Thesis (M.Dev.) --University of Limpopo, 2011

Thesis (M.Sc. (Agriculture)) -- University of Limpopo, 2014 / The study was designed to establish the impact of irrigation schemes on job creation and also from the jobs created to differentiate permanent from temporary jobs. The focus of the study was on three smallholder irrigation schemes (Mabunda, Mariveni and Seloane, the irrigation schemes are located in Greater Giyani, Greater Tzaneen and Ba- Phalaborwa municipalities respectively). For the purpose of the study, Mabunda will be addressed as scheme 1, Mariveni as Scheme 2 and Seloane will be addressed as Scheme 3.The main crops cultivated in the three irrigation schemes are citrus, coupled with vegetables to generate funds when citrus is out of season. The study employed a case study approach and used both qualitative and quantitative methods to collect data. The study was implemented in two phases: the first phase focused on irrigation scheme participants, while the second phase focused on the community structures (livestock committee, youth, water committee and tribal council) that have been affected by the establishment of the irrigation schemes. Data was collected from the irrigation schemes beneficiaries and community structures by means of a structured questionnaire. No random selection method was used in the selection of irrigation scheme beneficiaries. This was influenced by the small number of beneficiaries in the three schemes (56).It was only the community structures that were randomly selected. One hundred and five (105) people were interviewed representing different structures in all three villages. Out of this figure thirty five(35) people were interviewed per village. Data collected was organized into themes for analysis. Data was analyzed manually, where the coded questionnaires were recorded into a spread sheet. The process of analysis was carried out by using qualitative description and descriptive statistics. Data was manually analysed and the output was discussed using tabulation and cross-tabulation of variables with percentages in descriptive statistics. From the spread sheet data was summarized manually. For the period 2006 to 2009, the irrigation schemes anticipated to create 42 permanent job opportunities with the exception of 2006 where the projected jobs were 32. For the same period, the following temporary job opportunities were anticipated: 121 in 2006,236 in 2008, 240 in 2010, 234 in 2012,233 in 2014 and 232 in 2016. The irrigation schemes also anticipated to inject the monetary value into the community in the form of basic salaries. In 2006, R839,996.76 was injected into the community in the form of salaries, 2008 – R1,509,060.33, 2010 – R1,775,531.58,from 2012 – 2018. R2,045,130.36, R2,381,396.14 and R2,772,145.45 injected into the community respectively, while the divisional management team were expected to receive, R27,525, R36,800, R35,920, R43,857 and R54,118 in the form of performance bonuses, in 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2016 respectively. The actual permanent jobs created for the period 2005 to 2009 in Scheme 1, an average of 64.6 (the anticipated was 42), while the actual temporary jobs created averaged 395. Scheme 2, managed to create an average of 86 permanent jobs and 197 temporary jobs, while the anticipated was 42 and 240 respectively. In Scheme 3, averages of 74 permanent jobs were created while 55.4 temporary jobs were created. The irrigation schemes created more jobs than anticipated. This was influenced by the high rate of unemployment in the villages located next to the irrigation schemes and the irrigation schemes as the only job providers closer to the villages. Temporary workers are paid performance based salaries. For the period 2005 to 2009, they were paid as follows: in 2005, they were paid R0.35 per bag of oranges harvested. The actual salary earned per month was informed by the number of bags harvested for that particular month. The following years the salary was increased by five cent per bag. Permanent workers were paid an average salary of R2400.00 per month. The study recommended that the roads leading to the three irrigation schemes should be maintained to minimize fruit damage during transportation to the market. The schemes should also be financially assisted to acquire own farm equipment (tractors, trailers and trucks) and be trained on the maintenance of these equipment to reduce acquiring services from the private service providers. The three irrigation schemes use private transport to carry their produce to the market and they are charged for this service, hence, the acquisition of own transport is necessary.

Thesis (M.Dev.) --University of Limpopo, 2011 / The poverty and unemployment that face the Greater Tubatse Municipality (GTM) despite being endowed with mineral resources prompted me to undertake a study to unearth possible challenges. This sub-region of the Greater Sekhukhune District Municipality, which is one of the five municipalities, looks better off as compared to other local municipalities within the district. Suffice it to say that it is one of the most poverty stricken, even worse than the Fetakgomo Local Municipality in the west. This local municipality is rich in mineral deposits and is a booming industrial hub of the Limpopo Province. Given the potential the municipality has, it is regrettable to realise that the residents of the municipality are the most poorest and unemployed. Like each and every municipality, GTM has a fully-fledged economic (LED) and land development department under which Local Economic Development falls. This brings confusion as to whether the municipality is facing human or financial constraints in terms of fulfilling its LED role. That brings us to the aim of the study, namely, the intention to investigate the impact service delivery, coupled with infrastructure development, could produce on sustainable LED. Thus, the present researcher decided to consider a qualitative approach/methodology towards this problem as a way to investigate the underlying circumstances that could hinder the realization and flourishing of LED within the municipality. The reason being to collect first-hand information in terms of what is transpiring in the municipality. On one hand there is a lack of the above-mentioned resources, on the other hand, leadership within the municipality should be reviewed. As a recommendation, the GTM should focus on areas that could bring incentives and confidence to the investors by providing sustainable infrastructure, a crime free environment and thus position the municipality as a tourism destination, these are some of the aspects that could grow an LED. The aspect of skills within the municipality, particularly in the area of LED, should be beefed up as part of the recruitment strategy. LED is concerned with the creation of an environment that will engage stakeholders in implementing strategies and programmes.

In the last decades, small firms have accounted for a disproportionately large share of new jobs. Using data from 1993 to 2009, the concern of this thesis is to examine regional differences in employment growth in Sweden, with  a focus at the role of small firms. The author employs findings from previous studies and theoretical discussions on advantages and disadvantages of small firms to derive a number of variables to use in two multiple regression models on regional employment growth, one for the period 1993-2001 and one for the period 2001-2009. The results show that, unlike increases of well educated workers and the population growth, increases in small firm employment is significant in explaining employment growth in both periods, with a positive relationship. For both periods, changes in small firms’ share of employment is not significant in explaining employment growth. Although many new jobs have been generated in service industries, changes in the service sectors’ share of employment is highly insignificant as an explanatory variable for employment growth. Moreover, an increased share of highly educated workers is negatively related to employment growth.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, 2004. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 121-125).

Through exploratory qualitative research, Marion and Grant County, Indiana, were found to employ two avenues for attracting new businesses. It was determined that elected officials focused on the business side of things, and the non-elected officials focused on what the community had to offer its potential new companies. They work on two different avenues, but their paths do come together to form one cohesive approach. Through working as a team, they have been successful at attracting businesses. The team has been successful at responding to businesses looking to relocate as well as attracting businesses through contacts, travels, trade journals, and national conventions. / Department of Sociology

It is generally accepted that the quality of a country's labour force is a crucial factor in successful competition in the global economy. South Africa's richness in human resources unfortunately does not in itself make us a winning nation. Because of the low educational attainment of our labour force, we have to compete in the global economy at a disadvantage. The global labour market is characterised by constant change (benefiting skilled workers) and the progressive destruction of jobs (affecting in particular semiskilled and unskilled workers). The purpose of the study is to investigate the structural changes taking place in the workplace, the effects thereof on the demand for human resources, and how education and training in South Africa can respond to these changes to the benefit of individuals, organisations and the country as a whole. An intensive literature survey cast light on the development of economies, how such development influences the demand for worker skills and how different nations have attempted to meet the requirements of their productive systems through appropriate education and training. South Africa's economy, labour problems and strategies to enhance human capital and create jobs were also examined. Consistent with trends observed in the advanced economies of the world, the pattern of activity in the South African economy has shifted from the primary and secondary sectors to the tertiary and service sectors, shedding jobs requiring lower levels of skills and creating jobs for highly qualified workers. A historical overview of the provision of education and training in South Africa highlights how apartheid policies contributed to vast disparities in the skills levels of the different population groups in South Africa. Many innovative measures to enhance skills levels and job creation have been introduced since 1994 by the democratically elected government. These measures were evidently informed by the experience of other countries. The formidable task of implementing these measures or strategies successfully is exacerbated by the fact that the different provinces in South Africa are in different stages of economic development and have different educational outputs, leading to differences in the skills levels of their respective labour forces. Research on how unemployed people participate in the labour market served as the basis for the empirical input to the study. The data collected in Gauteng and the Eastern Cape were interpreted to ascertain how such people interact with the labour market in these provinces. The survey results revealed that the effects of low educational levels, people's interaction with the labour market, their job interest and the way job creation strategies are implemented may influence the efficacy of strategies to enhance people's skill levels and to create jobs. Factors influencing the demand for labour and factors that may impact on the success of education and training interventions were considered in the construction of a model to prioritise skills formation strategies. The model should be a versatile planning tool for identifying target groups, and for prioritising and implementing skills development strategies in the context of local socio-economic structures, as well as in the context of the national socio-economic structure and the global economy. As proposals for job creation by experts throughout the world have not been able to arrest increasing unemployment rates, it would be presumptuous to claim that this study provides a solution to the problem. Nevertheless, ways need to be found to optimise the impact of skills formation and job creation efforts. The following recommendations are made on the basis of the findings of the present study: • The structural and attitudinal changes taking place in the workplace should be investigated and workplace demands should be matched with the skills needed by workers. • Efficient, modern systems of administration staffed by technically competent officials should be established to manage the implementation of skills formation and job creation strategies. • A close relationship should be established between government, business and labour. • All persons over the age of 15 years who enter the labour market (and those who are already in the labour market) without the prospect of becoming employed should be registered as job seekers. • All young people should have a minimum of 12 years general education and enhanced forms of technical education. • Educational and training institutions should disabuse learners of the idea that they have to be dependent on someone else to give them a job. • The general and further education and training system should provide learners with the basic skills in mathematics, language, science and technology required by industry. • Qualified mathematics and science teachers should receive recognition through higher salaries. • Appropriate assistance should be provided to education leavers and to the unemployed. • The basic skills of those already in jobs should be improved. • Employers should be assisted on how to organise and implement workplace training. • Organisations should double their investment in training to at least 2% of their payrolls. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Education))--Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, 2002

Past research has established that South Africa has a problem of high unemployment rate. This is accompanied by a low entrepreneurship activity that tends to lag far behind that of other developing countries as measured over the years by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) research. Entrepreneurship and small business are well recognised for their role in both economic growth and job creation. This study set out to investigate the informal sector entrepreneurial activity in Emfuleni Local Municipality which has experienced large scale retrenchments over the past decade. A literature survey was conducted to understand the characteristics, successful practices and weaknesses that distinguish the informal sector from the formal sector. The empirical study which was conducted by means of survey questionnaire among the informal sector entrepreneurs indicated that entrepreneurship in the informal sector can provide a form of income for some people that cannot be absorbed in the formal labour market. The findings of the study was that this area of entrepreneurship is dominated by the youth as more than half of the respondents were below the age of 35 years. It was also found that most of the entrepreneurs have never been formally employed which may be problematic when it comes to skills. While most of them recognised the importance of training and skills, they were also positive that they can benefit from training especially in the area of marketing and promoting their product and services. These entrepreneurs however do not seem to be benefiting from government initiatives such as the workshops offered by the local municipality and other assistance offered by the government agencies. The low skills level of most of these entrepreneurs may also hinder their ability to grow their businesses beyond the one–man operations. It is recommended therefore that the organisations such as the National Youth Development Agency double their efforts in helping the youth to become successful small business owners. The government agencies, particularly those targeting the youth should make a conceited effort to provide training in particular to these people if they are to make a lasting impact on job creation. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Past research has established that South Africa has a problem of high unemployment rate. This is accompanied by a low entrepreneurship activity that tends to lag far behind that of other developing countries as measured over the years by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) research. Entrepreneurship and small business are well recognised for their role in both economic growth and job creation. This study set out to investigate the informal sector entrepreneurial activity in Emfuleni Local Municipality which has experienced large scale retrenchments over the past decade. A literature survey was conducted to understand the characteristics, successful practices and weaknesses that distinguish the informal sector from the formal sector. The empirical study which was conducted by means of survey questionnaire among the informal sector entrepreneurs indicated that entrepreneurship in the informal sector can provide a form of income for some people that cannot be absorbed in the formal labour market. The findings of the study was that this area of entrepreneurship is dominated by the youth as more than half of the respondents were below the age of 35 years. It was also found that most of the entrepreneurs have never been formally employed which may be problematic when it comes to skills. While most of them recognised the importance of training and skills, they were also positive that they can benefit from training especially in the area of marketing and promoting their product and services. These entrepreneurs however do not seem to be benefiting from government initiatives such as the workshops offered by the local municipality and other assistance offered by the government agencies. The low skills level of most of these entrepreneurs may also hinder their ability to grow their businesses beyond the one–man operations. It is recommended therefore that the organisations such as the National Youth Development Agency double their efforts in helping the youth to become successful small business owners. The government agencies, particularly those targeting the youth should make a conceited effort to provide training in particular to these people if they are to make a lasting impact on job creation. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Bibliography: leaves 378-400. / x, 400 leaves ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Studies the development of national employment policy in wartime Australia. This experience encouraged the establishment of a centrally controlled employment service as a lynch pin of Australian federal government's post-war reconstruction policy. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of History, 2000?