Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The phenomenon of globalisation has seen the closer integration of the world's countries and people. The result of this, is that overall, the world economy has grown substantially. On the flip side, globalisation has greatly increased the exposure of individual countries to occurrences elsewhere in the world. This latter statement is witnessed by the events such as the spread of financial crises from source countries to third party countries that do not seem to have any obvious ties with the crisis-source countries. This has been termed financial contagion. This study seeks to break new ground by focussing on trade-related issues of contagion rather than presenting the usual macro-economic, financial, and political perspectives. A model that considers the trade pattern of countries as linkages tying together countries around the world as a whole (network) is used. This study uses the network approach to international trade as an integration measure and ascertains the occurrence of contagion in South Africa. These parameters will then be used to establish whether trade network integration can be used to explain financial contagion affecting South Africa (and extended to other countries). Two hypotheses are designed and tested in order to establish this. Two measures are used to determine the level of integration of the four study countries. The two measures are country centrality and country importance index. Comparative analysis done showed that all four countries are relatively highly integrated and are in close proximity for both degree centrality and importance. A summary of both indicators of integration measures relative to other countries in the trade network indicate that Mexico, Russia, South Africa and Thailand are well integrated in the network. Secondly the difference in ranking amongst these countries is not significant. Three financial crises are used namely, the Mexican Tequila (1994), the Asian Flu (1997) and the Russian Virus (1998). The contagion testing methodology applied uses the cross-market correlation coefficients between crisis-country and test-country. It is shown that there is no evidence to suggest that South Africa (JSE) was contagiously affected by any of the three financial crises. Only interdependence seems to have existed between the South African market and the crises countries. Evidence shows that countries that are, relatively, highly integrated with the crisis epicentre in terms of the international trade are more immune to episodes of contagion. It is shown further that the relative position of the crisis-suspect country to the crisis epicentre countries, in terms of integration in the international economic landscape, can provide susceptibility indications of that particular country. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die fenomeen van globalisering het gelei tot 'n groter integrasie van die wereld se lande en mense. Die gevolg hiervan is, dat oor die algemeen die wereld ekonomie beduidend gegroei het. Aan die ander kant het globalisering gelei tot die toename in blootstelling van individuele lande aan gebeurtenisse elders in die wereld. Die laasgenoemde stelling getuig van die gebeure, soos die verspreiding van finansiele krisisse vanaf die land van oorsprong tot 'n derde party land wat op die oog af geen ooglopende bande met die krisis-bron lande gehad het nie. Hierdie verskynsel word finansiele besmetting genoem. Hierdie studie beoog om nuwe lig te werp op die saak deur om te fokus op handelsverwante kwessies van besmetting eerders as om die gewone makro-ekonomiese, finansiele en politieke perspektiewe voor te le. 'n Model word gebruik wat die handelspatrone van lande voorstel as 'n samesnoering van lande dwarsoor die wereld as 'n netwerk. Hierdie studie gebruik die netwerk uitgangspunt vir internasionale handel, as 'n integrasie maatstaf en stel vas wat die voorkoms van besmetting in Suid-Afrika is. Hierdie parameters sal dan gebruik word om vas te stel handelsnetwerk integrasie gebruik kan word om die finansiele besmetting wat Suid Alrika (en verspreiding na ander lande) affekteer. Twee hipotese (veronderstellings) word ontwerp en getoets om bogenoemde te bewys. Twee maatstawwe word gebruik om die vlak van integrasie van die vier studie-lande te bepaal. Die twee maatstawwe is 'n land se sentralisasie en die land se belangrikheidsindeks. Vergelykende analise het gewys dat al vier lande relatief hoogs geintegreer is en parallel is in beide sentralisasie en belangrikheid. 'n Opsomming van beide aanduidings t.o.v. integrasie maatstawwe, relatief tot ander lande in die handelsnetwerk, toon dat Meksiko, Rusland en Thailand goed geintegreer is in die netwerk. Tweedens die verskil in rang tussen die lande is nie beduidend nie. Drie finansiele krisisse word gebruik naamlik die Meksikaanse Tequila (1994), die Asiatiese Griep (1997) en die Russiese Virus (1998). Die besmettings waarnemings metodologie gebruik die krisismark korrelasie medewerkende faktore tussen die krisisland en die toets-land. Dit wys dat daar geen getuienis is wat te kenne gee dat Suid Afrika (JSE) besmet is deur enige van die drie krisisse nie. Slegs onderlinge afhanklikheid kom voor tussen die Suid Afrikaanse mark en die krisislande. Dit is bewys dat lande, wat relatief hoog geintegreer is met die krisis episenter, in terme van internasionale handel, meer immuun teen episodes van besmetting is. Verder het dit bewys dat die relatiewe posisie van die krisis-vermeende land tot die krisis episenter lande, in terme van integrasie in die internasionale ekonomiese landskap, vatbare indikasies vir daardie spesifieke land kan verskaf.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2002 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: After the end of the Cold War hopes were high for a freer, fairer new world order. This did not happen. What the world got instead was globalisation - a complex phenomenon born from the interaction of political and economic liberalisation and technological change. Much of the impetus behind globalisation was derived from the prescriptions of the so-called Washington Consensus, which given its powerful influence in developing countries forced them to integrate into the global economy - to the point that integration became a virtual substitute for development policy. The benefits of globalisation were unevenly spread around the world and those who had most, stood to gain most from it. While Multinational Corporations and inhabitants of the developed world were definite winners the losers included workers, the environment and financial market stability. As the full impact of globalisation was beginning to be felt criticism of the process emerged particularly, but not exclusively, from the NGO community and left-leaning commentators. These critics are diverse and do not have much in common, but have at times created alliances of convenience. Most critics however agree that international organisations play an important part in globalisation and that in order to impact on globalisation they would have to impact on these organisations. A particularly abundant area of criticism relates to the threats posed to the global commons. There is very little agreement though on how to deal with the threats. Suggestions range from a return to subsistence production and disengagement from the international trade system to using market forces and new technologies to benefit the global environment. Among the organisations with most critics are the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. A variety of factors contribute to the need for international financial institutions reform. These include: the blurring of their missions; the ineffectiveness of their assistance; and lack of transparency and accountability. The international financial institutions have however been remarkably effective at shielding themselves from calls for reform. The reasons for this are not only political (lack of agreement on required reforms) but also institutional (management siding with powerful stakeholders or pursuing their own agenda). The World Trade Organisation is another target of criticism. As with the international financial institutions the exact nature of future reforms is impossible to surmise, nevertheless environmental and development issues are certainly on the agenda. Decision-making is also likely to be revisited, with the focus being on reconciling effectiveness with representativeness. What is least likely to happen though is what is most needed - a thorough assessment of the World Trade ..Organisation's role in global governance and its relations with other institutions. This will not be possible without a rebalancing of power between the World Trade Organisation and international financial institutions on one side, and the UN family of institutions on the other. Reforming current systems of global governance may also involve creating new organisations. While there are a host of institutions active in global governance there is no formal mechanism to coordinate their efforts. This is where a UN Economic Security Council can playa major role, not least because such a body would give the international system a degree of legitimacy that it has so far lacked. A World Central Bank is however not an institution likely to be seen in the foreseeable future - it is too complex and many states will not give up monetary sovereignty as it impacts on too many other policy areas. It is widely acknowledged that a Currency Transaction Tax will go a considerable way in stabilising the international monetary system, while at the same time raising funds to finance global development. It is an elegant solution that is gaining political support worldwide. The institutional arrangements for its implementation and collection are however still subject to much debate. These are only a few possible ways in which the global economy may be reformed in the short to medium term. In the long term the most likely outcome is a loosely structured web of institutions that together form something akin to global federalism / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Na die einde van die Koue Oorlog is groot hoop gekoester vir 'n vryer, regverdiger nuwe wêreld orde. Dit het nooit gebeur nie. Instede daarvan het die wêreld globalisering gekry - 'n komplekse verskynsel gebore uit die interaksie van politieke en ekonomiese liberalisering en tegnologiese verandering. 'n Groot deel van die impetus agter globalisering het sy ontstaan in die voorskrifte van die sogenaamde Washington Konsensus, wat gegewe sy invloed in die ontwikkelende wêreld baie state gedwing het om in die wêreldekonomie te integreer - tot die punt dat integrasie byna 'n alternatief vir ontwikkelingsbeleid geword het. Die voordele van globalisering was ongelyk versprei, en die wat meeste gehad het, het gestaan om meeste voordeel daaruit te trek. Terwyl multinasionale maatskappye en inwoners van die ontwikkelde wêreld ongetwyfelde wenners was, was werkers, die omgewing en finansiële mark stabiliteit onder die verloorders. Soos wat die impak van globalisering meer en meer gevoel is het dit ook kritiek ontlok, veral - maar nie alleenlik - uit nie-regeringsorganisasie kringe en van linksgesinde kommentators. Alhoewel hierdie kritici nie veel in gemeen het nie, het hulle by tye gemaksalliansies gevorm. Die meeste kritici stem egter saam dat internasionale organisasies 'n belangrike rol speel in globalisering en dat om 'n impak op globalisering te maak dit nodig is om 'n impak op hierdie organisasies te maak. 'n Besonder vrugbare area van kritiek hou verband met bedreigings tot die sogenaamde "globale meent". Daar is egter baie min instemming oor hoe om die bedreigings te hanteer. Voorstelle wissel van 'n terugkeer na bestaansproduksie en terugtrede van die internasionale handelstelsel tot die gebruik van mark kragte en nuwe tegnologie tot voordeel van die wêreld omgewing. Onder die organisasies met van die meeste kritici is die Internasionale Monetêre Fonds en die Wêreld Bank. 'n Verskeidenheid faktore dra by tot die behoefte aan hervorming van die internasionale finansiële instellings. Hierdie sluit in: die verwarring van hulle onderskeie missies, die oneffektiwiteit van hulle bystand, en 'n gebrek aan deursigtigheid en verantwoording. Die internasionale finansiële instellings is egter besonder effektief daarin om hulself van oproepe om hervorming te isoleer. Die redes hiervoor is nie net polities nie (gebrek aan ooreenstemming oor vereiste hervormings) maar ook institusioneel (bestuur kies kant met invloedryke rolspelers of streef hul eie agenda na). Die Wêreld Handelsorganisasie is nog 'n teiken van kritiek. Soos met die internasionale finansiële instellings is dit nie moontlik om die presiese aard van moontlike hervormings te raai nie, desnieteenstaande is omgewings- en ontwikkellingskwessies definitief op die agenda. So ook is besluitneming, met die doel om effektiwiteit en verteenwoordigendheid te versoen. Wat egter mees nodig is, is mins waarskynlik om te gebeur - 'n deurtastende ondersoek na die rol van die Wêreld Handelsorganisasie in wêreld besluitneming en sy verhoudings met ander internasionale instellings. Verandering in hierdie opsig is egter nie moontlik sonder 'n herbalansering van tussen die Wêreld Handelsorganisasie en die internasionale finansiële instellings aan die een kant en die VN familie van instellings aan die ander nie. Hervorming van huidige stelsels van wêreld besluitneming mag ook die skepping van nuwe organisasies behels. Terwyl daar etlike aktiewe organisasies in wêreld besluitneming is, is daar geen formele meganisme om hul aktiwiteite te koordineer nie. In hierdie opsig kan 'n VN Ekonomiese Veiligheidsraad 'n belangrike rol speel, veral omdat so 'n instelling 'n mate van legitimiteit aan die internasionale stelsel kan gee wat dit tot dusver nie gehad het nie. 'n Wêreld Sentrale Bank is egter 'n instelling wat nie in die voorsienbare toekoms die lig sal sien nie - dis te kompleks en baie state sal nie monetêre soewereiniteit wil prysgee nie omrede dit op te veel ander beleidsareas impakteer. Dit word wyd erken dat 'n buitelandse valuta transaksie belasting 'n beduidende stabiliserende invloed op die internasionale monetêre stelsel kan hê, terwyl dit terselfdertyd fondse sal in vir wêreld ontwikkeling. Dis 'n elegante oplossing waarvoor politieke steun wêreldwyd opbou. Die institusionele vergestalting wat benodig word om so 'n belasting te implementeer en administreer is egter nog die onderwerp van vurige debatte. Hierdie is slegs 'n paar van die moontlike maniere waarop die wêreldekonomie oor die kort- tot mediumtermyn hervorm kan word. Oor die langtermyn is die mees waarskynlike uitkoms iets soortgelyk aan 'n losweg gestruktureerde web van instellings wat soortgelyk aan 'n vorm van globale federalisme is.

Thesis (MDF)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Does foreign aid contribute to economic growth? Is the impact of foreign aid conditional on the presence of quality institutions? This issue has attracted much attention over the years from both the donor community and recipient countries given that despite several years of foreign aid flows the increasing high poverty levels raise questions about the effectiveness of foreign aid. Despite several years of study on the relationship between foreign aid and economic growth results have remained inconclusive. Conclusions from various studies on this issue are varied. The conclusions thus far can be summarised as follows: there is a positive relationship between aid and economic growth; there is no relationship between aid and growth; the presence of good governance and institutions is a precondition for aid to have a positive influence on economic growth; and the presence of good governance and institutions is not a precondition for aid to have positive influence on economic growth. The research assignment sought to determine if there is any relationship between foreign aid, economic growth and institutional quality in Zimbabwe for the period 1980 to 2010 using the autoregressive distributed lag approach. In order to determine this relationship, the assignment also examined economic growth theories that have evolved over the years and reviewed existing empirical literature on the subject. An analysis of the economic growth theory revealed a shift from foreign aid being merely assumed to supplement savings to a new approach looking at conditions necessary for it to be effective, with a special focus on institutional quality. To date there has not been any agreement on the definition and institutional characteristics that create an environment conducive for foreign aid. Studies still use indicators that group together a wide range of social structures affecting economic outcomes such as political system, property rights, contract enforcement, and investor protection as measures of institutional quality The research assignment used quality of governance, polity iv and economic freedom of the world index as measures of institutional quality. The empirical results revealed there that there was a positive relationship between foreign aid and economic growth and that all the measures of institutional quality perform best when all are included in the model. This suggests that the effectiveness of aid in Zimbabwe was strongly influenced by the quality of institutions. It is therefore important for the government of Zimbabwe to maintain the rule of law, political stability and economic freedom. This is likely to attract economic agents who can make meaningful investment and resuscitate the Zimbabwean economy.

Thesis (MDF)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This work empirically examines South African data covering the years 1956-2011 to look into the relationship between FDI and inequality. By investigating how FDI is linked to inequality, policy makers would be better poised to develop policies that optimise on the benefits of FDI without the dampening effect of inequality. The benefits of FDI, particularly to the South African economy, are that it provides capital to finance investment by bridging the savings gap in the country. In addition to that, FDI facilitates transfer of technology and managerial skills from the source country. Moreover, FDI has a positive impact on balance of payment not only because of the impact capital inflow has on balance of payment, but because FDI also promotes exports of the country to world markets. Empirical evidence presented in literature suggests that the FDI-inequality relationship is complex. In some locations, for example in the US, Latin America and in some developing countries, FDI tends to raise income inequality. In other locations evidence is inconclusive. The results of this study showed that there is a negative relationship between inequality and foreign direct investment for the period examined in the study. This finding is not consistent with the a priori expectation that foreign direct investment increases inequality. Contrary to what has been predicted, the findings show that foreign direct investment is likely to reduce inequality. The findings also show that there is a statistically significant and positive relationship between GDP and inequality.

published_or_final_version / Transport Policy and Planning / Master / Master of Arts

published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

published_or_final_version / Urban Studies / Master / Master of Social Sciences

The purpose of this paper was to examine the impact that the proliferation of regional trade agreements have had on the Multilateral Trading System and whether by allowing regional trade agreements under the World Trade Organization rules, the members of the World Trade Organization have not unwittingly weakened the multilateral trading system. It also examined the effect the proliferation of regional trade agreements have had on the special and deferential treatment for developing countries within the system.

The aim of this examination was to identify those evolving trends that are common to multilateral agreements some of which have been entered into by African developing countries, bearing in mind the debates and position of African developing countries. The study also aimed at examining the effects of these regulations on African countries especially with key provisions and the kinds of rights and obligations they confer on investors as well as the host country. As there is a need to create a balance between the interest of the host nation and the investor, the study also aimed at identifying if those evolving common trends can be used to establish a guideline for a standard bilateral investment treaty or on the other hand whether they can be used as a template for a multilateral agreement on investment.

Few exploratory ventures would ever be undertaken if the explorer appreciated his own limitations at the outset. Although his ultimate destination is unclear, the route uncertain, the terrain unfamiliar and the tools inadequate he is spurred initially by a self-assurance born of his own limited knowledge. Unfortunately, that same self-assurance ill-equips him for the difficulties which he inevitably has to face en route. This thesis has been no exception to this pattern. It has involved more than its fair share of blind alleys, false trails, disorientation, retracing of footsteps and re-establishment of bearings. It has occasionally been marked by that feeling of despairing bewilderment which confronts the uncertain traveller lost in unfamiliar territory or overwhelmed by the novelty and complexity of his surroundings. Like most exploratory journeys, it has been difficult to decide when the ultimate destination has been reached and almost impossible in restrospect to recall the exact route by which that particular point was achieved. However, the historian of Dahomey is fortunate in comparison with the explorer venturing into virgin territory. For he is well served by the pioneers who have blazed the trail before him and by the signposts which are available to him. The Kingdom of Dahomey has been well covered by primary source material and contemporary documentation and publications.