Thesis (Th. M.)--Dallas Theological Seminary, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 117-146).

Thesis (Th. M.)--Dallas Theological Seminary, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 117-146).

Thesis--Catholic University of America. / Includes bibliographical references (p. xix-xxvii).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available in electronic version.

Following the growing emphasis on the monitoring role of independent directors in the board of directors in the stock exchanges of Western developed countries, companies listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange are required to appoint independent non-executive directors (INEDs) representing at least one-third of their boards under the Listing Rules. Unlike those Western developed capital markets where listed companies are widely held, most listed companies in Hong Kong are controlled and managed by families. This means realistically, INEDs of those family-controlled listed companies can only be appointed to the boards with the support from the controlling owners. Under such circumstances, the INEDs' ability to monitor the performance of the management of those companies independently is put in doubt. This thesis intends to conduct a qualitative study using phenomenological approach to explore and understand the role and effectiveness of INEDs in family-controlled listed companies in Hong Kong based on the INEDs' lived experiences. The study is the first of its kind in the Hong Kong corporate governance research arena, as research studies on corporate boards and directors have often adopted a quantitative approach, using only publicly available archival data without in-depth discussions with the subjects on their real experience and views on their jobs. Accordingly, issues related to directors in family-controlled listed companies that require in-depth discussions with these directors are impossible to be addressed by such research approach. Through semi-structured interviews with INEDs of companies listed in Hong Kong, this thesis has contributed to the existing knowledge and literature in the research on INEDs and corporate governance in family businesses and provide useful hints and ideas to practitioners, listed companies, investors, regulators and policy-makers.

The problematics of contamination of outdoor play grounds is very relevant at present, but a topic which is often forgotten, because not many people actually realise the risks of transfer of infections by the contamination of soil. In my work I specialised in the description of the life cycle of geohelminths, the appearance of infections caused by geohelminths in people and how to prevent this. I applied myself especially to the parasites, which I found in the collected samples during my research, especially Toxocara canis, T. cati, Ascaris spp., Trichostrongylus spp., Toxascaris spp. The research took place between October 2009 and April 2010, on selected locations, where I took samples for laboratory analysis. I carried out the analysis in the laboratory of Parasitologic Institute of the Academy of Science of the Czech Republic. The aim of this work was to map the level of parasite contamination on the outdoor play grounds. I divided the outdoor grounds into areas which are being kept by kinder-gardens (nursery schools) and areas that have no oficial keeper. From this evolves the following hypothesis: the play grounds that are opened to the general public without restrictions and have no official keeper are contaminated by parasites. The research has confirmed my hypothesis.

The overall aim of this study is to examine why outdoor education is not implemented as a method of practice to a greater extent by teachers’ who work with natural science topics based on guidelines from the school's mission. The method used in this study is interviews with natural science teachers in grades 1-3. The results have been analyzed accordingly to the theory of implementation containing three keywords: understanding, will and ability. The result shows that the teachers have a deep understanding of using outdoor education in their learning activities and a positive will in implementing outdoor education in their teaching. However, the study also shows that there were some practical obstacles such as lack of time for planning and resource issues and also possible shortcomings in teachers' subject knowledge and educational skills that can be considered as challenges in the performance of outdoor education.

Cette thèse traite des modes alternatifs de contentieux administratifs entre l'État et les particuliers. Il s’agit d’une étude comparée entre le système français et le système brésilien. Au Brésil, les procédures alternatives ne sont guère utilisées et les juridictions se voient submergées par des recours de plus en plus nombreux. En France, le manque d’efficience des modes déjà implantés fait que la justice administrative se retrouve également encombrée. Notre proposition est d'analyser les diverses formes alternatives de solution des litiges : conciliation, médiation et arbitrage au Brésil et en France. L'importance de cette recherche se situe essentiellement au niveau de la contribution sociale qu'elle pourra apporter à la société brésilienne et à la société française. Cette thèse se propose de présenter une nouvelle option au contentieux traditionnel : des mécanismes en dehors du juge capables de garantir une communication entre l'administration publique et les particuliers. / This thesis deals with alternative ways to administrative litigations between the State and private individuals. This is a comparative study between the French and the Brazilian system.In Brazil, alternative procedures are rarely used and therefore, courts of law are inundated with more and more appeals. In France, the lack of efficiency of already existing ways makes the administrative justice as inundated. We suggest analyzing the various alternative ways to litigations: conciliation, mediation and arbitration in Brazil and in France. The importance of this research mainly lies in the social contribution it will bring on to the Brazilian and the French society. This thesis will offer a new option to traditional litigations: mechanisms which do not require a judge and which are able to guarantee a real communication between the public Service and private individuals.

The expression "no man is an island" is intended to represent human isolation in its most extreme form depicting man as an isolated body of land. Contrary to the statement, an element unnoticed within this expression frequently is the existence of that Island. The expression is intended as an example of articulating absolute isolation of the human in existence. However, the idea of the human being a location being the island is still declared. As humans who inhabit this earth, we cannot exist without space. There is an undeniable link between the spaces and the inhabitants within them. As a result of Modernity, the majority of the human inhabitants of the world exist throughout their entire lives within the Built Environment. The Built Environment holds an assortment of spaces that have been composed in order to accommodate our existence. A practice of engaging the composition of these spaces for human inhabitance is commonly what is known as Architectural Design. Spaces will continue to exist and Architecture is a mean of addressing the design of them. Understanding these spaces through their Concepts, Conditions, and Components allows for a classification of common spaces that exist within the Built Environment. The classification of these spaces within the Built Environment arrives at the mutual dialogue of the Built Environment Spatial Layers. The ever-demanding human population that is growing exponentially cause many ecological, economical, and social dilemmas through our modern interpretations of spaces composed within the Built Environment. Understanding the Built Environment through the Built Environment Spatial Layers allows for the acknowledged design surrounding these spaces that yield the greatest sustainability through energy efficiency and minimizing environmental impacts without denying the humanity of that concept.

The current status of the cheetah Acinonyx jubatus outside formal conservation areas in South Africa is undetermined. The largest part of the cheetah population in South Africa occurs on cattle and wildlife ranches. Conflict between cheetahs and landowners is common and cheetahs are often persecuted. Cheetah management and conservation efforts are hampered as little data are available on the free-roaming cheetah population. A questionnaire survey was done in the Thabazimbi district of the Limpopo province to collect data on the status and distribution of cheetahs in the district and on the ranching practices and attitudes of landowners. By using this method, a population estimate of 42 – 63 cheetahs was obtained. Camera trapping was done at a scent-marking post to investigate the marking behaviour of cheetahs. Seven different cheetahs were identified marking at one specific tree. Scat analyses were done to determine prey use of the cheetahs in the study area. The most common prey remains from the scats were of the grey duiker Sylvicapra grimmia and the impala Aepyceros melampus. VORTEX analyses were used to investigate the long-term viability of the cheetah population as well as the viability of sport hunting of cheetahs. The current Thabazimbi population is viable over 100 years without immigration, but after 200 years extinction probabilities become unacceptably high. Harvesting through sport hunting is only viable if staggered over several years. Several factors influencing the survival of the free-roaming cheetah population are also discussed. / Dissertation (MSc (Wildlife Management))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Animal and Wildlife Sciences / unrestricted