Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Economic development – Europe, Western'
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KISER, EDGAR VANCE. "KINGS AND CLASSES: CROWN AUTONOMY, STATE POLICIES, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN WESTERN EUROPEAN ABSOLUTISMS (ENGLAND, FRANCE, SWEDEN, SPAIN)." Diss., The University of Arizona, 1987. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/184073.
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This dissertation explores the role of Absolutist states in the transition from feudalism to capitalism in Western Europe. Three general questions are addressed: (1) what are the determinants of variations in the autonomy of rulers? (2) what are the consequences of variations in autonomy for states policies? and (3) what are the effects of various state policies on economic development? A new theoretical framework, based on a synthesis of the neoclassical economic literature on principal-agent relations and current organizational theory in sociology, is developed to answer these three questions. Case studies of Absolutism in England, France, Sweden, and Spain are used to illustrate the explanatory power of the theory.
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Beckfield, Jason. "The consequences of regional political and economic integration for inequality and the welfare state in Western Europe." [Bloomington, Ind.] : Indiana University, 2005. http://wwwlib.umi.com/dissertations/fullcit/3183488.
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Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, Dept. of Sociology, 2005.Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 66-08, Section: A, page: 3111. Adviser: Arthur S. Alderson. Title from dissertation home page (viewed Oct. 5, 2006).
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Missfeldt, Fanny. "Strategic aspects of nuclear safety in Eastern and Western Europe." Thesis, University of Stirling, 1998. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.297778.
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AAGAARD, Anders Juhl. "Family formation and stability in western welfare states since 1960 : the influence of family and housing policy." Doctoral thesis, European University Institute, 2020. https://hdl.handle.net/1814/68455.
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Defence Date: 29 September 2020 (Online)Examining Board: Prof. Dr. Hans-Peter Blossfeld, (EUI); Prof. Dr. Anton Hemerijck, (EUI); Prof. Dr. Melinda Mills, (University of Oxford); Prof. Dr. Jon Kvist, (Roskilde University)
This thesis explains differences in changes to family formation and stability in France, Norway, the FRG and the GDR based changes to family- and housing policy. Focus is on developments from the 1960s to the early 2000s. Previous research has focused on more recent developments from the 1980s onwards. A new conceptualization of family policy is introduced that enables a distinction between policy that alleviate the care giving role of mothers (de-familialization) and policies that intervene more directly in the caring responsibility within the family, aiming for a more equal share of childcare between women and men (de-genderization). Findings show that higher educated women are more likely of entry into marriage, when family policy provides more de-familalization (France, GDR) or de-genderization (Norway). But higher educated women are less likely of entry into marriage in the FRG where family policy remained conservative, forcing these women to choose between family and career. In the FRG where family policy remained conservative, with low support for female employment, married women with low levels of education became more likely of entry into divorce. A difference between women with different educational levels is not observed where family policy has included more de-familialziaiton and de-genderization. Findings for changes to housing policy are less convincing. Soft deregulation of rent control and tenure security has a positive effect on entry into consensual union in all countries, making a two person income household better equipped to cover the cost of rent increases that this change introduced. But results for the influence of support for home-ownership show little effect on entry into a marriage and divorce in all four countries. This may be because the full effect has not manifested itself yet. Extending the time period of analysis may provide more insights on the influence of these changes.
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Limonta, Marina <1993>. "REGIONAL DIVERGENCES IN WESTERN EUROPE. SKILL CONVERGENCE AND REGIONAL RESPONSES TO SOCIO-ECONOMIC CHANGE." Master's Degree Thesis, Università Ca' Foscari Venezia, 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/10579/15300.
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The first section of the thesis provides a sequence of theories and models by regional economics come over the last fifty years. Locational theory, regional growth and local development theories, give us understanding to the role of “space”, that is included as an economic resource of the “territory” in which firms are situated and generate advantages. By the patent distribution analysis, it is evident that agglomeration economies are leading city regions through an exponential growth due to positive externalities, and it is causing an opposite direction for the less favoured regions which carried problems such as missing knowledge, income inequalities, less incentives to growth and networking. Evidences agreed that inequality among European Union’s regions has turned considerably up at the early 2000, after having fallen in the 1990s from the previously high-level period. The less favoured regions, such as small and medium-sized manufacturing cities and regions, have suffered employment and income. On the other hand, the more favoured regions, large metropolitan areas, are now up to the positive wave of good income and employment. Since the 2000s, complex technology has an important role in urban agglomeration, but does not take the place of some (tacit) knowledge embodied in social network. This concept explains the role of human capital, which due to complex economic and consequently growth economic. The second part of the thesis provides an empirical analysis concerning the differential evolution of skills migration by unit of metropolitan statistical area (MSA), which is ranked by high-skill workers over low-skill workers, in the period of time 2000-2010. The empirical study is inspired by a different in differences analysis by Giannone (2017). The analysis shows that both the relative price and supply of skill increased since 1980, suggesting an increase in relative demand for educated workers. The literature named Skill-Biased Technical Change (SBTC) this shift in demand, and researchers explain how SBTC led to rise in earning inequalities. These tendencies of development in favours geographical concentration of the best jobs and high skills, have confirmed the divergence through EU regions. On one side, metropolitan regions are the fundamental motors of European’s overall prosper. By the other side, periphery regions are on their way of declining prosperity and lack of real opportunity, which is not only economically inefficient, but also socially and politically dangerous. The third section of the thesis look at the “Great Divergence” (Moretti, 2012) in a way to observe the agglomeration and SBTC effects which leads to a spatial wage convergence decreased. Many cities and regions across Europe’s economic peripheries have been stuck in a low- development trap. As few researchers questioned, does it mean that policy should react and focus on equity instead of agglomeration? According to Rodríguez-Pose (2017), weak institutions and poor-quality government are crucial obstacle to development. Instead, the capability to generate prosperity and maximizing the territorial potential to generate and share positive externalities, is an attitude which differs trough regions and, even more, countries. Place-sensitive distributed development policies (PSDDP) refer to an innovative development policy approach which remain sensitive to the characteristics, features and conditions of every territory. Different development regions require different policy approaches.The study case takes into observation Italy, with focus on North/South regions behaviour, and Germany in a wide sense and with refer to later developed German Democratic Republic regions.To better understand the migration of high skill since their initial skill ratio, it is investigated which role institutions have in the process, especially in education system, with a focus on Italian central unit system and German autonomous regional system.
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Connolly, Richard M. "Economic structure and social order development in Post-Socialist Europe." Thesis, University of Birmingham, 2010. http://etheses.bham.ac.uk//id/eprint/1065/.
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This study examines the role of economic structure in explaining the different trajectories of social order development across the post-socialist region. Social orders are shown to differ according to the extent to which competitive tendencies contained within them – economic, political, social and cultural – are resolved according to open, rule-based processes. Social orders are also assumed to exhibit a ‘double balance’ between political and economic systems in which political systems will tend to reflect the prevailing economic system within a society. The focus of this dissertation is placed on tracing which economic conditions facilitate increased levels of political competition. Principally, it will test the hypothesis that the nature of a country’s ties with the international economy, and the level of competition within a country’s economic system, will shape the nature of political competition within that society. After several decades of relative ‘bloc autarky’, the ongoing process of reintegration across the post-socialist region has resulted in varying patterns of interaction with the international economy. This study will focus primarily on the links with the international economy that are formed through export sectors.
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Hart, Sally. "The pattern-welded sword as an indicator of socio-economic change in western Europe : AD200-1000 /." Title page, contents and introduction only, 1999. http://web4.library.adelaide.edu.au/theses/09AR/09arh3261.pdf.
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Unsal, Hizir Tenguz. "A comparison of the consumer product development process between Turkey and Western Europe." Thesis, Northumbria University, 2000. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.325764.
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Pugh, Michael C. "Limited Sovereignty and Economic Security: Survival in Southeast Europe." University of Bradford, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10454/4190.
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yesThis paper focuses on why shared sovereignty in general has been problematic and why the political economy of liberal peace has had limited impacts on poverty and the role of crime in Southeast Europe. The analysis begins with shared sovereignty and its relevance to economic development. The paper then outlines the discouraging economic situation evidenced by documentation and fieldwork. I then ask the question `how do people cope?¿, and try to answer this with reference to the labour market and the non-observable economy. The argument is that economy of survival has been both a negotiation with, and resistance to, economic policies introduced from outside. Finally, the paper contemplates political economy approaches that emphasise production and employment creation.
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Johnson, Kevin. "Subnational economic development in federal systems : the case of Western Australia." University of Western Australia. School of Earth and Geographical Sciences, 2006. http://theses.library.uwa.edu.au/adt-WU2007.0014.
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[Truncated abstract] The objectives of this study are threefold: Firstly, to consider the relevance (to subnational state development) and adaptability (to globalisation) of federalism from a Western Australian perspective. Secondly, to consider the way in which various State Governments in Western Australia have implemented economic development policies to benefit from the global political economy. Finally, it proposes alternative mechanisms for guiding long-term economic development policy decision-making in Western Australia. This final objective is addressed in light of the findings of the first two. It is recognised that incremental changes are possible in full knowledge of the embedded nature of the policy-making process in Western Australia . . . In the case of Western Australia, subnational autonomy does not herald the end of the nationstate so much as a new stage in globalisation. In terms of how the Western Australian State Government attracts capital and labour investment, its history as an independent colony and its physical isolation from the other colonies have created the initial conditions that frame the policy-making process, which includes a set of drivers influencing the decisions that are made by State agents. Overall, the State Government continues to reinforce the State’s role as a peripheral resource supplier to the national and global political economy. Within this context, however, alternative strategies can be proposed that may contribute to the long-term sustainable development of the State’s economy.
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Fallon, Grahame R. "A model of foreign direct investment location, its causes and economic outcomes in Western and Eastern Europe." Thesis, University of Northampton, 2010. http://nectar.northampton.ac.uk/4960/.
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Morgans, Helen Sarah. "Early to middle Jurassic stratigraphic development, vegetation and climate change in north-western Europe." Thesis, University of Oxford, 1997. http://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:4b5cae3c-7562-45b9-b2a2-543b2649b24f.
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The aim of work presented in this thesis was to explore the inter-relationships of cyclic sedimentation, relative sea-level change, and palaeoclimate as inferred from plant megafossils. To this end, the investigation focused on the classic plant-bearing Middle Jurassic succession of Yorkshire. The Middle Jurassic (Aalenian-Bathonian) Ravenscar Group of the Cleveland Basin (Yorkshire) comprises a predominantly fluvio-deltaic succession intercalated between thinner, laterally persistent marine units. There is a pronounced lateral facies change across the basin, from mainly alluvial sediments in the north to more marine deposits in the south. Although variable in character, the facies composing the sequence are described by four principal environments of deposition: alluvial, estuarine, lagoonal and marine. In an attempt to achieve a more accurate stratigraphic control on the succession, sequence-stratigraphic concepts are applied to outcrop exposures and subsurface cores. The identification of 'key surfaces' in the sequence resolves a series of lithological cycles which reflect relative sea-level fluctuations. Using this approach the Aalenian-Bathonian sequence can be subdivided into two large-scale (second-order) transgressive-regressive cycles onto which six medium-scale (thirdorder) cycles of transgression and regression are superimposed. The potential for correlating these lithological cycles regionally has been assessed by comparing coeval sections from southern Scandinavia. Plant-bearing fluvio-deltaic sequences from Bornholm and Scania were chosen as a means for appraising the lateral continuity of the cycles, and assessing what factors might have controlled their development. Study of floral remains from the Ravenscar Group within the context of this stratigraphic framework yields valuable palaeoclimatic information. Growth-ring analysis of fossil wood of Late Pliensbachian to Late Bathonian age indicates a distinctly seasonal climate with low to moderate interseasonal variation in tree growth. Significant intraseasonal influences on wood production are implicit in the abundance of false rings. Consideration of these results within a stratigraphic context suggests that conditions during the Bathonian were comparatively hostile: a finding which is interpreted to be due to more frequent and extended water shortages associated with a drier climate. These palaeoclimatic inferences are substantiated by evidence obtained from the examination of the flora using Correspondence Analysis (CA). This approach verifies the presence of a temporal fluctuation in the flora found by previous investigations and, furthermore, highlights physiognomic trends in the flora with time. The results from CA also indicate adverse growing conditions during the Bathonian, emphasized by the prevalence of xeromorphic taxa.
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Gibb, Matthew William. "Local development : a response to economic challenges in Noordhoek Valley, Cape Town." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007848.
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De-industrialisation and rising unemployment amongst the world's developed countries' manual labourers as well as continued economic stagnation in developing countries has resulted in many localities experiencing mounting economic hardships and uncertain futures. As a direct result, the time has come that localities are being called upon to take charge of their own futures using local resources for local solutions. Local development has appeared in various guises in different countries. Many agents in the developed North favour pro-business interventions that emphasise enterprise development, responsible local government, and investment in skills training. Stakeholders in developing nations however tend to favour bottom-up approaches focusing on participation in self-reliant activities, providing basic needs, and facilitating micro-enterprises. In addition to the actual nature of applied interventions, qualities such as commitment, innovation, co-operation, social capital and entrepreneurship are equally essential for over-all success. South Africa has recently devolved more autonomy to its localities to enable them to conduct local development as a way of coping with local socio-economic difficulties and is applying both pro-growth and pro-poor approaches. The Noordhoek Valley in the City of Cape Town is a locality where a community driven project seeks to promote both economic growth and poverty alleviation. The establishment of a skills training institution has equipped local residents with the skills to find jobs and become entrepreneurs. To date, over 1000 residents have received training and have earned over R5 million for the community. Although locality-based development is relatively new in South Africa, the activities and results achieved in the Noordhoek Valley indicate that with the appropriate approach and mentality local development and skills development are indeed possible.
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Alvarez, Francisco. "Essays on growth under alternative preference specifications /." Thesis, Connect to this title online; UW restricted, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/1773/7436.
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Kandah, Adlih Shehadeh Ayed. "Privatisation in Poland (1989-1995) : its origins, development and initial impact." Thesis, University of Glasgow, 1996. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.320845.
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Dimitraki, Ourania. "The growth impact of political regimes and instability : empirical evidences from Western Europe." Thesis, Brunel University, 2011. http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/8764.
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The main objective of this thesis is to investigate the reciprocal direct relationship between political regimes, political instability and economic growth. However, there is a lack of fit between the political and economic science especially when it comes to political determinants of economic growth. Thus, this thesis sheds further light on the question: To what extent do political regimes and their stability affects economic performance with reference to 20 Western European countries. A panel regression analysis is employed, by adopting multiple measures of government performance. The findings suggest that political regimes have an effect on economic growth and this effect is not directly dependent upon the broader governmental structure and political environment. This thesis further examines the puzzle of the nature between political instability and economic growth in Western Europe, by using both a more comprehensive measure of political instability than has previously been developed, and Greek growth cycles form 1919 to 2008 as a case to explore the nature of the researched issue. The findings propose that the relationship between political instability (PI) and economic growth is parabolic and fragile. Furthermore, this thesis supports the intuition that political instability can slow economic growth through increasing uncertainty in economic policies. The results illustrate that economic growth and political instability are jointly determined and that governmental changes plays no significant role on economic growth (with exceptions in the case study), especially after extended spells of political stability. It appears that what matters is the longevity of the polity itself and the specific forms of political instability. Moreover, by using Greece as a case, this thesis shows that there is a strong negative link between political instability and the volatility of the economic outcomes.
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Al-Imam, Jamal D. "U.S. Foreign Policy and the Soviet Gas Pipeline to Western Europe." Thesis, North Texas State University, 1985. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc663015/.
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This paper surveys U.S. foreign policy in the late 1970s and early 1980s as the American administration reacted to the Soviet Union's interventions in Afghanistan and Poland and to its planned gas pipeline to Western Europe. Chapter I outlines the origins of the pipeline project; Chapters II and III describe U.S. foreign policy toward the Soviets during the Carter and Reagan administrations. Chapter IV focuses on the economic sanctions imposed against the Soviet Union by the United States and their failure to block or delay the pipeline, and Chapter V stresses the inability of economic sanctions-- in this and other instances--to achieve political ends.
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Bakar, Eric S. "Financial Intermediation and Economic Development in 12 Central and Eastern European Economies." Scholarship @ Claremont, 2017. http://scholarship.claremont.edu/cmc_theses/1501.
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This paper takes a panel series approach to investigate whether the intensity of financial intermediation encouraged investment and growth in 12 Central and Eastern European(CEE) economies from 2001 to 2015. The results from our regression confirmed our hypothesis that there was a uni-directional relationship between financial intermediation and economic growth and while we only analyzed 12 CEE countries, this relationship has held among other developing countries as well. We will provide background on the general CEE transition out of communism and the ensuing ebbs and flows of the financial and real sector through the early 2000s. The 2008 financial crisis marked a key event for CEE that gave us the opportunity to analyze important characteristics of how our model acted before and after a major crisis. We found a significant relationship with the crisis and our finance-growth model that furthered our prediction that the expansion of financial intermediaries in developing countries acts as a key mechanism through which an economy grows. The research allowed us to understand the nature of statistical causality between financial and real sector activity.
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Huang, Weixin. "Economic integration as a development device : the case of the EC and China /." Saarbrücken ; Fort Lauderdale : Breitenbach, 1992. http://catalogue.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb37396328c.
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Shawa, Elizabeth HL. "Exploring the key socio-economic challenges facing youth refugees in the Western Cape." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/12038.
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Includes abstract.Includes bibliographical references.
This study explored the key socio-economic challenges facing youth refugees in the Western Cape. The study was carried out on a purposive sample of twelve youth refugees. In addition, six key informants from various institutions working with refugees in the Western Cape were also interviewed. The study adopted a qualitative exploratory approach using a semi structured interview schedule for face to face interviews with the participants.
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Studer, Roman. "Market Integration and Economic Development : A Comparative Study of India and Europe, 1700 - 1900." Thesis, University of Oxford, 2008. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.503999.
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Ramukumba, Takalani. "The contribution of guest houses to economic growth and employment as key components of local economic development in the Eden District Area." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/5214.
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Tourism has come to be seen as a key driver for local economic development in South Africa, as it provides opportunities for pro-poor and community-based initiatives. On a global scale, the challenges of confronting poverty and unemployment continue to dominate the development agenda. The ability of Local Economic Development (LED) to empower local people has earned favour with national governments and development theorists. The imperative facing South Africa to achieve a more equitable and sustainable economy is essentially the challenge to adopt and implement a development approach that will reduce poverty and unemployment (which are the two key objectives of LED) to the greatest extent. It is within this context that the South African government has sought to incorporate LED into their economic development framework, predominantly through the decentralisation of development control and planning to the local government level. This study examined the contribution of guest houses to economic growth and employment as key components of LED in a sustainable manner. The study revealed that guest houses are playing a key role in the development of the local economy in the Eden district region. Guest houses are providing employment opportunities to the local residents both on a full-time and part-time basis. Further to this, guest houses are buying many locally-produced products and services from local suppliers and this contributes to economic growth of the local economy. However, this study also found that many of the guest houses in the area are not aware of government incentives available to support them and very few of them have made use of these services. This is something that needs to be addressed if these guest houses are to continue to strengthen the local economy and provide employment opportunities in a sustainable manner. The study revealed that many of the guest houses are operating in an environmentally friendly manner and this will ensure their future sustainability. The broader situation and the contribution of the accommodation sector as critical assets in local and national tourism economies has been thoroughly researched in tourism research around the world. Existing work on the accommodation sector in the South African tourism economy is mainly urban-focused and indicates that its local development impacts can be positive albeit not always maximised through local linkages, however, only a limited amount of academic investigations examines the contribution of tourism sub-sectors to economic growth and employment. The authenticity of this study is based on Its contribution which must be viewed in relation to the relatively limited body of literature in the contribution of tourism sub-sectors to economic growth and employment and in this case guest houses as one type of accommodation sub-sector.
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Smith, Antony Jonathon, University of Western Sydney, College of Law and Business, and School of Economics and Finance. "Development and Aboriginal enterprise in the Kimberley region of Western Australia." THESIS_CB_EFI_Smith_A.xml, 2002. http://handle.uws.edu.au:8081/1959.7/811.
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The current thesis seeks to examine the history of Aboriginal development policy and its correlation with the trajectory of an indigenous business class in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. In particular, the study focuses on the period beginning in the late 1960s and early 1970s when, following the large-scale social and economic upheaval caused by the collapse of the once dominant pastoral industry (previously the economic mainstay and largest employer of the region), the policy popularly known as self-determination - and termed indigenous trusteeship in this thesis) - came into play. The former policy of state trusteeship, in operation since colonial times, was devised in more prosperous times (as a means to, among other thing, facilitate land and labour to pastoral operations) but was unable to cope with the quickly changing economic conditions. In an attempt to resolve the growing economic and economic crisis - including rapidly increasing unemployment, impoverishment and social dislocation - the new policy of indigenous trusteeship transferred the responsibility for the provision of indigenous welfare to a nascent Aboriginal political and commercial leadership. To assist in ameliorating the escalating rates of Aboriginal unemployment and poverty much government subvention, including land, labour and finance, was transferred to Aboriginal control and specifically to those existing (albeit on a small scale) Aboriginal business operations. In doing so, much economic space was opened to Aboriginal commercial operations, which, during the previous policy regime of state trusteeship, had been purposefully stymied. This thesis aims to tackle some of the misconceptions concerning the history of Aboriginal economic development and the course of an indigenous commercial class. As well, there is recognition of the major contribution made by an emerging Aboriginal leadership to the evolving policy of indigenous trusteeship. In short, there is a critical re-evaluation of the origins of, and support for, successful indigenous owned business operations in the Kimberley region of Western AustraliaDoctor of Philosophy (PhD)
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Roberts, Benjamin William. "Cultural transmission and technological choice : understanding the appearance and early development of metal in Western Europe." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 2007. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.613181.
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Marktanner, Marcus. "A Comparison of Economic Development in Latin America, Middle Eastern Europe and Asia in the 1990s." Thesis, University of North Texas, 1999. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc2181/.
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The 1990s were characterized by severe turbulence in the global economy. Economic and financial crises occurred in Latin America, Middle and Eastern Europe and Asia. This analysis distinguishes between the two socioeconomic criteria "transitional" and "emerging" region. Transitional countries are former centrally planned socialist economies and emerging countries former agricultural-oriented classical developing economies with mostly a history of military or some other kind of autocratic dictatorship. The resources for the analysis are data sets regarding investment, exchange rate behavior, government finance, international liabilities of monetary authorities and inflation. The study reveals macroeconomic patterns associated with economic development in each socioeconomic region. It is shown that similar patterns are responsible for successful and non-successful performance in each region. A comparison of different regions shows many parallels between emerging economies, but only little similarity between transitional economies.
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Fernando, Wannakuwatte Mitiwaduge Felix Nirmal. "Economic and Social Impacts of Rapid Shale Oil Development in Western North Dakota." Diss., North Dakota State University, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10365/25804.
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This dissertation comprises of five qualitative and exploratory studies. The studies focus
on the social and economic impacts of rapid shale oil development, which is colloquially referred
to as an ?oil boom? on the communities and its members in western North Dakota. The
dissertation presents a detailed exploration of the impacts and implications of the boom on
community values and attitudes, quality of life, and community development. Impact of the
boom on each topic is presented as an independent article or chapter. The data for the
dissertation was collected through open-ended, face-to-face interviews. The findings highlight
the opportunities created by the boom, barriers inhibiting community development, and the
solutions necessary to achieve the community development potential created by the economic
activity of the oil boom.North Dakota Humanities Council
Northern Plains Ethics Institute
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Zowall, Hanna. "Structural changes in the major OECD countries between 1960 and 1980." Thesis, McGill University, 1985. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=65994.
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Novy, Andreas, Lukas Lengauer, and de Souza Daniela Coimbra. "Vienna in an emerging trans-border region. Socioeconomic development in Central Europe." Institut für Regional- und Umweltwirtschaft, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business, 2008. http://epub.wu.ac.at/832/1/document.pdf.
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Drawing upon a periodisation of socio-economic development based on the regulation approach, the paper conducts a historical spatial development analysis of Vienna in its broader territory and multi-level perspective. The National context and the East-West cleavages mark the geography of the study. This periodisation is the basis to understand the strategies of Vienna in changing territorialities, the social forces and discourses that are reflected in the present context of Europeanisation, internationalisation and integration of border regions. A critical institutionalist approach is used to analyse the hegemonic liberal and populist discourses and strategies. The lessons taken in this section build the path to outline windows of opportunity for progressive politics, which are sketch out in the last section of the article. The ideas exposed in the paper are partial results of broader research carried out in the frame of DEMOLOGOS, an EU financed project. (authors' abstract)Series: SRE - Discussion Papers
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Vika, Lutho. "Gender dynamics in the South African apparel value chain: a case study on the Western Cape province." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/22975.
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Since the early 2000s, South Africa's once thriving sector started to whither due to a combination of domestic and international factors. The result was a sharp decline in manufacturing output, low productivity levels, factory closures and massive job losses across the sector. The blow to the industry was exasperated by the surge of cheap imports, both legal and illegal, primarily coming from China. The poor performance and consequent contraction of the industry had a profound impact on the predominately female workers. In recent years, however, the clothing industry has started to stabilise and is beginning to show positive trends in terms of performance and competitiveness. This paper therefore examines whether female workers have gained from the changes that have taken place in the industry, looking specifically at the Western Cape region. It finds that although the Western Cape clothing industry was the most severely hit by the challenges of global competition, it is now doing relatively well. Furthermore, it argues that the sector is upgrading and providing increased opportunities for women in terms of employment and skills development. This can be attributed to the changes in policy approach by government as well as new and improved production methodologies that are being adopted by firms. Moreover, it argues that the Cape Clothing and Textiles Cluster (CCTC) has played a critical role in driving these processes in the industry primarily through high level trainings and the exposure of executives to the latest industry developments, both nationally and internationally.
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Yuksel, Nalan. "Constructing a green revolution : a socio-technical analysis of input-support programmes for smallholder farmers in Western Kenya." Thesis, University of Sussex, 2013. http://sro.sussex.ac.uk/id/eprint/45224/.
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This thesis presents a critical reflection on what is meant by a 'Green Revolution' within the current, narrow 'productivity-technology fix' paradigm. It shows the current focus on productivity is creating a limited view of technology as the principal means to address food insecurity in Africa, as opposed to a more comprehensive view that takes into account economic, social and political factors. The research combines a socio-technical systems approach with an actor-oriented analysis to examine two input-support programmes in Kenya. It focuses on input-support programmes due to the current interest in subsidies as the mechanism to address food insecurity and deliver agricultural technologies to smallholder farmers. It examines the political, social and institutional factors that influence the creation, design and implementation of these programmes. A multi-level approach (global, national and local) is used to map out the key narratives and actor networks operating in and across the different levels to highlight the dynamic interactions as they come together through these programmes. The thesis demonstrates how intermediary factors (institutions, policy and social networks) significantly affect programme outcomes. The two case studies show that policy and practice often diverge through changing actors, networks and funding flows. Each programme implementation is mediated through socially differentiated beneficiaries, creating interactions that unfold in numerous ways due to distinct social, political and economic factors, as well as to unique institutional and delivery mechanisms. The evidence suggests that technology-based programmes that fail to take account of these critical factors will encounter difficulties in uptake. Therefore, policymakers must consider context-specific approaches that appreciate the diversity of local conditions and the importance of socio-economic, institutional and political factors. The underlying message is that the impact of agricultural technologies on the practices and perceptions of smallholder farmers cannot be understood in isolation; end users constantly adapt technologies through complex social interpretations, local institutions and political processes.
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Dabu, Adina. "Theoretical Frameworks and Conceptual Approaches to Economic Development in East and Central Europe. Romania-Case Study." Thesis, Virginia Tech, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/44619.
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The development literature considers Romania from both the sociological and economic standpoints as a developing country with a large agricultural sector. Due to the specific nature of the structure of its economy and society Romania encountered a series of specific problems in its process of social and economic development, a process that began in the mid 19th century. A constant problem for the Romanian policy makers over the last century has been how to shrink the country's agricultural sector and develop the industry and service sectors to reach a level comparable to that of more advanced economies. Romania tried to solve this problem with various policies based on and inspired by a set of sociological and economic views, theories and models. Those policies were only partially successful and today the problem of underdevelopment and unsatisfactory economic performance is still largely unsolved.
In the hypothesis of a rational policy making process (defined as conscientious relationship with past experiences based on a rational learning process) the post 1989 agricultural reforms should have been informed by the lessons provided by both the pre-communist and communist periods. Taking as a starting point this premise my study is constructed around the following hypothesis: If the policy process was a rational decision-making process, we would expect that the ideas, concepts, and theories that led to policy failure and mixed results in the past be rejected or correspondingly adjusted to the new context.
In order to test this hypothesis the study develops a twofold approach: First, it identifies the main sequences of ideas - policies - results - lessons that characterized each of the pre-communist, communist, and post-communist periods. Second, it compares the ideas, policies, and lessons that could have been drawn from past experiences in regard to agricultural development with the actual ideas and agricultural policies that have been implemented in the post-communist period. The comparison reveals the extent to which the rational decision making model was displayed. In order to make this comparison operational the research design proceeds along the following lines:
The key post-communist legislation regarding agriculture that was passed after 1989 is identified. By the detailed analysis of this body of legislation and of one of the most comprehensive reports on agriculture issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food in Romania in 1999-2000, the dominant agricultural policy paradigm of the period, the key ideas that were behind it, and the main consequences that followed for agriculture are distinguished. The major agricultural reform policies in the pre-communist and communist periods (1864-1948 and 1948-1989) and the basic concepts and theories that informed each of them are documented. Thereafter, an overview of the economic, sociological and structural consequences of these ideas and policies is provided and pinpoints the main lessons that could be eventually derived by looking in retrospect to each of the periods.
In accordance with these objectives the study is structured as follows: Chapter 1 outlines the Romanian reform legislation between 1989-2000 and, in line with point one above, uses this legislation as a vehicle to reveal the key ideas, policies and consequences for agricultural development in the last, post-communist decade. Chapter 2 and 3 fulfill the objectives stated in point two above. More precisely, chapter 2 starts by looking at the policy reforms in the pre-communist period, while in parallel outlining the main ideas, policies, consequences, and lessons of the period. Similarly, chapter 3 describes the main policy reforms of the communist period and pays special attention to the lessons that could have been drawn from this period's policies and their consequences. The conclusions wrap up the analysis and discuss the extent to which the study's main hypothesis has been supported or infirmed.Master of Science
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Guo, Liang. "The contribution of venture capital to economic growth in Europe and the USA : a political economy approach." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 2011. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.609765.
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Colli, Liesel Antoinette. "The performance management system of the Department of Economic Development and Tourism (Western Cape)." Thesis, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11838/1632.
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Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree
Magister Technologiae: Public Management
in the Faculty of Business
at the
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
2013Service delivery is one of the key aspects of public and private organisations. It is therefore important for organisations to have a Performance Management System in place to monitor and evaluate the efficiency of its employees. A good Performance Management System sets a standard that determines whether an employee’s performance is of merit or has shortcomings. Furthermore it will aid the employee in being proficient in his\her work environment. This research project examined the effectiveness of the Performance Management System used within the Department of Economic Development and Tourism in the Western Cape, South Africa. Problems encountered by employees were identified by the researcher and recommendations were forwarded to the employees on how to improve the Department’s Performance Management System. The researcher undertook a quantitative research approach by administering a closed-ended questionnaire which was analysed by a registered statistician. The study found that most of the participants understood the Performance Management System used by the Department of Economic Development and Tourism. Furthermore the majority of participants understood their role within the Department and how they could meet the Department’s strategic objectives as set out in the Department’s annual performance plans..à h.
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Richards, Amanda Dale. "Sustainable micro-entrepreneurship to ensure positive economic growth in the Western Cape." Thesis, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11838/1012.
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Thesis (MTech (Business Administration))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town, 2006The high unemployment rate in South Africa has forced many people to think of creative ways to derive an income. This in turn has resulted in the increase of microentrepreneurs who could contribute positively to the economy if given the opportunity. According to the White Paper on National Strategy for the Development and Promotion of Small Business in South Africa (1995), the objective is to stimulate and promote small businesses by providing access to requisite resources. However, what has become apparent is the lack of resources for micro-entrepreneurs, as well as problems with accessibility to the few available resources. Popular literature often refers to money being made available by government or foreign donors to assist micro-entrepreneurs in getting businesses started. There is also much talk about empowerment of entrepreneurs via financial resources as well as through skills training. However, much of the assistance is available for opportunity entrepreneurs and not for the survivalist entrepreneurs. Although there has been a commitment by government to promote small business, it yet again focuses on the opportunist entrepreneur rather than the survivalist entrepreneur. Survivalist micro-entrepreneurs face huge challenges in accessing any type of resources. Although there is much talk about promotion of small business, there seems to be a gap in what is being advocated and what is being done. What has happened thus far is that small and medium enterprises have been branded under one label, proving detrimental to the micro-entrepreneur. The opportunist entrepreneur and the survivalist entrepreneur have vasy different needs and the resources made available should address the different needs. This study focused on micro-entrepreneurship in the Cape Flats area of the Western Cape, specifically on survivalist micro-entrepreneurs, and excluded the opportunist entrepreneur.
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Kossev, Kiril Danailov. "Finance and economic development in historical perspective : South East Europe in the interwar period, 1919-1941." Thesis, University of Oxford, 2011. http://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:b29cf66a-9823-4aac-b2ab-10b629dd36b6.
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The positive contribution of finance to the process of economic development has been debated ever since Joseph Schumpeter famously argued in 1911 that services provided by finance are essential for technological innovation and growth. A substantial theoretical literature has produced increasingly sophisticated economic models endogenising the role of finance into the growth process, while empirical studies have put forward data to detect the link between the two. Yet a large part of the empirical surveys operate with macroeconomic or cross-section data and have little to say about the channels through which finance affects growth. This is where this dissertation comes in. It provides firm-level data from Bulgaria and Yugoslavia from the period 1919-1941 to tackle a number of questions related to finance, banking, and economic performance of the European economic periphery. The analysis is broadly divided into three parts – capital flows and the effects of international investment on domestic firms, banks and the real sector during the Great Depression, and the political economy of government intervention during the Depression and post-Depression period. The first substantive chapter (chapter 2) contributes to the literature on growth and capital flows by testing the hypothesis that foreign direct investment brings about productivity improvements to host economies via the channels of technology, liquidity and know-how transfer, as opposed to market access or increased competition. Chapter 3 revisits the prominent debate over the origins of the banking crises during the Great Depression and the effects these had on the real sectors. Evidence is provided in support of the debt deflation theory of banking crises, but the broad effects of the Depression on banks’ and firms’ balance is also explored. The higher the involvement of banks with industry both directly (via interlocking directorates or equity ownership), and indirectly, via the lending channel, the greater the negative effects of the crisis on banks’ balance sheets. The evidence points to negative feedbacks from bank distress to firms’ output losses in the form of a credit crunch. Chapter 4 uses a political economy framework to analyse the state interventions in the Balkan economies during and after the Depression. The data suggests that direct and indirect bailouts of banking and industry defined the role of the state. Government cronies from the financial and economic elite, as well as the agricultural sector ended up as winners from the process, while semi-skilled and unskilled labour paid the tax bill. These quantitative findings are in agreement with the broad conclusions of transaction cost economics where finance can play an important sorting role. They also support the empirical literature that rejects the contributions of portfolio investment but argues that direct foreign investment is a source of technological progress. The conclusions of the thesis, however, call for caution as market failure in the financial sector was abundant and political economy frictions could cause lasting damage to development.
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Sardadvar, Sascha. "Regional Economic Growth and Steady States with Free Factor Movement: Theory and Evidence from Europe." WU Vienna University of Economics and Business, 2015. http://epub.wu.ac.at/4548/1/Sardadvar_ePub_1.pdf.
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This paper develops a spatial theoretical growth model in order to study the impact of physical and human capital relocations on the growth of open economies. Analytical and simulation results show how the respective neighbours determine an economy's development, why convergence and divergence may alternate in the medium-run, and that interregional migration as a consequence of wage inequalities causes disparities to prevail in the long-run. The empirical part applies spatial econometric specifications for European regions on the NUTS2 level for the observation period 2000-2010. The estimations underline the importance of human capital endowments and its relation with spatial location. (author's abstract)Series: Working Papers in Regional Science
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Sharpe, Leslie J. "Economic development in the Kimberley region of Western Australia: a history and dependency theory perspective." University of Southern Queensland, Faculty of Business, 2004. http://eprints.usq.edu.au/archive/00003564/.
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[Abstract]:The focus of the research undertaken for this dissertation is the economic development of the Kimberley region of Western Australia. The period studied is, approximately, the one hundred years from 1900–2000. The region has many of the characteristics of an underdeveloped area and of a low income economy.This research used dependency theory as a framework for examining the causes of underdevelopment in the Kimberley. The development that occurred in the region during the relevant period has been catalogued by the creation of a database. This has enabled the collected information to be examined and manipulated in many ways. The database has allowed the detail of development in the Kimberley to be studied with respect to time, place and type of activity. This made it possible to examine the five hypotheses proposed by A. G. Frank which he considered likely to lead to fruitful research. The detailed study of these hypotheses would not have been possible in the way described without the database.It was found that dependency theory does help to explain and understand the development experience of the Kimberley region of Western Australia during the twentieth century. This was the clear and positive result of this study.The extension to Frank’s core dependency theory, the five hypotheses, were not found to be applicable to the Kimberley region nor supported by the data. The hypotheses, therefore, do not add to our understanding of the nature of Kimberley development during the period examined. This does not invalidate or devalue the usefulness of dependency theory in this study.
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O'Connell, Darren Christopher. "Institutions, colonisation and the economic development of Western Australia and South Australia, 1829 to 1900." Thesis, Curtin University, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/2057.
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Douglass North's institutional framework is employed in this thesis to explain the disparate rates of economic growth between colonial Western Australia and South Australia. The differences in colonisation affected the design of institutions subsequently transferred to these colonies which had more of an impact of development than previously thought. By 1900, both colonies had roughly equal growth rates but this convergence only eventuated after Western Australia eliminated the worst deficiencies resulting from its foundation and reformed its institutional matrix.
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Tong, Wei. "Poland's influence in the European Union, a perspective of the Eastern partnership." Thesis, University of Macau, 2011. http://umaclib3.umac.mo/record=b2555598.
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ESSER, KARL ALEXANDER GÉRARD, and TOBIAS GOODDEN. "Development of Business Models for Electrical Energy Storage in Europe - Techno-economic evaluation of combining storage services." Thesis, KTH, Energiteknik, 2016. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-194189.
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Europe aims for a transition towards less greenhouse gas emission and dependency on fossil fuels. The integration of intermittent renewable energy sources, as wind or solar power, can be facilitated by, among others, temporally decoupling demand and supply of electricity. If technologies for electrical energy storage are profitable, wide implementation could support the transition. Therefore, this study assesses the revenues and costs of long-term storage technologies and evaluates the possibility to stack several services provided by a storage unit to fully utilise it. Key market characteristics influential on storage potential are outlined and used to classify and compare the demand for storage in European markets. Considering them market clusters are formed comprising of countries with similar electricity market and from these two contrasting archetypal countries are chosen for further evaluation, Sweden and Germany. Storage technologies, as pumped hydro or compressed air, are delineated by essential technical specifications and used to determine the compatibility of them to corresponding services. A process for combining multiple services for a single storage unit is designed and employed to develop five cases. The results show that providing multiple services device can improve the profitability of the designed business cases by generating multiple revenue streams and increase the value to the electricity system. The stacking also minimises the storage’s idle time. Furthermore, the results demonstrate the influence of the key characteristics on the economic viability of the electrical energy storage in European markets.Europa eftersträvar en övergång från att släppa ut mindre växthusgaser och minska eroendet av fossila bränslen. Att implementera förnybara energikällor, som vindkraft ller solenergi, kan underlättas genom att bland annat genom att tillfälligt rikoppla efterfrågan och leveransen av el. Om tekniken för energilagring är lönsam, an genomförande därför stödjas. Denna studie beskriver därför både intäkter ch kostnader för långsiktiga lagringstekniker och utvärderar även möjligheten att mplementera flera tjänster som tillhandahålls av en lagringsenhet till att kunna tnyttja denna till fullo. Marknaden av lagring kännetecknas redan ha potentiella förutsättningar och att den an användas för att klassificera och jämföra efterfrågan för lagring på de europeiska arknaderna. En marknadsanalys har valts att genomförts av länder med likartad lmarknad och de två länder som har välts ut för en vidare utvärdering är Sverige ch Tyskland. Lagringsteknik som vattenkraft som pumpas eller tryckluft, beskrivs ärmare med tekniska förutsättningar och används för att beskriva kompatibiliteten v tekniken och tjänsterna. Ett förfarande för att leverera flera tjänster från en enda innesenhet är utformad och används för att utveckla fem beskrivande fall. Resultatet visar att tillhandahålla flera tjänster från en enda lagringsenhet förbättrar önsamheten för affärsidéer genom att generera flera intäktsströmmar och ökar ärdet till elsystemet. Stapling minimerar också lagring är ledig tid. Dessutom visar esultatet om hur de viktigaste egenskaperna påverkas av de ekonomiska affärsmodellerna.
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Van, der Merwe Schalk Willem Jacobus. "Local and sub-regional socio-economic and environmental impact of large-scale resort development." Thesis, Link to the online version, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/10019/1658.
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Kazadi, Mustapha Desire. "Implementation of the youth development programme for the local economic development in the Western Cape : a case study of Belhar." Thesis, University of the Western Cape, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/11394/4617.
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Masters in Public Administration - MPAThe Republic of South Africa is faced with an extremely problematic high rate of poverty, shortages of skills and youth unemployment. This phenomenon is amongst blacks (predominantly African and coloured). This thesis therefore, argues that job creation is a very important measure to address youth unemployment and related socio-economic problems though; the majority of youth in South Africa have been classified as unskilled, uneducated and unemployable. The implementation of skills development programmes remains a huge problem. It has been also assumed that youth development programme have been inaccurately interpreted. TheYouth development is an evolutionary development in which all young people are engaged in attempting to build skills, and competencies, to meet their social needs and for the development of the community (Pittman 1993: 3). It is in this regard that the researcher selected Belhar in the Western Cape as a setting to investigate the problematic mentioned above. Although the 2011 census report stated that people living in the area of Belhar have access to electricity, refuse removal, water and sanitation, up to now poverty and youth unemployment remain alarming in this community. The study indicates that there is a youth development policy existing on paper at all levels of South African governments however its implementation remains a major problem. The research is exploratory in nature and uses qualitative techniques of inquiry. The researcher also uses secondary data such as conference papers and the City of Cape Town’s budget documents as a form of gathering information for analysis. The study explores the present youth programme and local government’s capacity in the surrounding community of Belhar. The data collected during this study through interviews, reveals that the youth programme is in existence in Belhar, however there is incapacity and lack of cooperation between the councilors, Belhar youth leaders and the City of Cape Town’s Municipality. The study further reveals that since ever the youth programme started in December 2013 under the leadership of the Belhar councilors, there were only two beneficiaries from the “youth” of that entire community who got employment after attendance for skills training. The finding further indicates that the programme mostly did not achieve its goals.
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Raudino, Simone. "The limits of official development assistance in fostering economic growth : a comparative analysis of western and Chinese economic cooperation practices in Africa." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10722/210184.
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This dissertation explores the nature, significance and weight of Western and Chinese economic relations with Africa. The research first engages in comparative analysis of West – Africa and China – Africa politico-economic cooperation practices. On this basis, it then compares the working mechanisms of these practices to the mechanisms that promoted sustainable economic growth within mature (OECD) and recently developed (Asian Newly Industrialized Economies - NIEs) countries.
The empirical analysis of Africa’s balance of payments with its key economic partners – European Union and United States (as proxies for the West) and the People’s Republic of China – shows that Official Development Assistance (ODA) only represents between 4% and 6% of the total exchanges between the West and Africa, and even a smaller percentage of total exchanges between China and Africa. On the other side, a quantitative analysis of Africa’s trade, inward FDI, primary income, portfolio investments and capital flight suggests that they generally contribute in transferring financial resources from Africa towards Western countries and China.
The dissertation shows that, while ODA redistributes among African beneficiary countries a small percentage (generally well below the 0.7% GDP threshold set by the United Nations) of the wealth created within donor countries, both the West and China appear to extract solid rents and profits from their relations with Africa. The qualitative analysis of the institutional and normative frameworks that underpin such exchanges reveals that such frameworks are profoundly different from those that were put in place by OECD countries and NIEs to foster sustainable development within their own economies.
In sum, the dissertation argues that the institutional and normative frameworks in which African international economic relations are currently embedded are not helping to activate the productive social dynamics necessary for endogenous and sustainable economic growth in Africa.published_or_final_version
Modern Languages and Cultures
Doctoral
Doctor of Philosophy
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Titus, Nawaal. "A model for the development of slow tourism in South Africa using the economic resources of the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens." Thesis, Cape Peninisula University of Technology, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11838/2114.
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Thesis (MTech (Tourism and Hospitality Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2015.The concept and knowledge of slow tourism within the context of South Africa is limited. Very little local literature is available on this new, emerging niche form of tourism. International research on this topic, including the practise, development, implementation and promotion of slow tourism, has grown during the last decade. This study investigates the meaning, understanding and definition of slow travel and tourism, and how slow tourism differs from other alternative tourism types. International and local case studies where slow tourism was implemented successfully, were assessed. Slow tourism is considered an antithesis to mass tourism. Tourism role-players and visitor groups have become more environmentally conscious in how they develop, promote and consume tourism products. Sustainable and responsible tourism practices are the forefront of the slow tourism phenomenon which induces the demand and the supply chain of tourism products emphasised by ethical values. Slow tourism focuses on the concept of time spent at the destination, liberating the visitor from the angst and stress brought about by today's fast-paced lifestyles. Attention is directed at the visitor experiencing a qualitative more than a quantitative experience, found in a unique nature-based setting with the after-effects of feeling relaxed and rejuvenated. Slow tourism is centred on building good relationships with the local community, preservation of and an appreciation for the environment, and the production and consumption of local and responsibly-sourced products. Within this context, this study aims at developing a slow tourism model for South Africa, using the economic resources of the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens (KNBG). It investigates the literature of slow tourism at United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) protected sites, parks and at KNBG. Botanical gardens are considered a place of recreation and leisure, taking time out to relax and enjoy the open green spaces. Moreover, the dissertation points out the elements that are required to develop slow tourism at a destination and the role of tourism policies which set the framework for managing and growing tourism sustainably. A qualitative research methodology was employed to collect the primary data, using the grounded theory approach at KNBG, which was the study site. Qualitative data were obtained through observing visitors, in-depth interviews with visitors and KNBG management. The results and findings from the analysis indicate a shift towards people slowing down, the need to connect with nature to feel less stressed and finding value in slow tourism activities such as those found at KNBG. A slow tourism model was developed based on the literature review and findings of the primary data that was collected.
South African National Biodiversity Institute
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Mccrory, Arthur Ray. "Global Leadership Competencies in Selected Adult Education Graduate Programs from the United States and Western Europe." Scholar Commons, 2016. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/6115.
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Researchers in the field of global leadership have reported a growing need for leaders able to perform from a global perspective, and the lack of qualified leadership candidates to fulfill these responsibilities. Adult education graduate programs represent a unique pool of aspirants to help fill this gap. In 2008, the Commission of Professors of Adult Education (CPAE) published Standards for Graduate Programs in Adult Education. Two of these standards addressed the incorporation of globalization and leadership studies into the planning, administration, and evaluation of adult education graduate programs. This study sought to explore the connection between the phenomenon of global leadership and the development of competencies, identified by Bird’s (2013) framework of nested global leadership competencies, in seven selected adult education graduate programs in the United States and Western Europe.
The questions that guided this qualitative, multiple case study explored (a) which of the competencies were addressed in the selected adult education graduate programs, (b) which ones were perceived to be most and less important, (c) which curricular and co-curricular practices were identified in the development of these competencies, and (d) what were the similarities and differences between the adult education graduate programs located geographically in the United States and those located in Western Europe.
Findings indicated all of the global leadership competencies were addressed across all seven cases, to varying levels of extent. The competencies of (a) valuing people, (b) inquisitiveness, (c) leading change, and (d) vision and strategic thinking emerged as most important among the participants across all seven cases, as well as within the two geographical locations. Multiple curricular and co-curricular themes emerged as best practices to facilitate development of the global leadership competencies, although they were primarily associated with good instructional practices discussed within the context of globalizing the curriculum. There was less discussion about the competencies within a unifying construct of leadership development. Similarities across all cases included a focus on student-centered learning, while differences were primarily associated with the independent foci of the adult education graduate programs. Implications of the findings were directed towards the CPAE, university administration, adult education faculty, and adult education graduate students.
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Holtzhausen, Marguerite. "Swartland social development policy and strategy." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/97399.
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ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The research question answered by this study is what policy and strategy would give the necessary direction to Swartland Municipality’s (SM’s) social development programmes to maximise its impact on the social well-being of the community? The motivation for the study is the need to prioritise social development projects in order to improve effectiveness and efficiency in this field. The methodology used was a qualitative study by means of a conceptual analysis of the term social development, a literature study of international, national and local legislation and policies as well as group interviews with internal and external stakeholders.
Social development was defined for the purposes of this study as the process of strengthening the relationships/ partnerships and linkages between people, resources and/or systems within the scope of poverty reduction, expansion of employment opportunities and social integration, with the goal to achieve well-being for individuals, groups and/or communities. Furthermore a literature study explored relevant legislation and policy documents to give clarity on the municipality’s role of social development. Main findings were that the SA Constitution as supreme law, clearly states the municipal objective is to promote social development and states four functions that relate to social development namely child facilities, basic infrastructure, public amenities and sports facilities. Furthermore social development functions in all municipal departments need to co-ordinate to maximise social development resources. Lastly the municipality’s social development programmes must be supplementary and supportive to the work of the Department of Social Development.
Furthermore, engagements were held with internal and external stakeholders of Swartland Municipality and the strategic direction was determined by means of a vision, mission and strategic focus areas. The vision identified is: We build and create sustainable social development partnerships with all our people for strengthening the social fabric of the Swartland community. The social development mission is: We initiate, build and promote social development opportunities with the focus on sustainability, which specifically refers to financial viability in the long term, forming partnerships with the community and service providers, not harming the environment and operating within legal powers and functions.
Five strategic focus areas flowing from the vision and mission were identified. To promote collaboration and co-ordination is the pivotal focus area. Social development has to be co-ordinated by means of a social development forum represented of all sectors (government, NGO, faith-based, business, agriculture). The other focus areas were: promoting child development/establishing child facilities, lobbying for the vulnerable, facilitating access to the economy and promoting youth development. The impact of service delivery according to the five focus areas must be measured in totality by means of the Human Development Index and reflected in the integrated development plan.
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Beltrán, Tapia Francisco J. "Common lands and economic development in 19th and early 20th century Spain." Thesis, University of Oxford, 2014. http://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:4215d6d1-e979-4ac5-b023-b49a4a01d9a0.
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This dissertation contributes to the long-standing debate between those who argue that the enclosure of the commons was as a precondition to foster economic growth and those who defend common property regimes can be efficient and sustainable. Exploiting historical evidence from 19th century and early 20th century Spain, this research shows that the persistence of the commons in some Spanish regions was not detrimental to economic development, at least relative to the institutional arrangements they were replaced with. On the contrary, during the early stages of modern economic growth, the communal regime not only did not limit agricultural productivity growth, but indeed constituted a crucial part of the functioning of the rural economics in a number of ways. On the one hand, these collective resources complemented rural incomes and, subsequently, sustained households' consumption capacity. The reduction in life expectancy and heights in the provinces where privatisation was more intense, as well as the negative effect on literacy levels, strongly supports that the privatisation of the commons deteriorated the living standards of a relatively large part of the population. On the other hand, the communal regime also significantly contributed to financing the municipal budget. Deprived from this important source of revenue, local councils became unable to adequately fund local public goods and ended up increasing local taxes. Lastly, the social networks developed around the use and management of these collective resources facilitated the diffusion of information and the building of mutual knowledge and trust, thus constituting a vital ingredient of the social glue that hold these rural communities together. All things considered, the persistence of the commons in some regions provided peasants with cooperation mechanisms different from the market and made the transition to modern economic growth more socially sustainable.
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Dudáčková, Ivana. "Countries of the French Western Africa at the beginning of the 21st century: problems of the economic development." Master's thesis, Vysoká škola ekonomická v Praze, 2008. http://www.nusl.cz/ntk/nusl-5108.
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The first chapter talks about the events that took place in the French Western Africa in the second half of the 20th century. The second chapter describes all the economics at the beginning of the 21st century. Economics are described with the basic indicators and economic activities. The third chapter is about the obstacles to the economic development and the purpose of the last chapter is to show the progress achieved in case of the obstacles.
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Petersen, Larry Jens Jr. "Bands at The University of Iowa from 1880 to 2008: their development, directors, repertoire, and the 1966 historic tour of Western Europe and the Soviet Union." Diss., University of Iowa, 2012. https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/3512.
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Ramirez-Faria, C. B. "The origins of economic inequality between nations : an historical synthesis of Western theories on development and underdevelopment." Thesis, London School of Economics and Political Science (University of London), 1990. http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/1093/.
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This dissertation examines Western views on the relations between the West and the rest of the world in order to discover explanations for the origins of the economic inequalities between nations as manifested in the contemporary division between the developed and the underdeveloped countries. This research is focussed on three distinct chronological and intellectual phases: 1) "perception of differences" (from classical Antiquity to the 18th century); 2) Eurocentrism and the anti-imperialist reaction (19th century and up to World War II); and 3) capitalist "developmentalism" and the Marxist general theory of economic imperialism (after WWII), The first two phases trace the sources and the evolution of the concepts underlying the theories analysed in the third part, which is the principal and most extensive of the three. The third phase also includes an investigation of the most recent reactions within the developmentalist and the Marxist camps against, respectively, the so-called orthodoxy of development economics and dependency theory. It synthesizes contemporary research on the development of West European capitalism insofar as it sheds light on long-term influences on the appearance of underdevelopment. Aside from the systematic discussion and criticism of the theories themselves, the research yields a "unified field" approach to the problems and issues of underdevelopment, and it further allows a summatory evaluation of the general question of the possibilities of over-all Third World economic development.