The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between industrialization and changes that occurred in the local economy and the quality of life in a selected North Central Texas community which had experienceg industrial growth.

This study explores the connections of public procurement official perceptions of public-private partnerships and their contracting decisions for public infrastructure projects. Detailed discussion of previous scholarship and its focus on policymaking and project evaluation of public-private partnerships leaves a gap in the public policy process – implementation. Procurement officials are presented in the role of policy implementers rather than agents in a principalagent approach. This attempts to address a shortcoming of the description that these officials do nothing more than purchase. Arguments are put forth that these officials are given additional levels of discretion when faced with contracting decisions. Specifically, procurement officials observe that public-private partnerships provide sets of project consequences. A survey instrument is designed to explore the differences in perceptions that procurement officials have with respect to public-private partnerships and traditional contracting out. Survey failures result in findings only being able to attempt a more general view of public-private partnerships. Results allow perceptions to be placed in a decision-making model based on a project phase approach that develops on the assumption that tasks contracted to private vendors produce project consequences. Furthermore, analysis of significant consequence perceptions indicate that those perceptions do not provide a rationale for a procurement official’s decision-making on whether to contract using a public-private partnership for public infrastructure projects. Independent sample t-tests, controlled correlations, multiple ANOVA and linear regression analyses show that perceptions of consequences, the perceptions of differences of those consequences across project phases, relationships of consequences to perceptions of efficiency and effectiveness proxies and a bounded rationalitybased model of decision-making for procurement officials are all inconclusive. Discussion focuses on the development of consequences and phases as defining and clarifying public-private partnerships. Further discussions are presented for procurement officials with respect to their decision-making and possible role as policy implementers. Conclusions fail to uncover any inferential results. The research finds its primary contribution in the conceptual discourse of public procurement official roles and public-private partnership definitions. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2014. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This assignment deals with the relevance of Public-Private Partnerships in the South African context and particularly the role it can play in realising the developmental goals of the economic policy. The value of the unique relationship that is possible between the public and the private partner goes beyond the formalised legal agreement as the mix of cultures and different managerial approaches hold benefits for both parties. There are many aspects of the PPP, especially as a management tool, which grow beyond the boundaries of a work of this length and which will hopefully entice the reader to further reading. However, in this work the main thrust of the argument is that the PPP offers an alternative, or maybe rather a supplementary vehicle to address a number of managerial problems experienced in the public sector. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie werkstuk handel met die relevansie van die sogenaamde “Public-Private Partnership” in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks en meer spesifiek die rol wat dit kan speel om die ontwikkelingsdoelwitte van die ekonomie te bereik. Die waarde van die unieke verhouding wat moontlik is tussen die publieke en die private party venoot verder as die formele regsverhouding aangesien die vermenging van die kulture en verskillende bestuurstyle voordele vir beide partye inhou. Daar is vele aspekte van die PPP, veral as ‘n bestuursmeganisme, wat buite die grense van ‘n werk van hierdie lengte gaan en hopelik word die leser gestimuleer om verder oor die onderwerp op te lees. Die vertrekpunt van hierdie werk egter is dat die PPP ‘n alternatiewe, of selfs ‘n bykomende meganisme om verskeie bestuursprobleme wat in die publieke sektor ervaar word, aan te spreek.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study set out to identify the key success factors of Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) in the healthcare sector to be considered by Netcare when exploring possible PPP opportunities. Public Private Partnerships (PPP) presents a means of mobilising private funds for delivering of public services whilst government manages the relationship via a negotiated PPP agreement to ascertain the quality of services rendered. A literature study was performed in order to conceptualize the potential of the application of PPP in the healthcare industry and the factors impacting on the success thereof. PPPs around the world did not develop in unison nor are they uniform in nature. It is this variation in development that led to the formation of a wide variety of different PPP models that define these partnerships. The different PPP models currently applied by Netcare in the UK are similar in their basic characteristics to some of the models described in literature. One of the biggest challenges facing the healthcare industry in South Africa is the unequal split between public and private healthcare sectors. This is not only in terms of number of people serviced but also includes allocation of the available resources. Very limited information is available on application of PPP in the healthcare sector. The private hospital groups primarily involved in PPP in the healthcare industry in SA are Netcare and Medi-Clinic. Netcare has successfully positioned itself not only as the biggest private hospital group in South Africa, but also as the leader in PPP involvement in the healthcare sector in South Africa. The PPP projects undertaken, though still very early days, have been very successful, but do not yield very high returns. The rationale to Netcare for partaking in these extends beyond financial returns. It is mainly strategic in terms of its position in the local market and its potential involvement in the anticipated NHS (National Health System). It is essential that Netcare maintains credibility and goodwill and continues to demonstrate its commitment to address the healthcare industry needs of all in SA. Responding to the limited growth opportunities presented by the local market, Netcare expanded its operations to include international contracts, in particular in the UK, with negotiations under way for contracts in Portugal. The experienced gained through the PPPs in the UK, the country regarded as the leader in PPPs in the healthcare sector, is invaluable to their future participation in PPPs. Governments all over the world want to improve healthcare service delivery and curb healthcare inflation. This presents opportunities to Netcare that could arguably be in the form of a PPP. The ability to evaluate the key success factors that will impact on these PPPs is therefore of great importance to Netcare. The study showed that the actual process involved in forming a PPP depends on various key factors that impact on the outcome thereof. The role of government is essential and it includes the creation of the infrastructure and the legal environment for PPP, to demonstrating competence in managing PPPs, providing the political support and achieving investor confidence. An extensive list of key success factors was identified, but applying these factors to two possible PPP opportunities revealed their shortcomings. It was concluded that the list of factors cannot be applied as the ultimate checklist to pre-determine the outcome of a PPP. This is because various factors will only be revealed in the later stages of the PPP project life. It was also concluded that PPP participation by the company is a priority strategic decision. The strengths and weaknesses of the company relative to the opportunities and threats presented then needs to be evaluated. The list of key success factors provides an important guideline in terms of considering the specific opportunities and threats associated with PPPs. These factors should be considered during the various stages of the project development. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doelwat van die studie is die identifisering van die faktore wat die sukses van Staat Privaat Vennootskappe (SPV) binne die gesondheidsorg industrie sal bepaal, en wat deur Netcare in ag geneem moet word wanneer sodanige vennootskappe oorweeg word. Hierdie vennootskappe bied 'n geleentheid vir die mobilisering van privaat fondse vir publieke dienslewering terwyl die regering deur middel van die onderhandelde PPP ooreenkoms die verhouding bestuur en die kwaliteit van dienslewering monitor. Die literatuurstudie het ondermeer die potensiaal van sodanige vennootskappe in die gesondheidsorg industrie, sowel as die faktore wat die suksesvolle uitkoms daarvan bepaal, ondersoek. Verskeie SPV modelle en tipes vennootskappe bestaan weens die uiteenlopende ontwikkeling van SPVs in die onderskeie lande. Die modelle tans toegepas deur Netcare in Engeland reflekteer die eienskappe van modelle beskryf in literatuur. Een van die gesondheidsorg indrustrie in Suid Afrika (SA) se grootste uitdagings is die oneweredige verdeling tussen publieke en privaat gesondheidsorg, beide in terme van populasie verteenwoordiging en aanwending van die beskikbare hulpbronne. Inligting aangaande die aanwending van SPV in die gesondheidsorg industrie is baie beperk. In die Suid Afrikaanse konteks is Netcare en Medi-Clinic die dominante rolspelers in SPVs in die industrie. Netcare is tans nie net die grootste privaat hospitaalgroep in SA nie, maar ook die leier op SPV betrokkenheid in die gesondheidsorgsektor in SA. Hoewel die huidige SPV's relatief onlangs tot stand gekom het, is daar reeds heelwat sukses behaal. Die opbrengs gerealiseer is egter nie fenominaal nie. Die motivering vir Netcare se betrokkenheid in hierdie vennootskappe strek egter verder as bloot die finansiële opbrengste. Gegewe die potensiële nasionale gesondheidstelsel en die posisionering in die plaaslike mark, is dit noodsaaklik vir Netcare om gesien te word as toegewyd aan 'n oplossing vir die gesondheidsorg uitdaging in Suid Afrika. Netcare se internasionale uitbreiding kan deels toegeskryf word aan die beperkte groei geleenthede in SA. Hulle internasionale kontrakte sluit in Engeland met onderhandeling in Portugal tans onderweg. Die ondervinding opgedoen met die SPV's in Engeland is van onskatbare waarde gegewe Engeland se posisie as leier op die gebied van SPV in die gesondheidsorg industrie. Verskeie lande poog tans om hulle gesondheidsorg dienslewering te verbeter en mediese inflasie te beperk. Dit skep potensiële SPV geleenthede vir Netcare. Die vermoë om die kritiese sukses faktore wat die uitkoms van hierdie SPVs sal bepaal, te kan evalueer, is dus van kardinale belang vir Netcare. Dit blyk uit die studie dat die proses van die ontwikkeling van SPV deur verskeie faktore beinvloed word. Die regering van 'n land speel 'n belangrike rol in die daarstelling van die infrastruktuur, die regsaspektelike omgewing, hulle bevoegdheid in terme van die bestuur van SPV, hulle vermoë om politiese ondersteuning te verleen en hulle vermoë om beleggers se vertrou te wen. 'n Omvattende lys van faktore wat impakteer op die sukses van SPV is identifiseer. Tydens die toepassing daarvan op twee voorbeelde het dit duidelik geblyk dat die lys nie as allesomvattend beskou kan word en aangewend kan word om vooraf die uitkoms van 'n SPV te voorspel nie. Verskeie faktore wat krities is in die sukses van SPV kan eers bepaal word tydens later stadiums van die SPV. Daar is ook tot die slotsom gekom dat die firma strategie die primêre oorweging tydens die evaluering van SPV behoort te wees. Die sterk en swak punte van die firma relatief tot die geleentheide en bedreigings wat die SPV inhou moet evalueer word. Die lys van faktore krities tot die sukses van SPV dien as 'n belangrike riglyn vir die oorwerging van geleenthede en bedreigings geassosieerd met SPV. Hierdie faktore behoort tydens die verskeie stadia van SPV projek ontwikkeling in ag geneem te word.

No description available.

This thesis examines how the Swedish Act On Support and Service to Certain Impaired persons (LSS) has given rise to substantial opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in society and to live under the same conditions as all other citizens. These objectives have in turn created a new profession, personal assistants, who work daily to transform the words of diversity and community participation into practice. The terms of employment of this new category of workers appear in diverse way both when it comes to the scope of their working tasks, as well as the employment protection especially for workers in the private sector. Because of the discrepancies that exist against the Swedish Employment Protection Act (LAS) and the rich variety that characterizes the performance of work, this inquiry aims therefore to seek to investigate to what extent an employee can be dismissed in relation to the LSS-right to personal assistance as well as how this can be understood from the impaired persons point of view. Initially, a legal scientific method is used to seek answers in this area. A sociological approach has also been applied to complete the parts where laws and other traditional sources of law have not been able to provide satisfactory answers. The findings that conclude this investigation claim that the perceived uncertainty of the tasks as well as the discrepant employment protection is maintained through the continuous link to the LSS-legislation.   Key words: LSS, private sector, dismissal, employment protection, the impaired person’s attitude towards the personal assistant

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / Public private partnerships (PPP) are a critical driving force in the landscape of infrastructure projects in the world. South Africa’s adaptation of the PPP guidelines is therefore encouraging as it provides a framework for government and business to partner together in the delivery of basic infrastructure services to the public. Many challenges have been experienced in the South African PPP fraternity that have contributed to the stagnation of value-adding projects being implemented. In spite of these challenges, some developed countries have successfully implemented PPP projects which have concomitantly presented opportunities and lessons that South Africa can draw from. This research study investigates the fundamental causes of the challenges present in the South African PPP market and seeks to employ practical solutions in addressing these. The challenges have been widespread and include: the management of risk and how to account for risk; negotiations and the manner in which the procurement phase is operated in PPP projects; drafting of sound policies; the various complexities that exist within concession agreements; internal capacity constraints within the PPP Unit; lack of capacity and skills within government entities and political interference. Several vulnerabilities also exist in the bidding process of many countries and if these are not properly addressed by the advisors and institutions concerned, these could potentially delay the entire procurement phase. PPPs should be seen as a catalyst for providing basic infrastructure services that have the intent of improving the quality of lives for ordinary citizens. This, however, will only be successfully addressed once key success factors and lessons are drawn from other international markets that have demonstrated experience and skill in the implementation of PPPs. Three case studies, namely, the Gautrain Rapid Railway Link; the PPP between the Eastern Cape Department of Health and Life Healthcare Group in the Humansdorp district and the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Hospital, have been investigated to extrapolate key findings and research findings from the procurement aspects of these projects. With the increase of PPP projects in South Africa, more research also needs to be conducted in putting together a standardisation pack for some of the replicated projects. These would include accommodation and road projects, as many of these have been done previously. Lessons from these projects should be drawn to formulate sound guidelines for stakeholders. Government also has an equal responsibility to play in ensuring that it promotes private sector involvement during the procurement phase by creating an enabling environment which is fair to bidders and which allows for prompt decision making. Principle agent problem continues to be a threat to the perception of PPPs as the private sector’s objective is often different from that of government. It is therefore important that a healthy balance between government’s socio-economic objectives and the profit-maximising objective of the private sector is met. For the public sector thiS means not neglecting society’s needs, but at the same time not under-budgeting the unitary payment of the private sector. If South Africa ought to remain globally competitive and ahead of its emerging market counterparts, there needs to be a complete change of priorities regarding the type of PPPs implemented and government also needs to remain committed and co-operative in the decision-making process.

Thesis (MDF)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Governments have a pivotal role in meeting the ever-increasing demand for socio-economic services in transport, energy, telecommunications, water, education, health and delivery of other social services. However, the major issue in Mauritius is the lapsus in road infrastructure. The road infrastructure agenda in Mauritius needs to be revisited, as such, maintenance has been insufficient to prevent deterioration and there are some other reasons for the damage. Urgent rehabilitation and reconstruction is required to avoid further damage. Factors such as, deficit of funding, absence of coordination between the public and the private sector, changes in political regimes, lack of transparency in the procurement process and lack of adequate legal framework are factors to which the failure of implementing Public Private Partnership (PPP) in Mauritius can be attributed. However, the implementation of PPP might enhance the nature and efficacy of the way in which public money is spent and encourage resilience and competency of the taxation structure. Governments will therefore be apt to consider strategic partnerships in order to promote state-of-the-art technological advancement and enhance managerial skills and capabilities. Reviews discussed by the Government of Mauritius were taken from annual reports and an in-depth study was carried out. Moreover, as secondary analysis differs from systematic reviews and meta-analyses of qualitative studies, which aim instead to compile and assess the evidence relating to a common concern or area of practice, both secondary analysis and meta-analysis have been used. Therefore, this study comprised of a thorough, narrative discussions of research studies which epitomize attempts to make sense of the rapidly expanding research on PPP in Mauritius. From the narrative discussion, it can be highlighted that, controversy arose over the claims for surplus expenses of Rs 709 million on a preliminary agreement of Rs 2.2 billion. Moreover, due to factors such as massive non-alignment between government and private sector, unclear government goals and duties, multifaceted resolution, sectoral policies not well defined, regulatory challenges and limitations, risk management issues, poor reliability of public policies, insufficient local capital markets, poor mechanisms to attract cheaper long term capital, weak lucidity and absence of a competitive landscape, a delay in the implementation of PPP was encountered. However, an emergence in the number of PPPs has been witnessed in developing countries, not only because of their increasingly being viewed as value-for-money but also for the reasons that follow: enhancing the delivery of public sector services at lower costs, integrating protection of the environment by ensuring fulfilment of green requirements and promoting competition. Reviews and extracts show that Mauritius requires financial support to implement PPP projects. However, the availability of international aid has helped the country to gain faith in the implementation of PPP projects thus, helping the Small Island Developing State of Mauritius to look at the future of its development with confidence.

This research explores the nature and extent of training and development (TD) provision, as well as top managers' and TD personnel's attitudes towards the TD function within the medium and large-size private manufacturing organisations of Saudi Arabia. Extensive details of the TD situation are provided and assessed for their adequacy, covering among other elements a descriptive analysis of the main characteristics of the organisations concerned, an evaluation of their TD plans and policies, and a review of their budget allocation and funding. The research then proceeds to describe and discuss the extent to which such organisations are applying a systems approach to TD, both in terms of its design and implementation. Thereafter, the main factors impeding the effectiveness of TD programmes are examined, followed by a consideration of the future challenges that are likely to increase the importance of TD for the organisations in question. The research has adopted a mainly descriptive approach and uses both quantitative and qualitative analytical methods. The required data were gathered through a combination of semi-structural interviews with a number of top managers, and survey questionnaires addressed to the persons responsible for TD within the targeted organisations. The sampling strategy was disproportional stratified random sampling. In total 16 senior executives, 132 medium-size organisations and 94 large-size organisations took part in the study. The findings reveal that although attitudes towards the value of TD are generally favourable, in practice in the majority of cases TD is under-resourced, unplanned and patchy, hardly the ideal features of a systematic model of TD that will enable private manufacturing business to successfully meet the challenges of the future ahead. The research ends with a number of specific and practical recommendations intended to improve the effectiveness of TD in the private manufacturing sector of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as well as a number of suggestions for further research.

published_or_final_version / abstract / Transport Policy and Planning / Master / Master of Arts in Transport Policy and Planning