Magister Artium - MA (Ethics) / This research will investigate how globalization developed its own ethical discourse, based on perceived benefits and failures; also how it could be transformed within the global economic sphere, based on critique and advice given by Joseph Eugene Stiglitz, a world renowned economist. Globally, historically and currently, there has been a misunderstanding about the concept and dynamics of globalization among government officials, economists and ordinary citizens. This resulted in an economic imbalance that benefited [and still benefits] the rich and leaves the poor outside in the cold. In this research I wish to explore the critique of Stiglitz on globalization, specifically on global capital. The aim is to bring the Stiglitz critique into alignment with critical debates within ecumenical circles on the responsibility of human agents – based on middle-ground (shared ground) ethical discourse. The normative framework for such a comparison of responses to globalization, delivering middle axioms in ethical discourse, is taken from various strands of “Responsibility Theory”, especially the contributions of authors such as Tödt, Schweiker and Sacks. The important goal of this inter-disciplinary exercise is to bring about a balance between the discrepancy of the proclaimed benefits and the extreme negative effects which globalization has for millions of people worldwide, as expressed by Stiglitz and confirmed by various ecumenical discourses. For the purposes of this study ecumenical debates on globalization, called forth by the impact of the Accra Declaration on Globalization (2004), are discussed in some detail: the Agape Process within the World Council of Churches, the Stackhouse Project on Globalization and the joint Project on Globalization of the Uniting Reformed Church of Southern Africa and the Reformed Church in Germany. The results of the study show a convergence in ethical concerns and the strengthening of ethical discourse between critical economists and ecumenical theologians, especially on extreme and ever-growing discrepancies between rich and poor, and the effect of unbridled economic activity on the future of our planet. It is hoped that this study will contribute towards ongoing inter-disciplinary work on the burning social-ethical issues facing humanity and our earth.

Drawing on institutional perspective – institutional change, institutional legitimacy and the three institutional pillars – this doctoral study is developed to disentangle a complexity of successive industry reforms that have shaped a development of British railways in general and a growing idea of a railway privatization in particular. This adds to the body of knowledge, which so far has tended to focus on enhancing the sector’s performance outcomes, by arguing that performance improvement is not a whole story of the railway’s privatization. Indeed, as an archival research in British railway’s reform (1960s - 1980s) has revealed, a growing idea of a private sector’s involvement was constructed as the governments at the times sought to draw and (re-) draw boundaries among interest groups in order for British railways to de-lock from a historical development path of nationalization industry. Furthermore, the study also found that the idea of privatization was dynamically legitimized and maintained by the government’s reform agenda that blended a performance rationale with political and socio-economic conditions of British railway at the times. Indeed, this historical-institutional analysis in British railway’s reform suggests that a privatization of British railways is more socially and politically complex than generally understood as the government’s attempt in making an efficient railway sector. As such, in order to advance this field of study both academic scholars and the industry practitioners should pay more attention on the influence of institutional dynamics that shapes a performing of British railway rather than narrowly focusing a performance improvement issue.

M.Com. (Business Management) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

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Magister Legum - LLM / Municipalities in South Africa are increasingly outsourcing municipal services, including basic municipal services such as water and sanitation services and refuse collection and disposal. The Constitution places onerous duties on municipalities to respect and promote human rights in the exercise of the powers and the performance of their functions. These duties are particularly prevalent when a municipality is deciding on the optimal service delivery mechanism for basic municipal services. It is thus crucial for the policy and legislative environment regarding municipal outsourcing to be firm and clear and for the municipality to ensure satisfactory implementation of outsourcing projects, including contract management. This thesis examined the policy and legislative framework governing municipal outsourcing and described the general features of a range of current South African outsourcing contracts. It also questioned whether the policy and legislative framework are consistent in their objectives and assessed how these objectives are carried through and translated into the contract drafting and implementation phases of outsourcing. / South Africa

Magister Legum - LLM / This research paper investigated whether there are any limitations or restraints in the Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995, which possible keeps an employer from outsourcing functions or parts of a business to a third party. / South Africa

Masters in Public Administration - MPA / This research report examined the key policies of globalisation namely, privatisation and deregulation of services and also their implication on the Tri-partite alliance. Because they have impacted negatively on major economic sectors, particularly to those that help the needy. Therefore, the study explores these initiatives, which has been debatable in South Africa under the dominant understanding of ‘progress’ or ‘development’. The Objective of the study is to lay the basis for the examination and evaluation of policy option with regard to privatisation and deregulation of services in South Africa and to engage South Africa effectively in global policy debates and adjust in global trends and negotiations within the region (SADC) and other international countries. It examines global challenges and opportunities / threats for South Africa as a developing country in the emerging global order. This study also attempts to provide answers to several questions concerning privatisation and deregulation of public services in South Africa. To the poor, is deregulation and privatisation of state assets threatening to become the new apartheid, which is an instrument of exclusion, not just from a better life but even from the very basic services? How are workers and including the poorest of the poor affected by the status of deregulation and privatisation? Do the timing and specifics of these processes matter? Who should attempt to regulate the auction, as some of government officials seems to be corrupt? And which prior restructuring policies are worth implementing? / South Africa

Magister Legum - LLM / Corporate governance reform is an important aspect of broader reforms aimed at securing an environment attractive to both domestic and foreign investors and that enhances the benefits of investment to society. Of particular relevance is the relation between corporate governance practices and the increasingly international character of investment. If a country decides to reap the full benefits of the global capital market, and if it decides to attract long-term patient capital, good corporate governance arrangements must be credible, well understood across borders and adhere to internationally accepted principles. Equally important is the underlying importance of institution building for developing countries. In most cases poverty goes hand in hand with the lack of proper institutions, a vicious circle of mismanagement, inefficiencies, expropriation and corruption. The lack of properly functioning State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) as institutions or corporations, impacts directly on growth by limiting the availability of debt and equity investment. It also impacts on the distribution of income within a society. With more transparency and accountability the directors and executives will have less of an opportunity to fatten their bank accounts at the expense of all the other stakeholders and the society as a whole. The review of corporate governance reforms done in this research includes statutory reforms, development of codes of conduct and best practice, and institutional reforms will give a better evaluation of South Africa‘s corporate governance reforms within its own SOEs structures that will be judged against internationally accepted standards to consider the best interests of South Africa and its citizens. The positive and negative consequences that can stem from strengthening corporate governance regulations and assist in determining the best possible model for South African SOEs will form part of the recommendations of this research.

In recent years the ownership of public organisations has been transferred from government to the private sector through privatisation owing to the poor performance of parastatals. In Zimbabwe, the privatisation of parastatals has been criticised as a result of the approach which has been adopted to privatise them, the transparency and the paceof the privatisation, the factors pushing for privatisation at the expense of local demand as well as the lack of an institutional framework for privatisation. The main objective of this study was to explore management perceptions regarding the privatisation of parastatals in Zimbabwe. This study is based on a combination of theories of privatisation and preceding results of studies looking at privatisation of parastatals in developing and developed countries. The secondary sources were the backbone in the formulation of a theoretical model on the management perceptions of privatisation which was used to guide this study. The extensive literature which was analysed revealed that independent factors such as stakeholder consultation, business conditions, government considerations, institutional framework and management of the privatisation process could influence management perceptions regarding privatisation. Perceptions of privatisation were identified as influencing two dependent variables, economic benefits and organisational performance. The variables of the study were operationalised and the hypotheses which identified relationships between the independent variables and perceptions of privatisation were formulated. Hypotheses in respect of perceptions of privatisation and the dependent variables were also formulated. In this study, a quantitative research approach was adopted as the study sought to investigate the relationships between variables. This study collected data through the use of a structured self-administered survey questionnaire which was distributed to 700 managers of parastatals in Zimbabwe. The parastatals which were used in this study were selected using the simple random sampling method whilst convenience sampling technique was used to select the managers. The survey yielded 301 usable questionnaires which were analysed using several statistical analysis techniques. The major findings of this study show that managers, employees and customers participate during privatisation and that privatisation in Zimbabwe is guided by a formal action plan. The study also showed that parastatals in Zimbabwe operate under stable macroeconomic conditions and that information regarding the bidding process is accessible to all parties. However, the results also showed that, in Zimbabwe privatisation is poorly implemented as a result of lack of structural capacity to enhance privatisation, lack of an autonomous institution to manage and lead the privatisation process. The results also show that privatisation in Zimbabwe lacks credibility as the valuation of organisations and assets is poorly done resulting in organisations being acquired at rates which are below market value. In addition, the results indicate that privatisation has failed to improve organisational performance and to change the management style from being reactive to being proactive. The study also found that privatisation brings about economic benefits such as effective governance and economic empowerment. The study recommends that government should ensure that managers, employees and customers participate in the privatisation process and that privatisation is implemented in a transparent manner so as to have a credible programme and achieve the intended objectives. The study also recommends that government should engage people and institutions which have the capacity to efficiently value the organisations and assets identified for privatisation. In addition, the study recommends that the government should appoint board members who possess the requisite skills and competencies, encourage partnerships between local and foreign investors so as to produce quality products and services as well as economic growth. This study has contributed to the existing body of knowledge by developing a theoretical model which can be utilised in other developing countries to test perceptions regarding the privatisation of parastatals. This study could assist the government, parastatals and other stakeholders by providing feedback regarding the privatisation of parastatals in Zimbabwe, so that remedial action can be implemented where deviations are recorded. The findings of this study could also assist the government of Zimbabwe and also other governments, by providing guidelines which can be adopted to implement a successful privatisation programme. This study provides useful and very practical guidelines to parastatals so as to ensure successful privatisation.

The aim of this thesis is to analyze macroeconomic development in Slovenia in the last 20 years. Special attention is paid to the development of banking sector and Tthe development of its ownership structure. The theoretical part deals with the basic concept of national economy, characteristics of the main macroeconomic aggregates and the banking system. These theoretical solutions provide an information base for the practical part, which processes a macroeconomic analysis of Slovenia from 1995 to the present. Banking sector is analyzed from the perspective of the legal framework and institutional provision. It is followed by the analysis of the Slovenian banking sector itself, which shows that the Slovenian crisis was rooted precisely in the banking sector, which is largely state-owned. The main solution of this situation is the privatization of large state-owned banks and restrictive measures of public finances.