Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences

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https://hdl.handle.net/10566/17

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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South African institutions top THE Africa rankings pilot (09 July 2015)

Why child malnutrition is still a problem in South Africa 22 years into democracy (02 June 2016)

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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, Mary
Patterns 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.
The 2013 Election in Zimbabwe: The end of an era
(Routledge Taylor Francis Group, 2013) Raftopoulos, Brian
The 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.
45% of black South Africans want land
(Institute for Poverty Land and Agrarian Studies (PLAAS), 2013) Hall, Ruth; Dubb, Alex
A 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.
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 Uregu
The 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.
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, Johan
The 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).
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, Johan
The 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).
A panel data analysis on the formal-informal sector linkages in South Africa
(University of the Western Cape, 2017) Nackerdien, Moegammad Faeez; Yu, Derek
There 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.
A public participation perspective of the process of post-settlement support in Elandskloof
(University of the Western Cape, 2017) Titus, Andries; Esau, Michelle
Since 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.
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.
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, Marieta
This 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.
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, Derek
The 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.
Access to health care in post-apartheid South Africa: availability, affordability, acceptability
(Cambridge University Press, 2018) Burger, Ronelle; Christian, Carmen
We 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.
Access to irrigation technology and technical efficiency: a comparison of households with and without access to irrigation technology, in ‘Gorogutu district’, Eastern Ethiopia
(2012) Gebrekidan, Bisrat Haile; Oloyede, Olajide; Pretorius, Leon G.
Despite its recent remarkable economic growth, Ethiopia remains one of the poorest countries in the world. More than 80 percent of Ethiopians obtain their livelihood from traditional low-productivity agricultural activities. Due to lack of water storage facilities and the erratic nature of rainfalls, most farmers don’t have access to water to produce more than one crop per year and hence there are frequent crop failures due to droughts which have made the country one of the highest food insecure nations and receiver of food aid. It is evident that a comprehensive effort is required to increase crop and agricultural production through different intensification and productivity enhancement mechanisms and reduce rural household’s food insecurity and poverty. In line with this the Government of Ethiopia and different NGO’s have been promoting irrigation technology as a viable option in enhancing farm productivity and efficiency improvements.By integrating field observations, economic theory, and econometric analysis, this study assess the extent to which access to irrigation technology affects the level of technical efficiency in Gorogutu district of Eastern Ethiopia. The analysis is based on primary household-level data collected from 100 randomly selected households in 20010/11 cropping season. To analyze the effect of the technology on technical efficiency, three different Cobb-Douglas type of Stochastic Production Functions were estimated. More so, to explore different socio- economic and institutional determinants of technical efficiency in the study district, an inefficiency effect model was estimated using the one step procedure.The result from the estimated models has shown that farm households in the study area are not technically efficient and there is a chance to increase output by using the technology and mix of production input used by the best farm household (with 20 percent technical inefficiency). In addition, it also showed that households with access to irrigation technology are more technically efficient (84 percent technical efficiency) than those without access to the technology (77 percent technical efficiency). And household’s access to irrigation technology, access to extension service and distance travelled from farm plot to homestead are a significant determinant of technical efficiency in the study area.The study recommended, among other things, as a country that has a huge potential for irrigation development, utilization of this potential and providing irrigation technology to farm households will have a huge impact on the livelihoods of the majority of the poor. Evidently, efforts tailored towards this end would be very essential in militating against the high levels of poverty that is persistent in the communities
Access to land and other natural resources for local communities in Mozambique: Current examples from Manica Province
(Institute for Poverty Land and Agrarian Studies (PLAAS), 2004) Durang, Tom; Tanner, Christopher
Mozambique is still one of the poorest countries in the world. Given that poverty remains overwhelmingly rural in nature, measures to effectively address it should therefore be targeted to the areas where the rural poor live, and should be based on the resources within their control. A programme to achieve these objectives began after the end of the civil war in 1992. This coincided with the government of Mozambique embarking on a more market-oriented rural development model after a period of socialised agriculture. The government realised that, despite being marginalised, rural communities continue to play a crucial role in the development and land management process. Old beliefs that local communities only produce for subsistence and do not invest and respond to market dynamics proved to be inaccurate.
Access to land and productive resources among female farmers in Stellenbosch: Implications for women’s empowerment and household food
(University of the Western Cape, 2018) Ngwexana, Tulile; Zembe, Yanga
Women play an important role in food security. Growing, processing, purchasing, preparing and serving food to their families is a common and distinctive relationship they have to food in most societies in the world. They also play a critical role in food security. Yet, studies show that women are the most vulnerable to household food insecurity. At the heart of women’s differential vulnerability to household food insecurity is their lack of ownership of the means of food production, mainly land. Food is grown on land and access to land for productive purposes is vital for food security, especially for women who have little other means of securing food aside from performing subsistence farming for household food security. Thus, analyzing women experiences of accessing land and productive resources, and the manner in which such access shapes their empowerment and ability to achieve household food security is important. In this dissertation, women’s empowerment refers to a process where women gain the ability to make strategic life choices; I take the position that for women to be empowered, their access to resources, individual capacities and agency must be improved. Thus, this dissertation aims to examine the lived experiences of female farmers in Stellenbosch in terms of access to land and productive resources, and the implications this kind of access has for women’s empowerment and household food security.
Access to land and rural poverty in South Africa
(Institute for Poverty Land and Agrarian Studies (PLAAS), 2012-09) Cousins, Ben
The big picture: some history • Large-scale land dispossession from 1652 into the late 20th century • 1913 and 1936 Land Acts: African majority confined to 13% of country • Forced removals in apartheid years: 2.5 million people (1955 to 1990) • By 1994, 82 million ha of commercial farmland owned by 60,000 white farmers • 13 million black people were crowded into former ‘homelands’ • On private farms, 3 million workers and dependents – poorly paid, lacked basic facilities, no security of tenure • Commercial farming sector heavily subsidised by the state until the mid-1980s • Vibrant African
Accessibility and use of prenatal facilities in the developing world by young mothers aged from fifteen to nineteen years old
(2013) Kabongo, Muika; Stiegler, Nancy
Background: Professional health assistance is a significant indicator in monitoring progress towards Millennium Development Goal five to reduce the maternal mortality ratio by three quarters and child mortality by two-thirds between 1990 and 2015. It is also significant that mothers deliver their babies in an appropriate setting, where life saving equipment and hygiene can also help reduce the risk of complications that may cause death or illness to mother and child. But in developing countries access to health services is still an issue. Objective: From a fundamental research view point, this study aims to investigate the determinants of place of delivery and professional health providers by analysing the factors that are likely to influence young mothers’ accessibility and use of prenatal facilities in the developing world. Specifically in Kenya, Ethiopia, Nepal, Bangladesh, Guyana and Haiti. Methodology: Univariet and bivariet analysis were performed to determine a relation or association between dependent and independent variables. Using secondary data from Demographic and Health Survey secondary data requested from the DHS selected between 2005 and 2010, the analysis was performed by means of SPSS software. Bringing together the demographic variables and access and the use of health services related variables, the study captures the differences and similarities across these countries. Results: The study has identified the main factors influencing the use of professional health providers and health facilities according to the variables examined from the DHS. The finding showed the use health facilities for delivery, professional health providers were influenced by economic status of young mothers, level of education, place of residence, religion, marital status, in all six countries. Access to health facilities was much influence availability of transport, the presence of health providers at facilities and availability of drugs at facilities. Family members’ knowledge about the importance of delivering a baby at health facilities was found to be the strongest predictors of use of health facilities for delivery in all six countries. These findings suggest that these factors cited are associated with access and use of professional health providers and health facilities, and should be the target of interventions aimed to increase the use of prenatal facilities and professional health providers among young women in these countries in order to improve maternal and child health in accordance with Millennium Development Goals four and five.
Accessing bank finance in relation to human capital, gender and race among SMMEs in a developing economy
(IEEE, 2015) Brijlal, Pradeep; Yan, B.
Small, Micro and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMMEs) contribute to the national economy significantly. However, many SMMEs have difficulties in accessing bank finance due to the lower level of their human capital and scarce financial resources in the context of developing economies. This study aims to investigate the key factors of human capital and associated issues with access to bank finance from gender and race perspectives. A survey design combined qualitative and quantitative research approaches were employed in this study. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire and a number of interviews. A group of SMME owners (n=532) were randomly selected from the Western Cape, South Africa. The findings demonstrated that the human capital and gender of SMMEs is not strongly associated with success in securing bank finance. From a race perspective, white entrepreneurs are more likely to be approved for bank finance than other race groups.
Accounting for economic disparities in financing municipal infrastructure in South Africa: a case study using data from the Cape Winelands District Municipality
(University of Western Cape, 2011) Josie, Mervyn Jayaprakash; Bardill, John; Marysse, Stefaan
In this thesis I argue that by taking account of economic disparities and backlogs in intergovernmental infrastructure grants to municipalities in South Africa, government will effectively meet its constitutional obligation to equitably allocate infrastructure grants to local government according to the principles of parity, proportionality and priority (Young, 1994). Municipalities will thus be able to provide basic services to households in keeping with the Bill of Rights of the Constitution of South Africa (1996). Adapting the Petchey et al (2004) provincial capital expenditure grant model to the provision of municipal services using secondary data and information from local municipalities in the Cape Winelands District, I evaluate whether government’s existing municipal grants are allocated equitably and, whether they account for disparities that differentiate municipalities from each other. The findings from my analysis show that the current approach to financing municipal infrastructure does not sufficiently account for disparities and thus, undermines the requirement for equitability, adequacy and efficiency of intergovernmental allocations. Consequently, the right of citizens to basic municipal services is compromised and the macroeconomic structure is weakened. Furthermore the institutional arrangements for local government autonomy is undermined because municipalities cannot ensure stability, predictability, flexibility and economic efficiency of infrastructure budgets. As municipalities receive part of their finance from national government through infrastructure grants, I used data from five local municipalities to examine the extent to which there is equitability and efficiency in the way this finance is allocated. To this end I constructed and applied a composite disparity index for each municipality to my adapted municipal infrastructure grant model to analyze and observe the impact of economic disparities in grant allocations. The findings show that a grant model that accounts for economic disparities satisfies the constitutional, economic and institutional considerations that should inform municipal grant allocation decisions. I conclude the thesis by highlighting the limitations and possibilities of using a municipal infrastructure grant model that accounts for economic disparities and, I propose some recommendations for applying such a model in South Africa.
An activist's user guide to regional and international guidelines and principles for large-scale land-based investments
(Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies, 2019-12-01) Zamchiya, Phillan
As multinational corporations continue to invest in large-scale, land-based, commercial ventures in Africa, a need to regulate such investments to protect the rural poor, especially women, has been identified. A number of stakeholders have intensified efforts since 2009 to promote ‘responsible’ investment in land, in particular by deploying regional and international principles and guidelines on large-scale, land-based investments.

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