Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis, presented in six thematic chapters, investigates an approach for promoting the growth of small businesses in South Africa. Chapter 1 motivates the thesis by discussing the contested role of small businesses in reducing unemployment and fostering social equity. Chapter 2 reviews the small business development policy in South Africa and explicates the socioeconomic conditions underpinning the policy. Chapters 3, 4 and 5 are empirical analyses using data from the World Bank Enterprise Surveys of 2003 and 2007, and the World Bank Financial Crisis Survey of 2010 to determine key impediments to the growth of small businesses and characteristics of firms creating and retaining most jobs in South Africa. Chapter 3 uses two methods to investigate the key impediments. The first method is based on a count of obstacles that entrepreneurs rate as seriously affecting enterprise operations. The second estimates the effects of the obstacles on growth through sequential multivariate regressions and identifies binding constraints for different categories of firms. It emerges that medium-sized firms are mildly affected by most obstacles but micro and small firms are significantly affected by crime, electricity and transportation problems. The chapter provides important insight on the sequencing of interventions to address the impediments to growth. Chapter 4 studies the finance constraint. It evaluates the importance of the constraint firstly by assessing whether firms rating finance as a serious problem underperform firms rating the problem as less important. Thereafter, the chapter studies the experiences of firms when seeking external finance and identifies four levels of the finance constraint. Using an ordered logit model and a binary logit model, the chapter explores the profile of financially constrained firms. Results show that firms owned by ethnic groups disadvantaged in the apartheid era are more likely to be credit-constrained. The results also suggest that the likelihood of being credit-constrained decreases with higher levels of formal education. The results inform policy on the types of firms that financial interventions must target. Chapter 5 builds on a growing body of evidence which shows that a small proportion of firms in an economy account for over 50 percent of net new jobs. The evidence from the literature suggests that such high-growth enterprises have distinct characteristics that could make it possible for interventions to nurture or for other firms to emulate. The chapter employs two methods to investigate the characteristics of high-growth firms. The first is logit regression, which the investigation uses to determine characteristics of firms that create more jobs than the average firm. The characteristics are also interacted to identify interaction terms most associated with growth. The second method is quantile regression, which makes it possible to assess the importance of each characteristic for firms in different levels of growth rates. The results show that the typical high-growth firm is more likely to be black-owned. The results of the chapter however highlight the need for further research into characteristics that may perhaps explain high-growth firms more robustly than variables in the survey instrument. The research ends with a summary, a discussion of areas of further research, and policy recommendations in Chapter 6.

Thesis (MPA (School of Public Management and Planning))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / This thesis acknowledges the extent to which the South African society has been polarised by the policies and practices resulting from Apartheid. The safeguarding of rights, equal access to and the guarantee of service delivery to all South African citizens became one of the cornerstones of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act 108 of 1996) and one of the vehicles of change and redress. The legislative framework created guides the manner in which the three spheres of government achieve these objectives as one in which they work in a cooperative manner to secure its developmental objectives as captured by the United Nations in the Millennium Development Goals. The growth and development strategies, for which the three spheres of government are responsible, are identified, outlined and analysed to demonstrate the common developmental thread of the three spheres of government. A case is built for the use of the Human Development Index (HDI) as one of indices that could be used as a means of assessing human development. It is further described as an effective methodology in determining the developmental level of people. This methodology is used as an illumining tool to provide support for the provisional comparative analysis of the growth and development strategies of the three spheres of government on the City of Cape Town and the alignment of these strategies to the MDG. The writer will calculate the HDI of the inhabitants of the City of Cape Town and compare these to the provincial and national HDI. The results and findings will be analysed and recommendations and conclusions will follow. The calculations and provisional tentative findings of the HDI of the three spheres of government are provided in Appendix A. Interrelatedness of strategies and deliberate cascading of objectives will be emphasised in terms of the benefit of directive focusing of energies for all three spheres of government. The writer will demonstrate the degree to which these strategies have been deliberately integrated and jointly coordinated by the three spheres of government. The difficulty experienced in accessing adequate data sets has emphasised the need for all three spheres of government to prioritise the coordinated collection, compilation and making data available to ensure that the policy options that are chosen are evidence based and outcomes focussed. This is a significant concern since UN based funding is dependant on well-documented and researched policy options. Findings and recommendations with respect to the comparative analysis are presented in the final chapter with recommendations for future study.

Thesis (MDF (Development Finance))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) in South Africa can enhance their role as prime vehicles for the Government to achieve the social objectives of meeting the millennium goals. This can be achieved by ensuring that higher ratios of resources available to the DFIs are applied to development lending and that such DFls stay financially sustainable. DFls have served as conduits for channelling credit to priority sectors, often at concession terms, and have directed their strategies towards achieving social and economic goals that are believed to be neglected by market forces. The absence of structured monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for both impact assessment and the application of resources make it impossible to ensure that these DFIs exist to achieve the mandates for which they were created. The perception of market failure, however, justifies the allocations of scarce public resources to DFIs. DFIs are expected to be catalysts in financial intermediation, extending long-term credit and contributing to economic development through the removal of bottlenecks associated with credit shortage within communities of the Historically Disadvantaged Individuals (HDI). The application of scarce resources, however, calls for a financially sustainable DFI sector so that there may be a sustained provision of credit to the targeted sectors, in order to achieve optimum use and allocation of state resources. The government, through the ASGISA initiative, recognises the role the DFIs can play in halving poverty and unemployment by 2014, due to the labour intensive nature of the targeted priority sectors, such as agriculture. The performance of most of these DFIs, in terms of mandate achievement and financial sustainability, has not been well balanced, as evidenced by the past and present prevalence of the use of govemment guarantees including recapitalisation and future anticipated requests for such facilities. This study was initiated in response to the anticipated growth in the number of DFIs likely to seek either government guarantees or recapitalisation or both. At present, no mechanism is in place for the National Treasury (NT) to detect financial distress of any DFI long before it occurs, so that intervention measures can be put in place. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Ontwikkelingsfinansiering Instellings (OFIs) in Suid Afrika kan hulle rolle versterk as primere voertuie om die sosiale doelwitte van die millennium te bereik. Hierdie doelwitte kan bereik word deur te verseker dat die hoer beskikbare verhouding en middele by die OFIs aangewend word vir ontwikkelingslenings en dat hierdie OFIs finansieel volhoubaar bly. "OFIs het as wee gedien vir die kanalisering van krediet aan prioriteit sektore, dikwels teen konsessionere terme, en het hulle strategies gerig om sosiale en ekonomiese doelwitte te bereik wat geglo is deur markkragte negelaar is. Die nie bestaan van gestruktureede monitering- en evaluasiemeganismes vir beide impak evaluasie en aanwending van hulpbronne maak dit onmoontlik om te verseker dat hierdie OFIs bestaan om die mandate waarvoor hulle geskep is te bereik. Die persepsie van mark versuim regverdig nietemin die allokasie van skaars openbare hulpbronne aan OFIs. Daar word van OFIs verwag om kataliste te wees van finansiele intermediasie, die verskaffing van langtermyn krediet en om by te dra tot ekonomise ontwikkeling deur van bottelnekke weg te neem wat geassosieer word met krediettekorte binne gemeenskappe van Voorheen Benadeelde Individue (VBI). Die aanwending van skaars hulpbronne vra nietemin vir 'n finansiele volhoubare OFI sektor, sodat die volgehoue voorsiening van krediet aan geteikende sektore plaasvind, om die optimum gebruik en allokasie en staatshulpbronne te verseker. Die regering, deur die ASGISA inisatief, erken die rol wat OFIs kan speel in die halvering van armoede en werkloosheid teen 2014, as gevolg van die arbeidsintensiewe aard van die geteikende sektore, soos byvoorbeeld landbou. Die prestasie van hierdie OFIs in terme van die bereiking van mandate en finansiele volhoubaarheid was nie goed gebalanseerd nie, soos bewys word deur die oorgewig van die gebruik in die verlede en huidiglik van regerings waarborge, insluitend herkapitalisasie en toekomstige versoeke vir sodanige fasiliteite. Die studie was geinisieer in reaksie tot die verwagte groei in die getal OFIs wat waarskynlike staastwaarborge of herkapitalisasie of beide gaan vra. Huidiglik is daar geen meganisme in plek vir die Nasionale Tesourie (NT) om die finansiele nood van enige OFI te identifiseer voordat dit plaasvind en om daardeur intervensie maatreels in plek te sit nie.

Thesis (MDevF (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study looks at South Africa and Brazil in a comparative sense to determine how infrastructure development and investment since 1970 to 2002 impacted not only on aggregate GDP but also on social indicators such as gross national income (GNI), infant mortality and literacy within these countries. Although Brazil is four times the size of South Africa, the two countries have political and economic situations that are similar. The more recent history of the two countries suggests that infrastructure development and investment have received priority. The research methodology was to review related literature, secondly to statistically measure the impact of infrastructure investment on the factors mentioned using a linear regression model and, thirdly to analyze and discuss the outcomes. The role of government in infrastructure development is argued to be one of limited capital investment and more of a regulatory one with the consequent result of crowding-in private sector investment. Brazil has in recent times followed a route of public-private partnerships with the South African government on the other hand being the principal investor for infrastructure. The magnitude of elasticity of the impact of infrastructure in both South Africa and Brazil was found to be unusually large implying an implausibly high marginal rate of productivity for capital investment. This could be because of the incompleteness of the data obtained. Furthermore, infrastructure investment in Brazil is found to have a larger social impact than in South Africa, except for aggregate GDP. In conclusion, the results of the statistical analysis corroborate the assertion of the various literatures surveyed. The main findings of the analysis in this study do not conclusively suggest that the path followed by Brazil through public-private partnerships has had a far better effect than in the case of South Africa utilizing substantial government investment to promote infrastructure development. Although the study was not geared towards the effect of policies on the impact of infrastructure, especially on the social fabric of developing countries, further research in this area could be undertaken. The impact of individual measures of economic infrastructure such as railways, roads, ports, air travel, telephones and electricity could also be researched to determine their economic impact in South Africa and Brazil. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie tref ‘n vergelyking tussen Suid-Afrika en Brasilië om vas te stel hoe die ontwikkeling van infrastruktuur en belegging sedert 1970 tot 2002 nie net op die totale bruto binnelandse produk, maar ook op die sosiale aanwysers soos die bruto nasionale inkomste, die sterftesyfers van babas en die geletterdheidsvlakke van die lande impak. Alhoewel Brasilië vier maal groter as Suid-Afrika is, het die twee lande soortgelyke politieke en ekonomiese situasies. Die meer onlangse geskiedenis van die twee lande toon ook dat infrastruktuur en belegging geprioritiseer is. Die navorsingsmetodologie wat gebruik is, is om eerstens die betrokke literatuur te hersien, tweedens om statisties die impak van infrastruktuurbelegging op die gemelde faktore te meet deur ‘n lineêre regressiemodel te gebruik en derdens om die uitkomste te analiseer en te bespreek. Die rol van die regering in infrastruktuurontwikkeling word beskou as een van beperkte kapitaalbelegging en ‘n meer regulerende een met die gevolglike resultaat van verdringing van privaatsektorbelegging. Brasilië het onlangs die weg van openbaarprivate vennootskappe begin volg terwyl die Suid-Afrikaanse regering andersyds die hoofbelegger in infrastruktuur is. Dit is bevind dat die omvang van die elastisiteit van die impak van die infrastruktuur op beide Suid-Afrika en Brasilië ongewoon groot was, wat impliseer dat daar ‘n ongewoon-hoë marginale produktiwiteitskoers vir kapitaalbelegging was. Dit kan as gevolg van die onvolledigheid van die data wees. Verder het infrastruktuurbelegging in Brasilië ‘n groter sosiale impak as in Suid-Afrika getoon, buiten vir die totale bruto binnelandse produk. Ten slotte bevestig die resultate van die statistiese analise die aannames van die verskeidenheid literatuur wat geraadpleeg is. Die hoofbevindings van die analise in hierdie studie bewys nie dat die weg wat deur Brasilië deur middel van openbaar-private vennootskappe gevolg is ‘n baie beter effek het as wat in Suid-Afrika tot stand gebring is deur die benutting van die omvattende regeringsbelegging om infrastruktuurontwikkeling te bevorder nie. Alhoewel die studie nie gefokus was op die uitwerking van die beleide op die impak van infrastruktuur nie, veral op die sosiale sy van ontwikkelende lande nie, behoort verdere studie op hierdie gebied onderneem te word. Die impak van individuele maatstawwe van ekonomiese infrastruktuur soos spoorweë, paaie, hawens, lugvaart, telefone en elektrisiteit kan ook nagevors word om die ekonomiese impak op Suid-Afrika en Brasilië te bepaal.

Thesis (MBA) -- Stellenbosch University, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South Africa has been granted a unique opportunity in being nominated as the first African nation to host the FIFA World Cup, and one of the first developing nations to host a global mega sporting event. The successful hosting of this event could provide the country with a global platform to promote the richness, diversity, and vast economic opportunities to the world stage. Economic development and significant global events taking place in South Africa may further contribute to leadership in the continent, and bring increased business and consumer confidence into prominence, as well as increase the leverage of private capital. The South African business and investment environment is in transition from a primary focus on construction, mining, manufacturing in the automotive, timber and steel sectors, to a knowledge economy focusing on sector development of skills training, education , IT and teleccmmunications, and property development. Infrastructure capacity, service delivery and skills shortages and the high rate of structural unemployment impose significant supply-side constraints with regard to the impact on the rate of real GDP growth and how growth is translated into employment opportunities and socio-economic development for the Western Cape and South Africa. Cape Town's position as co-host to selected events in 2009 and 2010 provides the critical window of opportunity to expand infrastructure investment to ensure a truly global destination of choice for investors and tourists. This event offers Cape Town the opportunity to ensure sustainable legacies, especially in terms of transport systems, the creation of a green lung in the midst of the city, improved service delivery and a world class multi purpose facility. All these contribute to the accelerated and shared economic growth of the City of Cape Town and the Province of the Western Cape. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Suid-Afrika se nominasie as die eerste land in Afrika om as gasheer vir die FIFA Wereldbeker 2010 op te tree, is 'n unieke geleentheid. Suid-Afrika is ook een van die eerste ontwikkelende lande wat toegewys is om hierdie sport geleentheid aan te bied. Die suksesvolle aanbieding van hierdie geleentheid, kan Suid-Afrika die geleentheid bied om die unieke diversiteite en ryke ekonomiese geleenthede van die land aan die wereld ten toon te stel. Ekonomiese ontwikkeling en hierdie besondere gebeurtenis in Suid-Afrika, mag verder bydra tot die bevordering van leierskap op die kontinent en 'n verhoogde vlak van sake- en verbruikersvertroue wat die verhoging van privaat kapitaalbesteding kan aanmoedig. Die Suid-Afrikaanse sake en investeringsomgewing is in transformasie vanaf 'n primere fokus op konstruksie, myne, en die vervaardigingsbedryf, veral die motor, hout en staal sektore, na 'n kennis gedrewe ekonomie met 'n klemverskuiwing na ontwikkeling binne die sektore, van vaardigheidsopleiding. informasie tegnologie, telekommunikasie en eiendomsontwikkeling. 'n Tekort aan voldoende infrastruktuur-en dienslewering kapasiteit, 'n tekort aan vaardighede, sowel as die hoe koers van strukturele werkloosheid, veroorsaak beperkinge met betrekking tot die impak op die greei van die Bruto Binnelandse Preduk, en hoe hierdie greei snel omgeskakel kan word in werksgeleenthede en sosio-ekonomiese ontwikkeling vir die Wes-Kaap en Suid-Afrika. Kaapstad se gedeelde posisie as gasheer van spesifieke geleenthede in 2009 en 2010, verskaf die geleentheid om deur middel van die uitbreiding van infrastruktuur investering te verseker dat investeerders en toeriste, Kaapslad as 'n volwaardige globale bestemming beskou. Hierdie gebeurtenis bied ook aan Kaapstad die geleentheid om op 'n volhoubare ontwikkelingswyse 'n besondere nalatenskap te verseker, veral met betrekking tot die vervoerstelsel, die skepping van 'n green long in die middestad, verskerpte dienslewering en 'n wereldklas veeldoelige fasiliteit, wat in totaal bydra tot die versnelde en gedeelde ekonomiese greei van die Stad Kaapstad en die Provinsie Wes-Kaap.

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The research question answered by this study is what policy and strategy would give the necessary direction to Swartland Municipality’s (SM’s) social development programmes to maximise its impact on the social well-being of the community? The motivation for the study is the need to prioritise social development projects in order to improve effectiveness and efficiency in this field. The methodology used was a qualitative study by means of a conceptual analysis of the term social development, a literature study of international, national and local legislation and policies as well as group interviews with internal and external stakeholders. Social development was defined for the purposes of this study as the process of strengthening the relationships/ partnerships and linkages between people, resources and/or systems within the scope of poverty reduction, expansion of employment opportunities and social integration, with the goal to achieve well-being for individuals, groups and/or communities. Furthermore a literature study explored relevant legislation and policy documents to give clarity on the municipality’s role of social development. Main findings were that the SA Constitution as supreme law, clearly states the municipal objective is to promote social development and states four functions that relate to social development namely child facilities, basic infrastructure, public amenities and sports facilities. Furthermore social development functions in all municipal departments need to co-ordinate to maximise social development resources. Lastly the municipality’s social development programmes must be supplementary and supportive to the work of the Department of Social Development. Furthermore, engagements were held with internal and external stakeholders of Swartland Municipality and the strategic direction was determined by means of a vision, mission and strategic focus areas. The vision identified is: We build and create sustainable social development partnerships with all our people for strengthening the social fabric of the Swartland community. The social development mission is: We initiate, build and promote social development opportunities with the focus on sustainability, which specifically refers to financial viability in the long term, forming partnerships with the community and service providers, not harming the environment and operating within legal powers and functions. Five strategic focus areas flowing from the vision and mission were identified. To promote collaboration and co-ordination is the pivotal focus area. Social development has to be co-ordinated by means of a social development forum represented of all sectors (government, NGO, faith-based, business, agriculture). The other focus areas were: promoting child development/establishing child facilities, lobbying for the vulnerable, facilitating access to the economy and promoting youth development. The impact of service delivery according to the five focus areas must be measured in totality by means of the Human Development Index and reflected in the integrated development plan.

The aim of this study is to determine the extent to which the UN/OSCAL (United Nations Office of the Special Coordinator for Africa and the Least Development Countries) model of microfinance is being applied in the South African context, its scope for application and recommendations for implementation. The hypothesis is that, the better South African microfinance initiatives conform to the model, the more successful it will be in fulfilling the ultimate mission of microfinance which is to supply financial services to the poor by cutting the cost of outreach with beneficial effects on poverty..

M.Com. (Economic Development and Policy Issues) / Monetary policy is not only the process by which the monetary authority of a country controls the supply of money, but is furthermore a sufficient tool to overcome the problem of economic growth and unemployment. This can take place when the policy instruments – interest rates (Repo) and money supply growth (M3) – have significant effects on these macroeconomic variables. However, the issue of the efficacy of monetary policy on GDP growth and employment creation is at the centre of debates among researchers. Some researchers are of the opinion that the objective of monetary policy in achieving and maintaining price stability is founded on the idea that inflation is not good for economic growth, employment creation and income equality but, instead, only secures macroeconomic environment. In South Africa, the efficiency of different monetary policy tools, inflation and money-supply targeting, on economic performance has been questioned. Moreover, the issue of the high level of unemployment remains controversial among scholars. Therefore, the structural vector-error correction model (VECM) methods was used with quarterly data in order to investigate the impact of aggregate money supply (M3), interest rate (Repo) and real exchange rate on CPIX (inflation) , economic growth (GDP volume rate) and unemployment (joblessness rate) in South Africa for the period 1986 to 2010. The results show that both monetary-policy regimes have positively impacted on economic growth, but the impact of the pre-inflation-targeting regime is higher. Moreover, a weak positive liaison between monetary policy and unemployment is observed, but the post-inflation-targeting regime shows a higher percentage decrease in unemployment than the pre-inflation targeting period. Beyond any doubt, the research approves the engagement of the SARB to monitor (target) CPIX (inflation) due to its ability to ensure price stability and create a stable economic environment favourable to economic performance.

M.A. (Public Management and Governance) / This study focuses on the policy programme feasibility of the proposed OR Tambo Industrial Development Zone (ORTIAIDZ) programme to determine the viability of its implementation. This introductory chapter highlights the background and rationale in order to provide context to the problem statement and the chosen research approach. The research questions and research objectives are provided and the research investigation methodology (research approach, design, data collection and analysis methods) used in this study are clarified. The chapter also clarifies the explicit terminology used in the text. Finally, a synopsis of the chapters comprising the dissertation is provided.

This study presents the research of an investigation into communication challenges that affected the implementation of Black Economic Empowerment and the communication strategies/policies used to inform and communicate with employees in businesses. To achieve this aim questionnaires were administered to seven BEE compliant organizations in KwaZulu-Natal. Mersham’s communication model for development provides a basis for evaluation of the BEE communication challenges. This study reviewed theories and literature relevant to the implementation of Black Economic Empowerment and Communication Strategies. The perceptions gained from the literature review were used to interpret the results which were obtained through a qualitative paradigm. The findings revealed that communication is a pivotal pillar in any organization and both employers and employees need to maintain the strength that binds these pillars and brings the organization together. South Africa has faced many challenges since the apartheid era. The BEE policy therefore, aims to iron out unfair practices in businesses, which is why communication is extremely important to this process. / M