SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPM ENT AS AN INTERDISCIPLINARY SCIENCE

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PILOT STUDY

Strydom (2002: 210) emphasized that in order to undertake scientific research on a specific problem the researcher should have thorough background knowledge with regard to the selected topic or research problem. The pilot study forms an integral part of the research process. Its function is the exact formulation of the research problem, and a tentative planning of the modus operandi and range of the investigation. (Compare Barrett, 1995: 27.) Strydom (2002: 211) suggested a broad outline of the pilot study that commences with a literature study. Thereafter, the experiences of experts are gathered, and subsequently the researcher should obtain an overview of the field of investigation and conclude with a thorough study of a few cases. The researcher realized that apart from a literature study and interviews with experts, a picture of the real practical situation where the prospective investigation was executed had to be obtained. Strydom (2002: 213) emphasized the special importance of preliminary exploratory studies in order to plan the research project in a practical way. Strydom (2002: 214) further stated that the researcher should undertake a thorough study on a small scale of the real total community where the investigation would take place.

Feasibility of the study

Rubin and Babbie (1993: 81) drew attention to the importance of the feasibility of a research study. Research problems should not be too narrow so that they are not worth doing, or too grandiose that they are not feasible. In Strydom’s (2002: 213) opinion preliminary exploratory studies are especially important with a view to the practical planning of the research project, e.g. the transport, finance and time factors. For this research study, the researcher was occupied for many weeks compiling an extensive list of all welfare and non-governmental organizations in and around the Pretoria area. This task was necessary to ascertain the number of organizations doing developmental work, job creation and community development. This proved to be a rather costly exercise because of the number of telephone calls, electronic mail and faxed messages.

THE RESEARCH POPULATION, SAMPLE AND SAMPLING

METHOD Bless and Higson-Smith (1995: 87) described a well-defined population as the set of elements that the research focuses upon and to which the results obtained by testing the sample should be generalized. Babbie (1989: 170) stated that the study population is the sum total of elements from which the sample is selected. Grinnell and Williams (1990: 118) described the concept “population” as “the totality of persons or objects with which the study is concerned”. (Compare FifeSchaw, 1995: 338.) The population in this respect was all social workers in and around the Pretoria area that did development work. It was not feasible to utilize the whole social work community; therefore a sample was selected from different social work organizations and NGOs, in and around the Pretoria area.

DEFINING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Sustainable development is an often-discussed topic by politicians, economists, anthropologists, environmental scientists and development planners and much has been written about it. The same can be said about definitions of sustainable development. Burger (1997: 5) was of the opinion that the vision of sustainable development is frequently criticized as being too vague, or is even viewed as an empty phrase. According to Burger this is because sustainable development does not exactly determine the course that development in the spheres of the economy, the environment and society should take. In his opinion this criticism is unfounded, the reason being, that a deterministic concept of sustainable development is neither possible nor purposeful. Burger (1997: 5) emphasized the following: “…a vision can, even if it is not deterministic, nonetheless most certainly guide the direction of future action”.

1990

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) was established in Canada, with the objective to encourage innovation to facilitate sustainable societies. It began publishing the “Earth Negotiations Bulletin” in 1992 (IISD, 2002: 3). In 1990 the United Nations Summit for Children took place. It was an important recognition of the impact of the environment on future generations (IISD, 2002: 3). According to White (2002: 31) more than 180 countries took part and signed a final declaration and plan of action. Following the summit, 155 countries drew up national programmes to ensure the survival, protection and development of children.

1993

On 25 June 1993, representatives of 171 States adopted by consensus the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action of the World Conference on Human Rights. They presented to the international community a common plan for the strengthening of human rights work around the world. The most important aspect of this plan was the recognition of interdependence between democracy, development and human rights (Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, 1995: 1-3).

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TABLE OF CONTENTS :

CHAPTER ONE – GENERAL OVERVIEW
- 1.1 INTRODUCTION
- 1.2 MOTIVATION FOR THE CHOICE OF THE SUBJECT
- 1.3 PROBLEM FORMULATION
- 1.4 PURPOSE, GOAL AND OBJECTIVES OF THE RESEARCH STUDY
- 1.4.1 Purpose of the study
- 1.4.2 Goal of the study
- 1.4.3 Objectives of the study
- 1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS FOR THE STUDY
- 1.6 RESEARCH APPROACH
- 1.7 TYPE OF RESEARCH
- 1.8 THE RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
- 1.8.1 Data-collection method
- 1.8.2 Data analysis
- 1.9 PILOT STUDY
- 1.9.1 Pilot testing of data-gathering instrument
- 1.9.2 Feasibility of the study
- 1.9.3 Literature study
- 1.9.4 Consultation with experts
- 1.10 THE RESEARCH POPULATION, SAMPLE AND SAMPLING METHOD
- 1.10.1 Sample and sampling method
- 1.11 ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
- 1.12 DEFINITION OF KEY CONCEPTS
- 1.13 CONTENTS OF THE RESEARCH REPORT
CHAPTER TWO – THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PARADIGM
- 2.1 INTRODUCTION
- 2.2 DEFINING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
- 2.3 THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT TIMELINE
- 2.4 SUMMIT 2002, JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
- 2.4.1 An overview
- 2.4.2 Key commitments, targets and timetables – Summit
- 2.5 CONCEPTUALIZING SUST AINABLE DEVELOPMENT
- 2.5.1 Principles of a sustainable society
- 2.5.2 Sustainable development: A holistic approach to sustainable living
- 2.6 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPM ENT AS AN INTERDISCIPLINARY SCIENCE
- 2.6.1 The environmental dimension of sustainable development
- 2.6.2 The economic dimension of sustainable development
- 2.6.3 The social dimension of sustainable development
- 2.6.4 The institutional dimension of sustainable development
- 2.7 INDICATORS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
- 2.8 SUSTAINABLE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
- 2.9 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER THREE – POVERTY, UNDERDEVELOPMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT
- 3.1 POVERTY: AN INTRODUCTION
- 3.2 DEFINING POVERTY
- 3.2.1 Poverty is multidimensional
- 3.2.2 Poverty and material well-being
- 3.2.3 Poverty and psychological well-being
- 3.2.4 Poverty and state-provided infrastructure
- 3.2.5 Assets of the poor
- 3.2.5.1 Physical capital
- 3.2.5.2 Human capital
- 3.2.5.3 Social capital
- 3.2.5.4 Environmental capital/ Natural capital
- 3.2.6 Assets and vulnerability
- 3.3 THE SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
- 3.3.1 Poverty and exclusion
- 3.3.2 Characteristics of chronic poverty
- 3.4 UNDERDEVELOPMENT
- 3.4.1 The human capability concept
- 3.5 “THE STATE OF THE NATION”: POVERTY, UNDERDEVELOPMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT WITHIN THE SOUTH AFRICAN CONTEXT
- 3.5.1 The scourge of HIV/AIDS
- 3.5.2 The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD)
- 3.5.3 The legacy of apartheid
- 3.5.4 The state of the economy
- 3.5.5 The informal economy
- 3.5.6 Changing post-apartheid South Africa
- 3.5.7 Transition but not transformation, yet
- 3.6 THE VALUE OF WORK
- 3.7 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER FOUR – SOCIAL WORK WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
- 4.1 INTRODUCTION
- 4.2 SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE
- 4.3 A DEVELOPMENTAL SOCI AL WELFARE APPROACH
- 4.3.1 Social development
- 4.3.2 Social development and community development
- 4.3.3 Social welfare and economic development
- 4.3.4 The emergence of developmental welfare
- 4.4 ENTREPRENEURSHIP
- 4.5 STRATEGIES FOR IMPLEMENTING DEVELOPMENTAL SOCIAL PROGRAMS
- 4.5.1 Increasing cost effectiveness in social welfare: waste, inefficiency and corruption
- 4.5.2 Enhancing human capital investments
- 4.5.3 Promoting social capital formation
- 4.5.4 Developing individual and community assets
- 4.5.5 Expand job training and placement to include the disabled, the mentally ill and substance abusers
- 4.5.6 Facilitating economic participation through productive employment, self-employment and he creation of cooperatives
- 4.5.7 Removing barriers to economic participation
- 4.5.8 Creating a social climate conducive to development
- 4.6 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER FIVE – EMPIRICAL STUDY AND FINDINGS
- 5.1 INTRODUCTION
- 5.2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
- 5.2.1 Research approach
- 5.2.2 Type of research
- 5.3 THE RESEARCH STRATEG Y
- 5.4 FOCUS GROUPS AS A DATA-COLLECTION TECHNIQUE
- 5.5 POPULATION AND SAMPLING
- 5.6 PILOT STUDY
- 5.7 ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF EMPIRICAL DATA
- 5.7.1 Analysis phase
- 5.8 CONTENT ANALYSIS FROM FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSIONS
- 5.8.1 Demographic profile of the participants
- 5.8.1.1 Gender of participants
- 5.8.1.2 Field of experience
- 5.8.2 Themes
- 5.9 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER SIX – CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
- 6.1 INTRODUCTION
- 6.2 PURPOSE, GOAL AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
- 6.2.1 Purpose of the research study
- 6.2.2 Goal of the research study
- 6.2.3 Objectives of the study
- 6.3 KEY FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS OF THE STUDY
- 6.3.1 The concept “sustainable development ”
- 6.3.2 Entrepreneurial activities/ entrepreneurship
- 6.3.3 Training and education of social workers
- 6.3.4 Networking and partnerships
- 6.4 RECOMMENDATIONS
- 6.4.1 Information management
- 6.4.2 Continuing professional development
- 6.4.3 Areas for further research
- 6.5 BIBLIOGRAPHY