Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences
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The Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences has a strong focus in applied research and has a number of specialised research units including the Programme for Land and Agrarian Studies (PLAAS), the Entrepreneurship Development Unit (EDU), the Institute for Social Development (ISD), the African Centre for Citizenship and Democracy (ACCEDE) and the EMS Student Support and Research Unit (ESSRU).
Electronic theses and dissertations are available in the Electronic Theses and Dissertations Repository.
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Item A 20-year evaluation of PLAAS research outputs: Impact on the scholarly domain and in social media(Academy of Science of South Africa, 2019) Kerchhoff, Gillian; Kahn, Michelle; Nassimbeni, MaryPatterns and methods of scholarly communication have changed with the growth in information technology, particularly the Internet and the social web. The changes have necessitated a broader definition of scholarly communication and the role of social media in the research process. We sought to record the body of work that the Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies (PLAAS), a research institute at the University of the Western Cape, produced over a 20-year period (1995–2015) – the first two decades of its existence – and to measure its visibility and impact using bibliometrics and altmetrics. A survey was also carried out to investigate to what extent PLAAS researchers knew and used social media in their research practice. Scopus and Google Scholar were used as citation indices and Altmetric.com provided Altmetric scores – a measure of impact through social and mainstream media.Item The 2013 Election in Zimbabwe: The end of an era(Routledge Taylor Francis Group, 2013) Raftopoulos, BrianThe July 31st 2013 Elections in Zimbabwe ushered in a renewed period of political domination by ZANU(PF) and its President, Robert Mugabe. This election followed five years of a SADC- facilitated Global Political Agreement (GPA), which was put into place after a contested presidential run-off election in June 2008. The recent elections, which once again established ZANU(PF)’s mastery over the country’s political domain, were passed as free and peaceful by SADC and the African Union but contested by both Movement for Democratic Change parties and the western countries.While there were clear problems in the process leading to the election, it is also apparent that this was not the only factor that determined ZANU(PF)’S ‘victory’. This article provides an analysis of the multiple factors that contributed to the current conjuncture including the different party strategies under the GPA, changes in Zimbabwe’s political economy and interventions at regional and international levels.Item 45% of black South Africans want land(Institute for Poverty Land and Agrarian Studies (PLAAS), 2013) Hall, Ruth; Dubb, AlexA comprehensive study of the demand for land carried out in 2005/6 reveals that one third of black South Africans want access to land for food production, and another 12% want land for a variety of other reasons (Aliber et al, 2006). Nearly half (48%) of those wanting access to land, want only 1 ha or less.Item A comparative analysis of the different measures used o determine the size of the informal sector of the South African economy(University of the Western Cape, 2011) Davids ShafeeqaSince the concept of informal sector was first introduced in a 1971 analysis of the Kenyan economy, there were debates about the appropriate definition of informal economic activity, as well as about the estimation of its size. I n recent years, there seems to be a universally accepted definition of informal economic activity, which refers to enterprises that are unregistered, including those that employ workers with inferior working conditions and weak employment relationships. However, there i s still no real consensus on the method to estimate the size of this sector, as well as which aspects of the informal economy should be measured (for instance, informal employment, or informal economic activity as proportion of GDP). In South Africa, the informal economy is expected to play a significant role mainly because informal employment is relatively high (as proportion of formal employment). The formal economy is characterised by a slow pace of employment creation and a high rate of unemployment. Yet, according to recent studies the country is an international outlier with regard to the size of informal employment as proportion of total non-agricultural employment. Some researchers believe that informal employment is under-estimated due to shortcomings of the specific method used by Statistics South Africa (which is the official method). Furthermore, there is a Jack of South African studies investigating the specific nature and reasons behind inform a l economic activity, as well as the contribution of the informal economy y to GDP. As informal economy is important to absorb the unemployed who are retrenched and those who are unable to find formal employment due to reasons like a skills mismatch. an economic recession, and there are important linkages between formal and informal economies, which cannot be ignored by policy makers. Hence, various researchers suggested that other approaches to measure the informal economy should be considered . This study provides a critical evaluation of the various methods to estimate the size of the informal economy and of the results of the empirical evidence applying these methods to both South Africa and other (developed and developing) countries. It was found that there is no indication that the informal economy has diminished as a country develops. In contrast, in general, in both developed and developing countries, the size of the informal economies showed an upward trend throughout the years. The results indicate that in the South African context, the informal economy does play a significant role in terms of job creation and contribution to the national product. However, the method used by Statistics South Africa seems to have under-captured informal employment. This has important pol icy implications and it is thus recommended that more research should be done with a specific focus on the estimation of the size of the informal economy as proportion of GDP.Item A critical analysis of monitoring and evaluation systems for small and medium enterprises: With specific reference to Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN)(University of the Western Cape, 2017) Ilori, Emmanuel Olatomide Idemudia; Ile, Isioma UreguThe significance of small, micro, and medium enterprises (SMEs) development cannot be overemphasized because it plays a considerable role in a nation's economy particularly in developing countries. SMEs' contributions include job creation, expanding the means of sustainable livelihoods and ensuring impartial distribution of wealth amongst citizens. This study evaluates monitoring and evaluation systems, policy and programmes of the Small Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) to develop and transform the informal sector of the economy. The main purpose of the establishment of SMEDAN is to facilitate the promotion and development of a structured and effective small and medium enterprises sector that will provide informal employment for unemployed, and enhance sustainable livelihood and economic development in Nigeria. Unemployment and increased poverty levels are key challenges to the government of Nigeria, which has resulted in socio-economic and political unrest across the nation. Against the background of high unemployment rate, especially amongst the youth and the deteriorating fortunes of small and medium businesses in Nigeria, questions can be asked in relation to current initiatives and policies to support SME sector.Item A critical assessment of informal networking as contributing to manufacturing firm competitiveness in the clothing cluster of the Western Cape.(University of the Western Cape, 2011) Peters John EdwardThe clothing industry remains an important contributor to the Western Cape economy both in terms of employment and manufacturing. During recent years the sector , viewed and supported by government as a cluster, has been battling against both internal challenges such as low productivity and unwillingness to change, and external factors which include trade liberalisation and cheap imports. Additionally , co operation and interaction among role-players seem to be lacking and ultimately affecting firm and cluster performance. Recent research has focussed on networking within a cluster context. That research questions the assumption that the mere existence of a cluster contributes to firm and industry competitiveness. The extent of informal networking was identified as critical to the competitiveness of firms located within a cluster. The clothing sector of the Western Cape presented an ideal opportunity to consider this link between informal networking and firm performance within a cluster context. Six clothing manufacturing firms comprising four CMTs and two full line manufacturers were selected as respondents. A literature review of past and recent publications on industrial policy, the clothing sector , clusters and networking was conducted. Qualitative data was collected by means of questionnaires and semi structured interviews with the six firms located in the Western Cape. Case studies for each of the six firms were developed. The findings of the research indicated that the successful firms proactively engaged in informal networking in maintaining and improving their competitiveness. The firms that reported limited engagement in informal networking experienced challenges related to productivity and firm growth and were ultimately significantly less competitive. Furthermore, network intensity and network range correlated with firm productivity and growth.Item A critical assessment of transformational leadership and organisational commitment in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences in the U Diversity of the Western Cape(University of the Western Cape, 2011) Ketchiwou GaelleLeadership has been proven to be important in every sector and setting. Investigations on leadership in recent years identify transformational leadership style as one of the most prominent leadership style to bring about change. This research seeks to answer two main questions: Is transformational leadership linked to the different dimensions of commitment in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences; and which leadership style is the most appropriate in enhancing organisational commitment in employees of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences? Research has shown that there is an increasing instability of employees in the workplace, which is attributed to the fact that employees' interests are not met. This results in a lack of organisational commitment of employees. This is blamed on the leadership style adopted by leaders in these organisations. This study therefore assesses transformational leadership and organisational commitment in the EMS, UWC. The research uses a quantitative method to collect and analyse data. The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) and the Three-Component Model (TCM) employee commitment survey were administered to employees of the Faculty of EMS who were selected using a stratified random sampling method. Results show that transformational leadership significantly influences employees' organisational commitment. From the evidence gathered, the research concluded that transformational leadership is distinguished as the most appropriate leadership style for EMS.Item A deeper look at the advent of the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) and what it means for the marginalized, a social innovation perspective(Universty of the Western Cape, 2023) Maphukatha, Sihle; Mdleleni, LwandoThe current technological paradigm shift known as the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), has impacted all parts of the world including the African continent. Developing countries such as South Africa are preparing for the transformative technological changes brought by 4IR. According to Schwab and other scholars 4IR is the fourth major industrial era since the 18th century in which new technologies are fused together with the physical, digital, and biological worlds affecting all disciplines, economies, and industries. South Africa recognizes the potential of adopting 4IR technologies to address issues of poverty, unemployment, and inequality. However, currently South Africa lacks the necessary resources, skills, and infrastructure to fully utilize the opportunities and mitigate the risks associated with these technologies, particularly in the marginalized society. This study seeks to determine the effect of the 4IR on the marginalized society and explore possible roles that can be played by social innovation (SI) to mitigate possible challenges and ensure inclusive participation in the implementation of the current technological revolution. SI is defined as new ideas such as products, services, and models that equally meet social needs and create new social relationships or collaborations that aim to develop society. In the context of this study, marginalized society refers to the demotion of society due to a lack of access to rights, resources, and opportunities.Item A Framework for Data-Driven Decision-Making at a South African Higher Education Institution(University of the Western Cape, 2024) Chomunorwa, SilenceData-driven decision-making (D3M) has practical benefits to higher education institutions (HEIs), but its adoption and use in South African HEIs are still low. This low adoption is attributed to various reasons based on decision-makers’ perceptions, expectations and experiences of data-driven decision-making tools and techniques. This thesis presents an analysis of data-driven decision-making (D3M) in a South African Higher Education Institution, addressing the need for effective decision-making approaches to enhance student experiences and institutional performance. The purpose of this study was to identify factors that influence the adoption of D3M and explore strategies for integrating D3M tools and approaches to improve educational outcomes. this study aimed to propose a framework for improving the adoption and use of data to make informed decisions at a South African HEI by addressing decision-makers' perceptions, expectations and experiences, which, in turn, will enhance student experiences. This aim is articulated through three primary objectives: first, to explore ways in which D3M can enhance student experiences; second, to investigate the institutional and individual factors affecting the adoption of D3M; and third, to analyse the perceptions, experiences, and expectations of decision-makers in utilising a data- driven approach. The study utilised the exploratory sequential mixed-methods research methodology, incorporating interviews and a survey to gather data from personnel within the institution.Item A framework to teach digital innovation skills to South African Information Systems students(University of the Western Cape, 2017) van den Berg, Carolina Lucia; Breytenbach, JohanThe diffusion of the digital infrastructure is opening up multiple opportunities for innovations to transform business and society. The overall purpose of Information Systems (IS) education is to equip students to use technology to improve business, the environment and society, and digital innovation lies at the heart of this transformation. IS students are instructed in both Information Technology (IT) and business and therefore can be taught to identify the value of technology advances to meet an unmet organisational or societal need. IS students ought to play a leading role as the innovators of the future. Their teaching and learning environment needs to prepare them for this uncertain, complex and ambiguous world. They have to move beyond the current horizons of knowledge and skills within a specific discipline and develop a "sense of self" in order to be adaptable which requires a curriculum that is "future proof". The aim of this research study is to develop a framework to teach digital business innovation to South African students in Information Systems (IS).Item A framework to teach digital innovation skills to South African Information Systems students(University of the Western Cape, 2017) van den Berg, Carolina Lucia; Breytenbach, JohanThe diffusion of the digital infrastructure is opening up multiple opportunities for innovations to transform business and society. The overall purpose of Information Systems (IS) education is to equip students to use technology to improve business, the environment and society, and digital innovation lies at the heart of this transformation. IS students are instructed in both Information Technology (IT) and business and therefore can be taught to identify the value of technology advances to meet an unmet organisational or societal need. IS students ought to play a leading role as the innovators of the future. Their teaching and learning environment needs to prepare them for this uncertain, complex and ambiguous world. They have to move beyond the current horizons of knowledge and skills within a specific discipline and develop a "sense of self" in order to be adaptable which requires a curriculum that is "future proof". The aim of this research study is to develop a framework to teach digital business innovation to South African students in Information Systems (IS).Item A good reputation must be earned, but how? Examining the role of relationship communication and employee skills in retail banking(Routledge, 2025) Roberts- Lombard Mornay; Petzer DanielThis study examines relationship communication and employee skills as antecedents to corporate image and the latter’s relationship with corporate reputation. It also considers the mediating role of corporate image and moderating roles of customer characteristics, such as duration of support and customer spending. Using purposive and quota sampling, responses were collected from 352 customers of South African banks using a self-administered questionnaire. Mplus version 8.5 tested the direct effects proposed, while the indirect effects were tested with the Hayes Process macro for SPSS. The study assists emerging market banks to understand how corporate image influences corporate reputation perceptions, based upon the inclusion of selected corporate image antecedents. It also emphasizes the importance of duration of support and monthly spending in the relationships between corporate image and its selected antecedents.Item A panel data analysis on the formal-informal sector linkages in South Africa(University of the Western Cape, 2017) Nackerdien, Moegammad Faeez; Yu, DerekThere are few studies on linkages between the formal and informal sectors in South Africa. This study explores the types of linkages between the informal and formal sectors with empirical research concentrating on labour churning (movements between the informal and formal sectors). Using National Income Dynamics Study (NIDS 2008-2014) data from four waves, individuals are classified into labour market statuses based on the Heintz & Posel (2008) methodology. This study conducts labour market transitional matrices and finds formal employment to provide the most stability in terms of employment. The main focus is on the following three groups of employed: working in the formal sector in all four waves; working in the informal sector in all four waves; moving between the formal and informal sectors across all four waves. For those always working in the formal sector, they are predominantly females and Africans. Those who always work in the formal sector are most educated, while those always working in the informal sector are associated with low educational attainment. The descriptive statistics are followed by econometric analysis: in terms of attaining employment, being male and a higher educational attainment significantly increase the probability of finding employment. In terms of sustaining work, the same two covariates significantly increase the probability of sustaining work. Being the head of household is also a key covariate in significantly increasing the probability in maintaining and sustaining employment. In terms of transitioning to formal employment, being male, an increase in education and living with a partner (married or unmarried) significantly increase the probability of moving to formal sector employment. In addition, multinomial logistic regressions are conducted, and the results indicate that being a male significantly increases the probability of working in the formal sector for all four waves. Africans are also significantly more likely to be employed informally for all four waves and an increase in the years of education significantly increases the probability of being formally employed for all four waves. The household-level variables reveal that being the head household significantly increases the probability of being employed (especially formally employed for all four waves) while having children has a negative impact on being employed for all four waves.Item A portfolio approach to managing information systems and technology services - moving from applications portfolio to service portfolio.(Univeristy of the Western Cape, 2004) Mjebeza, Thando G.To minimise costs, most organisations tend to outsource support functions that do not add considerable value. Through effective management of operations Information Systems and Technology (IS/IT) functions have been striving to improve to avoid being outsourced. Effective management has been in a form of a cycle of measuring and improving the effectiveness of the operations of the organisation. The question is what do you improve? Resources are scarce therefore; managers need to find a way of prioritising needs for improvement. Classic literature reveals that most IS/IT functions have concentrated on improving tangible support (e.g. software, hardware, manuals, etc) and later processes that produce tangle support (e.g. systems development life cycle, project management, etc). Lately more effort is being focused to managing intangible support in a form of services ( e.g. answering questions, installations, fixing PC's/desktop support, etc) to improve overall IS/IT support. This is noticed in literature written on IS/IT service management transcending from efforts originating from the field of Services Marketing.Item A public participation perspective of the process of post-settlement support in Elandskloof(University of the Western Cape, 2017) Titus, Andries; Esau, MichelleSince the dawn of South African democracy in 1994, extensive laws and policies have been introduced to facilitate transformation in the political, social and economic spheres. While South Africa has been lauded world-wide for its detailed and sophisticated constitution, many cases attest to the challenges of implementing the stipulations of the constitution, laws and policies. Arguably, constitutional rights and entitlements do not automatically result in a better life for ordinary citizens post-apartheid. Moreover, restitution processes towards addressing the atrocities of apartheid are fraught with challenges. The process of land restitution is an example that illustrates the numerous challenges in implementing laws and public policies in South Africa. Restitution is one of the three pillars of land reform - the other two are land redistribution and land tenure reform - that were introduced by the African National Congress (ANC) -led government to secure land rights to black people in South Africa. Land reform is essential to bring about political and economic development and the South African government has committed itself to transforming land ownership to reflect the democratic realities and to redressing the history of dispossession and exclusion suffered by the black majority of South Africans. While the transfer of land and settlement of claims have been processed gradually, growing evidence shows that this does not simply translate into development, poverty reduction or reconciliation.Item A relational bureaucracy framework for meaningful internal stakeholder engagement post-Covid 19(AOSIS (pty) Ltd, 2024) Schutte, Nico E; van der Sluis, Lidewey E. C; Barkhuizen, Emmerentia N.Orientation: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic forced organisations to rapidly redesign workplace structures to adapt to a changed and disrupted business world and improve stakeholder relationships. The relational bureaucracy theory (RBT) provides a valuable foundation for increasing stakeholder participation. Research purpose: We investigate how a relational bureaucracy’s organisational structure promotes internal stakeholders’ involvement in a post-Covid workplace. Motivation for the study: Limited frameworks illustrate how a newly emergent relational bureaucratic structure can enhance stakeholder involvement and engagement in the new world of work. Research approach/design and method: The researchers followed a literature review to derive shared meanings in constructing an RBT framework for promoting stakeholder involvement. Main findings: According to our preliminary research, the organisational type known as the engaged ambassador could be named the relational bureaucratic stakeholder prototype. Seven zones crucial to the business’s overall operation are identified in the stakeholder landscape. Additionally, we illustrate the relational bureaucracy design ideas that promote stakeholder participation. Practical/managerial implications: We propose that organisations could benefit from stakeholder engagement through interpersonal coordination mechanisms that create, maintain and improve stakeholder relationships through strategic human resource management (HRM) frameworks and RBT. We further argue that a relational bureaucracy’s structure raises stakeholder participation for organisational leadership, coordination and coproduction. Contribution/value-add: This article integrates some main effects of relational bureaucratic theory to provide a landscape for the needs of internal stakeholders in a disrupted workplace.Item Academic career management intervention at a South African university: A modified Delphi study(AOSIS (pty) Ltd, 2023) Barnes, Nina; du Plessis, Marieta; Frantz, Jose MOrientation: Understanding the components for an academic career management intervention programme, to enable the development of the required academic pipeline to achieve the strategic objectives of higher education institutions. Research purpose: A consensus view across subject experts for a career management intervention programme to enable the progression of academic careers. Motivation for the study: While academic career literature captures an array of normative designs of career management programmes to cultivate the required academic talent consortium, literature indicates a lack of a comprehensive and systematic approach for career management to provide a framework for successfully managing academic careers. Research design, approach and method: A modified Delphi technique was employed, by presenting an expert panel with the findings of a broader research project to initiate the consensus-seeking methodology-a systematic approach to obtain concordance on the experts’ opinions through two rounds of structured questionnaires. Main findings: The identified components are structured and presented in five main themes (categories), including: (1) institutional, (2) individual, (3) overlapping, (4) cultural and (5) external.Item Academics in lockdown: A gendered perspective on self-esteem in academia during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown(MDPI, 2023) Walters, Cyrill; Ronnie, Linda; du Plessis, MarietaThis qualitative research explores the experiences and sense-making of self-worth of 1857 South African women academics during the enforced pandemic lockdown between March and September 2020; the study was conducted through an inductive, content analysis process. Since worldwide lockdowns were imposed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, women academics, in particular, have reported a unique set of challenges from working from home. Gender inequality within the scientific enterprise has been well documented; however, the cost to female academics’ selfesteem, which has been exacerbated by the pandemic, has yet to be fully realized. The findings of the study include negative emotional experiences related to self-worth, engagement in social comparisons, and the fear of judgement by colleagues, which were exacerbated by peer pressure.Item Access in the South African public health system: factors that influenced access to health care in the South African public sector during the last decade(University of the Western Cape, 2014) Christian, Carmen Sue; Burger, Ronelle; Yu, DerekThe aim of this mini-thesis is to investigate the factors linked to access in the South African public health sector - using General Household Survey Data - in order to contribute to a better understanding of the role of access in achieving the National Department of Health’s primary goal of universal coverage. Even though the multi-dimensional interpretation of health system performance has gained acceptance and traction in recent years, much of the research linked to it remains supply-focused. The implicit truth is that demand-side health issues are largely ignored, under-researched and ominously absent from health policies. This is particularly true with regard to the access dimension of health performance, where research and policy focus almost exclusively on availability and affordability perspectives of access while neglecting demand-side aspects of health-seeking behaviour, such as acceptability. The study, therefore, pursues an in-depth exploration of access across its three dimensions - availability, affordability and acceptability - in the South African public health sector and aims to empirically investigate access to public health care from 2002 to 2012. It also identifies the underlying reasons for the observed trends, supplementing and reorienting the current understanding of access to public health care. The empirical findings reveal mixed results: it supports current literature by suggesting that equity has been achieved in terms of making public health care services more affordable, especially for the most vulnerable groups of South African society. However, acceptability and availability issues persist. It is safe to say that the availability of public health care – mainly a supply-side issue – is being addressed in the South African context with Government taking steps to address it. Unfortunately the same attention has not been given to issues of acceptability on the demand-side. Failure to fully understand the demand-side dimension of access and the role health-seeking behaviour plays in public health issues threatens to weaken health policies aimed at improving access. It is imperative that demand-side aspects of health-seeking behaviour and institutional responsiveness to health-demand occupy a more prominent role in South African public health debates, research and policy.Item Access to health care in post-apartheid South Africa: availability, affordability, acceptability(Cambridge University Press, 2018) Burger, Ronelle; Christian, CarmenWe use a reliable, intuitive and simple set of indicators to capture three dimensions of access – availability, affordability and acceptability. Data are from South Africa’s 2009 and 2010 General Household Surveys (n=190,164). Affordability constraints were faced by 23% and are more concentrated amongst the poorest. However, 73% of affordability constraints are due to travel costs which are aligned with findings of the availability constraints dimension. Availability constraints, involving distances and transport costs, particularly in underdeveloped rural areas, and inconvenient opening times, were faced by 27%. Acceptability constraints were noted by only 10%. We approximate acceptability with an indicator measuring the share of community members bypassing the closest health care facility, as we argue that reported health care provider choice is more reliable than stated preferences. However, the indicator assumes a choice of available and affordable providers, which may often not be an accurate assumption in rural areas. We recommend further work on the measurement of acceptability in household surveys, especially considering this dimension’s importance for health reform.