Thesis (M.Inf.) --University of Limpopo, 2018 / The purpose of this research is to investigate the information needs of rural communities in Bushbuckridge. Investing information of communities is vital because information plays an important role in enabling communities to meet their development needs, such as employment, education, health, safety, food security, and leisure. Libraries are therefore instrumental in helping library users to meet these needs. The study utilised triangulated (quantitative) and (qualitative) research methods. Participants in this study included 100 library users, four librarians and one library manager drawn from four local libraries through a combination of random (probability) and purposive (non-probability) sampling. The quantitative part of the study i.e. survey measured the perceptions of users on library services through questionnaires, while unstructured interviews elicited the experiences of librarians in addressing the information needs of library users in the four libraries of Bushbuckridge. Findings from the survey revealed, inter alia, that: most (65%) users had access to library services, although high travelling costs were a major barrier for those living in remote villages; a large number of users (60%) still depended on librarians to help them find information, while a growing number of users (33% had begun using computers and the internet to meet their information needs; the most important reasons for using the library were: assignments, study and careers, and, the majority of users in all four libraries were generally satisfied with the quality of the services rendered, although significant improvements were required in the supply of materials and water. Findings from interviews with librarians demonstrated that significant steps had been taken to address information needs of users across the four libraries. Common examples include: books and materials; computers and internet services; study groups; user training, and outreach programmes – although these were hampered by shortage of staff and vehicles. Cross-cutting problems included delays in purchasing of library materials; shortage of water and low perceptions about the benefits of library services in the community. In light of these results, it was concluded that information needs of library users had been partially met, with greater room for improvement in areas like human resources, information technology, transport and procurement systems and processes. The research findings have demonstrated that if provided well, library information services may help reduce the challenges of illiteracy, poverty and unemployment in this area. In light of these findings, the study recommended, inter alia, that the skills of library staff along with procurement systems and processes be upgraded in order to satisfy the information needs of library users in the study area. The study further recommended that outreach programmes be scaled up to increase awareness in the community about the role and benefits of library services in facilitating community development, particularly in Bushbuckridge where challenges of illiteracy, poverty and unemployment continue unabated.

Thesis (M. INF.) --University of Limpopo, 2018 / The purpose of this research is to investigate the information needs of rural communities in Bushbuckridge. Investing information of communities is vital because information plays an important role in enabling communities to meet their development needs, such as employment, education, health, safety, food security, and leisure. Libraries are therefore instrumental in helping library users to meet these needs. The study utilised triangulated (quantitative) and (qualitative) research methods. Participants in this study included 100 library users, four librarians and one library manager drawn from four local libraries through a combination of random (probability) and purposive (non-probability) sampling. The quantitative part of the study i.e. survey measured the perceptions of users on library services through questionnaires, while unstructured interviews elicited the experiences of librarians in addressing the information needs of library users in the four libraries of Bushbuckridge. Findings from the survey revealed, inter alia, that: most (65%) users had access to library services, although high travelling costs were a major barrier for those living in remote villages; a large number of users (60%) still depended on librarians to help them find information, while a growing number of users (33% had begun using computers and the internet to meet their information needs; the most important reasons for using the library were: assignments, study and careers, and, the majority of users in all four libraries were generally satisfied with the quality of the services rendered, although significant improvements were required in the supply of materials and water. Findings from interviews with librarians demonstrated that significant steps had been taken to address information needs of users across the four libraries. Common examples include: books and materials; computers and internet services; study groups; user training, and outreach programmes – although these were hampered by shortage of staff and vehicles. Cross-cutting problems included delays in purchasing of library materials; shortage of water and low perceptions about the benefits of library services in the community. In light of these results, it was concluded that information needs of library users had been partially met, with greater room for improvement in areas like human resources, information technology, transport and procurement systems and processes. The research findings have demonstrated that if provided well, library information services may help reduce the challenges of illiteracy, poverty and unemployment in this area. In light of these findings, the study recommended, inter alia, that the skills of library staff along with procurement systems and processes be upgraded in order to satisfy the information needs of library users in the study area. The study further recommended that outreach programmes be scaled up to increase awareness in the community about the role and benefits of library services in facilitating community development, particularly in Bushbuckridge where challenges of illiteracy, poverty and unemployment continue unabated.

Due to socioeconomic disparities and geographic isolation, rural Kentucky residents bear a greater burden of poor health compared to national averages. Specifically, rural Kentucky residents are at greater risk of becoming obese and suffering from comorbidities of obesity such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease. The purpose of the present study was two-fold. First, we the barriers to nutrition and physical activity unique to rural Kentucky counties which high proportions of obese adults (< 40%) were examined and extrapolated. Second, this information was used to develop a health and wellness app tailored to rural Kentucky counties. The objective was met via a formative assessment regarding causes for obesity in three rural Kentucky counties using focus groups. From these discussions, two major themes arose: barriers to good nutrition and physical activity, and desired web‐app features. From this assessment, FitFaceoff was developed and released into the same counties. Usage and user interaction were assessed using GoogleAnalytics™ software. Analysis revealed poor user liking and unsuccessful implementation of FitFaceoff, however further qualitative research is needed to evaluate poor user reception of FitFaceoff and possible future directions.

Closure of community hospitals directly impacts the health of rural populations and indirectly affects economic growth and access to medical services. The purpose of this doctoral project was to assess the causes and impacts of hospital closures on rural communities. The practice-focused question addressed the implications of hospital closures on individuals and families in rural communities. A systematic review of the literature, based on conflict theory, addressed populations that lack health care facility resources. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guided the selection of 8 journal articles for review. The inclusion criteria for articles encompassed the impact of closure of health care facilities on the rural community and if the information about the causes of closure of health care facilities provided recommendations about hospital closure. The John Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice Rating Scale framework was used to determine the level and quality of evidence of the journal articles selected for review. Findings indicated that hospital closure has a negative effect on rural residents' health due to prolonged travel time for patients to access care, deterioration of health when access is not possible and increased expenses for services from remote locations. Loss of jobs due to hospital closure results in loss of income and decreased access to affordable care for community members. Findings from this project may be used to promote social change for regional and national stakeholders as the project raises awareness of the need to be diligent in preserving and enhancing health services in rural areas.

Thesis (M.A.) (Development management) --University of Limpopo, 2010. / Gender equality in local water governance is currently envisaged as a necessary aspect for achieving efficient, effective and sustainable water resources management. Based on the premise that men and women exhibit socially and culturally determined differences in behavior, roles and responsibilities, the Gender Mainstreaming Strategy holds that gender concerns in water resources management, including in all decisions regarding planning, design, location, operation and maintenance have to be based on the recognition of their differences. However, giving the pragmatic effect on the Gender Mainstreaming Strategy within the Water Resources Management Sector has met with many challenges relating to structural issues, sustainability, the commitment of actors involved, and the whole range of aspects of attitudinal change, both at individual and collective levels. The study investigates the challenges involved in the application of the Gender Mainstreaming Strategy within the Water Resources Management Sector in the rural community of Mogodi Village in Limpopo Village. The study argues that the challenges involved in the application of the Gender Mainstreaming Strategy leads to virtual mismanagement of the water resources within rural communities as attested to by the Mogodi Village. The survey results from Mogodi Village proved that gender mainstreaming was not fully applied within the water resources management. Women do not have access to all the positions in the water committee and furthermore, they are not always consulted and if they get the chance to raise their concerns, they are not always taken into consideration. Additionally, the patriarchal tradition within the village has a great impact on the application of the Gender Mainstreaming Initiatives. Some of the principles of this tradition are that women are household caregivers and men are leaders. The roles that women perform within their homesteads do not allow them time to participate in the water resources management. This leaves the water resources management roles in the hands of men in the village. The study therefore concludes that the genuine benefits of the Gender Mainstreaming Strategy in the water resources management would not be realised as long as the context within which it is applied remains traditional in terms of the gender status quo. / Extrata Mine

This study investigates provisions made within institutional and regulatory frameworks of water resources management to enhance multi-stakeholder relationships and the challenges of maintaining those relationships, and implications of water resources management for rural communities in the Densu River basin, Ghana. The primary objectives of this study were four fold, these are to: i) review the existing regulatory framework and how it promotes or hinders multi-stakeholder relationships within the catchment area; ii) examine multi-stakeholder relationships to identify challenges in promoting effective collaboration in water resources management; iii) explore the impacts of catchment management on the livelihoods of rural communities; and iv) generate a model that best or appropriately conceptualizes relationship mechanisms within the framework of water governance. The study employed a mixed methods approach which included data collected through reviewing regulatory and policy documents, key informant interviews, observation, and a household survey of 327 respondents. The results indicate that provisions are made within the existing institutional and regulatory framework to foster multi-stakeholder inter-relationships in the water resources management in the Densu River basin. The management of the Densu River basin is guided by a number of regulatory mechanisms that are scattered within different institutions. The regulatory mechanisms are seen as the instruments for building and maintaining multi-stakeholder relationships, but some have become a source of conflict among stakeholders, posing threats to water resources management in the Densu basin. The findings show that several issues hinder effective multi-stakeholder inter-relationships in water resources management in the Densu River basin. These issues include colonial legacies embedded within institutions, institutional challenges, and political processes. Despite the adoption of integrated water resources management (IWRM) some institutions still hold on to the old water resources management arrangements instituted during the colonial era, creating challenges for effective institutional collaboration. Additionally, institutional challenges such as limited financial and human resources, corruption, high attrition rate, and lack of integration of projects and programs are also threatening multi-stakeholder inter-relationships. The political processes at the district assemblies that determine representatives on the Densu Basin Board were also identified as posing significant threat to building effective multi-stakeholder inter-relationship for water resources management in the Densu River basin. The findings further indicate that a number of uncoordinated catchment management strategies such as restrictions on farming areas, bans on illegal mining and logging, and others strategies have been instituted in the upper Densu basin to prevent degradation of the river. However, these strategies are having significant socioeconomic impacts on the local communities. A majority of residents are aware and comply with the enforcement of the strategies, but some are quite reluctant to adhere to them because of increasing economic hardships. This situation threatens the successful implementation of the strategies and the overall protection of the river. Other residents, however, have adopted alternative strategies (expanding petty trading, farming improvement, multiple jobs and others) to cope with the increasing economic hardships as a result of the enforcement of the catchment management strategies by the government.

This study identifies informal networks as the most accepted method of sharing information. Enhancing service delivery is shown as being a key trigger of coordination while rigid funding approaches are perceived to be a major inhibitor. Organisational type, position, practice approaches and location are shown to influence people's perception of coordination.

This thesis brings together a series of existing and ongoing pieces of research, conducted over a period of some years. There are five primary aims. The first is to construct a coherent empirical picture of the social organisation of space in rural South Australia by the early 1980s, at the outset of a period of turmoil and rapid change. The second is to bring together two relevant but disparate levels of theory (globalisation/structural change and localism/place attachment), to understand the impact of the rural crisis of 1984-94 on rural communities, families and individuals. The third is to trace the context and development of the crisis itself, the resultant poverty, demographic change, and reduced socio-economic viability of communities. Fourthly, the theoretical and empirical findings are applied to the search for an altered accommodation between society and space, through which a modified and regrouped but still essentially intact rural society can survive beyond the crisis. Finally, I reflect on the methodological contribution and limitations of the thesis, and also on the ethical concerns and values confronting an academic researcher reporting on a local- or micro-level social tragedy, concealed and rationalised by national macro-level success. Chapter 1 deals with fundamental concepts and epistemology. Chapter 2 sketches the evolution of the South Australian rural habitat up to the 1980s. Chapter 3 examines macro-level theory on globalisation in the structuralist and political economy traditions, which seek to explain the forces changing the politico-economic ground rules within which rural communities have to operate. Chapter 4 examines theory relating to the world of the individual person and his/her most immediate social reference groups - family, neighbourhood and community. It presents a model of place-making, and evaluates the contributions of various disciplines towards understanding specific aspects of this process, particularly rural sociology, social and humanistic geography, structuration theory and theory relating to human territoriality. Chapter 5 reveals how individuals and local social groups actually occupied space and developed place-attachment in rural South Australia in the early 1980s. It draws on field studies carried out between 1979 and 1986, and on a 1982-83 postal sample survey of 2000 rural households. Chapter 6 traces the course of a decade of almost continuous rural crisis, from about 1984. It shows how the global economy and political decisions (international, national and State) flowed through to rural people and places. Demographic and economic impacts are examined at State level, with a regional example. Chapters 7 (quantitative) and 8 (qualitative) examine the changes wrought by the crisis on rural society and the social organisation of space. They draw on a 1992/93 replication of the previous postal survey to demonstrate the persistence and continuity of major features of the rural society, but also the fragility of the current spatial organisation. The widespread rural poverty in the early 1990s and its impact on the state of rural morale are demonstrated, along with perceived changes in key community characteristics, and divergence of the economic from the social organisation of rural space. Chapter 9 assesses requirements for a socially sustainable rural Australia, in the light of the last ten years� developments in rural research. It argues the need for the focus of localism to be re-defined upwards from individual community to regional level Finally in Chapter 10, I reflect on the contribution and limitations of the thesis, and on the wider problem of the role academics could, should and do play in relation to the deeply meaningful social transformations we purport to study.

Dominant ‘society centred’ interpretations of social capital in Australia are inadequate to explain the economic fortunes and social prosperity of rural Australian communities. Given the continued contention over interpretations and measurement of social capital, this research sought to assess the relationship between different interpretations of social capital and rural communities’ resilience and prosperity. ¶ Utilising both quantitative and qualitative techniques to establish the relative levels of social capital in two communities of divergent growth, the primary objective was to test the association asserted between levels of social capital and prosperity and resilience in the rural Australian context. ¶ The research findings highlight three notable issues. Surveying social capital with current instruments is only effective in establishing the well being of rural communities which appears related to their resilience, not their ability to prosper. Secondly, the operational frameworks and responsibilities for social capital adopted by governments dictate the manner in, and degree to which they deem bridging and linking networks necessary and appropriate. This significantly affects the role social capital is perceived to play in communities. Lastly, while interpretations of social capital regard it as a normative factor in social life, rather than being comprised of different and dynamic elements affecting communities’ ability to prosper, the concept will remain unable to effectively contribute to the policy domain.

The impact of the market economy is a significant challenge facing Fijian rural communities. It is especially challenging for indigenous rural women who are managing the shift from a subsistence way of living to engagement in money generating activities. The challenge is more acute amongst disadvantaged populations such as women in rural communities who lack the resources and the political power to manage these challenges. The thesis provides a critical ethnographic, action-research study of the daily socioeconomic experiences of a group of Fijian village women, at this time of significant change. It provides and in-depth case study of a rural Fijian village located in the upper reaches of the Sigatoka Valley. The case study focuses on the women�s perspectives about their daily lived experiences and actions that followed from reflection on these, drawing out from these implications for indigenous Fijian women�s social progress and development. Herself, a member of the community, the researcher gathered data by a combination of participant observation, survey, diaries, focus groups and interviews. The researcher�s observations and understandings were fed back to the participants in the form of a workshop with the intention of confirmation and to provide and opportunity for action based on this reflection. It is argued that the success of managing the influence of the market economy on the villagers is to create social and political spaces and opportunities to hear and understand local epistemologies and daily lived experiences, reflexively. As an indigenous scholar, the researcher interrogates and deconstructs her own academic epistemologies and positions as a knowledge broker in order to co-construct new practices with her people. The research promises to make public Fijian village women�s knowledge, values, practices and experiences so that they can be understood by local scholars and local government development officers. Privileging the village women�s knowledge and bringing it to the core is a significant political act that might form the basis of proceeding political encounters that women will face in the development process.