout Chinese society to improve people's quality of life, but many Chinese traditionalists oppose the increased Christian influence that seems to be supplanting traditional Chinese culture. These disagreements do not seem to have seriously impeded the development of Christianity in China today. Applying a pervasive cultural perspective – the lens of Yin-Yang interaction – to the current situation of the Christian churches in China, I find that the Yin traits within Christianity and the Yang traits embedded in the Chinese political ideology are coexisting paradoxical values whose interaction facilitates an acceptance, or at least sanction, of oppositions that have reshaped the social and political landscape of Chinese society and fostered the continuing growth of Christianity in China.

While Western science education has always been ubiquitous in the Canadian educational system and society, many researchers have recognized the scientific and educational values of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK). This study aims to contribute to the understanding of TEK and the integration of TEK into science curricula. The prevalence and representation of TEK in grades 7 and 8 official science curriculum documents used in Canada were examined. To describe TEK in the documents, both quantitative and qualitative content analyses were conducted. The results show the high variation of the prevalence and representations of TEK. Overall, Nunavut and Saskatchewan show the highest prevalence and representation of TEK in their curriculum documents, which could establish a benchmark for developing a national learning framework for integrating TEK.

Occupational stress is considered to be a rising concern in many organisations in South Africa; it is, moreover, a pervasive problem in our communities in general. The consequences of high-stress environments are typically a, reduction in the quality and quantity of job performance, high levels of absenteeism, an increase in turnover, an increased number of grievances and increased frequency of accidents. Correctional Services has been reported to be the most challenging and frustrating component of the criminal justice system. Factors such as having a high level of responsibility, genuine threats to personal safety, rotating shifts, meager salaries and unpleasant surroundings, all add to the stress of Correctional Service Officials. The results of uncontrolled stress are costly to both the individual and the organisation. It is thus important for both the organisation and employees to learn or acquire ways of coping with stress. The empirical objective of this study was to investigate relationships between occupational stress and i l l health among employees of Correctional Services in the Vereeniging Management Area, in order to contribute towards an understanding of the interaction between these variables, and the implication thereof for the management of occupational stress and i l l health in the specific setting. A cross-sectional design was used to collect data and to attain the research objectives. The study population included the entire population consisting of (n= 197) employees of Correctional Services in the Vereeniging Management area. Management and production levels were fully represented. The Correctional Official Stress Inventory, General Health Questionnaire, Maslach Burnout Inventory and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale were used as measuring instruments. The reliability and validity of all questionnaires were found to be acceptable. The findings revealed that increased levels of occupational stress lead to increased levels of exhaustion and this may in turn lead to increased experience of somatic symptoms, anxiety and insomnia, social dysfunction and severe depression. Higher levels of exhaustion and cynicism were associated with higher levels of somatic symptoms, anxiety and insomnia, social dysfunction, and severe depression. The findings again revealed that an increase in the frequency of stress might lead to an increase in the experience of exhaustion, somatic symptoms, anxiety and insomnia, social dysfunction and severe depression. It was also found that stress could have some predictive value with regard to burnout, work engagement and health. It is recommended that more awareness need to be created about the symptoms and effects of occupational stress and burnout on individuals as well as organisations. This study was conducted in a small correctional institution, as a result the study population was too small, which made it difficult to generalise beyond the study population. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2006.

This paper aims to estimate how much Official Development Assistance (ODA) per capita and year is required to eradicate extreme poverty for all people in Nigeria by 2030 and hence achieve the first target of the first Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 1) in Nigeria. This is done with a method proposed by Kakwani and Son (2006) estimating headcount ratio, required growth rates, investment rates and ODA in order to achieve the first target of SDG 1. The paper takes into account three different growth scenarios; pro-poor, distribution neutral and anti-poor growth and comes to the conclusion that $29 200, $35 566 or $41 374 ODA per capita and year is necessary to eradicate extreme poverty in Nigeria by 2030.

Power and influence in the democratic process is a controversial area. In an effort to contribute to this is the purpose of this study is to investigate the influence that public officials have in the political process and if theories connected to influence can be observed in officials’ statements. We also examined if it differs between two political areas (environment and school). The choice of these two areas is based on the fact that these differ in nature when it comes to technical complexity. The study examines four public administrative officials, two administrators that work in the environmental area and two from the school area. We used semi-structured interviews in which the public officials subjective experience of influence were discussed. The study showed that the public officials in general have the opportunity to influence the political process through key factors such as their expertise, participating in networks and trough certain personal characteristics. We also saw that the public officials differ between the two areas concerning some of these key factors.

Rules of diplomatic immunity, which nowadays are enshrined in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, play an important role in interstate diplomacy because they ensure the efficient performance of diplomatic functions. This thesis investigates a particular form of diplomatic immunity - diplomatic immunity ratione materiae. Unlike diplomatic immunity ratione personae, which pertains to the personal status of a diplomatic agent, diplomatic immunity ratione materiae depends in essence on the official nature of a particular act In practice, however, the determination of diplomatic immunity ratione materiae may meet with many conceptual and practical difficulties. For one, it is not always easy to distinguish the official acts of a diplomatic agent, who represents the sending State in the receiving State, from his or her private acts. In case of disagreement between the two States, questions may also arise as to who has the authority to make a final determination. The Vienna Convention does not offer much guidance on these issues; on the contrary, the Convention complicates them by employing, without adequate explanation, distinct formulas for different kinds of diplomatic immunity ratione materiae. This thesis examines these formulas in detail. On a general level, it is submitted that diplomatic immunity ratione materiae for certain types of activity constitutes not only a procedural bar to court proceedings but also a substantive exemption of individual responsibility. More specifically, it is argued that each formula must be understood in the light of the rationale behind immunity, the type of immunity concerned, and the specific functions or duties performed. In case of controversy, weight should be given to the opinion of the sending State, although the authority to make a decision lies ultimately with the court of the receiving State.

Obtaining a building permit is an important step for any construction project. Whether it is for a new construction or a remodel job, the process involves a plan review performed by building officials. The purpose of this research was to explore ways in which Building Information Modeling (BIM) could be used to aid code officials during the plan review process. The objectives of the study were to determine if the level of detail in BIM was complete enough to allow a plan review to be perform accurately, to identify the extent to which architects are comfortable with using their models for the plan review, and to identify barriers to implementation. A case study was conducted where BIM was used to supplement the traditional 2D plans plan review process. Additionally, a survey was given to local architects to obtain their thoughts on using BIM in the plan review process. The research found that BIM has the potential of helping code officials visualize the project, extract information from objects, and allow them to have a better understanding of unique building features relationship to other building elements. Challenges of using BIM in the plan review process identified by architects included: the accuracy of the model, the level of detail modeled, legal implications, and ability of reviewers to use BIM.