Suicide is a complex phenomenon that occurs on a continuum with thoughts of suicide, plans and attempts that can eventually result in death. Suicide is one of the top ten reasons for death in most countries. Governments are challenging healthcare systems to reduce suicide through preventative healthcare. The first paper explores psychological interventions for people with suicidal thoughts and behaviours delivered through technology. It explores the evidence-base for internet-based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, telephone based interventions, CD-ROMs and other Internet-based therapies. Nineteen papers were identified with four papers of good quality evidence supporting Internet-based cognitive behavioural interventions. The second paper is a feasibility and acceptability study which explores a diary and intervention delivered through a mobile phone. Twenty participants were recruited through adult secondary care community mental health teams in the North West of England. High completion rates and low dropout rates were found. Participants rated the technology and interventions high in terms of practicality, ease of use and overall satisfaction with the programme and reported that it was moderately helpful. Preliminary data on effectiveness suggests reactivity to the method in the short term but a reduction in symptoms overall. These results and ESM methodology must be treated with caution for people with suicidal thoughts due to the increase in symptoms found following the intervention. The third paper offers a critical reflection on the first and second papers.

Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

India's electricity system is faced with the challenges of meeting the growing demand for electricity, managing recurring shortages in supply and addressing concerns of global warming. India is adopting a two-pronged approach to address these challenges – (i) making huge investments in new technologies, and (ii) enacting new policies to promote low carbon initiatives. Together, they are believed to help in achieving energy security as well as mitigation of global warming. Such low carbon initiatives can alter the traditional electricity planning and provide with a wide set of supply options to achieve a transition in to a low carbon electricity planning (LCEP). At the outset, one has to explore the supply options for an optimal supply-demand matching of electricity. While finding out various alternatives to meet the demand on a continuous basis using existing supply, non-supply and future supply options, the technology challenges of low carbon options, renewable energy policies and emissions policies need to be studied in detail from the perspective of a developing country keeping India as a focus. The effectiveness of renewable energy and emissions policy interventions such as Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO), Renewable Energy Certificate (REC), Renewable Energy Certificate Excess (RECX), Emission Tax and Emission Cap-and-Trade and emission policies need to be assessed. Based on the analysis of the literature review, it appears that there is no mathematical model for optimally matching the supply with electricity demand simultaneously considering all the complexities for LCEP discussed in this study. The overall objective of the research is to develop, validate and apply a set of mathematical models to address a complex research problem of "LCEP of existing supply, non-supply and future supply options in the presence of technology and policy interventions to achieve a least-cost, low carbon and sustainable electricity system". This complex research problem is decomposed into five independent LCEP problems based on real-life situations. For each of these five LCEP problems, a mathematical model is proposed. For generating the five proposed mathematical models for any given data, LINGO Set Codes have been developed. In order to validate the proposed mathematical models, data was collected from the Karnataka state electricity system. For the collected data, the proposed mathematical models are generated using the LINGO Set Codes and solved using LINGO. From the optimal solutions, insights are drawn on the impact and effectiveness of low carbon interventions on the present electricity system which is in a transition towards a low carbon electricity system. It is our belief that the proposed mathematical models can act as a basis for introducing any new low carbon interventions such as energy efficiency certificates, auction based tariff mechanisms for renewable energy pricing, and other new REC interventions in the future scope.