Spatial Patterns and Trends in Energy Use and Consumption in Africa

2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 406-418
Author(s):  
Edwina Kofi-Opata

Energy lies at the core of every human activity and can be described as having a pervasive influence on all aspects of development making it one of the most important resources that belies the development of any given country. Developing countries on the other hand are constantly faced with the daunting task of providing its industries and citizens with energy in its various forms. The resulting effect is limiting economic development and by extension limited social development. In meeting this need, the Ghanaian populace have and continue to rely on traditional biomass amid associated risks and health complications. This article analyzes the factors accounting for the heavy reliance on traditional biomass in Sub Saharan Africa (ssa) with particular reference to Ghana and to determine if these factors promote a spatial pattern formation in energy use.

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 49-62
Author(s):  
Charles Mwastika

Entrepreneurship is considered a strategy for economic development, but other scholars found that it does not bring economic growth in developing countries. Although entrepreneurship has multiple perspectives, there is a lack of knowledge about prevailing perceptions and activities undertaken in developing countries, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. The purpose of this study was to measure the perceptions of entrepreneurship in Malawi to have country context knowledge of the concept that guides what is undertaken as entrepreneurship. A cross-sectional survey of 337 enterprise owners and managers was undertaken using a questionnaire. Participants were requested to provide their top-of-the-mind definitions of entrepreneurship and activities their enterprises had undertaken which were considered entrepreneurial. Analyses of definitions and activities undertaken were used to draw out perceptions of entrepreneurship. The study found that starting and managing one's own business for profit, creating jobs, and being self-employed is the prevailing understanding of entrepreneurship in Malawi. The study further found low innovation among enterprises. Although the perceptions found reflect classical economic perspectives, they are inadequate to ignite economic development because of a lack of focus on innovation. The findings imply that understanding a concept is important in practice.  Therefore, stakeholders are encouraged to appraise their knowledge about entrepreneurship to align with theories where entrepreneurship is the driver of business growth and economic development. Further studies are required on the relationships between perceptions of entrepreneurship, activities undertaken, and economic development to advance entrepreneurial knowledge in Sub-Saharan Africa.


Author(s):  
Eleanor M. Fox ◽  
Mor Bakhoum

This chapter discusses economic development and markets in developing countries, with a focus on sub-Saharan Africa. Developing countries, especially lower-income developing countries with low rates of growth, share key characteristics and challenges. Huge portions of their populations live below the poverty line. The markets are generally highly concentrated with high barriers to entry, and state ownership—with privileges granted by the state—is pervasive. In order to provide the people with the necessities of life, developing countries need economic growth; in order to provide equity and spur development, they need inclusive, sustainable economic growth, consistent with equity. The chapter then describes two forms of market policy: antitrust law, which prohibits and removes restraints by market actors who engage in harmful conduct such as conspiracies to raise prices and bar entry by competitors, and surrounding restraints that are not violations of law but do the same thing: raise prices, barricade entry, and favor vested interests.


Author(s):  
Husam Rjoub ◽  
Chuka Uzoma Ifediora ◽  
Jamiu Adetola Odugbesan ◽  
Benneth Chiemelie Iloka ◽  
João Xavier Rita ◽  
...  

Sub-Saharan African countries are known to be bedeviled with some challenges hindering the economic development. Meanwhile, some of these issues have not been exhaustively investigated in the context of the region. Thus, this study aimed at investigating the implications of government effectiveness, availability of natural resources, and security threats on the regions’ economic development. Yearly data, spanning from 2007 to 2020, was converted from low frequency (yearly) to high frequency (quarterly) and utilized. Data analysis was conducted using Dynamic heterogeneous panel level estimators (PMG and CS-ARDL). Findings show that while PMG estimator confirms a long-run causal effect of governance, natural resources, and security threats on economic development, only natural resources show a short-run causal effect with economic development, while the CS-ARDL (model 2) confirms the significance of all the variables both in the long and short-run. Moreover, the ECT coefficients for both models were found to be statistically significant at less than 1% significance level, which indicates that the systems return back to equilibrium in case of a shock that causes disequilibrium, and in addition, reveals a stable long-run cointegration among the variables in the model. Finally, this study suggests that the policy makers in SSA countries should place more emphasis on improving governance, managing security challenges, and effectively utilizing rents from the natural resources, as all these have severe implications for the economic development of the region if not addressed.


2011 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 381-408 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni Carbone

ABSTRACTIt is commonly assumed that the advent of democracy tends to bring about social welfare improvements. Few studies, however, have examined empirically the impact of third-wave democratisation processes on social policies in developing countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Through a diachronic comparison, this paper examines the effects of Ghana's democratisation process on the evolution of its health policy. It shows that the emergence of democratic competition played an important role in the recent adoption of a crucial health reform. A policy feedback effect on politics and a process of international policy diffusion were additional but secondary factors.


1986 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 121-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. T. Wilson

The importance of poultry as a source of meat and eggs in developing countries is generally recognised, but present levels of production and consumption in Africa are disappointing. This article reviews the factors involved and concludes that there is a need for research designed to improve the traditional methods of small producers rather than seeking to impose modern Western methods on communities too backward to make effective use of them.


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