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The objectives of this study were to evaluate the viability and sustainability of preferential procurement in the metals and engineering sector. Preferential procurement is one of the seven elements of Broad–Based–Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) and seeks to encourage companies to procure goods and services from black empowered suppliers. The Broad–Based–Black Economic Empowerment Act was legislated in 2004 as an improvement on the previous Black Economic Empowerment (BEE). The objective of these legislations was to increase participation of previously disadvantaged groups in the mainstream economy. BEE was deemed to be narrow because it focused exclusively on ownership and management control. BBBEE was enacted to broaden the number of beneficiaries and included five other elements, namely: Employment Equity, Skills Development, Preferential Procurement, Enterprise Development and Socio–economic Development. The two companies that engage in preferential procurement should benefit from the relationship and value should be created in the process. Companies should not procure from black suppliers for accumulating points on the generic scorecard. Black–owned suppliers should provide service and products of the highest quality standards that meet customer requirements. The questionnaire that reflects on the objectives of this study was drafted and circulated to black–owned suppliers for completion. The suppliers were asked to comment on statements that reflect on capacity, profitability, working relationship and continuity. The results show that the SMMEs have capacity to perform according to specification of customers. The area of concern was the difficulty for SMMEs to maintain the current preferential status. This is a risk that needs urgent attention. This needs further in–depth study and analysis. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the viability and sustainability of preferential procurement in the metals and engineering sector. Preferential procurement is one of the seven elements of Broad–Based–Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) and seeks to encourage companies to procure goods and services from black empowered suppliers. The Broad–Based–Black Economic Empowerment Act was legislated in 2004 as an improvement on the previous Black Economic Empowerment (BEE). The objective of these legislations was to increase participation of previously disadvantaged groups in the mainstream economy. BEE was deemed to be narrow because it focused exclusively on ownership and management control. BBBEE was enacted to broaden the number of beneficiaries and included five other elements, namely: Employment Equity, Skills Development, Preferential Procurement, Enterprise Development and Socio–economic Development. The two companies that engage in preferential procurement should benefit from the relationship and value should be created in the process. Companies should not procure from black suppliers for accumulating points on the generic scorecard. Black–owned suppliers should provide service and products of the highest quality standards that meet customer requirements. The questionnaire that reflects on the objectives of this study was drafted and circulated to black–owned suppliers for completion. The suppliers were asked to comment on statements that reflect on capacity, profitability, working relationship and continuity. The results show that the SMMEs have capacity to perform according to specification of customers. The area of concern was the difficulty for SMMEs to maintain the current preferential status. This is a risk that needs urgent attention. This needs further in–depth study and analysis. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

原產地規則隨著區域整合之興起，已成為一個相當重要的貿易問題。其不僅與國內整體產業發展有關，對於個別廠商之生產決策與外銷優勢亦有相當程度之影響。尤其對於部分相對弱勢之產業，若制定過於寬鬆之原產地規則，除將面臨區域內國家之進口壓力，區域外國家還可能透過違規轉運藉由優惠性關稅進口。台灣自從與經貿關係密切之中國大陸洽簽了兩岸經濟合作架構協定（Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement，ECFA），隨著貨品逐步之關稅調降，許多區內產品認定問題亦隨之而來。 而本文之研究目的，即為透過原產地規則之制定，在適當的彈性空間下，避免區外國家透過中國大陸轉運，使過多產品享有優惠性關稅進入國內市場，造成國內廠商受到衝擊。而本文所研究之產業為台灣之成衣產業，相較於中國大陸之成衣產業，其目前發展情形相對弱勢，故政府未來針對此產業制定原產地規則時必須更加謹慎地考量國內產業發展，並參考其他FTA所制定相關原產地規則。本文希望透過比較研究其他FTA，並審酌產業發展現況，經適當調整後，試擬一套適合台灣成衣產業之原產地制度。最後，為了解所建議原產地規則之可行性，本文以實際採訪政府機關之方式，了解原產地制度制訂者之看法與意見。 / Rule of origin is a quite important issue since the trend of regional integration. This is not only relevant with the development of domestic industries, but also has impact for the strategies of production and export each firm made. Domestic industries, especially for the relatively weak industries, will burden much pressure if the rules of origin are too simple and less restrictive. Sine Taiwan signed Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement（ECFA）with China, we need to consider all the issues and impact rules of origin may occur. The main subject of this thesis is to set up appropriate rules of origin to avoid the severe impact to domestic industries caused by excessive import from China. Due to the condition of industry, I chose garment industry as a focus of my study and analysis. Since domestic garment industry involves more employed population compare to the other weak industry, government should consider more cautious when they set up rules of origin for garment industry in the future. By making the comparison for the rules of origin for garment industry in different free trade agreement, I tried to imitate the rules of origin for garment industry with some adjustment. In the last part, I made an interview with the researcher of Industrial Development Bureau to understand their opinion for the applicability of the rules of origin.

Voting is a fundamental decision making instrument in any consensus-based society. It is employed in various applications from student body elections, reality television shows, shareholder meetings, to national elections. With the motivation of better eciency, scalability, speed, and lower cost, voting is currently shifting from paper-based to the use of electronic medium. This is while aiming to achieve better security, such that voting result reflects true opinions of the voters. Our research focuses on the study of cryptographic voting protocols accommodating a flexible ballot structure as a foundation for building a secure electronic voting system with acceptable voting results. In particular, we search for a solution suitable for the preferential voting system employed in the Australian Federal Election. The outcomes of the research include: improvements and applications of batch proof and verication theorems and techniques, a proposed alternative homomorphic encryption based voting scheme, a proposed Extended Binary Mixing Gate (EBMG) mix-network scheme, a new threshold randomisation technique to achieve receipt-freeness property in voting, and the application of cryptographic voting protocol for preferential voting. The threats and corresponding requirements for a secure secret-ballot voting scheme are rst discussed. There are significant security concerns about the conduct of electronic voting, and it is essential that the voting results re ect the true opinions of the voters - especially in political elections. We examine and extend batch processing proofs and verifications theorems and proposed applications of the theorems useful for voting. Many instances of similar operations can be processed in a single instance using a batch technique based on one of the batch theorems. As the proofs and verications provide formal assurances that the voting process is secure, batch processing offers great efficiency improvements while retaining the security required in a real-world implementation of the protocol. The two main approaches in cryptographic voting protocols, homomorphic encryption based voting and mix-network based voting, are both studied in this research. An alternative homomorphic voting scheme using multiplicative homomorphism property, and a number of novel mix-network schemes are proposed. It is shown that compared to the mix-network approach, homomorphic encryption schemes are not scalable for straight-forward adaptation of preferential systems. One important requirement of secret-ballot voting is receipt-freeness. A randomisation technique to achieve receipt-freeness in voting is examined and applied in an ecient and practical voting scheme employing an optimistic mix-network. A more general technique using threshold randomisation is also proposed. Combination of the primitives, both the homomorphic encryption and mixnetwork approach, yields a hybrid approach producing a secure and ecient secret-ballot voting scheme accommodating a exible ballot structure. The resulting solution oers a promising foundation for secure and practical secret-ballot electronic voting accommodating any type of counting system.

The HIV/AIDS pandemic is a crisis for the South African government, society and Church. About sixty percent of the HIV population are in Sub Saharan Africa with women being three times more likely to be infected with HIV than their male counterparts. Governmental, societal and Church responses seem to have had little effect in reducing the pandemic as can be seen from the rising prevalence rates. Responses to the HIV/AIDS pandemic lack a gender focus. Some churches have not responded to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Other Church-based responses have been isolated and simplistic in that they have concentrated on one aspect of the HIV illness. The HIV/AIDS pandemic is a growing crisis to which the Church should respond. The hermeneutical point of departure in this thesis is to express a preferential option for the poor by standing in solidarity with a group of women living on the margins of society. To this end the perspectives of black people, who are materially poor, HIV positive and part of support groups are articulated in the study. The research project suggests that the preferential option for the poor has the potential to contribute to the personal and social transformation of society. Focussing on the deep-seated longing many desire for fullness of life, this thesis explores and describes a gendered Christian response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic that could contribute to the full humanity of people. Full humanity is understood as transformation to wholeness and incorporates unity with God, others, creation and within oneself. A multifaceted, integrated and gendered response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic is suggested by way of a model of full humanity. The South African context of HIV/AIDS, patriarchy and poverty pose a challenge to the way that Christians develop their spirituality. This thesis aims to explore and describe aspects of a fully human spirituality emerging from the South African situation. The study suggests that a clearly integrative and holistic approach that embodies the gender perspective is necessary for churches to adopt in responding to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D.Th.(Christian Spirituality)

The paper analyzes the impact that preferential voting has had on elections and the party system, particularly in the case of Peru. It presents, in the first place, the issue of preferential voting as an element of the electoral system. Then, it continues with the study of the particular case of Peru, in which it indicates its origin, the mechanics it follows, the impact on the Parliament and its evaluation. / El artículo busca analizar el impacto que tiene y ha tenido el voto preferencial sobre los procesos electorales y el sistema de partidos, de manera particular en el caso peruano. Presenta en primera instancia, el tema del voto preferencial como elemento del sistema electoral, para continuar con su estudio en el caso particular de Perú en donde señala su origen, la mecánica que sigue, el impacto en el parlamento y su evaluación.

Le capital social, de par la pluralité de ses fonctions, est le théâtre de la rencontre de l'intérêt des créanciers, des actionnaires et de la société. Sa modification, réalisée à la hausse ou à la baisse, impacte corrélativement l'étendue des prérogatives dont bénéficient ces protagonistes. Si ces derniers peuvent être animés d'objectifs divergents -et doivent, en conséquence, être protégés séparément -ils s'accordent néanmoins sur la nécessité de certaines caractéristiques intrinsèques du capital social. Aussi, il n'est pas surprenant que le législateur se soit attaché à assurer la sauvegarde de leurs droits, soit chacun particulièrement, soit de manière collective. L'étude des différentes mesures de protections prévues par le droit positif révélera tantôt ses imperfections, tantôt ses lacunes et ses incohérences. Sera également mis en exergue le caractère modulable de certains dispositifs, offrant ainsi aux organes sociaux la faculté de les supprimer ou de les façonner en fonction de la vision « distributive» ou« financière» du capital social qu'ils auront arrêtée. Enfin, cette étude mettra en relief l'opportunité d'autoriser sa variabilité sans contrainte si celle-ci est limitée par deux bornes, lesquelles dessineraient le capital« autorisé ». / Due to the multiplicity of its functions, the share capital is the scene where the interests of creditors, shareholders and the company meet. Its modification, whether it be for amplification or reduction, has an impact which corresponds to the extent of the prerogatives which the protagonists enjoy. If the latter may have conflicting objectives -and must therefore be protected separately -they nevertheless agree on the necessity of some intrinsic features of the share capital. This is why it is not surprising that the legislator has made a point of safeguarding their rights, either on an individual basis or collectively. The study of the different protection measures provided for by the positive law sometimes reveals its imperfections, sometimes its shortcomings and its inconsistencies. The adjustable nature of some specific devices will also be highlighted, thereby providing the social organs with the right to remove or shape them according to the "distributive" or "financial" vision of the social capital they will have determined. Finally, this study will highlight whether or not to allow its variability without constraint if it is set within two bounds, which would represent the "authorized" capital.

In this Master's dissertation, I would like to explore a symbolic reading of John 11 (The raising of Lazarus) from the perspective of the church's mission to bring about the liberation of the poor. I believe that as one does so, one might discover that in the Gospel writer's original intention, the figure of Lazarus may never have been intended as a literal historical person, but rather as a symbolic representation of the poor, the marginalized and the oppressed. Such a reading of John 11 might throw new light on the Fourth Gospel's understanding of Jesus and his mission. In doing so, I believe that John 11 might become a foundational text to guide and motivate committed Christian mission in favour of the poor. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M. Th. (Missiology)

Submitted by Livia Goulart Vilela (liviagv@yahoo.com) on 2012-09-26T23:27:32Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação_Lívia_Final_v2.pdf: 1933004 bytes, checksum: 56ba00b78e8c42dd90363f775487104d (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Suzinei Teles Garcia Garcia (suzinei.garcia@fgv.br) on 2012-09-27T13:31:01Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação_Lívia_Final_v2.pdf: 1933004 bytes, checksum: 56ba00b78e8c42dd90363f775487104d (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2012-09-27T13:32:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação_Lívia_Final_v2.pdf: 1933004 bytes, checksum: 56ba00b78e8c42dd90363f775487104d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-09-04 / The purpose of this paper is to examine possible welfare gains from trade arrangements between Brazil and China, from the perspective of a computable general equilibrium model, named GTAP model. After an extensive description of the commercial and economic structures of the countries, in addition to their comparative advantage, it will be possible to simulate Preferential Trade Agreements, and from these, analyze the results of welfare measured by the Equivalent Variation. Another aspect regarding the Sino-Brazilian relationship, which can be analyzed by this measure of welfare, is the exchange rate misalignment in both countries and its consequences for trade transactions. Using the referred tools, the study seeks to determine the impact of such misalignment in the welfare of the countries, once the exchange is corrected through an adjustment in the tariff. / O propósito deste trabalho é examinar possíveis ganhos de bem-estar provenientes de arranjos comerciais entre Brasil e China sob a ótica de um modelo de equilíbrio geral computável, o chamado 'modelo GTAP' (sigla para Global Trade Analysis Project). Com base em uma descrição extensiva das estruturas econômicas e comerciais dos países e das Vantagens Comparativas de cada um deles, é possível simular acordos preferenciais de comércio e analisar os resultados de bem-estar por meio da medida de Variação Equivalente. Outro aspecto referente ao comércio sino-brasileiro que pode ser avaliado pela medida de bem-estar é o desalinhamento cambial dos dois países e as consequências deste para as transações comerciais entre ambos. Utilizando o mesmo ferramental anteriormente citado, o trabalho busca avaliar o impacto de tal desalinhamento no bem-estar dos países, uma vez que o câmbio seja corrigido via ajuste tarifário.