INTRODUÇÃO: Esta tese trata da discussão em torno às perguntas necessárias para compor uma agenda política estratégica da reforma hospitalar brasileira. Buscou-se construir argumentos sobre a relevância de abordar nessas perguntas a grande insuficiência da oferta de leitos hospitalares, como indicador da falta de resposta oportuna em volume e qualidade para materializar a resposta às necessidades da população e garantir os direitos humanos e sociais à saúde, conforme os preceitos constitucionais de 1988. MÉTODOS: O estudo adotou um enfoque desde a perspectiva de política de saúde, o que nos remete ao debate sobre processo e poder, destacando os ciclos de formulação e implementação de políticas, a hierarquização desses debates como de política estratégica (High Politics) ou setorial (Low Politics) e as condições requeridas em termos de atores e espaços de decisão a considerar. Realizou-se a revisão da experiência internacional para identificar as referências do número e perfil de leitos requeridos para atender populações nacionais em seus territórios e também foram resgatados os parâmetros adotados no Brasil desde o Estado Novo. Para a análise da oferta hospitalar entre 2005 e 2014, foram utilizados os dados secundários extraídos do Cadastro Nacional de Estabelecimentos em Saúde - CNES, do Sistema de Informações Ambulatoriais e Hospitalares - SIA / SIH, da Agencia Nacional de Saúde Suplementar - ANS e do Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística - IBGE. RESULTADOS: 1. O número e tipo de leitos necessários e o número, porte, tipo e características sistêmicas dos serviços hospitalares que os abrigariam, são temas que se consideraram relevantes para compor as perguntas para a agenda estratégica em debate. 2. A análise da política do período 2004 a 2014 permite identificar a fragmentação e descontinuidade das ações mesmo obtendo resultados pontuais de melhora, mas afastando-se da promessa estratégica de algumas agendas ensaiadas no período. 3. Ganhou destaque a diminuição continuada do estoque geral de leitos e de leitos para o SUS, alcançando níveis muito inferiores a qualquer parâmetro comparativo de outros sistemas universais de saúde, particularmente quando adotou-se o critério de leitos efetivos para examinar a oferta de leitos e seu desempenho. Na Saúde Suplementar houve aumento de leitos, porém queda no número por mil assegurados dado o crescimento das coberturas hospitalares no período. CONCLUSÕES: A crise persistente de acesso hospitalar constitui razão para construir uma agenda estratégica para a reforma hospitalar brasileira. Ao buscar o caminho para elevar o tema da crise hospitalar a um tratamento de alta política, foram mapeados: o conteúdo de política hospitalar dos planos estaduais de saúde, documentos técnicos estaduais e organogramas de coordenação da atenção hospitalar estadual, examinando-se a possibilidade dos governos estaduais liderarem no processo de regionalização a construção de uma agenda política estratégica estadual e nacional, fortalecendo o diálogo entre os entes federados, incluindo seus próprios prestadores e os prestadores não estatais particularmente os filantrópicos, além de estender o diálogo com o corpo médico e os usuários entendidos como cidadãos sujeitos de direitos. Para alicerçar este caminho possível se apresenta o processo de elaboração participativa de planos diretores de redes e hospitais por estados e suas regiões, como forma de construção de comunidades epistêmicas e suas projeções para a sustentação de uma agenda para a alta política, orientada a alcançar 4 leitos por 1000 habitantes em 20 anos de esforço sustentado / INTRODUCTION: This thesis addresses the debate on the questions that should be part of a strategic political agenda of the Brazilian hospital reform. The purpose is to develop arguments on the relevance that such questions should approach the huge insufficient supply of hospital beds, as an indicator of the lack of timely answer, in number and quality, to materialize people\'s needs, and therefore to guarantee the human and social rights to health, according to the 1988 constitutional principles. METHODS: This study adopts the approach from the health policy perspective, referring us to debates on process and power, and outlining the cycles of policy formulation and implementation, as well as the classification of these debates as strategic policy (High Politics) or sectorial policy (Low Politics), and the required conditions in terms of actors and decision-making spaces. A review of international experience was carried out to identify data on number and types of hospital beds necessary to attend national populations in their territories; moreover a review of the parameters adopted in Brazil since President Vargas\' dictatorship, known as the New State (1937-1945), was also carried out. For the analysis of the hospital supply between 2005 and 2014, we used secondary data drawn from the National Health Facilities Register - CNES, both the Ambulatory and Hospital Information Systems - SIA / SIH, National Regulatory Agency for Private Health Insurance and Plans - ANS, and Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics - IBGE. RESULTS: 1. The topics considered relevant to set the issues for the strategic agenda are: number and type of necessary beds; and number, size, type and systemic characteristics of the hospital services that would provide the beds. 2. The political analysis of the period between 2004 and 2014 allows us to identify fragmentation and discontinuity of actions, limited improvement, and failure to fulfil the strategic promise of some agendas that were tried out during that time frame. 3. The on-going decrease in the total number of national hospital beds and at the Unified Health System (SUS) is outlined, showing much lower levels than any comparative parameter of other universal national health systems, particularly when considering effective beds in the analysis of beds\' supply and its performance. In Private Health, there has been an increase in beds, but also a decrease in the number per 1,000 insureds in view of the increase in the insurance coverings in that period. We refer the persistent crisis of the hospital access as the reason to build a strategic agenda for the Brazilian hospital reform. CONCLUSIONS: In our effort to find a path that could elevate the hospital crisis\' topic to be addressed as a high politics, we delineated the content of hospital policy in Brazilian States\' health plans, technical documents, and organization charts of their hospital care coordination; considering the possibility of States\' governments lead, in the regionalization process, the development of both state and national strategic political agenda; as well as strengthen dialogue among the federated entities and the non-state providers, especially the philanthropic ones; and also extend the dialogue with medical professionals and service users who should be regarded as citizens-subjects endowed with rights. To pave this possible path we indicate the process of participative development of director plans of hospitals networks for the States and their regions, as a mean of developing epistemic communities and their projections to the sustainability of an agenda for high politics aimed to achieve 4 beds for 1,000 inhabitants in 20 years of sustained effort

INTRODUÇÃO: Esta tese trata da discussão em torno às perguntas necessárias para compor uma agenda política estratégica da reforma hospitalar brasileira. Buscou-se construir argumentos sobre a relevância de abordar nessas perguntas a grande insuficiência da oferta de leitos hospitalares, como indicador da falta de resposta oportuna em volume e qualidade para materializar a resposta às necessidades da população e garantir os direitos humanos e sociais à saúde, conforme os preceitos constitucionais de 1988. MÉTODOS: O estudo adotou um enfoque desde a perspectiva de política de saúde, o que nos remete ao debate sobre processo e poder, destacando os ciclos de formulação e implementação de políticas, a hierarquização desses debates como de política estratégica (High Politics) ou setorial (Low Politics) e as condições requeridas em termos de atores e espaços de decisão a considerar. Realizou-se a revisão da experiência internacional para identificar as referências do número e perfil de leitos requeridos para atender populações nacionais em seus territórios e também foram resgatados os parâmetros adotados no Brasil desde o Estado Novo. Para a análise da oferta hospitalar entre 2005 e 2014, foram utilizados os dados secundários extraídos do Cadastro Nacional de Estabelecimentos em Saúde - CNES, do Sistema de Informações Ambulatoriais e Hospitalares - SIA / SIH, da Agencia Nacional de Saúde Suplementar - ANS e do Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística - IBGE. RESULTADOS: 1. O número e tipo de leitos necessários e o número, porte, tipo e características sistêmicas dos serviços hospitalares que os abrigariam, são temas que se consideraram relevantes para compor as perguntas para a agenda estratégica em debate. 2. A análise da política do período 2004 a 2014 permite identificar a fragmentação e descontinuidade das ações mesmo obtendo resultados pontuais de melhora, mas afastando-se da promessa estratégica de algumas agendas ensaiadas no período. 3. Ganhou destaque a diminuição continuada do estoque geral de leitos e de leitos para o SUS, alcançando níveis muito inferiores a qualquer parâmetro comparativo de outros sistemas universais de saúde, particularmente quando adotou-se o critério de leitos efetivos para examinar a oferta de leitos e seu desempenho. Na Saúde Suplementar houve aumento de leitos, porém queda no número por mil assegurados dado o crescimento das coberturas hospitalares no período. CONCLUSÕES: A crise persistente de acesso hospitalar constitui razão para construir uma agenda estratégica para a reforma hospitalar brasileira. Ao buscar o caminho para elevar o tema da crise hospitalar a um tratamento de alta política, foram mapeados: o conteúdo de política hospitalar dos planos estaduais de saúde, documentos técnicos estaduais e organogramas de coordenação da atenção hospitalar estadual, examinando-se a possibilidade dos governos estaduais liderarem no processo de regionalização a construção de uma agenda política estratégica estadual e nacional, fortalecendo o diálogo entre os entes federados, incluindo seus próprios prestadores e os prestadores não estatais particularmente os filantrópicos, além de estender o diálogo com o corpo médico e os usuários entendidos como cidadãos sujeitos de direitos. Para alicerçar este caminho possível se apresenta o processo de elaboração participativa de planos diretores de redes e hospitais por estados e suas regiões, como forma de construção de comunidades epistêmicas e suas projeções para a sustentação de uma agenda para a alta política, orientada a alcançar 4 leitos por 1000 habitantes em 20 anos de esforço sustentado / INTRODUCTION: This thesis addresses the debate on the questions that should be part of a strategic political agenda of the Brazilian hospital reform. The purpose is to develop arguments on the relevance that such questions should approach the huge insufficient supply of hospital beds, as an indicator of the lack of timely answer, in number and quality, to materialize people\'s needs, and therefore to guarantee the human and social rights to health, according to the 1988 constitutional principles. METHODS: This study adopts the approach from the health policy perspective, referring us to debates on process and power, and outlining the cycles of policy formulation and implementation, as well as the classification of these debates as strategic policy (High Politics) or sectorial policy (Low Politics), and the required conditions in terms of actors and decision-making spaces. A review of international experience was carried out to identify data on number and types of hospital beds necessary to attend national populations in their territories; moreover a review of the parameters adopted in Brazil since President Vargas\' dictatorship, known as the New State (1937-1945), was also carried out. For the analysis of the hospital supply between 2005 and 2014, we used secondary data drawn from the National Health Facilities Register - CNES, both the Ambulatory and Hospital Information Systems - SIA / SIH, National Regulatory Agency for Private Health Insurance and Plans - ANS, and Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics - IBGE. RESULTS: 1. The topics considered relevant to set the issues for the strategic agenda are: number and type of necessary beds; and number, size, type and systemic characteristics of the hospital services that would provide the beds. 2. The political analysis of the period between 2004 and 2014 allows us to identify fragmentation and discontinuity of actions, limited improvement, and failure to fulfil the strategic promise of some agendas that were tried out during that time frame. 3. The on-going decrease in the total number of national hospital beds and at the Unified Health System (SUS) is outlined, showing much lower levels than any comparative parameter of other universal national health systems, particularly when considering effective beds in the analysis of beds\' supply and its performance. In Private Health, there has been an increase in beds, but also a decrease in the number per 1,000 insureds in view of the increase in the insurance coverings in that period. We refer the persistent crisis of the hospital access as the reason to build a strategic agenda for the Brazilian hospital reform. CONCLUSIONS: In our effort to find a path that could elevate the hospital crisis\' topic to be addressed as a high politics, we delineated the content of hospital policy in Brazilian States\' health plans, technical documents, and organization charts of their hospital care coordination; considering the possibility of States\' governments lead, in the regionalization process, the development of both state and national strategic political agenda; as well as strengthen dialogue among the federated entities and the non-state providers, especially the philanthropic ones; and also extend the dialogue with medical professionals and service users who should be regarded as citizens-subjects endowed with rights. To pave this possible path we indicate the process of participative development of director plans of hospitals networks for the States and their regions, as a mean of developing epistemic communities and their projections to the sustainability of an agenda for high politics aimed to achieve 4 beds for 1,000 inhabitants in 20 years of sustained effort

This study analyses judicial approaches to sentencing offenders under the age of 18 convicted of serious crimes and their adult counterparts. It traces sentencing patterns, trends and shifts from 1950 to 2009 with reference to key moments. The study seeks to identify factors that determine the choice of sentence. Indeed, competing penal theories appear to be behind judicial decisions. In this regard it is claimed that although it is difficult to identify the extent of factors considered in sentencing decisions, seriousness of crime seems to carry more weight than the prior record and age factor in the selection of a sentence. The study applied both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, using primary or historical and secondary sources of data collection. This involved studying real court cases, the observation of trials and interviews with Wynberg regional court magistrates, Mitchells Plain regional court magistrates and Cape High Court Judges as part of primary-historical data collected. Penal statistics and data gathered included law reports, penological literature was analysed and computerised, and philosophical interpretation of findings was used. The study concludes that sentencing approaches are still marked by inconsistency and vagueness, which require to be improved by ongoing assessment within the courts in pursuit of balanced sentencing that meets various goals. It is pointed out that there are variations between the courts, and among different regional magistrates and judges, which require to be justified in the light of the divergences in crime seriousness and offenders alike. The study claims that sentencing is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon, involving history, law and sociology. It further recommends that persons under the age of 18 convicted of serious crime should be accorded less culpability compared to adults with regard to sentence severity. / Criminology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Penology)

The incidence of cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) is steadily increasing. Most of the patients have thin CMM with a good prognosis and a 5-year survival of about 90%. The prognosis is highly related to tumour thickness and clinical stage at diagnosis. Effective systemic treatment for patients with metastatic disease has only recently been available. This thesis aims to increase knowledge of trends in tumour thickness, prognostic factors, socioeconomic differences and medical costs in patients with CMM. The population-based Swedish melanoma register is the main source of data in all papers in the thesis. Papers I-III include patients from all of Sweden while paper IV is delimited to the County of Östergötland. Cox regression and logistic regression are the main multivariable methods used. Paper IV is focused on stage-specific costs of CMM by comparing direct healthcare costs to a general population. For men, there has been a shift over time towards thinner tumours at diagnosis accompanied by an improved survival. Women are still diagnosed with considerably thinner tumours and they experience a better survival than men. Tumour ulceration, tumour thickness and Clark’s level of invasion all showed significant independent long-term prognostic information in T1 CMMs. By combining these factors, three distinct prognostic subgroups were identified. Lower level of education was associated with reduced CMM-specific survival, which may at least partially be attributed to a more advanced stage at diagnosis. The direct healthcare costs for CMM patients were significantly higher than for the general population, independent of clinical stage. CMM patients diagnosed in clinical stage III-IV were associated with particularly high costs. Even though the survival among Swedish patients with CMM is among the highest in the world and still seems to improve, the results of this thesis emphasise the need of improved early detection strategies. This may be of particular concern in men, older women, and groups with a low level of education. The results also imply that the costs for the management of CMM patients may be reduced if early detection efforts are successful and lead to a more favourable stage distribution. The finding of a better risk stratification of thin CMMs may help to improve the management of this large patient group.

The purpose of this research was to investigate the relationship between Education Acts and learner dropout at public schools within the South-Central education region of Botswana. Policy-related dropout Theories of Social Class and the hidden curriculum of work, as well as the Inclusive Education Policy were selected as suitable framework-settings for investigating the research problem. A comprehensive review of the literature revealed that the strategies used to implement the Basic Education Act, the Examinations Act, and Policies on Inclusive Education in Botswana diverge from their set stipulations and the current international trends in this regard. The research design used was a mixed-methods approach. Mixed paradigms of the positivists’ and the constructivists’ beliefs were used to conduct a concurrent empirical investigation. The reliability coefficient of the questionnaire instrument (non-demographic variables 1-26) was .985 (close to 1). All the measuring tools were pilot-tested. The sampling technique was stratified for the questionnaire, and was comprehensive for the qualitative instruments. Ethical issues were observed during the course of the study. The scores on the questionnaire showed that 68% of the 75 teacher respondents perceived that the improper implementation of the above-named Acts contributed to learner drop-out. The content analysis transcripts further indicated that 66% of the 28 interviewees linked learner drop-out to the improper implementation of the Acts. Additionally, 84% of the Biology teachers linked the teaching strategies being used to policy decisions. The interpretation of this study has to take note of the limitation discussed in the report. The conclusion drawn from the foregoing research findings is that the teaching-learning process in the public schools is defective in relation to its relevance to the learners, and the education goal. The study therefore recommended dropout tracking strategies by means of a greater synchrony between all the departments of the Ministry of Education Skills and Development (MOESD) as well as further comprehensive research to improve education practice towards curbing learner dropout. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Comparative Education)

Growing municipal waste mismanagement and associated environmental impacts is an enormous environmental concern in developing countries such as South Africa. Hence, this study explored current waste management and minimisation patterns and practices in the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (EMM), located east of the Gauteng province. The study was undertaken using a mixed method design, particularly the concurrent triangulated design where the quantitative and qualitative data were collected at the same time. The methods employed were desktop surveys, interviews with the participants and use of questionnaires which were designed based on the objectives of the study. The questionnaires were designed for different types of participants (namely, households, informal reclaimers, municipal officials and landfill officials). All the data collected were stored in Microsoft Excel (2010) spread sheet for statistical analyses. The study has revealed some patterns, practices as well as trends regarding waste management and minimisation within the EMM municipality. At household level, there was some environmental awareness on waste management practices provided by the municipality as well as local recycling options although there are numerous challenges to be resolved before these functions can become effective. With informal recycling, a number of waste materials are being reclaimed at various landfill sites. However, current informal waste picking activities by the so-called scavengers are not sustainable as waste is not separated prior to disposal at various point sources. In addition, informal reclaimers have to travel long distances to reach waste sources. Another concerning constraint hampering the effectiveness of informal waste recovery, has to do with their daily exposure to several environmental and health risks. Furthermore, the study has found out that the EMM is predominantly focused on providing better waste management services rather than balancing this activity with waste minimisation through reclaiming and recycling operations. Thus, the municipality lacks adequate infrastructure to undertake waste minimisation effectively. Also, waste minimisation and awareness campaigns were found to be inadequate and at an infant stage, unlike those carried out by private companies. In view of these findings, a number of recommendations have been made. / Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Environmental Science)

Rapporten behandlar ett examensarbete för högskoleingenjörsprogrammet inom innovationsteknik och design, utfört av Rebecca Magyar. Uppdragsgivare för projektet var Home Structures Sweden AB och arbetet riktade sig till det egna varumärket Irislights med Peter Nordin som handledare på företaget.   Irislights är en produkt som består av en LED-slinga för inomhusbruk. Produkten är tänkt att vara kreativ för kunden färg- och formmässigt vilket låter kunderna själva kombinera handgjorda bomullsbollar som fästs kring en diod på slingan. Projektets huvudsakliga uppgift var att generera en lösning för fästning av befintlig produkt med avseende på kundernas behov i att hänga upp slingan. Den valda lösningen ska ge kunden utrymme för att utnyttja sin egen kreativitet.   Arbetet utgick ifrån designprocessen där en förstudie var inledande fas för arbetets uppbyggnad. Förstudien innefattade en kartläggning av kommande trender inom inrednings- och belysningsbranschen, undersökning av kundernas behov och reflekterande arbete kring framtidens inredningsuttryck. Undersökning av teknik ingick även i förstudien för att få mer information kring befintlig produkt samt krav denna kom att ställa på det framtagna koncept som rapporten berör. Eftersom nuvarande produkt och den framtagna upphängningskonstruktionen ska samverka med varandra kommer uppställda krav vara av betydelse för utformningen. Ifrån detta skapades idéer som sedan genererades fram till slutgiltigt produkt förslag.   Den valda utformningen presenteras genom skisser, CAD-konstruktion, ritningar samt en skalenlig prototyp. Ett materialval gjordes även på produkten i materialvals programmet CES EduPack för att ge förslag på ett miljövänligt alternativ sett till framställning av materialet vid preliminär produktion. / This report describes a Bachelor Theisis of Science in Innovation and Design, conducted by Rebecca Magyar. The project was carried out for Home Structures Sweden AB directed to their own brand Irislights with Peter Nordin as task manager.   The existing product Irislights consists of one product, a LED trail for indoor use. The product is supposed to be creative in terms of color and pattern and let the customers combine and create a personalized light trail. The project's main task was to generate a fastening function for the existing product with consideration to customer needs. Also develop the chosen soulution with oppurtunity to provide the customer oppurtunity to us their own creativity.   The implementation of the work was based on a survey of future trends in interior design and in the lightning industry, also by analysing customer needs. Requirements was developed after creating understanding about the existing technology in Irislights which affected the chosen concept so it could be practicable in reality. Based on a feasibility study ideas was created which generated a final product suggestion. The chosen concept was presented through sketches, a modell in 3D-CAD , CAD-drawings and a full-scale prototype. The selection of material was also made in the program CES EduPack to give suggestions on an environmentally friendly alternative in terms of energy consumption in the primary production of a material.

Thesis (DTh (Practical Theology and Missiology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of our study was not merely to recount the ethical problems of the Korean Protestant Church and its members, but to suggest a new ethical preaching mode for resolving these problems. Thus, in order to research the subject of our study, we used two methodologies: Dingemans’s practical theological methodology and the Heidelberg method of sermon analysis. In chapter one, we stated the question why the Korean Protestant Church’s growth is declining, and described the current social situation in which the Korean people are starting to turn their backs on the Korean Protestant Church, and also mistrusting the morality of this Church as its members do not seem to act in accordance with their stated beliefs. Their ethical behaviour does not correspond with the content of their confession. In order to show exactly the practical and problematic phenomenon of the Korean Protestant Church and its members, we used the results of six surveys conducted recently by several institutes. Furthermore, in order to expose exactly the Korean Protestant Christian’s ethical problems in terms of homiletics, we suggested that our study focuses on the following three issues: political, triumphal and narrative, as these three sermon patterns flow like rivers into the Korean Protestant Church and its American theological connection. By doing so, our study hoped to contribute ultimately towards the rediscovery and revalidation of ethical preaching in contemporary Korea. From chapter two to chapter seven, we thus strived to explain the content of, and relationship between, the three preaching modes as described above (political, triumphal, and experiential), and we analysed the sermons of three representative Korean Protestant preachers in detail, by using the framework of the Heidelberg method. In chapter eight, we evaluated the ethical situation of the Korean Protestant Church and its members in contemporary Korea as follows: “Consequently, in contemporary Korea, the Koreans no longer believe and trust the Korean Protestant Church. Thus, since the 1990s, the present Korean Protestant Church is experiencing a decline in the attendance of its members because the present Korean Protestant Church has lost its dignity due to its ethical problems. In our opinion, it is true that the Korean Protestant Church needs to discover Christian ethics; thus, the Church must especially focus on its lack of social ethics and political responsibility in the Reformed theological views. In order to promote the public’s trust in the Korean Protestant Church and its members, it is inevitable that Korean Protestant ministers must focus more on Christian ethics than on the outward development of the Church in contemporary Korea. Thus, in order to establish Christian ethics in Korea, the Korean Protestant preachers must consider ethical preaching, through which naturally, Christians will try to follow Jesus’ life and teachings before God by faith in the world.” In chapter nine, we explained in detail what ethical preaching is, i.e. we introduced the necessity for ethical preaching, and defined it as well as components thereof. In particular, we emphasized that the world’s position and function are unique, as evil controls the world in terms of ethical preaching because human beings have been captured by the multiplicity of the powers or related them to contemporary social realities, and they cannot but produce Christian ethical problems in the world. Furthermore, we suggested the following: “We obviously need the harmony of Campbell and Long’s homiletical views in order to create the best framework for ethical preaching for contemporary Korea.” In chapter ten, we critically compared and reflected on the homiletical views of Campbell and Long in terms of ethical preaching. Furthermore, we created a new ethical preaching mode for contemporary Korea. In chapter eleven, we introduced some suggestions as regards the way ethical preaching could be done in contemporary Korea, i.e. we strived to compose a sermon’s synopsis of ethical preaching with the newly formed framework. Thus, with Luke 8:22-39, we dealt with “the division of Korea into North and South” and, with Luke 10:25-37, “racial prejudice toward coloured foreign workers” by using the newly formed ethical preaching mode. In chapter twelve, we summarized and concluded our dissertation. As regards the homiletical field of Korea, we introduced four benefits our study can offer. On the other hand, we pointed out the shortcomings of our study as follows: “Jesus Christ and ethical issues from the Old Testament” and “the relationship between our ethical preaching mode and Christian worship, especially liturgy.” In this chapter, thus, we emphasized the abovementioned points as suggestions for future research. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van ons studie was nie ʼn blote weergee van die etiese probleme van die Koreaanse Protestantse Kerk en sy lidmate nie, maar om ʼn nuwe metode van etiese prediking ter oplossing van hierdie probleme voor te stel. Gevolglik het ons, ten einde navorsing oor ons onderwerp te doen, twee metodologiee aangewend: Dingemans se prakties-teologiese metodologie en die Heidelbergse metode van prediking analise. In hoofstuk 1 het ons die vraag gestel waarom daar ʼn afname was in die groei van die Koreaanse Protestantse Kerk en die huidige sosiale situasie waarin die Koreaanse bevolking die Koreaanse Protestantse Kerk die rug keer en ook die moraliteit van die kerk aangesien sy lidmate nie handel volgens hul verklaarde oortuigings nie beskryf. Hul etiese gedrag stem nie ooreen met die inhoud van hul belydenis nie. Ten einde die praktiese en problematiese verskynsel van die Koreaanse Protestantse Kerk en sy lidmate juis te beklemtoon, het ons die resultate van ses opnames wat onlangs deur verskeie institute gedoen is gebruik. Verder, om die etiese probleme van die Koreaanse Protestantse Christen in terme van homilitiek noukeurig bloot te le, het ons voorgestel dat ons studie op die volgende drie aspekte fokus: politiese, triomferende en narratiewe aangesien hierdie drie erediens patrone soos riviere in die Koreaanse Protestantse Kerk en sy Amerikaanse teologiese verbintenis vloei. Sodoende hoop ons studie om uiteindelik ʼn bydrae te lewer tot die herontdekking en herbekragtiging van etiese prediking in hedendaagse Korea. Vanaf hoofstuk twee tot hoofstuk sewe het ons dus daarna gestreef om die inhoud van en die verhouding tussen die drie metodes van prediking, soos hierbo beskryf (politiese, triomferende en narratiewe), te verduidelik en het ons deur middel van die Heidelbergse metode die preke van drie verteenwoordigende Koreaanse Protestantse predikers breedvoerig geanaliseer. In hoofstuk ag (t) het ons die etiese situasie van die Koreaanse Protestantse Kerk en sy lidmate soos volg geevalueer: “Gevolglik glo en vertrou die Koreane in hedendaagse Korea nie meer die Koreaanse Protestantse Kerk nie. Dus, sedert die 1990’s beleef die huidige Koreaanse Protestantse Kerk ʼn afname in die bywoning van sy lidmate omdat die Koreaanse Protestantse Kerk sy waardigheid verloor het as gevolg van sy etiese probleme. Volgens ons is dit waar dat die Koreaanse Protestantse Kerk Christelike etiek moet ontdek; dus, die Kerk moet spesifiek fokus op sy gebrek aan sosiale etiek en politieke verantwoordelikheid in die gereformeerde teologiese gesigspunte. Ten einde die publiek se vertroue in die Koreaanse Protestantse Kerk en sy lidmate te bevorder, is dit onvermydelik dat die predikante van die Koreaanse Protestantse Kerk meer moet fokus op Christelike etiek as op die uiterlike ontwikkeling van die kerk in hedendaagse Korea. Dus moet Koreaanse Protestantse predikers etiese prediking, waardeur Christene in die wereld sal probeer om Jesus se lewe en onderwysings voor God deur geloof te volg, oorweeg ten einde Christelike etiek in Korea te vestig.” In hoofstuk nege het ons breedvoerig verduidelik wat etiese prediking behels, d.w.s. ons het die noodsaaklikheid van etiese prediking ingelei en dit tesame met die komponente daarvan gedefinieer. Ons het in besonder die uniekheid van die wereld se posisie en funksie beklemtoon aangesien boosheid die wereld in terme van etiese prediking beheer omdat mense gevange geneem is deur die veelvoudige magte of eietydse, met hul verbonde sosiale werklikhede en hulle nie anders kan as om Christelike etiese probleme in die wereld voort te bring nie. Verder het ons die volgende voorgestel: “Ons het duidelik die harmonie van Campbell en Long se homiletiese standpunte nodig ten einde die beste raamwerk vir etiese prediking vir hedendaagse Korea te skep.” In hoofstuk tien het ons die kritiese vergelyking getref tussen en gereflekteer op die homiletiese uitgangspunte van Campbell en Long in terme van etiese prediking. Voorts het ons ʼn nuwe metode van etiese prediking vir hedendaagse Korea ontwikkel. In hoofstuk elf het ons sekere voorstelle betreffende die manier waarop etiese prediking in hedendaagse Korea gedoen sou kon word aangebied, d.w.s. ons het daarna gestrewe om ʼn prediking se oorsig van etiese prediking met ʼn nuutgevormde raamwerk saam te stel. Dus, met Lukas 8:22-39 het ons gefokus op “die verdeling van Korea in Noord en Suid” en met Lukas 10:25-37, “rassistiese vooroordeel teenoor gekleurde buitelandse arbeiders” deur van die nuutgevormde metode van etiese prediking gebruik te maak. In hoofstuk twaalf het ons die dissertasie saamgevat en afgesluit. Ons het, betrekking tot die homiletiese landskap in Korea, vier voordele wat ons studie kan bied voorgestel. Enersyds het ons sekere tekortkominge van ons studie soos volg uitgewys: “Jesus Christus en die etiese kwessies van die Ou Testament” en “die verhouding tussen ons etiese predikingswyse en Christelike aanbidding, veral liturgie”. In hierdie hoofstuk het ons dus die bogenoemde punte as voorstelle vir toekomstige navorsing voorgestel.

The changing world of work that we live in is characterised by forming part of globalisation and virtualness. The previous era managers focused on how to make money and how this money can work for them. The changing world of work is characterised by global competitiveness in delivering quality products quicker and cheaper. Globalisation presents continuous advancements in technology, which requires a new mindset. These technological advancements have a profound effect on culture, training and management of staff. This brings about change in flexible working arrangements and the traditional office made space within certain organisations for virtual offices. The move towards virtualness causes companies to work more closely with their customers to be able to coordinate rapid changes in products (Schuh, Millarg & Gorannson, 1998; Weissenfeld, Fisscher, Pearson & Brockhoff, 200 1). The financial institution referred to in this study was also driven by globalisation and technological advancements to re-engineer the current way in which they do business. It became evidently clear that there was a need for a shift towards virtualness, which called for the identifying of relevant competencies; needed by employees for working in a virtual environment. These competencies will enable the organisation to select the right employees and provide them with information that could be utilised in training the current virtual employees according to the competencies identified. The objectives of this research were firstly to conduct a job analysis to determine the important competencies needed by virtual workers, in a specific job at a financial institution in South Africa. Secondly to compare the current competencies of the virtual workers (who took part in the research) with the competencies identified by the job analysis to be important for this specific job. Thirdly to determine the skills required for virtual workers and compare these skills with the skills ranked by the current virtual workers to be important. Fourthly to identify how these virtual workers experienced the effect of virtualness on their performance. Lastly to make recommendations regarding future training and selection purposes. A survey design (cross-sectional) was used to determine competencies needed by virtual workers for a specific job at a financial institution in South Africa. The study population consisted of (N= 71) employees in a virtual job at a financial institution in South Africa. The Work Profile Systems (WPS), Occupational Personality Questionnaire (OPQ), Performance Assessment Questionnaire (PAQ) and a Skills Audit (SA) were administered. Results of the research indicated that 44% of the study population exhibits the competencies needed by virtual workers as indicated by the Inventory of Management Competencies (IMC) Profile of the WPS. The results of the Performance Assessment Questionnaire (PAQ) indicated that the current virtual workers experienced the greatest impact of virtualness on improving the attainment of personal goals, as well as improving the achievement of organisational goals. The results from the Skills Audit (SA) identified skills that were essential for virtual workers in a specific job within a virtual environment, according to the feedback received from the current virtual workers. They compared favourably with the skills identified by literature as being important. Recommendations to the organisation and for future research have been made and limitations were also discussed. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2005.

The social and economic experiences of older people in Scotland over the past two centuries provides a particularised lens through which larger themes of change and adaptation may be analysed. Older age cohorts are examined as specific identity groups within the context of a society in rapid transformation. The years c. 1845-1999 represent a period of time in which almost every sector was affected by industrialisation, urbanisation, migration, economic developments, technological and medical progress, and social reform. In combination with historical interpretations, modern sociological theory concerning the aged as a distinct social grouping provides the basis for further inquiry. Concepts such as status, social capital, interdependency, paternalism and citizenship have been of major importance in structuring this research. By means of demographic analysis, readings of written biographical documentation, and the incorporation of over fifty oral histories conducted in Dundee and Edinburgh, the role of the family in older people’s lives has been explored. Nineteenth and twentieth-century population trends have been incorporated as an area for detailed investigation of long-term familial practices. An understanding of the older person’s role in the family over time suggests a formalised socio-economic stability based upon kinship ties, gender roles, and economic and social reciprocity. Stage theory allows for examination of the economics of ageing, particularly in regard to employed and retired older people. Original research covering older people’s experiences of work in Dundee and Edinburgh provides qualitative and quantitative data on paternalistic policies in the brewing and jute industries, promotion and retirement practices, and economic status among the working elderly. The experience of being retired has been evaluated in terms of economic independence, social capital, class and gender. Analyses of the experience of retirement in the post-war era are bound with the rise of the modern welfare state. Significant government commissions and acts provide scope and sequence in an analysis of the role of the state in old age. Principally, the New Poor Law of 1845 (Scotland), the Pension Acts of 1908 and 1925, the National Insurance Act of 1946, as well as the social welfare acts of 1948 have been studied. Particular focus on the influence of the Social Work Act 1968 (Scotland) complements an overarching argument concerning Scotland’s unique practices in the modern welfare state. Emphasis is on care in the community, using statutory and voluntary services provided at the local level as case studies. Interpretations of older people in terms of their various roles in the welfare state, their communities and places of work, and within their families indicate that throughout the period, older populations have distinctively adapted to the long-term effects of modernisation in Scottish society.