scholarly journals The Determinants of Interest Rate Spreads in South Africa: A Cointegration Approach

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (2(J)) ◽  
pp. 101-108
Author(s):  
Ferdinand Niyimbanira ◽  
Sanderson Sabie Kuyeli . ◽  
Koleka Rangaza .
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Interest Rate ◽  
South African ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Future Research ◽  
The South ◽  
Reserve Requirements ◽  
Explanatory Variables ◽  
Interest Rate Spreads ◽  
The Interest Rate

This study empirically identifies the determinants of interest rate spreads (IRS) in South Africa over the period 1990 to 2012. The study uses the Johansen Cointegration Approach and Vector ErrorCorrection techniques to identify the variables in explaining the interest rate spreads in South Africa. It considers the inflation rate, reserve requirements, Treasury bill, discount rate, money supply (M2) and gross domestic product per capita variables as they explain the movement of interest rate spreads. A significant short-run relationship between IRS and its explanatory variables was observed. These macroeconomic variables are significant in explaining the behavior of the South African IRS in the longrun. This paper has focused on illuminating on how the interest rate spreads are impacted by both exogenous and endogenous variables. If controlled, these variables are most likely to have the largest effects on reducing such spreads. In addition, it suggests that the reduction in the reserve requirements prescribed by the South African Reserve Bank would help to reduce the interest rate spreads. Based on the results of the study, policy implications and suggestion for future research are made.

scholarly journals The dual labour market theory and the informal sector in South Africa

2006 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. D. Uys ◽  
P. F. Blaauw
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Labour Market ◽  
South African ◽  
Working Conditions ◽  
Informal Sector ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Informal Employment ◽  
The South ◽  
Market Theory

Purpose of the paper: The purpose of this paper is to revisit the dual labour market theory as far as the informal sector in South Africa is concerned. The hypothesis is that the dual labour market theory must be extended in order to be applicable to the informal sector of the South African economy. It is our view that within some informal occupations a further segmentation exists. Problem investigated: Among South Africa ’s grave socio-economic problems, unemployment is one of the most serious and intractable. An increase in informal and self-employment was experienced during the last decades. Traditional dual labour market theory maintains that jobs can be roughly divided into two groups: those with low wages, bad working conditions, unstable employment and little opportunity for advancement; and those with relatively high wages, good working conditions and opportunities for advancement. The problem that confronts researchers is that even within informal employment, further segmentation is possible. Approach: To determine whether the dualism, that described by the dual labour market theory, is also present within the informal sector itself, available data on a typical informal sector activity, namely car guarding, is analysed. This provides the evidence to achieve the objective of this paper. Findings and implications: The case study of car guards confirms that the dual labour market theory can also apply within the informal sector on the condition that it is expanded to make provision for a further segmentation of the periphery sector. This finding presents several important policy implications. A basket of policies is needed to address the problem of unemployment as effectively as possible. Value of the research: The paper provides further knowledge on informal employment in South Africa. This is an area that requires a lot of attention, given the importance of the informal sector in South Africa and Africa at large. It goes further than the traditional implications stemming from the dual labour market theory. Conclusion: The South African labour market is fragmented, consisting of a well-paid formal sector and the periphery that consists of workers in the informal sector, subsistence agriculture and the unemployed. Within the periphery, there is the possibility that a certain degree of dualism exists. The case study of car guards confirms that the dual labour market theory can be extended to make provision for this dualism, even within the informal sector.

scholarly journals Disaster management and humanitarian logistics – A South African perspective

2011 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wilna L. Bean ◽  
Nadia M. Viljoen ◽  
Hans W. Ittmann ◽  
Elza Kekana
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Humanitarian Logistics ◽  
Future Research ◽  
The South ◽  
Management Context ◽  
African Perspective ◽  
The Impact

Disasters are becoming an unavoidable part of everyday life throughout the world, including South Africa. Even though South Africa is not a country affected by large-scale disasters such as earthquakes, the impact of disasters in South Africa is aggravated significantly by the vulnerability of people living in informal settlements. Humanitarian logistics, as a ‘new’ sub-field in the supply chain management context, has developed significantly recently to assist in disaster situations. This paper provides an overview of the South African humanitarian logistics context. Even though humanitarian logistics plays a critical role in the aftermath of disasters, it extends far beyond events that can typically be classified as ‘disasters’. Therefore the implication of the South African humanitarian logistics context on future research and collaboration opportunities in South African humanitarian logistics is also discussed. Finally, two recent case studies in the South African humanitarian logistics environment are discussed.

scholarly journals Stability Of Money Demand In A Developing Economy: Empirical Evidence From South Africa

2013 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 565
Author(s):  
Ferdinand Niyimbanira
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Monetary Policy ◽  
Interest Rates ◽  
Error Correction ◽  
Money Demand ◽  
Emergency Situation ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Explanatory Variables

A stable money demand function plays a vital role in the analysis of macroeconomics, especially in the planning and implementation of monetary policy. When investigating the theory of money demand, there are some important issues that need to be considered, such as the choice of the appropriate measure of money, the scale variable (income or wealth) and the opportunity cost variable (short- or long-term interest rates). This paper estimates a stable long-run equilibrium relationship between real money demand (RM2) and its explanatory variables in South Africa, using cointegration and error correction methods. The results obtained confirm the existence of such stable equilibrium relationships. The crucial results from the Error Correction model (ECM) indicate that monetary policy in South Africa is effective. However, in spite of its efficiency, monetary policy does not have a quick effect, needing at least four quarters (one year) from its inception to make a real difference. In other words, there might be difficulties in implementing monetary policy in an emergency situation. Policy implications and suggestions for future research are made in the paper.

scholarly journals Water research and collaboration in the Southern African Development Community

Water SA ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 44 (3 July) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anastassios Pouris
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Web Of Science ◽  
Southern African Development Community ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
The South ◽  
Water Research ◽  
Related Research ◽  
African Development ◽  
The Web

This article investigates water-related research in the Southern African Development Community. Water issues are part of the region’s science and technology priorities as 4countries receive less rain than the global average of 860 mm/yr – Botswana with 400 mm/yr, Namibia with 254 mm/yr, South Africa with 497 mm/yr and Zimbabwe with 652 mm/yr. Furthermore, the international literature indicates that joint or internationally coordinated research has the potential to improve the scientific–technical quality of international agreements, prevent conflict and shape the way for appropriate management of the shared resources. Scientometric analysis using the Web of Science database is employed in order to identify the state of water research and collaboration in the SADC region. The Web of Science indexes a defined set of journals worldwide and the South African Government provides incentives/subsidies for publications indexed by this database. The results show that South Africa is the main producer (80%) of research publications in the region. Similarly, in the field of water research South Africa produces 75% of the region’s research. The SADC collaboration matrix in water-related research reveals that there is minimal, if any, collaborative research on the topic. Some seed-level research exists between South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. The main funders of research are the South African National Research Foundation (NRF) (acknowledged in 180 publications), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (72 publications), the National Institutes of Health (64 publications) and the Wellcome Trust (60 publications). Policy implications are discussed (e.g. the establishment of SADC Common Water Research Area; research support for the region, etc.).

A profile of accounting research in South African accounting journals

2012 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 92-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniël Coetsee ◽  
Nerine Stegmann
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Research Methods ◽  
Research Method ◽  
Research Field ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Current Profile ◽  
The South ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Accounting Research

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the profile of accounting research in the two academic accounting research journals in South Africa (Meditari Accountancy Research and SA Journal of Accounting Research) during the ten‐year period from 2000 to 2009.Design/methodology/approachThe archival research method is applied, which analyses existing data (in this case the articles published in the South African (SA) accounting research journals) to come to research conclusions. The research method used to analyse the related articles in the SA accounting research journals is based on various international studies. The following dimensions are assessed: authorship; research field; the nature of the research; and research methods. Authorship is classified by institution, and the top seven authors by relative contribution are also identified. Both empirical and theoretical work are classified separately in different research methods.FindingsThese different dimensions provide a broad‐based review of the current profile of accounting research in South Africa.Research limitations/implicationsOther refereed academic articles in the field of accounting have been published in non‐accounting specific SAPSE‐approved journals. These articles are also excluded from the scope of this research since the journals in which they are published have not been established by accounting academics specifically.Practical implicationsThe motivation for doing this research is to identify the current profile of accounting research in South Africa that could be used as a basis for future research‐related development.Originality/valueKnowledge of the profile of accounting research in South Africa could provide opportunities for scholars to expand identified research areas and explore methods that are currently under‐developed in the South African accountancy research field. The paper also acknowledges the contributions by the most prolific authors in the identified journals.

Measuring Meaning in Life in South Africa: Validation of an Instrument Developed in the USA

2009 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 314-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremias J. de Klerk ◽  
Adré B. Boshoff ◽  
René van Wyk
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Meaning In Life ◽  
Covariance Structure ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
The South ◽  
Psychometric Instruments ◽  
The Usa ◽  
African Sample

Investigations into the construct of meaning in life is an important focus area of psychological research. Research has consistently shown a sense of meaning in life to be a significant correlate of mental health and well-being. Most of this research on meaning in life is conducted worldwide with instruments developed in North America. However, inter-cultural measurement of psychological constructs is a concern, as psychometric instruments in one culture are not necessarily transferable to different cultures. In this case study, we examine whether the Life Regard Index (LRI), developed in the USA and a popular scale for measuring meaning in life, is transferable to a sample from South Africa. The results confirm the construct validity of the LRI, but indicate that the LRI's factor structure has changed and two of the original 28 items were not part of the covariance structure. From these results, we conclude that the LRI is transferable to the South African sample, but not irrespectively and without adjustments. It should be used as a one-dimensional instrument with only 26 items before applying it to the South African sample. The study provides evidence that LRI, which was developed in the USA and became a popular instrument for measuring meaning in life, cannot be transferred indiscriminately to a South African sample. This insight contributes to the quality of future research studies in South Africa, not only on the important aspect of life meaning, but also when applying other psychometric instruments developed elsewhere.

scholarly journals A unique fingerprint? Factors influencing attitudes towards science and technology in South Africa

2016 ◽  
Vol Volume 112 (Number 7/8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lars Guenther ◽  
Peter Weingart ◽  
◽  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Scientific Literacy ◽  
Science And Technology ◽  
Research Field ◽  
African Population ◽  
Future Research ◽  
The South ◽  
South African Population ◽  
Attitudes Towards Science

Abstract From an international perspective, research in the field of public attitudes towards science and technology has been conducted since the 1970s. A frequently proposed – and empirically supported – theory is that strong interest in and knowledge about science in a society is associated with more favourable attitudes towards science. This positive attitude in turn affects support for public funding of science. However, this research field is not without controversy, and for the South African population many questions remain unanswered. Initial research has not explored the factors that shape attitudes towards science and technology in detail. We re-analysed data from the Human Sciences Research Council to explore the above theory. Interestingly, for the South African population, higher levels of scientific literacy and use of information sources are associated with more promises but also more reservations towards science and technology. This is especially true for relatively young and educated survey respondents. In international comparison, South Africa shows a unique fingerprint to some extent, but also shares characteristics with industrially developing countries of Europe (such as Greece or Portugal). To understand the correlations better, future research should aim to examine the overall picture when investigating the diverse South African population more extensively.

Female Attorneys in South Africa: A Quantitative Analysis

2019 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamlynne Meyer
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
White Male ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Steady Increase ◽  
The South ◽  
Traditionally White ◽  
Female Partners ◽  
Gender Transformation ◽  
Laws And Policies

Law is an established profession, traditionally white, male and middle-class. Since 1994, there has been a strong focus on transformation in the South African legal profession, largely focusing on racial transformation, with meaningful gender transformation lagging behind. This article illustrates at a quantitative level the gendered landscape of the South African attorney’s profession. The findings show that in the past decade there has been a steady increase in the number of female law graduates and the number of females admitted as attorneys. The occupational structure shows that the junior levels of the profession are dominated by females, and that there is a lack of diversity and transformation as regards the senior and most sought-after positions in the profession. Not only are female partners outnumbered, they are also significantly under-represented, with only half of them being represented at the partnership level, whereas males are over-represented at that level. South Africa has no shortage of laws and policies promoting gender equality and transformation. Unfortunately, these laws and policies have done very little to liberate female attorneys as they move through the ranks of the profession. The article concludes by raising questions that should be qualitatively explored in future research.

Foreigners' Rights to Work and Fair Labour Practices in South Africa: A Review of the South African Labour Legislation and Jurisprudence

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andre Mangu
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Human Rights ◽  
South African ◽  
Bill Of Rights ◽  
The South ◽  
Legislation And Jurisprudence ◽  
Foreign Nationals ◽  
Lay Persons ◽  
Democratic State ◽  
Labour Legislation

After several decades of apartheid rule, which denied human rights to the majority of the population on the ground of race and came to be regarded as a crime against humanity, South Africa adopted its first democratic Constitution in the early 1990s. The 1996 Constitution, which succeeded the 1993 interim Constitution, is considered one of the most progressive in the world. In its founding provisions, it states that South Africa is a democratic state founded on human dignity, the achievement of equality, the advancement of human rights and freedoms. The Constitution enshrines fundamental human rights in a justiciable Bill of Rights as a cornerstone of democracy. Unfortunately, in the eyes of a number of politicians, officials and lay-persons, the rights in the Bill of Rights accrue to South African citizens only. Xenophobia, which has been rampant since the end of apartheid, seems to support the idea that foreigners should not enjoy these rights. Foreign nationals have often been accused of posing a threat to South African citizens with regard to employment opportunities. In light of the South African legislation and jurisprudence, this article affirms the position of the South African labour law that foreign nationals are indeed protected by the Constitution and entitled to rights in the Bill of Rights, including the rights to work and fair labour practices.

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