Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / Some digitised pages may appear illegible due to the condition of the original hard copy. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The recent discussions regarding the relations between the government and industry have highlighted the importance and continuous changes that have been investigated, tried and tested by the tri-part alliance since its inception. A study was conducted of all the current issues and changes in labour legislation and its impact on the labour market. Due to the continuous changes and heated debates, not to mention regular strikes and negotiations by those parties and their representatives, this topic is heated and ever changing. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die onlangse onderhandelinge en besprekings betreffende die verhouding tussen die regering en industrie plaas klem op die belang van en gereelde veranderinge wat ondersoek, geimplimenteer en getoets is deur die drieledige alliansie sedert laasgenoemde se ontstaan. 'n Studie is gedoen van die huidige kwessies en veranderinge in arbeidswetgewing en die impak daarvan op die arbeidsmark. Die gereelde veranderinge in wetgewing en soms hewige debatvoering tussen die betrokke partye, bo en behalwe die gereelde stakings en onderhandelinge deur daardie partye en hul verteenwoordigers, maak hierdie onderwerp baie sensitief en stel dit bloot aan gereelde ondersoek en verandering.

The rate of unemployment in South Africa remains stubbornly high despite vastly improved macroeconomic fundamentals and relatively high rates of economic growth for most of the post-1994 democratic era. Employment growth was much weaker than might have been expected given the improved economic outlook. This thesis investigates how the sectoral employment intensity of output growth in the eight non-agricultural sectors of the South African economy has evolved from 2000 to 2012, with a view to identifying key growth sectors that are employment intensive. An econometric model of the demand for labour is used to estimate employment elasticities in the major Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) divisions of the economy. The results suggest that aggregate employment and economic growth diverged and that jobless growth occurred in South Africa during the period under review. South Africa has become less labour intensive and more capital intensive, reflecting a structural adjustment that has weakened the employment-growth relationship. At the sectoral level, the results suggest the presence of a long-run relationship between employment and growth in finance and business services, manufacturing, transport and the utilities sectors. In particular, the results suggest that the tertiary sector performed best in terms of the employment intensity of output growth. This reflects the changing structure of the economy and the nature of employment shifting away from the primary towards the tertiary sectors. Investment in the tertiary sector may help to foster new employment opportunities and assist in improving the overall employment intensity of output growth in South Africa. / Economics / D. Litt. et Phil. (Economics)

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: When South Africa re-entered the global arena, her immediate priority was to search for and affirm her position in the global economy. In this process, South Africa has witnessed massive job losses that compounded the already existing problem of unemployment. South Africa is considered to be one of the countries with the highest levels of unemployment - a fact that has raised a great deal of concern among Government, Business and Labour. This study project examines the functioning of South Africa's labour market with the intention of establishing whether or not it is linked to the problem of unemployment. The study draws labour-flexibility comparisons between the world's most flexible and deregulated labour market (USA) and Europe; and, relatively, tries to find South Africa's position. The study has revealed that there is a relationship between flexibility and employment - countries with flexible labour markets, ceteris paribus, also have high levels of ~- employment and vice versa. The study has also revealed that a culmination of high levels of illiteracy, trade union activities and the new labour laws has resulted into labour market rigidities which are partly responsible for the high rate of unemployment in South Africa. The study has also revealed that any effort by South Africa to adopt the US-style of labour market flexibility should be accompanied by some other policy checks to ensure maximum benefits. This is based on the finding that flexibility per se could have devastating effects for the economy. It is not only the labour market rigidities that are responsible for the current high rate of unemployment in South Africa. Factors like persistent and systematic decline in labour absorption capacity vis-a '-vis persistent and systematic increase in labour supply, decline in economic growth and globalisation claim a lion's share. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Met Suid-Afrika se hertoetrede tot die internasionale arena was sy eerste prioriteit om sy plek in die wêreldekonomie te vind en te bevestig. Algaande het Suid-Afrika 'n grootskaalse verlies aan werkgeleenthede ervaar, wat die reeds bestaande probleem van werkloosheid vererger het. Vandag word Suid-Afrika beskou as een van die lande met die hoogste vlakke van werkloosheid - wat groot kommer by die regering, besigheid en arbeid wek. Hierdie werkstuk ondersoek die funksionering van Suid-Afrika se arbeidmark met die doel om vas te stel of dit met die probleem van werkloosheid verband hou al dan nie. Die studie maak vergelykings ten opsigte van arbeidsbuigsaamheid tussen die wêreld se mees buigsame en gedereguleerde arbeidsmark (VSA) en Europa, en poog om Suid-Afrika se relatiewe posisie te bepaal. Die studie toon dat daar 'n verband tussen buigsaamheid en werkverskaffing is - dat lande met buigsame arbeidsmark, ceteris paribus, ook hoë vlakke van werkverskaffing het, en omgekeerd. Die studie het ook bevind dat 'n hoë vlak van ongeletterdheid, vakbondaktiwiteite en die nuwe arbeidswette aanleiding gegee het tot arbeidsmarkonbuigsaamheid, wat gedeeltelik verantwoordelik is vir die hoë werkloosheidsyfer in Suid-Afrika. Die studie toon verder dat enige poging deur Suid-Afrika om die arbeidsmarkbuigsaamheid van die VSA toe te pas, met ander beleidsmaatreëls gepaard moet gaan om maksimum voordele te verseker. Dit is gegrond op die bevinding dat buigsaamheid per se verreikende gevolge vir die ekonomie kan hê. Dit is nie net die onbuigsaamheid van die arbeidsmark wat vir die huidige hoë werkloosheidsyfer in Suid-Afrika verantwoordelik is nie. Faktore soos 'n volgehoue en stelselmatige afname in die kapasiteit om arbeid te absorbeer teenoor 'n volgehoue en stelselmatige toename in arbeidsaanbod, 'n afname in ekonomiese groei, en globalisering is vir 'n leeue-aandeel verantwoordelik.

Thesis (MComm)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Nearly five million South Africans were unemployed in 2002 and creating employment opportunities is a difficult challenge. Before this issue can be tackled, however, it is critical to understand the problem. This thesis opts to contribute to this understanding by considering aspects around the demand for labour. The analysis considers a selection of the theoretical literature on the demand for labour, estimates key labour market parameters and then undertakes a number of simulations using a structural model. There are many conflicting paradigms that can be used to analyse the issue: microeconomic versus macroeconomic; neoclassical versus structuralist; theoretical versus empirical and so forth. Some of these paradigms are considered as part of the attempt to build an empirical framework that can be used to analyse the issue. The empirical results of the thesis suggest that: • Higher real wages lead to lowering of the quantity demanded of labour. The thesis estimates an economy-wide wage elasticity of employment of approximately -0,67; • Higher output stimulates the demand for labour. The single equation estimate of the employment elasticity of output is between 0,66 and 0,75, whilst the economy-wide estimate is approximately 1,1. The latter takes into account feedback effects from other macroeconomic variables, such as productivity and wages; • There is little evidence to show that the efficiency wage hypothesis holds - higher productivity leads to higher wages, but the converse is not true; • Union power increases real wages, indirectly leading to a fall in the demand for labour. This suggests that the labour market has insiders and outsiders; and • The relative price of labour is also important, with a fall in the cost of capital leading to a decrease in the demand for labour. Simulations suggest that job creation can be achieved through policies that encourage wage moderation and increase economic growth. There is also a potential role, albeit limited, for fiscal incentives such as a mooted earned income tax credit. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Byna vyf miljoen Suid-Afrikaners was werkloos in 2002 en werkskepping is 'n moeilike uitdaging. Voordat hierdie kwessie aangepak kan word, is dit egter noodsaaklik om die probleem te verstaan. Hierdie tesis dra by tot hierdie begrip deur te fokus op punte rondom die vraag na arbeid. Die ontleding kyk na 'n verskeidenheid van teoretiese literatuur oor die vraag na arbeid en identifiseer sleutel-parameters vir die arbeidsmark. Daar is soveel teenstrydige paradigmas wat gebruik kan word om die kwessie te ontleed: Mikro-ekonomies teenoor makro-ekonomies; neoklassiek teenoor strukturalisties; teoreties teenoor empiries, ensovoorts. Sommige van hierdie paradigmas word bespreek as deel van die poging om 'n empiriese raamwerk te bou wat gebruik kan word om die kwessie te ontleed. Die empiriese resultate van die tesis toon: • Hoër reële lone lei tot 'n verlaging van die hoeveelheid arbeid aangevra. Die tesis beraam die ekonomiewye loonelastisiteit van indiensneming op sowat - 0,67; • Hoër uitset stimuleer die vraag na arbeid. Die enkelvergelyking-raming van die uitset-elastisiteit van indiensneming is tussen 0,66 en 0,75, terwyl die ekonomiewye raming sowat 1,1 is. Laasgenoemde neem terugvoerinvloede van ander makro-ekonomiese veranderlikes in ag, bv. produktiwiteit en lone. • Daar is min bewyse dat die doeltreffende loon-hipotese water hou: Hoër produktiwiteit lei tot hoër lone, maar die teendeel is onwaar; • Vakbonde se mag verhoog reële lone, wat indirek lei tot 'n daling van die vraag na arbeid. Dit dui daarop dat die arbeidsmark 'n binnekring en buitestaanders het; en • Die relatiewe prys van arbeid is ook belangrik: 'n Afname van die koste van kapitaal veroorsaak 'n daling van die vraag na arbeid. Simulasies toon dat werkskepping bevorder kan word deur beleid wat loonmatiging en ekonomiese groei bevorder. Daar is ook 'n rol, alhoewel beperk, vir fiskale insentiewe, b.v. 'n loonsubsidie.

Thesis (M.Com. (Development Theory and Policy))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, School of Economic and Business Sciences, 201 / Drawing on data from the National Income Dynamics Survey (NIDS) from 2008-2012, this paper investigates informal-formal earnings gaps in South Africa in order to assess the validity of labour market segmentation theories and to shed light on the motivations behind informal labour. In addition to controlling for observed individual characteristics using pooled OLS regression, fixed effects and quantile regressions are also estimated to control for time-invariant individual heterogeneity and to assess variations in earnings gap along the income distribution. Results are indicative of segmentation both within informal employment and in the labour market as a whole. Overall, informal employment in South Africa can be characterised as highly diverse and heterogeneous, with earnings differentials varying by employment type (whether salaried or self-employed), gender, and level of income. This earnings analysis is complemented by a brief exploration into the non-pecuniary characteristics of informal employment, with a consideration of the relationship between subjective wellbeing and informality.

The purpose of this research was to investigate the efficacy of EPWP employment in enhancing workers’ subsequent employability once they exit these programmes. The study also examined the conditions of EPWP employment to glean evidence about whether or not jobs offered in these programmes are distinguishable from other forms of casual employment preponderant within the South African labour market. Through the use of structured interviews complemented by individual diaries conducted with thirty-two former participants of the Modimola Integrated EPWP in the North West province this study reveals that public works employment is not distinguishable from other forms of “precarious” employment when evaluated against the general indicators of labour market security, minimum wages and benefits, working time, training, and union representation, inter alia. Contrary to the documented policy expectation that EPWP employment will enhance workers’ skills and labour market exposure and thereby improve their subsequent labour market performance, this study reveals that public works employment was not successful in enhancing participants’ access to other employment opportunities. This study found a broad unemployment level of 97% amongst former participants of the Modimola EPWP almost five years after they went through the programme’s training component. The principal reason given by all the respondents was overwhelmingly lack of employment opportunities that required a recipe of skills they had acquired during participation in this programme.

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the academic requirements for the degree of Masters in Development Theory and Policy, School of Economics and Business Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, March 2017 / This study explores labour market inequality amongst those with post-secondary education in South Africa. The need to invest in higher education has been emphasised as the gateway to facilitating equal opportunities in the labour market, with the view of bridging inequality in employment and incomes. Nevertheless, South Africa’s labour market remains highly unequal, despite higher rates of enrolment and completion in higher education. The existing body of literature suggests that labour market outcomes amongst those with post-secondary education are not equal, consequently widening the level of inequality within the economy. Using the Quarterly Labour Force Survey 2014 annual dataset a combination of descriptive statistics and econometric tools are employed to investigate employment and earnings outcomes between graduates and diplomates. The findings indicate that graduates are more successful in obtaining employment relative to diplomates even once demographic and geographic characteristics and field of study are controlled for. Moreover, graduates obtain a substantial earnings premium relative to diplomates even when controlling for job characteristics / XL2018

Thesis (Ph.D. (Economics))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, School of Economic & Business Sciences, 2016. / No abstract.

Thesis (M.Com. (Management))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, School of Economic and Business Sciences, 2016. / Graduate unemployment has become a significant factor in the global economy. The economic system now relies on institutional unemployment figures as the indices of the socio-economic well-being of any country. Research shows that graduate unemployment is potentially damaging to the economy. If such unemployment persists, it may lead to the erosion and outdating of graduates' skills–bases, which will affect the economy in the long term. Statistical reports show that there is high graduate unemployment in South Africa; hence graduates struggle to find work despite the skills shortage in the country. This seems to contradict previous studies suggesting that the higher a person‘s education level, the higher his or her probability of finding employment. As a result of the significant rise in unemployment rates among South Africa‘s stock of graduates, the extent of the emerging skills-mismatch possessed by new graduate labour market entrants are increasingly misaligned with the skills demanded by employers.

M.Sc., Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, 2011 / The need for Official Statistics to assist in the planning and monitoring of development projects is becoming more intense, as the country shifts toward better service delivery by local government. It is evident that the demand for statistics at small area level (municipal rather than provincial) is high. However, the statistics with respect to employment status at municipal level is limited by the poor estimation of unemployment in 2001 Census and by changes in boundaries in local government areas. Estimates are judged to be reliable only at provincial level (Stats SA, 2003) The aim of this study is to investigate possible methods to resolve the problem of the misclassification of employment status in Census 2001 by readjusting the data with respect to the classification of people as employed, unemployed or economically inactive, to that of Labour Force Survey of September 2001. This report gives an overview of the different methods of small area estimation proposed in the literature, and investigates the use of these methods to provide better estimates of employment status at a small area (municipal) level. The application of the small area estimation methods to employment status shows that the choice of the method used is dependent on the available data as well as the specification of the required domain of estimation. This study uses a two-stage small area model to give estimates of unemployment at different small areas of estimation across the geographical hierarchy (i.e. District Council and Municipality). Even though plausible estimates of the unemployment rate were calculated for each local municipality, the study points out some limitations, one of which is the poor statistical representation (very few people) living in some specific municipalities (e.g. District Management Areas used for national parks). Another issue is the poor classification of employment status in rural areas due to poor data with respect to economic activities, mostly with respect to family businesses, and the non-availability of additional auxiliary data at municipal level, for the validation of the results. The inability to incorporate the time difference factors in the small area estimation model is also a problem. In spite those limitations, the small area estimation of unemployment in South Africa gives the reference estimates of unemployment at municipality level for targeted policy intervention when looking at reducing the gap between those who have jobs and those who do not. Hence, the outcome of the small area estimation investigation should assist policy makers in their decision-making. In addition, the methodological approach used in this report constitutes a technical contribution to the knowledge of using Small Area Estimation techniques for South African Employment statistics.