The grounds for asserting that parents of all cultures can be held responsible and accountable for the care and education of their children derive from sources such as the primordial nature of humanity, the precepts of state statutes and international protocols that refer to educational issues and the tenets of scripts that apply to adherents of a particular philosophy of life - for example the Bible as the guide for parents who subscribe to a Christian philosophy of life. The issue of parental say in formal education as provided for in current education legislation is perhaps not an entirely unique development. In this thesis the development of the concept of parental responsibilities and rights in relation to formal schooling in South Africa during the Colonial period was investigated. An attempt was made to determine what Colonial parents - who were predominantly Protestant Calvinist and who consequently subscribed to a Christian philosophy of life - did to ensure that their children's formal education met with their approval and fulfilled their expectations. A further aspect examined related to the identification of the specific issues in education that these parents believed they should be afforded the right to regulate in order to ensure that their children's formal education - as an extension to their primary education - conformed with the fundamental principles of their philosophy of life. The research affirmed the significance a philosophy of life holds for the perception of what it is that constitutes authentic education. It can consequently be concluded that parental involvement in formal schooling should not be seen as intrusion in a realm beyond the jurisdiction of the parent, but as cases of judgement, discernment and selection dictated by the parent's philosophy of life. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (History of Education)

繼人體基因圖譜於2000年解碼後，基因解讀及研究初期均在競爭解讀基因序列(Gene sequences)，然而了解基因序列是一件事，如何從序列中來了解基因功能所賦予之生理生化意義，比如每段基因所產生之蛋白質產物、及蛋白質與細胞之間的相互關係等資訊，進而應用於藥物標的之尋找，才是未來生物醫學發展之主要方向。同理，藉由基因功能學(Functional Genomics)領域來研究新發現之基因的功能、基因表現、與蛋白質產物，進而辨識有用的藥物標的(Drug target)及尋找新的疾病治療方法，才是基因解讀後最主要之生技醫療市場。全球生物科技之應用中以醫療用的生技產品所帶來的產值最為可觀，佔總體生技產業約七成以上之產值，其中又以重組蛋白藥品、單株抗體、疫苗及檢驗試劑之研發為主要重心，其中行政院更在“加強生物技術產業推動方案”裡，特別將蛋白藥物、抗癌藥物開發及檢驗試劑等領域列為重點推動項目，國內外許多生物科技公司研發專長及主軸亦座落於全球最熱門的生技製藥發展脈絡上。目前由於許多癌症、代謝失常疾病、遺傳性疾病及自體免疫疾病等，臨床之治療藥物仍舊是付之闕如或是供不應求，其中特別是各種癌症以及自體免疫疾病，如類風濕性關節炎、多發性硬化症、牛皮癬及過敏等，都是生技醫藥開發非常重要之疾病研究領域。現今臨床上所常用的藥物，普遍有特異性不佳、副作用大的缺點，因此國內外許多生物科技公司正戮力於針對上述疾病類別找尋合適之生技藥物或是小分子藥物，已達到標的治療(Target therapy)為目的；然而在生技醫藥公司草創初期，大都以技術掛帥，且由於藥品開發時間冗長，因此鮮少有生技醫藥公司能於設立初期10年內有產品上市，因此導致初期營運風險居高不下，令投資者裹足不前，所以如何評估具有成長潛力之生技醫藥公司頗為困難，因此本論文擬從生技藥品著手，除了傳統從技術面、產品面、市場面、競爭者、人力資源、策略經營等構面著手分析成長中之生技醫藥公司外，由於生技醫藥產業之特殊屬性，所以更特別注重產業成長時針對生物倫理面的考量，以做為生技醫藥公司具成長潛力之指標之一。希望透過多元的評估分析，能夠歸納出生技醫藥公司的成功要素，並藉此分析能夠有系統的篩選出具成長性、具社會責任之生技醫藥公司，才能擘畫生技醫藥公司維持長期競爭力、獲得永續發展的遠景，並藉此做為投資者長期投資評估之參考依據。 / The completion of the human genome project is regarded as a turning point in biotechnology and medicine. This project is expected to produce sequence of DNA representing the functional blueprint and evolutionary history of the human species. As we entered the postgenomic era, what we faced is the explosion of new information, which is leading to dramatic changes in the way we are able to study and manipulation of life. At the first few years, many groups were competing in sequence decoding. However, the findings of the functions of genes and the interactions of different gene products are the main issues helping us exploit the new biotechnology markets. Through the research of functional genomics to explore the function, expression, and protein products of novel genes is helpful in identifying new drug targets and developing therapeutic strategies in treating various diseases. This is what we emphasized in biotech market after entering the postgenomic era. The most valuable branch of biotechnology industry is the medical products in global biotechnology market. The medical products take up to 70% of total sales in biotechnology markets. Among the medical biotechnology field, recombinant protein drugs, monoclonal antibodies, vaccines, and detection kits have been focused in pharmaceutical R&D investment. Executive yuan of the Republic of China decided to emphasized in protein drugs, anti-cancer drug development and detection kits in their “ The promotion plan of improving biotechnology industry”. Currently, the drugs against cancers, metabolic diseases, inherited diseases, and autoimmune diseases are still unavailable. Especially the drugs for various cancers, and autoimmune diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, and allergy are under intensive investment in global biotechnology industry. This is because the drugs used today have the deficiencies including low specificity and adverse side effects. Thus, target therapy using monoclonal antibodies and small molecular drugs are the goals for worldwide biotech companies. However, the development in research has been considered as the most important thing in the starting stage of newly founded biotech companies and the long time needed for putting a new drug to market make very few biotech companies have salable products. Thus, the newly biotechnology company has been considered has high risk in the beginning stage. This makes investors to hesitate in putting their money in this field. To evaluate the potential of a new biotechnology companies is difficult since the complex of this industry. This study will try evaluating a newly founded biotechnology company not only through technology, product, market, competitors, human resources, strategies, but also from the consideration in bioethics. Hopefully, through the evaluation of multiple markers, we can conclude the essential factors for a successful company and screen out the company with high growing potential via this study. Finally, this study might serve as a reference for investors in evaluating a promising company for long-term investment.

Le lien de causalité est une condition centrale du droit de la responsabilité administrative. Entre la faute et le préjudice, l’examen du lien de causalité est un impératif de justice et une inévitable exigence intellectuelle. Il permet de donner un ordre à la fois rationnel et juste aux faits. Réputé impénétrable, suspect d’arbitraire, acculé à un prétendu déclin par le développement de la logique assurantielle, le lien de causalité n’a pas fait l’objet d’une étude d’ensemble en droit public. L’analyse de la notion de lien de causalité permet pourtant de tromper cette image. Elle révèle, d’abord, qu’il faut distinguer le problème -métaphysique- de la causalité, de la question -pragmatique- de l’explication causale. La nature des problèmes posés par ces deux questions est différente ; celle qui se pose au juge est modeste : donner une explication rationnelle aux faits, sans quête de la vérité. Elle permet, ensuite, d’observer que le lien de causalité, s’il ne relève pas d’un constat objectif des faits, n’est toutefois pas empreint d’une subjectivité singulière par rapport à d’autres notions indéterminées en droit. L’étude de la pratique du lien de causalité en atteste. Le juge administratif a une approche ordonnée du lien de causalité fondée sur un équilibre entre attachement à la matérialité des faits et finalité de l’explication causale. Dans l’identification d’une cause, la hiérarchisation d’une pluralité de causes ou la circonscription du dommage, la jurisprudence administrative se caractérise par cette liberté, fidèle à l’arrêt Blanco, dans la détermination d’une politique jurisprudentielle, que le lien de causalité permet, parfois, mais suit seulement, le plus souvent. / Causal relationship is a central term in the law of administrative responsibility. Between fault and prejudice, the examination of causal relationship is an essential element of justice and constitutes an unavoidable intellectual requirement. It allows the judge to give an order which is both rational and just to facts. Reputed to be impenetrable, suspected of arbitrariness, driven into alleged decline by the development of the logic of insurance, causal relationship has never formed the object of a full-fledged study in public law. The analysis of the notion of causal relationship allows us to correct the image above. It first reveals that we have to distinguish the metaphysical problem of causality from the pragmatic question of causal explanation. The nature of the problem posed by these two questions is different. The question that is put to the judge is modest : give a rational explanation to facts without looking for the truth. It secondly allows to observe that the causal relationship, if it does not come close to being an objective observation of facts, does not bear the imprint of a specific subjectivity with regard to other indeterminate notions in law. The study of the practice of causal relationship bears witness to this. The administrative judge has an ordered approach of the causal relationship founded on a balance between attachment to the materiality of facts and the finality of causal explanation. In the identification of a cause, in the prioritization of multiple causes or in fixing damages, administrative jurisprudence is characterized by this freedom, which is in conformity with the Blanco ruling, in the determination of a jurisprudential policy that causal relationship sometimes renders possible, but which it only follows most often.

<p>Local government is arguably the most significant sphere of government to lay citizens, as it is the point of contact of citizens with their government. Local government enables a direct link between the general public and the basic services that they are entitled to by means of their constitutional and legislatively entrenched rights. It is the only sphere of government that allows and encourages face-to-face engagement between citizens and their governors, providing the necessary platform for interaction, contact and communication. It is imperative therefore that this tier of government operate optimally and competently, as it represents a reflection of the operation of government wholly. Research unfortunately illustrates that public perceptions of local government are negative, with levels of trust in local government being substantially lower than those in provincial and national governments. The responsibility for failure to perform would lie squarely on the shoulders of those individuals leading any institution. The leading incumbents driving a municipality are the political and administrative heads, i.e. executive mayor and municipal manager.</p>

This Master’s level research project investigates how gender shapes the resettlement challenges that liberian refugees have faced in Nova Scotia. The study investigates the impact of the reframing of gender relations during resettlement processes in both material and symbolic domains of life in Halifax. While male Liberian refugees are found to have a comparative advantage over their female counterparts, due in large part to the priority given to educating young men in rural Liberia, they also have higher expectations of education and employment once settled. Women seem to benefit symbolically if not materially from the reframing of gender relations in Canada, as compared to Liberia.

<p>Local government is arguably the most significant sphere of government to lay citizens, as it is the point of contact of citizens with their government. Local government enables a direct link between the general public and the basic services that they are entitled to by means of their constitutional and legislatively entrenched rights. It is the only sphere of government that allows and encourages face-to-face engagement between citizens and their governors, providing the necessary platform for interaction, contact and communication. It is imperative therefore that this tier of government operate optimally and competently, as it represents a reflection of the operation of government wholly. Research unfortunately illustrates that public perceptions of local government are negative, with levels of trust in local government being substantially lower than those in provincial and national governments. The responsibility for failure to perform would lie squarely on the shoulders of those individuals leading any institution. The leading incumbents driving a municipality are the political and administrative heads, i.e. executive mayor and municipal manager.</p>

In this dissertation I argue that invisible characters, as they appear in Paul Auster’s novels, serve a very specific function within the interpretative framework of a text and that they should be considered to play a functional role, in order to arrive at a more holistic interpretation of the text and a more accurate analysis of said texts. I argue that Auster knowingly includes these characters in his novels as part of his narrative technique, in order for them to serve specific functions and to contribute to the structure of postmodern fiction. I make use of a contextualized close reading of five of Auster’s novels and attempt a hermeneutic interpretation of these novels to arrive at a hermeneutic circle when combining these novels into an integrated whole, individual, work of fiction. Certain parallels can be drawn between Auster’s various novels and these parallels contribute to the various motifs and themes found throughout his work. The importance of space in Auster’s novels is also highlighted with emphasis on liminality which serves as an instigator for transgression to occur between different fictive worlds. / Thesis (MA (English))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

In this dissertation I argue that invisible characters, as they appear in Paul Auster’s novels, serve a very specific function within the interpretative framework of a text and that they should be considered to play a functional role, in order to arrive at a more holistic interpretation of the text and a more accurate analysis of said texts. I argue that Auster knowingly includes these characters in his novels as part of his narrative technique, in order for them to serve specific functions and to contribute to the structure of postmodern fiction. I make use of a contextualized close reading of five of Auster’s novels and attempt a hermeneutic interpretation of these novels to arrive at a hermeneutic circle when combining these novels into an integrated whole, individual, work of fiction. Certain parallels can be drawn between Auster’s various novels and these parallels contribute to the various motifs and themes found throughout his work. The importance of space in Auster’s novels is also highlighted with emphasis on liminality which serves as an instigator for transgression to occur between different fictive worlds. / Thesis (MA (English))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

This research focuses on problems encountered by School Governing Bodies (SGBs) in executing their financial task in four schools situated in the Ramotse Area, Hammanskraal, north-east of the city of Tshwane. The research methodology, which was employed, can be described as qualitative, exploratory and descriptive by nature. Data was collected by means of two focus group interviews, one involving the chairpersons of SGBs and the other involving the managers of the same schools. An analysis of the data has revealed a number of financially related problems, which SGBs in the Ramotse Area experience, amongst other things that parents fail to meet their financial obligations and subsidies tend to arrive late. The most important recommendation made is that SGBs should be trained both better and more frequently. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Education Management)

Welcoming visitors is part of our African culture. This research tries to reflect on house visitation in the Maranatha Reformed Church of Christ (MRCC), and the impact thereof, if any, in the spiritual lives of congregants. Traditionally, pastors, elders and deacons alone bear the responsibility of visiting families in the MRCC. This research therefore reflects on the issue of house visitation in the MRCC where it is seen and understood as the duty and responsibility of pastors, elders and deacons only. The research is a passionate call for the MRCC, as a church, to work on a ministry design where all members will be actively involved in visiting one another, a move from the traditional one where only pastors, elders and deacons visit households. Arguments are also presented on how technology could be used to the advantage of the church in this task. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Practical Theology)