Thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the degree of Master of Management (in the field of Public Sector Monitoring and Evaluation) to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand September 2017 / While the literature shows that local government is the closest tier of government to the citizens of South Africa, the communities are denied some benefits of its existence, resulting in service delivery protests that are largely attributed to the lack of public accountability. It is therefore the aim of the study to understand how South African ward councillors understand, perceive and use Monitoring & Evaluation mechanisms to instil public accountability. A structured interview guide in the form of an online self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from 201 ward councillors. From the study questions, the following alternative hypotheses were tested using regression analysis and T-test: i. There is a positive relationship between the knowledge of public accountability of M&E mechanisms. ii. There is a positive relationship between perceptions of public accountability and usage of M&E mechanisms. iii. There is a difference in the use of M&E mechanisms betweengender (males and females) to foster public accountability within local government. Contrary to expectations, the study findings revealed that there was no relationship (0.431<0.05) between the knowledge of public accountability and usage of M&E mechanisms. Similarly, only 02.60% of the variation of the usage of M&E mechanisms (dependent variable) could be explained by perceptions of M&E mechanisms (independent variable). Lastly, the findings revealed that the observed difference between the samples means (4.0-4.34) was close and not convincing enough to suggest that the usage of M&E mechanisms between female and male ward councillors differed significantly. In all the findings alternative hypotheses were rejected and null hypotheses accepted. In conclusion, it is evident that ward councillors understand the concepts relating to public accountability; however, the knowledge has not been comprehended fully and utilised to instil public accountability within local government. An in-depth analysis on public accountability practices within local government in South Africa will strengthen scientific knowledge on public accountability. / MT 2018

The UN committee on CRC have criticized Sweden on many occasions for differences in relation to implementation of the CRC at municipal level. Studies notes that there’s existing challenges to realize the convention. This thesis studies the implementation process which is also a part of the policy process in two Swedish municipalities where the local government has come to a decision to implement the CRC in governing documents and include the CRC in all decision concerning children and young people up to eighteen years old. The chosen municipalities in the study differ in area, number of population and number of employees. The thesis purpose is to increase the understanding of how the implementation of the CRC in two Swedish municipalities works, and what strategy uses for the implementation of CRC. The purpose is also to identify similarities and differences in the municipalities way to achieve a full implementation according to Löpa linan ut-modell, and to investigate whether the official’s power and capacity for action have an impact on the implementation process. The theoretical framework has been based on theories of implementation process, and the finding have been compiled qualitative text analysis. The study shows how far the municipalities have come with the implementation of CRC, why they have come so far, how much work they have left to do to achieve a full implementation, and finally the studie finds the power of official’s and their capacity for action have an impact of the implementations progress and success in both municipalities.

Bakgrund Fotboll är Sveriges populäraste sport och har över en halv miljon utövare. Det står för en tredjedel av hela den svenska idrottsrörelsen. Med ett stort antal aktiva fotbollsspelare behövs även domare. Domare har inte alltid varit en självklar del av spelet utan introducerades först när fotbollen professionaliserades. Likt fotbollsspelare, drabbas även fotbollsdomare av skador.  Syfte Syftet med studien var att undersöka skadepanorama hos fotbollsdomare. Metod  Studien genomfördes genom en retrospektiv enkätundersökning med 265 (N=265) fotbollsdomare. Resultat Totalt deltog 265 domare varav 214 män och 51 kvinnor. Totalt rapporterade 103 av 265 domare att de drabbats av skador (68 män och 23 kvinnor). Domarna drabbades främst av överbelastningsskador (80 domare) men akuta skador rapporterades också av 20 domare. Smygande debut var den vanligaste skademekanismen men muskelsträckning och muskelbristning rapporterades också. Domare drabbades främst av skador i nedre extremitet såsom hamstrings, vader, knän. Det fanns ingen signifikant skillnad mellan typ av skador i förhållande till nivån som domaren dömer. Både domare och assisterande domare drabbades i samma utsträckning av skador och hade samma skadelokalisation. Diskussion Vid retrospektiva undersökningar finns svårigheter att återge skador som har hänt bakåt i tiden. Val av annan undersökningsmetod hade därför kunnat tydliggöra och differentiera de skador som domarnas drabbas av. Konklusion Resultaten av studien är i linje med tidigare studier om skador hos fotbollsdomare. Många domare drabbas av överbelastningsskador med smygande debut främst i nedre extremitet såsom hamstring, vader och knän. Utifrån resultatet i den här studien rekommenderas utveckling, implementering och utvärdering av evidensbaserade skadeförebyggande träningsprogram såsom FIFA 11+. / Abstract Background Football is Sweden's most popular sport and has over half a million athletes. It accounts for a third of the entire Swedish sports movement. With a large number of active football players, referees are also needed. Referees have not always been an obvious part of the game but were only introduced when football was professionalized. Like football players, football referees also suffer from injuries.  Purpose  The purpose of the study was to investigate the injury panorama in football referees.  Method The study was conducted through a retrospective survey with 265 (N = 265) football referees. Results A total of 265 referees participated, of which 214 men and 51 women. A total of 103 out of 265 reported that they had suffered from injuries (68 men and 23 woman). The referees were mainly affected by overload injuries (80 referee) but acute injuries were also reported (20 referee). Gradually occurred injuries is stated as the most common injury mechanism but muscle sprain and strain were also common. Referees suffered mainly from injuries to the lower extremities such as hamstrings, calves and knees. There were no significant results between the type of injuries in relation to the level of refereeing. Both referee and assistant referee suffered from injuries to the same extent and on the same location of the body. Discussion In retrospective examinations, there are difficulties in reproducing injuries that have occurred back in time. The choice of another examination method could therefore have clarified and differentiate the referee’s injuries.  Conclusion The results of the study are in line with previously reported injury-related complaints. Many Referees were affected by overuse injuries that occurred gradually, mainly in the lower extremity. Based on the results of this study, the development, implementation and evaluation of evidence-based injury prevention training programs such as FIFA 11+ are recommended.

Predator policy is a controversial area that includes problems with hunting and handling of wild animals. This is the reason why the government decentralized some of the work to the regions in 1998. During 2008, the Swedish government produced a proposal regarding the conduct of wildlife management delegations. The purpose of this essay is to study the relationship between politicians and officials in the wildlife management delegation with a specific focus on a polarized issue, the wolf question. We do this by studying roles and politicization. Based on the purpose, the following questions have been formulated: What is the role of officials and politicians in wildlife management delegations? How are these roles affected by how politicized the wolf issue is in the region? These delegations include politicians and officials. Based on the theory of the dichotomy between politicians and officials, politicians have a stance and biased role, while officials have a role that is about being impartial and working on the basis of the regulations. This essay consists of a comparative case essay with a content analysis and thematic analysis as a method. The material used has been collected through semi-structured interviews and printed material. This essay shows that the politicization of the wolf question to some extent affects the representatives in the wildlife management delegation.

La presente tesis se tiene por objetivo la de realizar un análisis comparativo del comportamiento estructural de un puente peatonal de acero de estructura mixta, cuyos elementos estructurales están dimensionados de acuerdo a las indicaciones de la especificación técnica AASHTO LRFD. En este trabajo de investigación se usaron datos de una zona de proyecto para la realización del análisis comparativo. Esto con el fin de obtener perfiles resultados que se asemejen a la realidad en el contexto peruano. Esto debido a que la configuración misma del puente peatonal generaba fuerzas horizontales mayores en relación a las verticales haciendo necesaria la utilización de pilotes inclinados para aplacarlas. Otro punto fuerte de este trabajo es la utilización de secciones de acero tubulares que no es de uso frecuente en Perú ya que se prefiere el uso de secciones tipo W de acero. En sí, en Perú la gran mayoría de puentes peatonales son de concreto. Por otro lado, las verificaciones dictadas por normativas como la AASHTO LRFD, que se encuentra asimilada por el Manual de Puentes (2018) emitido por el Ministerio de Transporte y Comunicaciones, hace hincapié en el uso de una guía especializada para el caso de pasarelas peatonales. / The aim of the present thesis is to make a comparative analysis of the structural behavior of the pedestrian bridge of Steel, which elements follow AASHTO LRFD indications concerning their geometry. In this investigation, data from a site job were used in order to perform of a comparative analysis. All this due to the fact of obtaining results that could resemble Peruvian context. Moreover, because of the structural configuration of the pedestrian bridge, the horizontal forces ended up being greater that the vertical ones. Al these led to the decision of using piles to counter heavy horizontal forces. Concerning the superstructures, hollow steel section (HSS) were used for the analysis. In Perú most of pedestrian bridges are made with concrete and even if for some reason steel was determined as the main material for the structural, W sections a frequently use in comparison of HSS. Finally, once the analysis is performed then the verifications dictated by AASHTO LRFD (well assimilated now by Peruvian Bridge Manual), will allow us to validate our results. / Tesis

The purpose of this study was to determine if local elected officials in Tennessee perceive ethics training will affect ethical behavior, and, if so, what format they recommend for ethics training including length of time, delivery methods, and instructors' qualifications. This study provides information regarding whether ethics training is likely to be efficacious and how officials feel about the training. Specifically, this study informs officials and others who invest with both time and financial resources about the value of training, what to teach if they are going to offer ethics training, and who should teach ethics. More than 2,000 local elected officials in Tennessee were surveyed asking their perceptions on the format, content, instructor, and length of time necessary for ethics training. In addition, survey participants were asked their personal definition of ethics and were asked to share the unethical behavior they have observed in other elected officials, if any. This study provides rich information for those responsible for designing and delivering ethics training for elected officials as well as for those making financial decisions regarding ethics training. An additional benefit of this study was as a contribution to the body of literature on the subject of ethics training. This study should be useful for those in government or training and development as they consider offering ethics training.

Firms use former government officials (FGOs) on the board of directors to create external linkage with the government. I examine investors’ perception of FGOs on the board of directors and how institutional environments affect it. Using a large sample of 23,444 hand-collected observations from 31 non-U.S. countries, I show that political directors (PDs) are associated with improved investors’ perception. Drawing from political science literature, I theorize and show that former senior bureaucrats (SBDs), but not former ministers (MDs) or government advisors (ADs), drive the improved investors’ perception. Furthermore, I show that stronger institutional environments, measured by economic freedom, lead to less improved investors’ perception of PDs. Here too SBDs drives my results associated with and economic freedom, but not MDs or ADs, lending support to my initial findings.

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The purpose of this study is to determine the exact power that public school officials may exercise and yet remain within the limits of the law. Associated with this purpose is the effort to show that the legal status of their public school officials is not static.