Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Socio-economic transition'

Purpose – This research is investigating the Swedish banks transitioning to cashless bank offices. The investigation is carried out to fully understand the reasons behind the transition and what impacts it brought upon the stakeholders affected by it. The purpose of this is to analyze the transition for social and economic effects so that it can be concluded whether the transition was a move towards sustainable banking.  Method – The researchers carried out a case study at one of the biggest banks in Sweden. The empirical data for the research was collected through qualitative interviews and a survey with the bank’s employees as participants.  Findings – Several reasons for the transition to cashless banking were found. Both positive and negative effects brought up on stakeholders were also illuminated from the transition. The transition could not be deemed entirely as a move towards sustainable banking due to negative effects on stakeholders. However, it provides important information about the negative impacts and the stakeholders affected.  Implications – No clear answers can be provided due to many interrelated factors that are surrounding the transition, further studies need to be made to which are more focused on each the role of each and one of these factors.  Limitations – The case study is carried out in the Swedish banking sector, therefore, is geographically limited to Sweden as the transition might be different in different societies. The research is investigating the social and economic impacts brought by the cashless transition. Thus, the findings do not provide data regarding environmental impacts.

Magister Philosophiae - MPhil
One of the population structures associated with demographic dividend is “demographic transition”, which is a shift from high fertility and mortality to low fertility and mortality. It is understood that low dependency ratio (shows that there are relatively more adults of working age who can support the young and the old of the populace) is one major factor in achieving a successful demographic dividend (DD) (Esther, 2013). DD refers to the fast-economic growth that is achieved by a country when there are dependency ratios. This definition means that the proportion of people of working age group (15-64) is higher, compared to those of ages lower than 15 and above 64 years (Statistics SA, 2017).
2022

The present research addresses a gap in the academic literature on the transformation and development of coastal destinations in the transition economy of Bulgaria. It takes further the tradition in tourism studies that calls for the incorporation of the contextual change in the process of destination development. The purpose of this study was to determine whether, and in what ways, the nature of the socio-economic and political transition has influenced the processes of tourism development of a coastal tourism destination in the period 1989-2009 and if the tourism stakeholders have incorporated and implemented the principles of sustainability in the transformation and operation of the tourism sector, with the associated questions of why, why not, and how. In order to answer the research questions, a case study research was undertaken in the Varna-Balchik destination on Bulgaria‟s North Black Sea coast, which allowed the study of the whole spectrum of developmental processes in the period of transition. Data for the research was collected using a multi-method research approach with a combination of secondary data and primary data gathered using qualitative research techniques including a series of stakeholder interviews and observation. The semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with decision-makers, involved in tourism development in the destination studied at some time over the studied period (1989-2009), from the stakeholder groups at a local, regional and national level. This research employed the path-dependent path-creative approach to analyse the nature of transformation and conceptualise the forces which impact on tourism development on Bulgaria‟s North Black Sea coast. The research findings indicated that sustainability did not fit well into the rapidly changing CEE transition context. In spite of the increasing empowerment of the local communities and their attempts to achieve balanced development by implementing integrated and long-term planning, the primary data revealed growing concerns over the ineffectiveness of policy-making, the increasing urbanisation of the coastal strip and the competitiveness of Bulgaria‟s North Black Sea coast tourism offer. An analytical framework was developed based on the research findings to explain the specific development path(s) of the destination studied. It took into account the political (politicising), psychological (mentalities), institutional dimensions of transition (property rights, social networks and local empowerment), the role of the state (reduced state intervention) and the individual (human capital). Some of these themes (politicising and mentalities in particular) have been largely absent from previous research on tourism in transition and from the wider tourism studies.

Contemporary global agriculture has been undergoing transition towards different pathways. In developed countries, a shift from productivist agriculture to multifunctional agriculture has begun since the 1980s (Wilson, 2007). In the developing world, agricultural modernisation is still the primary strategy for agricultural development, and driven by urbanisation and industrialisation, deagrarianisation of rural society has been widely identified (Bryceson, 1996; Rigg, 2006a). As the largest developing country in the world, China embarked on market reform three decades ago and has ever since experienced dramatic socio-economic transition towards modernisation, industrialisation and urbanisation. Significant levels of academic attention have focused on empirically identifying economic and policy drivers of Chinese agricultural production from a structuralist standpoint, largely neglecting the agency of smallholders and sociocultural factors. To address the resulting literature gap, this thesis adopts an approach that combines political economy and cultural analysis through an in-depth case study of a rural community in southwest China. A multi-methods approach is used to collect data, including questionnaires, in-depth interviews, focus groups, participant observation and the analysis of secondary data. The results suggest that Chinese smallholder agriculture has been dramatically transformed by an array of socio-economic forces. The “intensive, sustainable, diverse” Chinese smallholder agriculture which Netting (1993) portrayed, has been progressively shifted towards extensive, unsustainable and less diverse pathways. It suggests that the “perfunctory agriculture” performed by Chinese smallholders is the outcome of interactions and negotiations between various political, socio-economic and institutional constraints and farmers’ agency. Another key finding is that moving out of agriculture is becoming the norm in Chinese rural society. Most smallholders show willingness to rent out agricultural land and to enter into a capitalist relationship with employees, rather than primarily being cultivators of their land. Land transfer markets have become increasingly buoyant at the local level, and large-scale capitalist agriculture seems to be the desired future of Chinese smallholder agriculture for both the Chinese government and smallholders. Besides, based on the case of Hu Village, this thesis discusses the convergences and divergences between the road of Chinese agricultural development and that of developed countries and other emerging BRIC economies. Lastly, based on the findings of this research, four policy implications are proposed including sponsoring agricultural mutual aid groups, strengthening agricultural extension services, enhancing farmers’ negotiation power through laws, and initiating comprehensive socio-economic reforms to facilitate farmers’ pursuit of non-farm employments.

Questions of integration and immigration are increasingly subject to public debate in Sweden. With the arrival of many immigrants, the current ethnic housing segregation in the country is enforced. The problems associated to segregated and socio-economic weak areas are to a larger extent also defined in terms of ethnicity: connecting problems of a place to the people of that place. Research shows that many problems in these neighbourhoods exist regardless of who happens to be the residents today. Based on this, the current study aims to better understand the reproduction of rumours and socio-economic conditions in Araby, Växjö. The voices of people from Araby are brought forward in order to let them reflect about their neighbourhood. The main material collected through interviews provide an exploration of different perceptions present in relation to processes of reproduction in Araby. The material is discussed in relation to the concepts zone in transition and stigmatisation of place and mutually the concepts are discussed by situating them in relation to the material. Two new insights not pronounced in previous studies were found: the segregation unfolding within Araby, and the understanding of the neighbourhood as a zone in transition in a positive light. In conclusion, the study strengthens previous literature on segregated and socio-economic weak areas and also problematizes the application of the concepts used. The exploration lays ground for future research, in Araby, or in other kinds of segregated neighbourhoods.

How early years transition-to-school programs have been used to engage families and foster family-school relationships is the focus of this study. Understanding how family-school relationships are created can inform future school engagement practices and ensure that all families are empowered to support their child’s educational outcomes. A review of literature suggests that families in low socio-economic and diverse communities are often perceived by schools as lacking interest or ability to play the role schools expect. Further, the cultural values, beliefs, and economic circumstances of these families are identified as affecting the ways they engage with schools, which may impact on the educational outcomes for children. A paucity of information was evident on how schools go about engaging families from different cultural, linguistic, and economic backgrounds. Early years programs have been shown to provide support for families as children transition to school, but how all families in a community can be engaged through such programs has not been clarified. An aim of the current study is to provide a rich description of how two Australian schools situated in diverse communities set about engaging all families in authentic relationships. A qualitative approach, using a multiple case study design, was used to examine how schools engaged parents through early years transition-to-school programs. Participants included school personnel and mothers of children who attended the programs – a playgroup and a pre-Prep program at one school, and a pre-Prep program at the other. Volunteer sampling was used to select parents for the study. Data were collected in focus group discussions and interviews, supplemented by researcher observations and publicly available school documents. Social capital theory provided a theoretical frame for the examination of findings and discussion. Findings suggest the cultural and linguistic diversity of the communities was not represented by the families who attended the early years programs. Both schools were seen to hold deficit perceptions in relation to community families and family resources. The purpose of engaging families in the transition-to-school period became one of addressing the inadequacies perceived in parents’ capacity and children’s development in terms of preparedness for school. As school leadership has an important influence on the development of family-school relationships, including more in-depth interviews with school leaders may have provided further insight. This research makes a useful contribution to the area. It provides a rich description of how schools in culturally and linguistically diverse communities go about engaging families in relationships and by framing thinking using social capital theory, shows how a school could shift deficit thinking to acknowledge the skills and resources families possess, and potentially engage all families. The study suggests that working in a collaborative manner with community stakeholders could enhance educational outcomes. Additionally, the adoption of a strengths-based approach is suggested as essential if schools are to develop authentic family-school relationships through early years transition-to-school programs.
Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
School Educ & Professional St
Arts, Education and Law
Full Text

Rotational bush fallowing, the dominant agricultural land-use practice in Ghana is no longer sustainable as fallow periods have declined from over 10 to five or less years mainly due to increased population pressure on land, along with inter alia drought and rampant wild fires. Managed fallows have in recent times been useful in improving short fallow productivity in many parts of the tropics including Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, adoption of agricultural innovation by smallholders has often been poor. This is attributed to the inappropriateness of sound scientific breakthroughs to the complex socio-cultural and economic conditions that characterize rural livelihoods in the SSA. This study forms part of a bigger project that tested and developed managed fallow technologies in a participatory manner in three villages, Gogoikrom, Subriso III and Yabraso in the Atwima, Tano and Wenchi Districts of Ghana respectively. It involves a socio-economic analysis of livelihoods of farmers and their involvement in the development of the technologies to complement bio-physical aspects to ensure that technologies developed suit the socio-cultural, tenurial and economic circumstances of farmers and are adoptable by the farmers. PRA tools, mainly key informant, group and semi-structured interviews as well as structured questionnaire interviews of 242 households, were employed in collecting data to characterize the livelihoods of the people in the study villages. This guided the identification of suitable fallow improvement interventions and possible domains for their uptake. The data were analyzed descriptively and complemented with a regression analysis and analysis of variance to describe the infra and inter-village similarities and differences. Input-output data on crop, livestock and off farm enterprises were collected and analyzed to estimate farmers' financial resource capacity. Primary and secondary economic data on the technologies were gathered and analyzed through ex-ante cost benefit analysis to assess the profitability of the technologies. A chi-squared analysis was carried out to identify the determinants of adoption of the technologies. Community perceptions of the performance of the technologies and adoption potential were assessed and verified with a survey of 99 non-participating farmers. Farmer indicators were developed for evaluating the performance and the design of the experiments by participating farmers. Technology expansion and diffusion of knowledge gained by the experimenters were also assessed. The study area is characterized by two main classes of farmers, natives (indigenous landowners) and settlers (mainly tenants) whose livelihoods rely largely on the management of natural fallow rotations for the cultivation of a range of crops, i. e. maize, plantain, rice and cocoa for Gogoikrom; maize, plantain, cassava, groundnuts, tomato and pepper for Subriso; and maize, yam, groundnuts and pepper for Yabraso. However, fallow periods have declined and numerous associated problems of which poor soils, high weed pressure, poor yields and low farm incomes are paramount. Four interventions, namely: maize-legume relay suitable for all three districts; plantain-legume for Atwima and Tano; and cocoa-shade tree for Atwima and planted tree fallow for Wenchi were identified for on-farm experimentation after a series of ranking and discussion of interventions proposed at a stakeholder workshop to address the short fallow constraints. The interventions were experimented with farmers over two seasons. Farmers' assessment of the technologies over the two seasons revealed that the weed suppression and moisture conservation or retention potential of the maize-legume relay had been realized, V while they anticipated improved maize yields and a reduction in labour for land preparation in subsequent years. The major limitation to the use of this technology identified during a monitoring process was labour for weeding before and after relaying the legume to facilitate growth and spread. The labour constraint for relaying the legume can be addressed by targeting this activity to coincide with the first or second weeding as appropriate to the fanner. The weeding after the legume relay is a necessity where weed pressure is high as this may retard legume biomass productivity. The potential effects of the plantain-legume, cocoa-shade tree and planted tree fallow are likely to be realized in the long-term. However, farmers were hopeful that these technologies would address their respective targeted problems based on their judgments of the performance of the technologies at the time. The ex-ante economic assessment of the farmer experiments yielded higher gross margins, returns to labour, B/C ratios, NPV, LEV and IRR than the alternative options in the absence of the technologies but were sensitive to reductions in prices and yields. However, tenure, age and gender differences may be important in technology adoption. Although all the main community groupings participated in technology development it was observed that male tenants and landowners are potential adopters of the most preferred cocoa-shade tree technology in Gogoikrom-Atwima while in Subriso-Tano, middle-old aged, landowner men are potential adopters of the maize-legume relay and plantain-legume technologies. Native landowners including women are the potential adopters of the maize-legume and planted tree fallow technologies in Yabraso-Wenchi. The participatory technology development process was documented. It was observed that while the process was interactive, enlightening both farmers and scientists, farmers need to be encouraged to take greater control to enhance innovativeness and reduce research cost. Improving fallow productivity should be a national concern, as it has a wider implication on the livelihoods of rural people and that of the economy of the country. The majority of the producers that are directly involved in crop production may be tenants who are unlikely to improve soil productivity due to tenure restrictions. Government policies that encourage landowners to adopt fallow improvement technologies are required. Policies encouraging education, training or extension of improved fallow techniques are useful. Likewise, participatory policy research for improving traditional tenure systems to encourage sustainable land improvement need consideration. Policies that ensure stability in prices of agricultural commodities will improve farm income gained from improved fallow productivity and encourage the adoption of fallow techniques.

Master of Science
Department of Architecture
R. Todd Gabbard
In recent years urban planners have seen critical changes in the scales, pace, and trends of urbanization, resulting in suppressed urban patterns and the emergence of distinctive types of urban dynamics. A possible interpretation of this process is that it represents a “radical socio-spatial restructuring under the regime of global neoliberalization”, a phenomenon that is being widely discussed by many influential planners, urban geographers, and sociologists. My overarching research agenda is to develop a new analytical framework for comparative quantitative analyses of neoliberal urbanization pressures that cause the emergence of distinct patters of urban dynamics and morphologies. By comparing different experiences of ongoing urban transformations around the world and studying the mechanisms of their emergence, we can identify contemporary trends, monitor critical changes and shape a better future for our cities. Using China as a basis of comparison, my thesis seeks to challenge the unproductive and homogeneous patterns of urban dynamics that emerged during neoliberalization in Russia. The controversial and extremely heterogeneous model of Chinese urbanization cannot be applied universally, but valuable lessons can be derived. My work aims to explore specifics of two different patterns of neoliberal transitions in Moscow (Russia) and Shenzhen (China) in 1992 and 1978 respectively. By focusing on detailed scales of restructuring of urban settlement typologies I identify the characteristics of socio-spatial patterns prior to confronting the transition and its resulting outcomes. While considering potential context specific properties of East Asian urbanization, I am making an attempt to extrapolate this vernacular experience into generalized theory. Connecting and quantifying local and global dimensions of urban transformations helps me build a comprehensive theoretical and quantitative framework for a more profound understanding of ongoing socio-spatial restructuring.

This thesis attempts to extend the historical scope of divorce research in Sweden by providing an analysis ofhow the variations in the divorce rate over time and across geographical areas are connected to the economic, normative and institutional restructuring of Swedish society during the period 1915-1974. The thesis finds that the economic reshaping of Sweden into a modern market economy is at the center of the process that has resulted in decreased marital stability during the twentieth century. The shift from a single- to a dual-provider model and an increased integration of both men and women into market processes outside the family have resulted in lowered economic interdependence between spouses, which in turn has decreased the economic constraints to divorce. This conclusion is supported by the empirical finding that indicators of female economic self-sufficiency are associated with increased propensities for divorce, during the entire period under research in this thesis. That changes in the constraints experienced by women have been important is further emphasized by the finding that women have been more prone than men to initiate divorce, and that this gendered pattern of divorce was established already during the early twentieth century in Sweden.The results further indicate that the growth of divorce is connected not only to a shift in the provider model but also to the way sustained economic growth has resulted in a general increase in the resources available to individuals, as proposed by the socio-economic growth hypothesis. During the 1920s and 1930s, high-strata groups, such as lawyers, journalists, engineers and military officers, exhibited a divorce rate on the same level as in the general population of Sweden today. By the early 1960s, however, this positive associa- tion between social class and divorce had changed: by then it was rather couples in working-class occupations who exhibited the highest probability of divorce, which is a pattern that appears to have persisted since then. These findings indicate that a general increase and more even distribution of economic resources betweenboth genders and social classes have facilitated individuals’ possibilities to sustain themselves independent of family ties. This democratization in the access to divorce has meant that growing segments of the populationhave gained the means to act on a demand for divorce.However, another result of the thesis is that it is not possible to limit the analysis to a strictly economic perspective. Rather, economic changes have interacted with and been reinforced by changes in values, as wellas in institutions, during the periods when widespread and rapid behavioral change has occurred. In Sweden, like in most other Western countries, this was primarily the case during the 1940s and a period covering approximately the second half of the 1960s and first half of the 1970s. The studies of the thesis suggest that these two periods of rapid growth in the divorce rate stand out as periods in Swedish history when attitudes also changed more rapidly toward values that can be regarded as permissive, secular and more open to indi- vidual freedom of choice. Trenchantly, these two periods also correspond to the two harvest periods in Social Democratic welfare state policy. In the thesis it is argued that the marked increase in government services and social security at these time points integrated with and reinforced economic restructuring in a way that worked to “de-familializate” individuals by making them less dependent on family ties for social security. Institutional changes of this type have been particularly important for making single life more feasible for women and low- income groups. In the thesis, it is argued that the timings of substantial behavioral change become difficult to understand if the analytical perspective does not explicitly incorporate how such contextual-level changes in values and institutions have integrated with changes in the provider model and the economy during thesedynamic periods of the divorce transition in Sweden.

Currently, more than half of all Swedish single-family houses have an installed heat pump and more heat is supplied by heat pumps in Sweden than in any other nation. Despite the enormous impact of heat pumps on the Swedish energy system, the transition towards their use has gone relatively unnoticed. Hence the title of this thesis, ‘A silent revolution’. This thesis provides an in-depth study of the Swedish transition towards heat pumps and how Swedish industries contributed to it. It approaches the topic from the perspective of value networks and ‘coopetition’, combined with the concept of complementarities. This approach has been inspired by the work of Verna Allee (2009) and Erik Dahmén (1991). In this thesis, value networks are networks of actors surrounding a specific business model, coopetition is used to describe the relationships between actors (as both competitive and cooperative), and the concept of complementarities is used to analyze the dynamics between synergistic elements and value networks in Sweden’s heat pump sector and energy system. Based on this approach, the thesis explains how a durable web of relations and interdependencies between complementarities has developed within the heat pump sector and the energy system in Sweden, and between the two, during the country’s transition to widespread use of heat pumps. Interest in heat pumps arose in Sweden and other parts of Europe during the 1970s. The Swedish energy system had been caught between international oil crises and national political mobilisation against nuclear power expansion. In this period of negative transformation pressure, the heat pump appeared as a promising alternative that could mitigate the use of oil and electricity for heating. In the 1970s, an early Swedish heat pump industry formed together with a growing heat pump market. A large number of diverse actors became involved in the Swedish heat pump sector, and the intense coopetition dynamics relating to heat pumps following the 1970s oil crisis contributed to durable connections between complementarities during the early stages of the transition. The 1980s saw a rapid expansion of large heat pumps in Swedish district heating facilities. In the mid-1980s, however, oil prices dropped back to their previous low levels. This change, combined with other factors, such as lifted subsidies and higher interest rates, created a crisis for Swedish heat pump industry. The industry underwent a 10-year period of low sales of small heat pumps and the market for large heat pumps died out and never returned. Nevertheless, several connections between heat pump–related complementarities remained in Sweden after the mid-1980s. In conjunction with value network reconfigurations, changes in company ownerships and governmental industry support, these complementarities helped the Swedish heat pump sector to maintain both production and service capacity. Due to developments that took place largely outside the heat pump manufacturing sector, by the mid-1990s it became possible for the struggling Swedish industry to offer more reliable and standardised heat pumps to the Swedish home heating market. During the years after 1995, the Swedish heat pump market grew to become the biggest in Europe. The industry’s early development and growth gave Swedish companies a comparative advantage over its European competitors, with the result that the manufacturing of heat pumps remained concentrated to Swedish-based manufacturing facilities even after the Swedish heat pump industry became internationalised after 2005. As of 2015, Sweden had the greatest amount of heat production from heat pumps per capita of any European nation, and many heat pump markets in other European countries are 10 to 20 years behind the Swedish market in development. This thesis shows how the Swedish heat pump industry has co-evolved with the market and how developments in the industry contributed towards causing the transition to heat pumps to occur so early in Sweden relative to other European markets. It also shows that coopetition dynamics in a socio-technical transition change with the emergence and characteristics of structural tensions between complementarities, which has implications for the strategic management of external relations and partnerships during socio-technical transitions. It further argues that the combination of the value network, coopetition, and complementarity concepts can be conceptualised for descriptive and exploratory studies on the role of firms and industries in socio-technical transitions, thereby offering a complement to existing dominant frameworks in the area of transition studies.
För närvarande har mer än hälften av alla svenska husägare en installerad värmepump. Värmepumpar levererar mer värme per capita i Sverige än i något annat land. Men trots värmepumparnas stora genomslag i det svenska energisystemet har övergången från olja och el till värmepumpar gått relativt obemärkt förbi. Därav titeln på denna avhandling, ”en tyst revolution”. Denna avhandling ger en djupgående beskrivning av den svenska övergången från olja och el till värmepumpar och av hur den svenska industrin bidragit till utvecklingen inom det svenska värmepumps- området. Forskningsansatsen i denna avhandling bygger på ett värdenätverks- och ’coopetition’-perspektiv i kombination med användningen av det dynamiska analytiska begreppet komplementaritet. Denna ansats är inspirerad av Verna Allees (2009) och Erik Dahméns (1991) arbeten. Begreppet värdenätverk används i denna avhandling för att beskriva det nätverk av aktörer som omger en specifik affärsmodell, begreppet ’coopetition’ används för att beskriva relationerna mellan aktörer (som både konkurrerande och samarbetande) och begreppet komplementaritet används för att analysera dynamiken mellan synergistiska delar och värdenätverk i den svenska värmepumpsektorn och det svenska energisystemet. Genom detta tillvägagångssätt beskrivs hur ett hållbart nät av relationer och ömsesidiga beroenden mellan komplementariteter har utvecklats, dels inom själva värmepumps- sektorn, dels mellan värmepumpssektorn och energisystemet i Sverige, under den svenska övergången mot ökad användning av värmepumpar. Intresset för värmepumpar steg i både Europa och Sverige under 1970- talet. Det svenska energisystemet var under tryck från både internationella oljekriser och nationell politisk mobilisering mot svensk kärnkrafts-utbyggnad. Under denna period när det svenska energisystemet var under negativt omvandlingstryck framstod värmepumpen som ett lovande alternativ som skulle kunna minska användningen av både olja och el för uppvärmning i Sverige. På 1970- talet bildades en svensk värmepumpindustri i samband med en växande värmepumpsmarknad. Ett stort antal aktörer av olika typer engagerade sig i den växande svenska värmepumpsektorn under denna period. Den intensiva samarbetsdynamiken kring värmepumpar som följde oljekrisen från 1970-talet bidrog till bildandet av varaktiga kopplingar mellan komplementariteter under denna tidiga fas i värmepumpsövergången. Under tidigt 1980-tal steg den relativa försäljningen av villavärmepumpar kraftigt och under mitten av 1980- talet skedde en ännu kraftigare utveckling av stora värmepumpar i svenska fjärrvärmeanläggningar. Men i mitten av 1980-talet sjönk oljepriset tillbaka till sina tidigare låga nivåer. I kombination med andra faktorer, så som slopade subventioner och höjd ränta, uppstod en kris för värmepumpar i Sverige. Den följande 10-års perioden karakteriserades av låg försäljning av små värmepumpar. Marknaden för stora värmepumpar försvann helt och skulle aldrig återkomma. Men flera kopplingar mellan värmepumpsrelaterade komplementarier kvarstod i Sverige även efter mitten av 1980-talet. I kombination med värdenätverkskonfigurationer, förändringar i företagsägande och statligt stöd till industrin, bidrog dessa hållbara kopplingar mellan komplementarier till att upprätthålla både produktion och servicefunktioner inom den svenska värmepumpsektorn. På grund av den tekniska utvecklingen, som i stor utsträckning skedde utanför tillverkningssektorn, blev det i mitten av 1990-talet möjligt för den kämpande svenska värmepumpsindustrin att erbjuda mer pålitliga och standardiserade villavärmepumpar till den svenska hemmamarknaden. Under åren efter 1995 växte den svenska värmepumpmarknaden till att bli den största i Europa. Den svenska marknadens och industrins utveckling och tillväxt gav svenska företag en relativ fördel gentemot sina eftersläntrande europeiska konkurrenter, med följden att tillverkningen av värmepumpar förblev koncentrerad till svenska anläggningar även efter det att en stor del av svensk värmepumpsindustri blivit uppköpt av utländska företag efter 2005. År 2015 var Sverige fortfarande det land med mest värme från värmepumpar per capita i Europa och den svenska utvecklingen var 10- 20 år före andra europeiska värmepumpmarknader. Denna avhandling beskriver samutvecklingen mellan den svenska värmepumpssektorn och det svenska energisystemet och hur den industriella utvecklingen bidragit till att den svenska övergången till värmepumpar var relativt tidig i jämförelse med andra europeiska marknader. Avhandlingen visar också att aktörsdynamiken i en socio- teknisk övergång förändras med uppkomsten av strukturella spänningar mellan komplementariteter, vilket har betydelse för hur externa relationer och partnerskap hanteras av företag och organisationer som genomgår omfattande socio-tekniska övergångar. Vidare argumenteras för att begreppen värdenätverk, coopetition, och komplementariteter kan kombineras i ett konceptuellt ramverk för att beskriva och analysera företags och industriers roller i omfattande socio-tekniska övergångar och därigenom komplettera nuvarande dominerande konceptuella ramverk för studier av omfattande socio-tekniska övergångar.

QC 20171023

Questioning GDP as dominant indicator for economic performance has become commonplace. For economists economic policy always aims for a broader array of goals (like income, employment, price stability, trade balance) alongside income, with income being the priority objective. The Stiglitz-Sen-Fitoussi Commission argued for extending and adapting key variables of macroeconomic analysis. International organisations such as the EC, OECD, Eurostat and UN have proposed extended arrays of macroeconomic indicators (see 'Beyond GDP', 'Compendium of wellbeing indicators', 'GDP and Beyond', 'Green Economy', 'Green Growth', 'Measuring Progress of Societies'). Despite these high profile efforts, few wellbeing and environmental variables are in use in macroeconomic models. The reasons for the low uptake of socio-ecological indicators in macroeconomic models range from path dependencies in modelling, technical limitations, indicator lists being long and unworkable, choices of indicators appearing ad hoc and poor data availability. In this paper we review key approaches and identify a limited list of candidate variables and - as much as possible - offer data sources.
Series: WWWforEurope

Background: The global burden of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) is escalating as part of the rapid health transition that developing countries are experiencing. This increase is associated with shifts in demographics and economics, two of the major factors that affect diet and activity. The term social drift phenomenon (SDP) is used to describe the observations that: in the early stages of the epidemiological and nutrition transitions, it is usually the more affluent, higher socio–economic groups that are affected; in the later stages, it is the poor, lower socio–economic groups that display the consequences of these transitions. Therefore, in developing countries at the beginning of the transition, affluent people have higher prevalence of obesity and increased CVD risk. In developed countries, at much later stages of the transition, obesity and increased CVD risk is more prevalent in the lower socio–economic groups. In South Africa, the Transition and Health during Urbanisation of South Africans (THUSA) study which was done in 1996/1998 indicated that at that time, most of the risk factors for CVD were observed in the more urbanised (richer) subjects. It is not known if this pattern changed in any way due to the present rapid urbanisation of South African blacks. Therefore, in this study we explored the associations between socio–economic status (SES) (measured by level of urbanisation, education and employment) and CVD risk factors in an African population undergoing transition in the North–West Province of South Africa, that were prevalent in 2005 when the baseline data for in the Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study were collected. Objectives: The main objective of this dissertation was to examine the SDP in an African population in a nutrition and health transition, by: (i) Reviewing the literature on associations between socio–economic variables and biological health outcomes focusing on CVD risk factors in developed and developing countries; (ii) Analysing the baseline data from the 2005 PURE study to examine the relationships between components of SES, namely level of iii urbanisation, education and occupation, and nutrition–related CVD risk factors in men and women participating in the PURE study; and (iii) Comparing results on these associations between CVD risk factors and SES from the PURE study with those found in the THUSA study, which was conducted almost 10 years earlier, to examine if social drift in these associations has taken place. Study design: The dissertation is based on a comparison of the CVD risk factors and socio–economic status of the THUSA and PURE studies. Secondary analysis of the baseline cross–sectional epidemiological data from the PURE study was executed. The South African PURE study is part of a 12–year Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiology study which investigates the health transition in urban and rural subjects in 22 different countries. The main selection criterion was that there should be migration stability within the chosen rural and urban communities. The rural community (A) was identified 450 km west of Potchefstroom on the highway to Botswana. A deep rural community (B), 35 km east from A and only accessible by gravel road, was also included. Both communities are still under tribal law. The urban communities (C and D) were chosen near the University in Potchefstroom. Community C was selected from Ikageng, the established part of the township next to Potchefstroom, and D from the informal settlements surrounding community C. The baseline data for PURE were collected from October to December 2005. A total of 2010 apparently healthy African volunteers (35 years and older), with no reported chronic diseases of lifestyle, tuberculosis (TB) or known human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) were recruited from a sample of 6000 randomly selected households. Methods: A variety of quantitative and qualitative research techniques was used by multidisciplinary teams to collect, measure and interpret data generated from biological samples and validated questionnaires. For this study, the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) package (version 17.0, SPSS Inc) was used to analyze the data. Means and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of CVD risk and dietary factors were calculated. Participants of both genders were divided into different groups (according to urbanisation, education and employment levels) and compared. Estimated significant differences between rural and urban participants were determined with analysis of variance using the general linear model (GLM), multivariate procedure. Univariate analysis was used to explore further the influence of education on CVD risk factors and dietary intakes. Employment was used as a proxy for income, and pairwise comparisons using GLM, multivariate procedure were done for comparing the three groups (Not answered, employed and not employed). Tests were considered significant at P<0.05. Results: Comparison of urban with rural subjects participating in the PURE study showed that urban men had significantly higher systolic and diastolic blood pressures and lower fibrinogen levels than rural men. In women, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose and serum triglycerides were significantly higher in urban subjects whereas fibrinogen levels were significantly lower among urban subjects. After examining the relationship between the level of education and CVD risk factors, we observed that men with higher education levels had significantly higher BMI. In women, serum triglycerides and blood pressure were lower and BMI was significantly higher in the educated subjects. Because it was difficult to distinguish between reported household and individual income levels, we compared CVD risk factors of employed and unemployed subjects. Employed men had significantly higher BMI whereas the unemployed men had significantly higher fasting glucose and fibrinogen levels. Although mean blood pressure of employed men was higher than that of unemployed men, the difference did not reach significance. In women, the only significant difference seen was that employed women had lower high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, fasting glucose, triglycerides and fibrinogen levels, but they had a significantly higher BMI. Employed women had significantly higher BMI than unemployed women (27.9 [26.3–29.4] versus 26.5 [26.0–27.0] kg/m2). It seems that most of the nutrition related CVD risk factors were still higher in the higher socio–economic group, a situation similar to that reported in the THUSA study. v Conclusion: The results of this study showed little evidence of a major social drift in CVD risk factors from subjects participating in the 1996/1998 THUSA study to those in the 2005 PURE study. Most cardiovascular disease risk factors are still higher in the higher SES groups. However, there were some indications (increased fibrinogen in both men and women living in rural areas; higher triglyceride and fasting glucose levels in unemployed women; no significant differences in blood pressure and total cholesterol across different SES groups which existed in the THUSA study) that a social drift in CVD risk factors in our African population is on the way. This means that promotion of healthy, prudent diets and lifestyles should be targeted to Africans from all socio–economic levels for the prevention of CVD.
Thesis (M.Sc (Dietetics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

This study is about age and gender specific HIV morbidity in Nepal. The main objective of the study is to find out the factors that affect the HIV prevalence in Nepali society and the relationships of different existing socio cultural and economic factors that have led females vulnerable to HIV infection especially to housewives. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used for the data collection.

Initially, Nepal’s epidemic was driven by sex workers and drug users .Though HIV prevalence was concentrated in these groups for several years, now it has been proved that  the outbreak is not limited among those groups only, the prevalence among housewives , clients of sex workers, migrants and male homosexuals   are stretching up . Moreover findings have shown that the HIV epidemics is taking a devastating tool in women in Nepal, covering the more HIV prevalence number by low risk group housewives among the HIV affected female population. Lack of fully inclusive knowledge of HIV/AIDS; lack of knowledge of proper use of condom, negligence, and risky sexual behavior have compelled maximum risk for HIV contraction in society.

Socio economic and cultural structures and the consequences of its correlation aggravated the HIV prevalence among people, especially have affected women. Discrimination of women is entrenched in Nepali society. Due to disparity and discrimination women are not able to get formal education that deprives them from any opportunity for the employment that leads poverty on them. Living under poverty often stems them to engage in high risk situations and likely to adopt risky sexual behaviors which in turn render them vulnerable to HIV infection. The masculinity of the society, and women’s less power for the decision making process have made females heavily dependent on males, and this constraint them from entering into negotiating for protective sex which put them in HIV infection .The study further revealed the triggering effect of powerlessness of housewives and risky sexual behavior of men to HIV infection to low risk group housewives.  If the same trends go on, the time is not so far for the Nepali women to take up the higher number of HIV prevalence, and the low risk group housewives will be highly vulnerable. It is already urgent to activate the plans and intervention program for the prevention of HIV prevalence which is stretching towards women especially to low risk group housewives. Based on the findings, conclusions and recommendations are drawn.

Magistro baigiamajame darbe nagrinėjamos Lietuvos ir Europos Sąjungos ekonomikos strateginių nuostatų sąsajos su nacionalinėmis socialinėmis ekonomikos tendencijomis. Pirmajame baigiamojo darbo skyriuje nustatomi teoriniai valstybės dalyvavimo ekonomikoje pagrindai, vertinant Lietuvos pereinamosios ekonomikos ypatumus per šalies Nepriklausomybės laikotarpį. Antroje baigiamojo darbo dalyje nagrinėjama ekonomikos strateginio planavimo metodika, parenkamas scenarijaus metodas, sudaromos baigiamojo darbo tyrimo modelis. Trečioje empirinėje dalyje atliekama Lietuvos ūkio (ekonomikos) raidos iki 2015 m. strategijos analitika, lyginamos 2002 m. formuotos strateginės nuostatos ir jų įgyvendinimas 2012 m. Taip pat analizuojami Strategijos Europa 2020 keliami tikslai, šių tikslų atitikimas Lietuvos socialinėms ekonominėms tendencijoms bei šių tikslų įgyvendinimo logiškumas ir realistiškumas. Ketvirtoje baigiamojo darbo dalyje pateikiamos išvados ir formuojami siūlymai toliau įgyvendinant strategines ekonomikos nuostatas.
The links between national social economics trends and strategic statements of EU and Lithuanian political documents are analyzed in the master thesis work. In the first part of the work, the basics of the role of the State in economics are analyzed considering Lithuania to be a transitional economics. In second part of the master thesis work, the methodic of strategic economic planning is analyzed, the model of the research is constructed and the scenarios method is selected to do empirical research in the third part. In the third part, the results of long term economic strategy till 2015 are investigated and the real socio economic situation is evaluated. The strategic goals of Europa 2020 strategy are identified and its fitness to national socio economic trends is characterized. The logics and realism of set goals are evaluated considering hypothetical picture of Lithuania in 2020. In the fourth part of the master thesis work, the conclusion is drawn and recommendations for forward economic policy are suggested.

This short paper considers all possible stakeholders in different stages of a sustainability transition and matches their behavioral features and diversity to policies. This will involve an assessment of potential or expected responses of stakeholders to a range of policy instruments. Following the Multi-Level Perspective framework to conceptualize sustainability transitions, we classify the various transition policies at niche, regime and landscape levels. Next, we offer a complementary classification of policies based on a distinction between social preferences and bounded rationality. The paper identifies many barriers to making a sustainability transition and how to respond to them. In addition, lessons are drawn from the case of Denmark. The detailed framework and associated literature for the analysis was discussed in Milestone 31 of the WWWforEurope project (Gazheli et al., 2012).
Series: WWWforEurope

The collapse of the communist regimes in Central and Eastern Europe in 1989-1990 heralded the beginning of an economic transition from central planning to market economies. The subsequent period was marked by malfunctioning of these countries’ social sectors, including their health care systems, raising serious issues of equity. This thesis examines the impact of the transition period and the introduction of social insurance on equity in health care provision in Bulgaria. Equity in health care is investigated with respect to function - i.e. financing (according to ability to pay) and delivery (according to need) - and outcomes - i.e. health status, income inequality and poverty. Differences in health, health care financing and delivery are explored by income, education, ethnic, employment, marital status, age and sex groups. Furthermore, the thesis outlines the impact of health care provision, in particular social insurance, on poverty and health inequalities. The thesis employs empirical analysis based on household data. Its methodology includes concentration and decomposition analysis, and provides new ways of modelling health care financing and delivery, as well as the link between health and health care delivery. The thesis concludes that social insurance does not provide a uniform means of improving equity and that the root cause of the problem lies in the large proportion of out-of-pocket payments and the rather limited size of the health insurance sector. Inequity in health care provision leads to poverty and untreated illness. The data suggests that there are differences between socio-economic groups as regards their likelihood to seek treatment for their ill health, which result in differences in their health status. The social factors that have impacted the most on health are low education and low income.

Today humankind is facing numerous sustainability challenges that require us to question CO2 intensive practices like those present in the transport and energy sector. To meet those challenges, many countries have adopted ambitious climate targets. Achieving such targets requires an understanding of the wider socio-technical context of transitions. The aim of this licentiate thesis is therefore to analyse such socio-technical transitions towards low-emission futures enabled by the electrification of passenger cars and high voltage grid development. A combination of different transitions theories (for ex. Multi-level perspective and Technological innovation systems) and institutional theory has been used. To reach the aim paper I analyses the climate impacts of electric vehicles (EVs) and policy measures to achieve a breakthrough scenario for EVs. The results show that a mixture of short and long term policies are needed that take into account the technology development stage and behavioural aspects of EV adopters. Paper II addresses the need to include the high voltage transmission grid and its planning procedures as a central part of debates on transitions. Therefore the opportunities, challenges and reasons for conflict in the established regime are studied. The results show that in order to achieve a sustainable grid development regime, it is necessary to spend time on achieving legitimacy and social sustainability. The third paper uses semi-structured expert interviews and focuses on innovation dynamics for EV adoption. By focusing on dynamics instead of single policy measures, it is possible to grasp interactions within a niche, but also in between a niche, regime and landscape. The results show that strong initial technology legitimacy was needed to start substantial innovation dynamics. This could be further strengthened with a strong and broad coalition of actors. Both those factors led, if present, to an improved variety and match of policy instruments. As such this thesis has shown that transitions are not just about technology or policy instruments as such but about the dynamics and processes needed to enable them. This can be relevant in other transitions that otherwise may underestimate the importance of these components.

QC 20170512

Norstrat

The main objective of this thesis is to evaluate the circumstances and transition of the socio-economic system of the Russian Federation. It is also focused on the regional economy of Sverdlovsk region as a socio-economic subsystem. Uralmash plant is presented here as an example of an economic player in a process of transition. The thesis is based on several specific theories: socio-economic system and its transition, evolution of the economic systems by J. Schumpeter, social choice between chaos and dictatorship based on the new comparative economics, regionalist theory and corporate finance. It is chosen comparative-historical and empirical-statistical methodology. The main finding of the thesis is the inability of the socio-economic system of the USSR to continue in development as a result of dictatorship. However, the new Russian economy fell into a structural shift. The contribution of the thesis is a comprehensive view on transition process in Russia both at national and at regional and local level. Both theoretical and practical sites of transition are reflected. Not only macroeconomic but also microeconomic point of view is taken into account.

Mestrado Bolonha em Economia e Políticas Públicas
As alterações climáticas e o esgotamento dos recursos fósseis favoreceram a produção de energia com fonte renovável, levando à transição energética com o objetivo de neutralidade carbónica para 2050. A União Europeia, que pretende ser o primeiro continente a atingir a neutralidade carbónica, desenvolveu novas tecnologias, tais como a eólica offshore, por forma a acelerar a transição energética. Portugal apresenta um elevado potencial neste tipo de energia pela densidade de costas marítimas que dispõe. A literatura proposta revê relatórios e roteiros estabelecidos pelo governo português e agências do setor energético, para alcançar uma economia de baixo carbono, fixando metas ambiciosas para 2030 e 2050. A intervenção do Estado é necessária para regular o setor e proteger o ecossistema marítimo, que a energia eólica offshore pode afetar pela sua instalação no mar. Esta dissertação explora o contributo das diferentes energias renováveis para a descarbonização do setor, com enfoque na eólica onshore e o peso crescente da eólica offshore, sendo esta o tema principal do trabalho final. A análise mostra que a offshore se desenvolveu através da aposta pelos decisores políticos na inovação e desenvolvimento tecnológico. Um aumento da capacidade instalada conjugado com turbinas mais potentes resultaram num aumento da produção de energia ao longo do século. A redução do custo nivelado de eletricidade (LCOE) também se tornou importante para atrair os investidores e ganhar a confiança dos mesmos para o desenvolvimento da offshore. Conclui-se desta investigação, a competitividade da eólica offshore face aos recursos fósseis e a existência de uma real oportunidade de mercado permitindo obter benefícios socioeconómicos pela criação de emprego e crescimento económico. Os decisores políticos mundiais nomeadamente portugueses, demostraram a vontade de descarbonizar o setor energético e assim criar uma economia "azul", baixa em carbono.
Climate change and the depletion of fossil resources facilitated the development of renewable energy, leading to the energy transition with the objective of carbon neutrality by 2050. The European Union, which intends to become the first continent to reach carbon neutrality, developed new technologies such as offshore wind power in order to accelerate its energy transition. Portugal has high potential in this type of energy thanks to the density of its coastal areas. The proposed literature reviews reports and roadmaps developed by the Portuguese government and agencies of the energy sector, in order to reach a low carbon economy, setting ambitious targets for 2030 and 2050. The intervention of the State is necessary to regulate the sector and protect the maritime ecosystem, which can be affected by the installation in the sea of offshore wind farms. This dissertation explores the contribution of different types of renewable energy to the decarbonization of the sector, with a focus on offshore wind power and its growing importance; that is the main theme of the final work. The analysis shows that the offshore development was made possible through political decision makers’ bet on innovation and technological advancement. The increase in capacity combined with more powerful turbines led to an increase of the energy produced throughout the century. The decrease of the levelised cost of energy (LCOE) also became an important factor to attract investors and gain their trust in the development of the offshore. It can be concluded from this investigation that offshore wind power is competitive against fossil resources and that there is a real market opportunity to drive socio-economic benefits, to create jobs and economic growth. Global political decision makers, in particular in Portugal, have demonstrated their will to decarbonize the energy sector and so, create a “blue” economy, low in carbon.
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

La présente recherche vise à reconstituer la position de la revue Mensaje, pendant 15 ans d'histoire du Chili (1958-1973). Ainsi, par le biais d’une méthodologie inductive et qualitative, l’étude effectue une analyse de l’interprétation de cette publication. De cette façon, par la codification de tous les articles par sujet ou par thématique, ce travail met en évidence les concepts centraux utilisés par Mensaje, au moyen desquels la revue a analysé la période étudiée. En outre, la recherche établit une relation entre ces concepts et propose un scénario fondé sur un terme transversal, celui de “changement social”, propre à tous les articles. L’étude, est composée de deux sections: «L'importance du changement social» et «Deux modèles de changement social». Ces deux sections sont complémentaires ; les débats et les concepts qui émergent dans la première section sont analysés, approfondis et mis en perspective sur le territoire chilien au cours de la seconde section. Chacune de ces sections est subdivisée en trois chapitres, qui examinent chronologiquement les concepts centraux, commentés par Mensaje.Le premier chapitre de la section initiale « L’importance du changement social » examine le concept de «communisme» et la façon dont la publication présente le « communisme » comme «une urgence» et «un problème» en raison de son «impact croissant». Le magazine Mensaje a interprété cette influence progressive du «communisme» en tant que symptôme d'un problème: «le malaise social en expansion». Dans ce contexte, Mensaje propose en réponse le renforcement des corps intermédiaires et l'application de la théorie du développement économique, en faveur de la modification des structures économiques et sociales. Le deuxième chapitre propose une analyse relationnelle entre la Révolution Cubaine et Alliance for Progress (ALPRO). Les deux événements ont favorisé, mais pas par la même voie, une valeur ajouté pour le «changement social». Le troisième chapitre traite de la mise en place de la «réforme agraire » au Chili comme un signe de l'arrivée du « changement social » sur le territoire. Dans ce contexte, l’analyse porte sur l'influence et l'impact de l'expérience de la répartition et distribution des terres de la hiérarchie de l'Église parmi ses travailleurs, comme un symbole d'approbation d’un modèle spécifique de « changement social ».La deuxième section traite spécifiquement de deux modèles chiliens de «changement social»: le premier revolución en libertad (révolution en liberté), le deuxième transición al socialismo (transition vers le socialisme). Dans ce scénario, le premier chapitre analyse l'émergence et la consolidation du parti démocrate-chrétien (PDC) dans l'arène politique et sa victoire présidentielle en 1964. Le magazine Mensaje soutiendra le gouvernement d'Eduardo Frei (PDC) et son projet «révolution en liberté» jusqu'à 1967. Le deuxième chapitre étudie la désillusion de la revue concernant le projet PDC, ainsi que l'explication de son échec. Néanmoins, la publication confirme l'existence de transformations dans la société chilienne, mais ceci par la multiplication des mouvements sociaux. La dernière partie de cette section étudie le succès de Unidad Popular (Unité Populaire) - l'union des mouvements et des partis de gauche, certains marxistes - lors des élections présidentielles de 1970. La revue finit par analyser la présence éventuelle d'une «extrême-droite fasciste» au Chili. Enfin, le dernier chapitre, commente directement les trois ans de gouvernement de l'UP et son projet de "transition vers le socialisme", en quatre moments: «Situation continentale», «Construction d'un espace social dominant», «Crise de confiance dans le jeu politique des partis» et enfin «Coup d'état (1973)»
The present research aims to reconstruct the position of the magazine Mensaje throughout fifteen years of Chile’s history (1958-1973). Through an inductive and qualitative methodology, a review on the interpretation of this publication has been reached. In this way, through the codification of all articles by topic, this work introduces the central concepts used by Mensaje, which the journal employed to analyse this historical period. In addition to this, the research proposes a relationship or storyline between these concepts, born from a transversal term throughout the articles: "social change". In regard to the structure of the study, the work is divided into two sections: "the importance of social change" and "two models of social change". Both sections are complementary: while debates and concepts emerge in the first section, the second pursues them and delves into them in Chilean soil. Each one of these sections is subdivided into three chapters, which chronologically examine the central concepts commented by Mensaje.The first chapter of the initial section “the importance of social change” examines the concept of "communism" and how it constitutes “an urgency” and a “problem" for the publication due to its "growth". Mensaje interprets the progressive influence of “communism” as a symptom of a problem: the "expanding social malaise". In this scenario Mensaje proposes the strengthening of intermediary bodies and the application of the theory of economic development in favour of changing the social and economic structures as an answer. The second chapter propose a comparative analysis between the Cuban Revolution and the Alliance for Progress (ALPRO). Both events promoted, although not in the same way, a greater value for "social change". The third chapter deals with the implementation of the "agrarian reform" in Chile, as a sign of the arrival of "social change” to the territory. In this context, we analyse the influence and impact of the experience of the distribution of land owned by the Church’s hierarchy amongst its workers, as a symbol of approval of a specific model of "social change".The second section deals with two specific Chilean models of "social change": the first “revolución en libertad" (revolution in freedom), the second “transición al socialismo” (transition to socialism). In this context, the first chapter analyses the emergence and consolidation of the Christian Democratic Party (PDC) in the political arena, through the gain of the presidency in 1964. The magazine Mensaje explicitly supports the government of Eduardo Frei (PDC) and its project "revolution in freedom". The second chapter studies the magazines disillusionment in respect to the PDC’s political project, and gives an explanation for its failure. Nevertheless, the publication confirms the existence of transformations in Chilean society by the multiplication of social movements. The last part of this section studies the success of “Unidad Popular” (Popular Unity) -a union of left-wing movements and parties, some of them Marxist- in the presidential elections of 1970. The magazine ends by analysing the possible presence of a "fascist right" in Chile. Finally, the last chapter comments directly on the three years of government of the UP and its project to "transit to socialism” in four moments: "continental situation", "construction of a dominant social area", "crisis of confidence in the political game of parties" and finally "coup d'état (1973)"
La presente investigación tiene como objetivo reconstruir la postura de la revista Mensaje a lo largo de 15 años de la historia de Chile (1958-1973). Así, mediante una metodología inductiva y cualitativa, el presente trabajo analiza el discurso de la publicación en el periodo. De tal modo, el trabajo por medio de la codificación de los artículos por temáticas recoge los conceptos centrales a través de los cuales la revista interpretó los diversos sucesos. Por otra parte, esta reflexión establece una relación entre estos conceptos a partir del término “cambio social”, noción recurrente en los artículos. Respecto a la estructura este estudio se organiza en dos secciones complementarias: “la importancia del cambio social” y “dos modelos de cambio social”. En la primera sección el trabajo relaciona debates y conceptos socio-políticos, mientras que la segunda se aparta de una esfera más teórica para ponerlos a prueba en el contexto chileno. Cada uno de estos apartados se subdividen en tres capítulos que examinan cronológicamente las temáticas comentadas por Mensaje.Así, el primer capítulo de la sección inicial estudia el concepto de “comunismo” y cómo para la publicación este constituyó una “urgencia” y un “problema” debido a su crecimiento, interpretado como síntoma del “creciente malestar social”. Así, Mensaje propone como respuesta el fortalecimiento de los “cuerpos intermedios” y la aplicación de la “teoría del desarrollo” a favor del cambio de la estructura económica y social. El segundo capítulo propone un análisis relacional entre la Revolución Cubana y Alianza para el Progreso (ALPRO). Ambos acontecimientos que promocionaron, aunque no del mismo modo, un mayor valor por el “cambio social”. El tercer capítulo aborda la implementación de la “reforma agraria” en Chile como signo de la llegada del “cambio social” al territorio. En este contexto, se analiza la influencia e impacto que tuvo el reparto de tierras de la jerarquía de la Iglesia Católica entre sus trabajadores como señal de aprobación de modelo específico de “cambio social”. La segunda sección trata específicamente sobre dos modelos chilenos de “cambio social”: “revolución en libertad” y “transición al socialismo”. El primer capítulo considera la consolidación del Partido Demócrata Cristiano (PDC), el cual logra la presidencia en 1964 con el candidato Eduardo Frei y el proyecto “revolución en libertad”, a los que la revista Mensaje apoyó explícitamente. El segundo capítulo expone la desilusión de la revista respecto al proyecto, así como la explicación sobre su fracaso. No obstante, la publicación confirma la existencia de transformaciones en la sociedad chilena por la multiplicación de los movimientos sociales. La última parte de esta sección, estudia el éxito en las elecciones presidenciales de 1970 por la Unidad Popular (UP) –unión de movimientos y partidos de izquierda, algunos marxistas–. La revista termina analizando la posible presencia de una derecha “fascista” en Chile. Finalmente, el último capítulo, analiza, en cuatro momentos, los tres años de gobierno de la UP y su proyecto “tránsito al socialismo”: “situación continental”, “construcción del un área social dominante”, “crisis de confianza en el juego político de partidos” y “golpe de estado (1973)”

Objectifs : Le mémoire examine la privatisation en Bulgarie à partir d'une certaine distance historique de 25 ans, pour démontrer les conséquences sociales présentement visibles, entre autres les inégalités sociales par rapport au développement économique; l’impact démographique aussi que les nouvelles structures et valeurs sociales. Méthode: Nous utilisons une approche à deux volets. Pour le développement socio-économique, nous étudions six variables constantes pour la période, telles que le nombre de personnes en dessous du seuil de pauvreté, le PIB, l'indice Gini, les dynamiques démographiques, le taux de chômage et l'indice de développement humain; Pour les changements sociaux, les nouvelles structures et les valeurs, nous utiliserons une approche qualitative, basée sur des entrevues, des questionnaires, des études de terrain, etc. Résultats: Nous constatons que les résultats obtenus par les deux méthodes, ceci comprenant leurs limitations, correspondent plutôt à notre hypothèse : la privatisation en Bulgarie était économiquement nécessaire, mais socialement destructive et a entraîné des conséquences sociales dévastatrices à long terme, principalement en raison des politiques et des pratiques de privatisation défectueuses. La privatisation a émergé de la théorie néo-libérale économique prédominant à l'époque. Les pratiques spécifiques utilisées dans la privatisation Bulgare ont favorisé principalement à court terme certains petits groupes sociaux, mais pas la société dans son ensemble. Conclusion: Nous constatons que la façon dont la privatisation bulgare a été menée a été socialement et économiquement nuisible avec des conséquences continues. À long terme, l'économie s'est rétablie, mais les divergences sociales ont toujours une tendance à croître.
Objectives : We look at the privatization in Bulgaria as defined above from a certain historical distance of 25 years, trying follow the visible now social consequences of the privatization, such as social inequality vs economic development; demographic impact and new social structures and values. Method: We use a two-prong approach. For the socio-economic development we study six constant variables for the defined period such as number of people below poverty line, GDP, Gini Index, demographic dynamcs, employment rate, and Human development index; for the social changes, new structures and values we use a qualitative approach, based on based on interviews, questionnaires, field studies, etc. Results: We find that results by both methods, with all the limittaions they have, rather align with our hypothesis that privatization in Bulgaria was economically necessary, but socially destructive and led to devastating social consequences, mainly as a result of flawed privatization policies and practices. It did emerge from the predominant at that time neo-liberal economic view and the specific practices used in the Bulgarian privatization favoured mainly in short term for some small social groups but for the society as a whole. Conclusion: We find that the way Bulgarian privatization was conducted was socially and economically damaging with long lasting consequences. In the long run the economy has recoverd, however the social divergences tend to grow.

The literature on development abounds with examples of development failure, yet people still choose to be involved in small-scale development projects. The study explores the unforeseen and less obvious value of projects in the lives of ordinary people in Giyani, Limpopo, South Africa. During the past three decades, the place and people have experienced considerable political, economic and social transformation – Giyani started as the capital of the Gazankulu homeland, but is now in a unified country, part of the present dual economy. Hence, the link between the Giyani project participants’ experiences and the adjustment to the changes was investigated. Interviews with members of four small-scale development projects formed the ethnographic component of the study. These interviews were augmented by a household survey to determine the participation levels in small-scale projects. The study explores the extent to which the needs of the participants are being met by the projects, using Bourdieu’s distinction between economic, social, cultural and symbolic capital as a lens. The effects of ‘structural adjustment’ measures on qualified professionals (civil servants), their participation in projects and adaptation to changes are examined. The study also investigates the experiences of gender empowerment and changes with regard to subservience to customary law and traditional authorities. The gender and power relations of the ageing process were also examined. The study examined the Avelanani crèche, which was formed to provide pre-school education for the children of refugees from Mozambique, and which was funded through missionary networks. The Giyani Aged Garden project, established by the homeland government, provides a space for retired people from both the civil service and those from poor backgrounds to share and function for their mutual benefit. Ahitipfuxeni, a town-based project, has stage-managed its qualification for funding from various government departments and agencies. By contrast, Hi Hlurile, a project established during ‘structural adjustment’ by professionally trained women, straddles the Second and First Economies and is using business principles, product and service quality, and global connectedness to access ‘social funds’ and other networking opportunities. The study has revealed that these four projects have not achieved the goal of economic empowerment, but that they do provide a safe haven for women and men in times of rapid changes in the political, social and economic spheres. The participants demonstrate agency within a project environment that promotes participative decision-making, democratic leadership and activities supporting empowerment through the accumulation of various forms of capital. The survey demonstrated that 16.2% of the residents of Giyani were involved in small-scale projects. Of the project participants, 89% were women, and 63% of the households of project participants depended solely on government grants for regular income. The findings of the study were used to analyse the government’s plan to facilitate development through Community Development Practitioners, a concept that would promote State planning and control that would stifle the agency of people, would increase the size of the civil service and absorb funding that should reach the poor.
Thesis (DPhil)--University of Pretoria, 2011.
Anthropology and Archaeology
unrestricted

Abstract While mining has been a source of livelihood for many Basotho families since the 1970s, the 1980s, the 1990s, and the 2000s, have seen progressive decline in the number of migrant mine workers in South Africa’s mining companies. This decline has forced many families to adjust their livelihood activities to replace income lost from mine migrant wage labour. In view of various livelihood transition options, former mine migrant labour families have reverted to rural subsistence agricultural livelihoods as well as capitalized agricultural activities based within rural areas. These livelihood options are significantly influenced by investment options undertaken while still employed within the mining industry. Although these livelihood transitions have necessitated adjustment of expenditure patterns, these adjustments have in many instances not significantly altered gender based decision making practices and responsibilities of adult household members. In spite of limited income generation activities by husbands, in most families the husband continues to be seen as the head of the household, responsible for making decisions pertaining to investment and disposal of assets, expenditures related to ploughing of fields and caring for livestock, while the wife’s decision making activities are confined to matters pertaining to caring for the children, including their schooling.

The post-apartheid government of 1994 is a product of the ‘Age of Rights’. Statemaking processes and the exercise of state powers is managed by the rule of law based on a constitution. Constitutionally recognised rights, and rights protection institutions, animate a transition from a legacy of Black political exclusion and underdevelopment. Intensifying class stratification and inequality constrain Black’s formal realisation of citizenship rights, placing great pressure on creative interpretation of constitutionally legitimated claims. My thesis examines the rights discourse informing the Constitution, particularly issues about the realisation of social and economic rights. I examine the unfolding of discourses on the right to housing between 1994 to 2008, to illustrate of the complexity of the discourse. Episodic housing protests suggest significant degrees of alienation, marginalisation, and disappointment with expectations of citizenship and the non-realisation of social and economic rights. Housing rights is an issue that will affect the democratic consolidation and political stability prospects of the new political order. I examine the interface between macro-economic policies, budgets, and the realisation of housing rights, and assess the impact of an identifiable configuration of forces expected to play important roles in realising a rights culture and broadening the discourse. My study draws on a spectrum of qualitative, interpretive, and analysis of discourse approaches, using data from: published articles, annual reports and archives, speeches, court proceedings and statements, interviews with persons whose scope of activities impact the unfolding of the concerned rights, namely, representatives of government departments, private sector developers, financing institutions, and civil society formations. My main findings are that few actors in the configuration support the view that the Constitution should be changed to make explicit the state’s obligations on the realisation of social and economic rights. Nevertheless, there are isolated cases of people expressing an absolute entitlement sense of rights --- the state should deliver when demands are made. My conclusions are that considerable political unrest about non-realisation of these rights will persist, but will not cause a collapse of the post-1994 political institutions and processes. More likely, political actors, legal scholars and jurists, will persistently engage the prevailing rights discourse and the variety of institutions acting towards their realisation, without effecting drastic changes to these, but always invoking positions about how they still are suited for a post-apartheid transformation project yet need critical interrogation and improvisation.

The dissertation focuses on the parental attitudes about education of their children during transition from pre-primary to primary education. The study focused on families without identified socio-economic disadvantage whose children were not enrolled in kindergarten. The research design was a longitudinal multiple case study of seven families located in the Liberec region. Data was gathered at multiple points during the children's transition from the kindergarten to primary school. The study focused on the reasons that led parents gave for deciding that their children would either participate in non-regular pre-primary education within nursery schools or not attend the pre-primary classes at all. The study inquired about: parents' general attitudes about pre-primary education; their views on the right educational path for their children; and their self-reported approach to their children's overall development. The study also examined the parents' feelings about the introduction of an obligatory pre-school year and their process of making the enrollment decisions. The results showed that although these families did have some common characteristics, the reasons given for opting not let their children attend preschool, were diverse. Mothers of these children were passionate about doing what's best...

To understand how Aboriginal youths’ access to post-secondary schooling opportunities is created and constrained, structures of inclusion and exclusion are examined. In particular, the legitimization of unequal treatment and disparate outcomes is problematized; making the case that public schooling systems limit the opportunities of youth. In this study, youths’ post-secondary aspirations are contextualized on the basis of racial identity, gender, programs of enrolment, graduate destinations, parent’s level of schooling, parental income, and community size; binary analyses evaluate the relationships among these variables. The variables were accessed from the Youth in Transition Survey (YITS) and the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). Findings of this research counter other studies that demonstrate Aboriginal youth with lower post-secondary opportunities relative to their peers. This study substantiates that barriers to aspiration achievement and post-secondary opportunities are not from a lack of ambition or academic preparedness among Aboriginal youth attending Canadian public schools.