South Africa’s youth unemployment figure ranks among the worst in the world and is one of the country’s major macro-economic challenges. Research identified the most significant cause of youth unemployment as being the high cost of labour in relation to the level of productivity by the youth of the country. The government is consequently attempting to reduce the cost of labour by means of the Employment Tax Incentive Act which subsidises employers for appointing new workers below the age of 29. The study reviewed international research performed on similar globally implemented incentive programmes, which established that the majority of wage subsidy programmes do not appear to have a net positive impact on the longer-term employability of the participants in these incentives. This was found to be particularly so in the case of developing countries, such as South Africa. The interaction between the Employment Tax Incentive Act (No 26 of 2013) and the proposed Special Economic Zones Bill was also evaluated by reviewing international research on geographically targeted wage subsidies. The research identified that incentives tied to the number of new jobs created within targeted areas are able to raise employment levels within those areas. However, the increased levels of employment within targeted areas are frequently offset by the consequent decreases in employment levels in surrounding areas, resulting in an absence of net impact. The study also found that when geographically targeted wage subsidies are used in conjunction with other forms of business incentives, existing establishments are, resultantly, at a competitive disadvantage. This causes business closures and loss of employment, which once again neutralises the positive effects of the new employment opportunities created by the subsidy. In the study, it was established that wage subsidies, such as those proposed by the Employment Tax Incentives Act, are probably not the answer to raising employment levels. Furthermore, the Employment Tax Incentives, used in conjunction with the proposed Special Economic Zones Bill, are also unlikely to yield any significant increase in employment levels in these specific zones. Recommendations were made for future research relating to international experience with other forms of active labour market programmes and the outcome of the Employment Tax Incentives, on the country’s employment levels, when actual data and statistics become available. / MCom (South African and International Taxation), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

South Africa’s youth unemployment figure ranks among the worst in the world and is one of the country’s major macro-economic challenges. Research identified the most significant cause of youth unemployment as being the high cost of labour in relation to the level of productivity by the youth of the country. The government is consequently attempting to reduce the cost of labour by means of the Employment Tax Incentive Act which subsidises employers for appointing new workers below the age of 29. The study reviewed international research performed on similar globally implemented incentive programmes, which established that the majority of wage subsidy programmes do not appear to have a net positive impact on the longer-term employability of the participants in these incentives. This was found to be particularly so in the case of developing countries, such as South Africa. The interaction between the Employment Tax Incentive Act (No 26 of 2013) and the proposed Special Economic Zones Bill was also evaluated by reviewing international research on geographically targeted wage subsidies. The research identified that incentives tied to the number of new jobs created within targeted areas are able to raise employment levels within those areas. However, the increased levels of employment within targeted areas are frequently offset by the consequent decreases in employment levels in surrounding areas, resulting in an absence of net impact. The study also found that when geographically targeted wage subsidies are used in conjunction with other forms of business incentives, existing establishments are, resultantly, at a competitive disadvantage. This causes business closures and loss of employment, which once again neutralises the positive effects of the new employment opportunities created by the subsidy. In the study, it was established that wage subsidies, such as those proposed by the Employment Tax Incentives Act, are probably not the answer to raising employment levels. Furthermore, the Employment Tax Incentives, used in conjunction with the proposed Special Economic Zones Bill, are also unlikely to yield any significant increase in employment levels in these specific zones. Recommendations were made for future research relating to international experience with other forms of active labour market programmes and the outcome of the Employment Tax Incentives, on the country’s employment levels, when actual data and statistics become available. / MCom (South African and International Taxation), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Developing countries must concurrently develop while also adapting to climate change; if not, the challenges of poverty alleviation are likely exacerbated. One response has been an emergence of literature emphasizing various approaches that address climate adaptation and development. There are approaches that focus on: climate-specific impacts, addressing underlying vulnerability of households or the resiliency of systems. Taken separately, these approaches have significant weaknesses, but a combined assessment of general and climate specific capacities at system and household scales, the adaptive development capacities framework, is promising. This framework is captured in a matrix that illustrates the presence of these capacities and thereby provides a basis for considering the relative importance and the interaction of climate-specific and general capacities at multiple scales. The framework has the potential to provide a nuanced, yet clear understanding of the extent that climate-adaptive development is occurring. This is important because there is a weak understanding of the interaction and relative importance of adaptive development capacities at multiple scales in developing countries. This thesis research sets out to operationalize the adaptive development framework (Eakin, Lemos and Nelson 2014) (when the research began, this framework had not yet been operationalized). This qualitative research project addresses this gap by focusing on coastal Cambodia. Cambodia is actively pursuing economic development through a range of policies, including developing a series of Special Economic Zones. For example, my case focuses on a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) located near the Thai border (between the border and a secondary coastal city, known as Koh Kong town) that began employing thousands of workers in 2012. At the same-time, Cambodia has ambitious climate adaptation policies, that include a coastal focus. Since the climate-adaptation and development effects of the SEZ, specifically its employment, are unknown, this case provides a strong setting for testing the adaptive development capacities framework. In this way, the SEZ is a window into better understanding the presence and interaction of adaptive development capacities across household and system scales. This thesis begins by introducing the research topic, research questions and adaptive development framework. The research methods are clearly detailed, before turning to an understanding of climate change within the context of broader environmental change in Koh Kong. Fisheries decline, coastal erosion and drinking water shortages are being driven by a series of drivers including off-shore fishing, sand-mining, mangrove loss, and urban growth in the coastal area, and these drivers are being exacerbated by the increasing effects of climate change in Koh Kong. Climate change risks include sea-level rise, increasing drought and more extreme and frequent storms. Turning to the adaptive development capacity of systems, this research uncovered no climate-specific capacities in Koh Kong’s industrial, urban and migration systems. Most problematically, the city is being developed without consideration of the climate change risks posed by sea-level rise and increased drought. This has already led to seasonal piped water shortages as the water demand pressures of factories, population growth, along with prolonged dry seasons, leads to insufficient water. The uneven quality of urban systems, and the variation in climate exposure, means that the residential location of households contributes to varying degrees of household adaptive development capacity. Although these systems lack climate-specific capacity, there is a high level of development capacity in the industrial system due to relatively high and predictable wages and a good working environment in this particular SEZ, in comparison to elsewhere in Cambodia. Linked to the strength of the SEZ as an employer, households – particularly those with females between 18-25 –are able to temporarily diversify or compliment their livelihoods from climate-exposed fisheries and farming towards the higher and more predictable wages of SEZ employment where there is minimal climate exposure. This means that although the Koh Kong’s systems lack specific climate adaptive capacity, households are able to use their agency to move towards a greater degree of adaptive development. However, not all households are able to achieve the same degree of climate adaptive capacity, and the timing of such adaptive capacity is very specific (the SEZ only hires women between 18-25). While local fishing households are optimally placed to take advantage of the proximity of the SEZ and their surplus female labour, migrant farming households face the higher costs of migration and greater female labour opportunity costs. Looking within households, the very high rate of female employment at the SEZ means that adaptive development is uneven across households. While the strengthening of household adaptive development capacity through time-sensitive SEZ employment is encouraging, in the long-term, the lack of adaptive capacity in Koh Kong’s systems could significantly limit or undermine these gains. Of concern is the pressure that industrialization, urban growth and migration are placing on Koh Kong’s urban water system, land-use practices and planning processes that are not able to address current environmental concerns, nor climate change risks. This creates the conditions for emerging vulnerabilities, and demonstrates the limits of household adaptive development capacity. These findings demonstrate the value of the adaptive development framework in articulating the forms and scales of capacity needed for adaptive development.

In 2005, the Government of India (GoI) introduced the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Act, which changed the way India attracted foreign investors who wanted to utilize the country's natural and human capital. Considerable scholarly literature has examined why investment has been located in particular areas of India and described the factors that contribute to initiating economic growth. Yet the observation inspiring this research was that some states have operational SEZs, while other states with approved SEZ plans see investors retreat from their commitments. Why do some states have operational SEZs and other states do not? Focusing on the states of Maharashtra and Goa, this study explored information about the de-notification of zones in both states, leading to an examination of whether the factors that contributed to de-notification in Maharashtra were similar to those keeping Goa from having operational SEZs. I hypothesized that land acquisition practices, lack of physical infrastructure, and poor social infrastructure were key factors contributing to Maharashtra's de-notification and to Goa's struggle to create operational zones. The findings suggest that in order for SEZs to remain operational, comprehensive legislation must be put in place that addresses land rights, job training, and general education. Such a change would allow the residents in each state to participate more in the SEZ development scheme while mitigating India's endemic poverty. / Master of Arts

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are playing a key role in the economic development of every country in the world. The fast development and significant contributions of SMEs is one of the most important factors to the outstanding industrial and economic growth in Taiwan for the past fifty years. However, the SMEs in our country are gradually moving abroad and invest in Mainland China or other developing countries due to the drastic changes in the investment environment. Since the economic reform in 1978, due to the changes in the international investment environment, Mainland China has gradually recognized the importance of SMEs to the economic growth and is aggressively encouraging the development of SMEs. Such trend is indeed one of our major concerns. This study uses Historical Comparison Method and SWOT Analysis in an attempt to analyze the situation of cross-straight SMEs under macroscopic and regional investment environment since the late 1990¡¦s till now and the opportunities and threats of SMEs after joining the World Trade Organization (WTO). Meanwhile, the strength, weakness, opportunity, and threat for Taiwanese SMEs to invest in Mainland China is also explored for the authority of Taiwanese SMEs in setting related policy and for the Taiwanese businessmen as a reference. Firstly, in terms of macroscopic investment environment, the performances of both sides across the straight under general environment (including indices of political, legal, investment tariffs, and basic environmental evaluation) and overall economic environment (including indicators such as economic development, import and export trading, and luring of foreign capital, etc.) are better than before. Next, in terms of regional investment environment, the similarity between the places where cross-straight SMEs often gather ¡V Industrial Parks in Taiwan (including Export Zones and Industrial and Science Parks) and Special Economic Zones in Mainland China (including Shenzhen, Zuhai, Xiamen, Shanghai, and Beijin) are in the superiority of the locations and with development potential, similarity in industrial structure, emphasis in investment right protection, and complete basic infrastructure. The differences are in that the Industrial and Science Parks in Taiwan adopt single operating window and efficient in approval, whereas the applications for investment in Special Economics Zones in Mainland China are still approved based on the amount of investment, technology cooperation, or joint-venture between Chinese and foreign companies, foreign proprietary enterprises that require longer period of approval operation. In addition, the tax incentive in Taiwanese Industrial and Science Parks is of functional attribute with very high rewarding threshold and significantly higher cost than the Special Economic Zones in Mainland China. The tax break and grace period for Special Economic Zone in Mainland China is of industry attribute. It¡¦s tax break and grace period is obviously higher than Taiwanese Industrial park. Lastly, summarizing the SWOT Analysis of this study, it is found that the investment environments of the cross-straight SMEs are all facing the difficulty of lacking of talents and shortage of capital as well as facing potential stiff competition after joining WTO. To this end, it is recommended that the government should strengthen the innovation incubator for SMEs, expand the channel of financing for SMEs, and provide accurate investment information. On the manufacturers side, the government should adjust the industrial structure of manufacturers, strengthen the R&D capability, training professional talents, adopt strategic alliances and value employee¡¦s educational training in order to upgrade the international competitiveness of SMEs in our country.

Special economic zones are one of the tools utilized by Chinese government to stimulate the growth of local economy, especially through foreign investment. This thesis is focused on special economic zone in Shenzhen and on use of special economic zones for development of inland provinces of China in recent years, which are lagging in economic development in comparison with the developed provinces on the eastern coast. Western development plan is demonstrated on the example of the province of Xinjiang. The thesis further sumarizes bow is the approach to establishment of special economic zones changing in recent years, compared to the period of early 1980s.

This dissertation contains three chapters in the field of family and development economics. The first two chapters study the effects of traditional gender roles on economic outcomes. The last chapter discusses the effects of a spatial development policy in India. Chapter 1 examines the dynamics of intra-household time allocation in response to economic incentives, and the role of traditional gender norms. Using unique longitudinal data on Japanese households, it finds that spouses in dual-income households adjust their market hours but not home hours as own wages change. In addition, per earthquake-induced changes in market hours, wives make little or no change in home hours while husbands show significant, yet small in magnitude, responses. The responses are driven by individuals with less traditional gender role attitudes. Traditional gender roles exacerbate not only the asymmetry but also the rigidity of gendered division of intrafamily labor. Chapter 2 studies whether the effects of traditional gender roles on female labor supply are greater in endogamous marriage by examining the labor supply pattern of immigrant women in the United States. The endogenous formation of marriage is addressed by incorporating local marriage market conditions. Using survey responses on gender roles in source countries as cultural proxies, it finds that the negative effects of traditional gender roles on female labor supply are amplified in endogamous marriage at the extensive and intensive margins of labor market. Differential patterns of immigrant assimilation by marriage type fail to fully explain the asymmetry, supporting the hypothesis that culture is more relevant within endogamous marriage. Chapter 3 (with Shree Ravi) analyzes the aggregate and distributional effects of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in India. It investigates the influence of Indian SEZs by exploiting spatial variations in the timing of zonal operations. Using satellite and survey data, it establishes that SEZs boosted economic activity within areas several times the size of the zones. The zones also drove a structural change in the local economy with resources shifting away from the informal sector and the formal sector growing in size and productivity. This growth, however, differently benefits workers across income and skill distributions.

This study is an exploration of land acquisition for Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in India. Land acquisition has become one of the most well known problems confronting the SEZ policy and other policies that encourage private investment in infrastructure. Land acquisition for SEZs has caused widespread popular mobilizations and resistance, which have in turn led to cost overruns, delays, and project failures. This study examines India's land acquisition framework, particularly the evolution of the Land Acquisition Act 1894, in order to understand the factors contributing to acquisition problems when the state uses its power of eminent domain, as well as when private developers attempt to acquire land through consensual market transactions. It uses two SEZs spanning over 14,000 hectares of land near Mumbai--Navi Mumbai SEZ and Mumbai SEZ--as cases through which to examine the land acquisition process. / Geography

Магистерская диссертация посвящена разработке практических рекомендаций по совершенствованию функционирования особых экономических зон в Российской Федерации. Выпускная квалификационная работа состоит из введения, трех глав, заключения и списка использованных источников. В первой главе рассмотрены теоретические основы организации особых экономических зон. Во второй главе приведены практические направления функционирования особых экономических зон в Российской Федерации. Третья глава посвящена разработке направлений развития особых экономических зон в Российской Федерации. / The master's thesis is devoted to the development of practical recommendations for improving the functioning of special economic zones in the Russian Federation. The final qualifying work consists of an introduction, three chapters, a conclusion and a list of sources used. The first Chapter discusses the theoretical basis of the organization of special economic zones. The second Chapter presents practical directions of functioning of special economic zones in the Russian Federation. The third Chapter is devoted to the development of special economic zones in the Russian Federation.

Cette thèse s'intéresse à l'interaction des transactions dans le montage opérationnel de grands projets immobiliers et industriels. Depuis deux décennies à Chennai (capitale du Tamil Nadu, Inde), les pouvoirs publics font la promotion des Corridors de développement économique, qui transforment des hectares de terre, voire des villages entiers. Si les politiques publiques, la gestion des organisations ou les conflits qu'entraîne l'émergence de ces projets impliquant des acteurs multiples et exogènes sont étudiés, peu de travaux s'attachent à décomposer les mécanismes anticipés, les multiples formes de négociations et les contextes historiques dans lesquels s'inscrivent ces projets. En étudiant la rencontre de la localité avec le projet et les reconfigurations de la société locale qu'elle implique, nous changeons de perspective : nous donnons à voir comment les forces locales s'approprient ces vecteurs de croissance pour asseoir ou défendre leur position sociale. A travers l'étude ethnographique de villages, nous décrivons et renseignons les représentations associées au sol et les pratiques d'acquisition foncière afin d'éclairer les micro-logiques : ces processus fragiles et incertains dans lesquels les acteurs s'impliquent de façon coordonnée ou non. Cette approche soulève les paradoxes dans la concrétisation des projets, qui malgré leur planification, découlent tant de rapports de forces que de compromis. Elle rend également compte de la production d'innovations foncières qui articulent les normes juridiques, les jeux politiques, les croyances et appartenances sociales qui s'imposent / This thesis examines the interactions of transactions entailed in the process of setting up residential and industrial Mega-Projects. In Chennai (capital of Tamil Nadu, India), the regional government has been promoting Economic Development Corridors, which, for over two decades, have been transforming hectares of private agricultural lands, public lands and even entire villages. Although research on public policies, foreign private investment or land conflicts is well documented, little attention has been paid to the upstream mechanisms, the multiplicity of negotiations and the historical context in which those projects develop. By studying the interaction between villages and projects and the social and spatial local transformation taking place, this work presents a new perspective : how do local actors appropriate those vectors of growth to strengthen and defend their social position? Using ethnographic methodology, we describe and examine the meaning of land and land acquisition practices in order to bring to light the "micro-logics": fragile and uncertain processes in which actors implement non-linear and flexible strategies. This approach allows highlighting the paradoxes inherent in the process of project concretisation and which result from power relationships and compromises. In addition, it allows to unpack "land innovations processes" which emerge from legal norms, the interplay of political forces, beliefs and social roles