Includes bibliographical references / This dissertation is a collection of studies on the economics of peace and security. Chapter one introduces the roles military spending and conic play in affecting economic growth, while also considering the causes of civil conflict. Chapter two investigates the relationship between military expenditure and economic growth, considering group heterogeneity and non-linearity. Using an exogenous growth model and dynamic panel approach, the results suggest military burden to have a negative effect on growth. Breaking the overall panel down into various sub-samples shows estimates that are remark-ably consistent with the full panel. These results provide strong support for the argument that military spending has an adverse effect on growth. There are, however, some intriguing results suggesting that for certain types of countries military burden has no negative growth effect. Chapter three deals with the transnational spatial spillover effects of conflict on neighbouring countries. It moves beyond using geographical dis-tance as a spillover measurement and allows for economic and political distances. The initial empirical results suggest that conflict has a strong negative spillover effect on directly contiguous countries growth, but no significant impacts were observed for non-contiguous countries. When economic and political factors are considered, this result remains, but the spillover effect is smaller. While the impact of conflict remains devastating, it is important to take other factors into account as studies using only geographical distance may be overestimating the impact on neighbours. The fourth chapter examines the determinants of civil war, using a zero-inflated modelling approach to deal with excess zeroes in the dependent variable. Traditional probit and logit models have limited capacity in dealing with this issue and can create misleading results, which is illustrated through replicating published work. A general greed-grievance model is then estimated giving further support to using zero-inflated models. While the standard probit models tend to emphasise opportunity variables, consistent in other studies, the zero inflated model gives supports both opportunity and grievance variables. In particular, ethnicity, democracy and inequality are found to play a significant role in civil war prevalence. Finally, chapter five summarises the findings of the dissertation, providing some policy recommendations, concluding remarks and discusses future research opportunities.

This study examined the interaction between saving, investment and economic growth in Namibia. The relationship between these variables is central to Namibia’s guiding macroeconomic framework. However, empirical evidence has shown that the relationship between saving, investment and economic growth depends on the country context. This makes it important to understand the policy implications of the interaction between these variables in Namibia. The specific objectives of the study were to investigate the causal relationship between saving and investment and the impact of the saving-investment relationship on economic growth in Namibia. The diagnostic testing using the Johansen cointegration test revealed a long-run relationship between the study variables with one cointegrating equation. The long run analysis was followed by Granger causality tests to understand short-run causal relationships between the variables. Impulse response functions and variance decompositions were also estimated to examine the interaction between the variables. The results from the Vector Error Correction Model showed that there was a positive long-run relationship between economic growth and investment, & savings and investment in Namibia. The Granger causality test revealed a causal relationship between saving and investment, consistent with the long-run analysis. The study implications are that a pro-saving policy can achieve increased investment. However, the long run relationship between investment and economic growth implies that investment should be made on a longer term for it to impact on economic growth. It is therefore recommended that Namibia implements policies to encourage long term investments. This can be achieved through waiving duty on capital goods and offering tax incentives to investors in strategic sectors of the economy.

In the recent past, Zambia has increased its external borrowings significantly after reaching the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) completion point. The Zambian government has been on an ambitious borrowing spree with the intent that most of these funds would be channelled towards building and maintenance of key national infrastructure including roads and construction of new airports. This study undertook to answer the question, does increasing external debt affect growth of a nation’s economy? The thesis commenced an econometric study between the years 1980 to 2015 using publicly available data premised on the neoclassical economic growth model. The findings from this investigation show that shocks to external debt negatively impact the economic output of Zambia which is proxied by the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Conversely, it was found that external debt stock could not reliably forecast future economic growth for the nation, a finding which in itself provides an area of further investigations. These research findings and recommendations make it clear that Zambia requires a comprehensive debt contraction and management framework to avoid the vagaries of short-term decisions which may not always be premised on sound economic thinking.

A dissertation submitted to the Department of History in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in the Faculty Arts at the University of Zululand, 2018. / Bilateral trade flows among the BRICS member states thus far have contributed mutually between the progressions of each country and continue to. Nevertheless, South Africa‘s economy does not allow it to continue lagging behind its alliance partners. South Africa needed to be robust when it comes to the trade agreements with the group, since South Africa‘s economy has been scrabbling in growth in the past few years. With South Africa‘s economy still experiencing pressure from the global economic slowdown and domestic structural bottlenecks including labour unrest, unemployment remains high especially among young Africans and income inequality has increased. Economic growth has been volatile as the country has had to cope with the consequences of global crises. With all of these challenges the country is facing, one can only ask about where the aid of the BRIC countries is. Conversely, South Africa‘s role as the member of BRICS still remains cognisance. The bilateral flows of BRICS countries still remain largely influenced by the gains of China, however with time, the export and import performance continue increasing the volume of trade of each BRICS country, which also alone increases each country‘s economic activities like the FDI and the in-flow and out-flows of imports and exports industry.1 The BRICS countries today present an opportunity as new growth poles in a multi-polar world. As demonstrated during the global crisis when they played a pivotal role by recovering fast from the crisis; more than just that, the BRICS countries as a unit carry the capacity of changing the world on account of both the threats and the opportunities they present economically, socially and politically.2 Analysts and international agencies suggest and advice that investors should pay careful attention to the opportunities offered by BRICS member states and the impact and influence they carry globally.

America is a nation where a strong entrepreneurial culture establishes favorable conditions that create approximately 600,000 new firms per year (SBA Office of Advocacy, 2006). Individuals? decisions to pursue entrepreneurship are influenced by environmental conditions such as demographics, economic factors, and prior entrepreneurial activity in their communities (Minnitti & Bygrave, 1999). Proponents of the endogenous growth model (Lucas, 1988; Romer, 1986) indicate that the notion of knowledge spillovers and investment in human capital lead to the formation of new businesses that improve the economic development and growth of a region. The purpose of this dissertation is twofold. First, a conceptual model that comprises determinants and consequences of new venture creation in a region is derived from the framework developed by Minnitti and Bygrave (1999) and Bygrave and Minnitti (2000) and theories of economic development and growth. Second, using a sample of 2,300 U.S. counties, empirical tests are conducted on a set of hypotheses derived from the conceptual model. Results support eight hypotheses: (a) net migration, population change by natural increase, skilled labor, level of infrastructure, and prior entrepreneurship activity positive influences new venture creation; (b) new venture creation positive influences economic development and economic growth; and (c) new venture creation mediates the relationship between prior entrepreneurship activity and economic development. Further support is obtained on indicators of demographic composition and economic factors to exert effects on economic development and economic growth. Also new venture creation partial mediates the relationship between (a) indicators of demographic composition and economic factors and (b) economic development and economic growth. This study contributes to knowledge by empirically testing an existing framework of entrepreneurship as well as assessing how new venture creation improves the economic development and growth in America?s counties. Particularly, the study finds environmental determinants to foster new venture creation and confirms the contention that new venture creation contributes to improve the economic conditions of a region. Recommendations for future theoretical and empirical research as well as practical implications for entrepreneurs and policymakers are also discussed.

No / This paper evaluates the impact of openness on growth in different country groups using a panel of 79 countries over the period 1970-98. It distinguishes itself from many existing studies in three aspects: Firstly, both trade and FDI are included as measures of openness. Secondly, countries are classified into high-, middle- and low-income groups to compare the roles of trade and FDI in these groups. Thirdly, the possible problems of endogeneity and multicollinearity of trade and FDI are carefully dealt with in a panel data setting. The main findings are as follows. Total trade has a general positive impact on growth in all country groups, although the impact from imports is not significant in high-income countries. FDI has a positive impact on growth in high- and middle-income countries, but not in low-income countries. With the existing absorptive capabilities, low-income countries can benefit from both exports and imports, but not from FDI. These findings suggest that trade and FDI affect growth through different channels and under different conditions. The paper also discusses important policy implications.

The aim of this thesis is to describe the presence of theories for economic growth in municipalities’ economic growth strategies, and to compare the municipalities’ of Detroit and Trollhättan. Municipalities formulate goals and policies in order to achieve different outcomes that will impact residents, cities, and the economy. Three different theories for economic growth are operationalized into an analytical framework and applied, in combination with interpretative policy analysis, on the economic growth policies and goals of the municipality of Detroit and the municipality of Trollhättan. The results show that elements all three economic growth theories are present in both municipalities’ approaches to achieve economic growth. It also shows that there are different combinations of economic growth theory elements present in the goals and policies. It is also demonstrated that both municipalities’ emphasize population growth, art and culture, and a high provision of amenities in the approaches’ to achieve economic growth.

No description available.

Published Articles / Increased waste generation and poor waste disposal strategies are a global problem. In South Africa most provinces, and the larger municipalities and metros, seems to have the waste disposal and the landfills reasonably organized. This cannot be said of the landfills in the Free State Province, which could only be called dump sites. In the Free State Province a high unemployment level exists and a lack of finances is experienced by many members of the communities, especially in rural areas. Poverty levels is shown in a study by Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA SA), where it was recorded that 1.8 million (68%) of the people in the Free State Province are living in poverty and living on less than R15 per day. Data on the state of the landfill, types of waste generated which have potential to be recycled, were recorded to assess if recycling could be increased to relieve the economic burden of the poor communities. Attention was paid to the following aspects: assessing the current status of each landfill and identifying the types of waste generated in the area which ended up at the landfills. The extent of recycling and the waste handling and disposal of the waste were recorded. Non-compliance with the prescribed legislative guidelines were noted and aspects such as the state of the landfills, proper enclosure, burning of waste, recycling and products being recycled were identified and recorded. The waste disposal practices at most landfills were poor and very limited recycling was taking place. None of the landfills in the province complied with the minimum requirements for landfilling. Recommendations to improve waste disposal and identification of products with recycling potential were made. Alternative waste strategies which could be economically beneficial for the communities were recommended

How the current globalization process should be looked upon and handled has been a major concern for development thinkers’ world wide. There are many different answers to this question. Some would say that it is the natural evolving of our society while some say that it is a plague that needs to be rid of to achieve a sustainable development. This debate has been a central figure in the current development debate and a major concern. Even if it does achieve good sustainable economic development there is always social factors that come into play. Globalization has since the early 90’s been referred to as an enormous force that can not be stopped and that whilst some might not like it, it is here to stay.   This essay is concerned with investigating the different economic and political theories surrounding globalization. Three different theories and three different key thinkers in the respective schools have been examined to illuminate key arguments within their theories of globalization. These schools of thought are: The liberal school and Martin Wolf, the reformist school and Joseph Stiglitz and the radical school with Naomi Klein as their key thinker.  Selected works by these three authors selected to further represent the different schools have been critically assessed to find key arguments concerning the conceptualization about globalization and how it should be looked upon and to see how they differ between amongst each other and how the theories cope when applied on a specific case, namely Brazil.   This study shows a deeply mixed result where it is made clear that all theories have valid points in their arguments but also faults in their arguments. There is no outstanding theory in this study that over shadows its’ adversaries. However the study shows that left-wing thinkers in general put more emphasis on social justice and social development whilst more right-wing thinkers put emphasis on development though economics and solid growth. There is little chance of sustainable development if these divided groups continue to work against each other. Therefore there is a great need for a middle ground that sees both the social and the economic aspects to help form a globalized world where real development is achieved