Although India has made significant advances in reducing girl-child marriage compared to other countries in South Asia, one in three of the world’s child brides still lives in the country. The literature on girl child marriage focuses mainly on the effects of socioeconomic factors and examines the implications of child marriage. I argue that, in addition to socioeconomic factors, the practice of girl-child marriage may be explained by political factors. My study focuses on the case of India and examines the impact of political factors at the legislative assembly constituency (AC) level in two states with varying political traditions and social traits, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh. In particular, I explore how the governing parties’ political-ideological orientations affect the prevalence of girl-child marriage across state assembly constituencies in these states. For this study, I use four datasets: the Demographic Health Survey & GPS coordinates (DHS), spatial data to distribute the clusters of the DHS survey data using the corresponding GPS coordinates (Susewind, 2014), election data to code the political ideology of elected parties in each assembly constituency (National Election Watch) and Socio Economic and Caste Census 2011 data to control for contextual socioeconomic factors at the constituency level. I analyze the data using logit multivariate regression models that incorporate control factors. To assess the impact of governing parties’ political ideology, I control for alternative explanations of child marriage using individual level (education, wealth, access to media, religion, caste, and residence type) and socioeconomic factors at the constituency level. I expect that in state assembly constituencies governed by parties of left ideological orientation, there will be less prevalence of girl child marriage compared to those governed by parties of right ideological orientation.

Thesis (M.A. (History)) --University of Limpopo, 2008 / Refer to document

One of the key complications in connecting citizens to the Internet is "remoteness," or distance from a community to the nearest metropolis. Rural areas often have higher communication and transportation costs, and have difficulty attracting investment and services in areas with insufficient telecommunication infrastructure. The communication perspective distinguishes communication from information transport, and asserts communication as the principal function of both technology and policy. The study utilizes a political economy approach to examine the interaction of specific Internet technologies, Universal Service and Texas Expanded Local Calling (ELC) policies, and commercial investment patterns with Internet access in rural Texas. A statistical analysis of 208 rural telephone exchanges was conducted to determine the relationship between Internet access, demographic characteristics and the presence of ELC policy. A concentrated case study of seven rural Texas counties, including interviews with Internet Service Providers, determined the quality and bandwidth of rural connections and the viability of state policy in addressing access issues for remote citizens. Remote communities were far less likely to have Internet access. However, those communities with ELC were much more likely to be connected than their counterparts. ELC policy favors those communities closer to metropolitan areas and served by major telephone carriers. The specific rules of ELC policy eliminate the neediest communities from regulatory relief. Rural citizens also are more likely to have Internet access in areas served by major carriers, with relatively low Hispanic populations and relatively high incomes. There are fewer ISPs in remote regions and those few are rarely prosperous. Bandwidth is generally lower, prices can be higher, and fewer services are offered. This study indicates the importance of the "last mile" of telecommunications infrastructure in connecting citizens to the Internet and highlights the need to examine a complex array of factors that condition the discursive and expressive potential of citizens in our communication age. / text

Information systems and technology strategy has been discussed by many researchers and authors over last three decades. The concepts of business alignment, competitive advantage, value generation etc. have been elaborated and still similar discussions continue. While the advances in IS/IT strategy formulation were being made, the businesses were changing their operating models. More specifically they became global businesses active in multiple geographies at the same time. This research aims to provide deeper understanding of IT developments in global organizations as manifested in the changing social and political environment of the organization and the reciprocal effect of social and political changes on IT strategies. Further it aims to investigate whether the relevant theories and concepts can be integrated to develop a new model that can incorporate the socio-political aspects into IS/IT strategy formulation. To achieve this objective the literature survey was conducted to explore available published papers in the sphere of IS/IT strategy formulation. Considering that the applicability of information systems and technology falls into the sphere of social sciences, the research design focused on the qualitative approach. The primary method of data collection was through semi-structured interviews with IT managers. This was complemented by interviews with business managers and consultants. Further the experiences of the researcher in the earlier role of practitioner were taken into account. Using grounded theory approach the information collected through interviews, own experiences and the data gathered from literature survey were used to develop a new model of IT strategy formulation. The model addresses the context part of IT strategy formulation process. This model development is aimed to counter and account for the political and social aspects of strategy development and deployment in global corporations characterised by diversity of cultures, attitudes and behaviours.

The general poor service delivery in municipalities raised the question of whether the incorporation of an intrapreneurship spirit might contribute in enhancing the effectiveness of service delivery in municipalities. The study aimed to examine whether intrapreneurship, if implemented within the O.R. Tambo District Municipality, can improve service delivery. The primary objective was to explore the intrapreneurship practices that can improve service delivery within the municipalities. A qualitative approach was used in the study. Twelve in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with middle and top managers of the district municipalities. Intrapreneurship was then established to be a positive culture that could be adopted by municipalities to foster innovation and enable efficient and effective service delivery. The results of the study showed that, while there is a general appreciation for intrapreneurship, there are many factors that are working against the success of intrapreneurship in the municipality. These factors need to be addressed if an innovation and intrapreneurial culture is to be fostered in municipalities. The findings were used to develop a framework illustrating the municipality’s internal environment and intrapreneurship. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)

No description available.

Information systems and technology strategy has been discussed by many researchers and authors over last three decades. The concepts of business alignment, competitive advantage, value generation etc. have been elaborated and still similar discussions continue. While the advances in IS/IT strategy formulation were being made, the businesses were changing their operating models. More specifically they became global businesses active in multiple geographies at the same time. This research aims to provide deeper understanding of IT developments in global organizations as manifested in the changing social and political environment of the organization and the reciprocal effect of social and political changes on IT strategies. Further it aims to investigate whether the relevant theories and concepts can be integrated to develop a new model that can incorporate the socio-political aspects into IS/IT strategy formulation. To achieve this objective the literature survey was conducted to explore available published papers in the sphere of IS/IT strategy formulation. Considering that the applicability of information systems and technology falls into the sphere of social sciences, the research design focused on the qualitative approach. The primary method of data collection was through semi-structured interviews with IT managers. This was complemented by interviews with business managers and consultants. Further the experiences of the researcher in the earlier role of practitioner were taken into account. Using grounded theory approach the information collected through interviews, own experiences and the data gathered from literature survey were used to develop a new model of IT strategy formulation. The model addresses the context part of IT strategy formulation process. This model development is aimed to counter and account for the political and social aspects of strategy development and deployment in global corporations characterised by diversity of cultures, attitudes and behaviours.

The research is done within the diocese of Kanyakumari of the Church of South India. It examines the viability of the following training programmes to socio-political factors: the Church Workers Theological Training Programme, the Sunday School Programme, the Vacation Bible School Programme, the parish-based training programmes - for example retreats and workshops, the Women’s Fellowship Programme, the Christian Endeavour Programme, the Programme of Communication and Revival as well as that of the Student Christian Movement of India, and the Union of Evangelical Students of India. The practitioners of these programmes felt the need for guide-lines to transform their programmes to be more relevant to their socio-political contexts. Hence the present qualitative-oriented research was undertaken. The preliminary interviews and reading of the related literature enabled the researcher to identify some promoted theories, regarding the relationship between the socio-political factors and the programmes; this assisted him to set up a questionnaire for semistructured interviews. A sample for interviews was chosen with the help of the organisers of the programmes. A pilot study was conducted using the questionnaire, which led to the semi-structured interviews. The respondents narrated their experiences and reflections related to the socio-political factors. The information was organised, scrutinised, and the findings were recorded under six different pointers, which enabled the researcher to exhibit and explain the connections between the training programmes and the sociopolitical factors. Then the findings were evaluated, using the puzzle-solving method. Consequently, some guidelines were devised. These guide-lines indicate the limitations and the possibilities in making a socially-oriented training programme more vibrant and viable to its socio-political factors. Moreover, they highlight the possibilities for the existing pietistic-oriented programmes to become more relevant to the context. They also guide the practitioners to construct alternative approaches in training that are more relevant. The research is a small incentive to the emerging cooperation among the practitioners of the various training programmes in CSI Kanyakumari diocese. It will hopefully encourage them to join hands with people of other faiths and Non Governmental organisations in facilitating the social transformation in India today. Proposals are made for further related research work. / Practical Theology / (D.Th. (Practical Theology))

Electronic payment systems (EPS) have received considerable attention from researchers and business owners worldwide, because of their potential to support economic development and growth. Despite the significant contribution of the growth in EPS to the ability to complete transactions via the Internet, Libya lags significantly behind developed countries in its adoption of EPS. This research focuses on factors affecting EPS adoption and use in Libya, explaining how they positively or negatively affect Libyan customers and organisations‟ willingness to adopt EPS. Data was collected via semi-structured interviews with different stakeholders, including consumers, organisational staff (e.g. Telecommunications Companies, Banks, the Ministry of Telecommunication and Informatics, etc.), and strategic decision-makers (e.g. the Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Communications, Director of Islamic Banking at Bank of Republic). The research implements Grounded Theory methods (GT), in particular the Straussian approach, to analyse, explore, and investigate the socio-organisational, technical, political, and economic factors affecting the adoption of EPS in Libya, and importantly the relationship between these factors. It discusses the impact of the factors identified, from both organisational and consumer perspectives, highlighting the factors and issues that need to be overcome to support successful adoption of EPS. The findings confirm that, for consumers and organisations alike, economic factors (e.g. perceived benefits, cooperation with existing entities, mutuality of stakeholders, Internet costs, standard of living, marketing businesses, awareness, withdrawal control, XX feasibility studies on EPS implementation, Islamic banking services and competition) are the core factors influencing the system‟s adoption. Furthermore, the findings revealed three new and significant factors of relevance to Libya, including standard of living, post coding and the unstable political situation in the country. These represent a unique contribution to the body of knowledge, illustrating the attitude of the Libyan people toward Internet usage, and current obstacles to EPS adoption. The use of substantive GT, in particular the Straussian approach, for data collection and data analysis in the field of EPS adoption, and the assessment of organisational and consumer attitudes, is unique to this research to the best of the researcher‟s knowledge. Thus, the research embodies a substantial contribution to the body of knowledge. The interpretive analysis of data using a Straussian approach has permitted the researcher to attain a deep understanding of the socio-organisational, economic, political, and technical factors affecting adoption of an E-payment system in Libya, as implemented by different stakeholders: Consumers, and Organisational. The benefits that the adoption of EPS in Libya will bring, include facilitation of online transactions, the availability of more secure websites, easier payment and access to the global markets. Furthermore, detailed recommendations are also being offered to assist decision-makers in the development and introduction of EPS in Libya, i.e. including the Communications and Informatics Ministry, which is hoped will advise internet service providers and companies to discount the cost of using the internet for limited bandwidths, in order to insure everyone access to the internet, and EPS.

The research is done within the diocese of Kanyakumari of the Church of South India. It examines the viability of the following training programmes to socio-political factors: the Church Workers Theological Training Programme, the Sunday School Programme, the Vacation Bible School Programme, the parish-based training programmes - for example retreats and workshops, the Women’s Fellowship Programme, the Christian Endeavour Programme, the Programme of Communication and Revival as well as that of the Student Christian Movement of India, and the Union of Evangelical Students of India. The practitioners of these programmes felt the need for guide-lines to transform their programmes to be more relevant to their socio-political contexts. Hence the present qualitative-oriented research was undertaken. The preliminary interviews and reading of the related literature enabled the researcher to identify some promoted theories, regarding the relationship between the socio-political factors and the programmes; this assisted him to set up a questionnaire for semistructured interviews. A sample for interviews was chosen with the help of the organisers of the programmes. A pilot study was conducted using the questionnaire, which led to the semi-structured interviews. The respondents narrated their experiences and reflections related to the socio-political factors. The information was organised, scrutinised, and the findings were recorded under six different pointers, which enabled the researcher to exhibit and explain the connections between the training programmes and the sociopolitical factors. Then the findings were evaluated, using the puzzle-solving method. Consequently, some guidelines were devised. These guide-lines indicate the limitations and the possibilities in making a socially-oriented training programme more vibrant and viable to its socio-political factors. Moreover, they highlight the possibilities for the existing pietistic-oriented programmes to become more relevant to the context. They also guide the practitioners to construct alternative approaches in training that are more relevant. The research is a small incentive to the emerging cooperation among the practitioners of the various training programmes in CSI Kanyakumari diocese. It will hopefully encourage them to join hands with people of other faiths and Non Governmental organisations in facilitating the social transformation in India today. Proposals are made for further related research work. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / (D.Th. (Practical Theology))