M.A. / The rationale for economic integration is that countries combine to form regional groupings with the belief that this is a more effective way to improve their well-being politically and economically. Theories of economic integration show that integration may have both positive and negative outcomes. Despite the long standing debates on the negative consequences of regional integration, the dominant views indicate that regional integration may improve the welfare of member nations. The political decision has already been made in favour of trade integration within the SADC region. It is for this reason that this study has been undertaken to determine prospects and problems of economic integration in the SADC. Despite the anticipated problems and challenges for economic integration within the region, some studies and findings show positive prospects. The major findings of this study are that the region is on the right path to economic recovery, and has an opportunity to play a meaningful role within the world economy. The dominant and most industrialized, South Africa, will serve as an economic power within the region. The reform process that have been initiated by the SADC member countries have now put the regional economies on the right track. The region also had a remarkable economic performance as a result of the implementation of the positive macroeconomic policies and strategies. Although Africa is not the main player within the world economy, the region has a meaningful role to play, especially if the region's foreign trade increases by the estimated 18 percent. The role of South Africa as an economic power within the region is expected to serve as a spring-board of economic development within the region. It is also anticipated that economic growth within South Africa may spill-over into the whole region. The smaller SADC economies are likely to benefit from the relocation of South African industries into the region as a result of external tariffs vis-a-vis non member states, as well as higher South African wage levels. It is, however, acknowledged that integration would benefit some countries more than others. What is of paramount importance is that integration will leave all the countries either better off or not worse off, inside the grouping than the country would have been outside the grouping. This means that the economic welfare increases within the region as long as no member country will not be worse off than before joining the union. To remedy the possible unequal benefits of economic integration, compensatory and transfer-of-funds strategies will have to be adopted to minimize all the negative impacts of the imbalance between member countries. The SADC's global competitiveness changed lately as a result of initial steps toward integration and some member countries, are now ranked higher than most countries in the continent of Africa.

Regional integration, defined as a process in which countries enter into agreements to enhance regional trade, economic and political cooperation, remains an integral part of Africa’s development strategy as evidenced by the proliferation of regional integration agreements on the continent. The implications of these regional agreements on the strategy and operations of multinational corporations on the continent is a question that has received little attention, and as a result, largely remains unanswered. The East African Community, the regional intergovernmental organisation between the Republics of Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, may lay claim to the position of being the most advanced regional block in Africa with respect to progress made at implementing integration objectives. As such, the impact that deepening integration may have had on multinationals operating in the East African Community evokes much interest and attention. This research therefore interrogates the implications of deepening regional integration on business strategy in the East African Community. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

The dissertation thesis focuses on political and economic integration in the Western Hemisphere. In the first part the paper compares two major regional trading blocs, North American Free Trade Agreement and Mercosur. Through the discourse and metaphor analysis shows differences between the respective blocs, as well as their objectives. Second part deals with US foreign policy in its historical context in relation to other nations within the region, and transformaton of this relationship into current policy of bilateral 4 free trade agreements. Discourse analysis of the key texts and revealed dominance metaphors suggest that the United States uses bilateral free trade agreements to maintain control over the region. Keywords USA, Mexico, Latin America, Western Hemisphere, NAFTA, Mercosur, bilateral free trade agreements, discourse analysis, metaphors, foreign policy, manifest destiny, integration

A research report submitted in partial fulfilment of the Degree of Master of Commerce (Economics/Economic Science) in the School of Economic and Business Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, 2018 / World trade has become a significant factor in improving standards of living, creating employment, improving countries’ balance of payments and making it possible for consumers to have a wide variety of goods and services to choose from (Vijayasri, 2013). Living examples of some of the benefits of world trade are those brought by the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) initiative. [No abstract provided. Information taken from introduction]. / XL2019

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No / The pace of economic integration amongst European Union (EU) member states has accelerated considerably during the past decade, highlighted by the process of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). Many aspects of the EU's apparatus, however, have failed to evolve in order to meets these new challenges. This book explores the issue of fiscal federalism within the context of EU integration from theoretical, historical, policy and global perspectives. It contrasts the pace of integration amongst EU member states with the failure of financial and administrative apparatus to evolve to encompass fiscal federalism, i.e. the development of a centralised budgetary system. This impressive collection, with contributions from a range of internationally respected authors, shall interest students and researchers involved with European economics and economic integration. Its accessible style will also make it extremely useful to policy-makers and professionals for whom European economic integration is a daily topic of conversation.