Social capital, in broad terms, refers to norms, networks, trust and forms of social connections in societies that allows people to gain access to resources. This study involves a reconceptualisation of the concept of social capital. An overview of social capital literature reveals that economic needs are still dominant in both the theory and practice of development efforts that make use of social capital. It would therefore appear that the social capital paradigm is not balanced in that it does not clearly provide for the satisfaction of the diverse range of needs that people, particularly those in the rural communities, often experience. A resource-orientated approach is suggested in broadening the concept social capital to include the satisfaction of a wider variety of needs. An effort is made in the literature study, to capture the manifestations of social capital in different societies globally, with particular emphasis on community life in developing communities of the world. In addition, the discussion of social capital is deepened to include need satisfaction. A matrix of needs, as proposed by Max-Neef (1991), is used to argue that social capital would better be seen as a synergetic resource for the satisfaction of various needs. Instead of understanding social capital as a need, single satisfier, or as a `factor of production', an argument is put forward that such a conception of social capital is incomplete and inaccurate and that, instead, social capital should be understood as a multi-dimensional resource that can be used to service various needs of communities. Extensive fieldwork amongst agricultural producers in the Vhembe district of Limpopo provided ample evidence of social capital, although a precise fit with the mainstream theoretical perspectives was not found. The unusual profile of social capital reaffirmed the argument that social capital is present in different forms in rural developing communities and that social capital can best be seen as multi-dimensional because it has the ability to satisfy a wide variety of needs at different levels. Better use can be made of the concept of social capital by viewing it as multi-dimensional and linked to resources relevant to a wide variety of needs. Further research is needed if social capital is to be used by development planners. / Sosiale kapitaal verwys breedweg na norme, netwerke, vertroue en verskillende vorme van sosiale skakeling. `n Oorsig oor sosiale literatuur toon dat ekonomiese behoeftes die sosiale kapitaal teorie en praktyk domineer, veral tydens ontwilkkelingspogings wat gebruik maak van sosiale kapitaal. Hierdie studie behels `n heroorweging van die konsep sosiale kapitaal. Die sosialekapitaal - paradigma blyk ongeballanseerd te wees aangesien dit nie volkome voorsiening maak vir die verskeidenheid van behoeftes wat mense in landelike gemeenskappe dikwels ondervind nie. Deur die sosiale kapitaal konsep te verbreed, naamlik volgens die bevrediging van `n verskeidenheid van behoeftes, word `n hulpbrongebasseerde benadering tot sosiale kapitaal voorgestel. Tydens die literatuurstudie is gepoog om die manifestasies van sosiale kapitaal in verskillende samelewings van die wêreld vas te lê, met besondere verwysing na ontwikkelende gemeenskappe van die wêreld. Daarbenewens word die bespreking oor sosiale kapitaal spesifiek gekoppel aan behoeftebevrediging. `n Behoefte matriks, soos voorgestel deur Max-Neef (1991), is gebruik om te betoog dat sosiale kapitaal eerder as `n medewerkende hulpbron gesien behoord te word vir die bevrediging van verskillende behoeftes. Volgens hierdie siening word sosiale kapitaal nie beperk tot die bevrediging van enkele ekonomiese behoeftes nie. Hoewel uitgebreide veldwerk genoegsame bewyse van sosiale kapitaal opgelewer het, kon `n presiese ooreenstemming met die hoofstroom sosiaal teoretiese perspektiewe nie gevind word nie. Die ongewone profiel van sosiale kapitaal het die argument bevestig dat sosiale kapitaal as `n multidimensionele hulpbron verstaan behoord te word. Dit het die vermoë om `n wye verskydenheid behoeftes op verskillende vlakke te bevredig. Die konsep sosiale kapitaal kan beter gebruik word mits dit as multidimensioneel gesien word, asook gekoppel word aan hulpbronne wat relevant is aan `n wye verskeidenheid behoeftes. Verdere navorsing is nodig vir sosiale kapitaal om deur ontwikkelingsbeplanners gebruik te word. / Summary in Afrikaans and English / Development Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Development Studies)

Between 1980-2006, thousands of South African pension funds converted members from defined benefit to defined contribution structures. This research set out to answer the questions of why this phenomenon occurred and whether peculiar environmental circumstances influenced the outcome. The research framework identified various stakeholders in the retirement fund industry - government; regulator; pension fund adjudicator; ombudsman for long term insurance; trade unions; members; trustees; business; employers and service providers - and isolated the elements to be considered in the research. Industry experts were interviewed to obtain a macro view of the phenomenon and specific manifestations of the phenomenon were also considered in case studies. The purpose of the research was to develop a model for managers to assist them in dealing with environmental change. Qualitative research methodology was utilised and feedback from semi-structured interviews was categorised into several emergent themes. Within-case and cross-case analyses were conducted. Research results indicate that the conversion phenomenon occurred in two waves - one initiated in the 1980s and driven by the trade unions and a second in the 1990s, driven by employers, often at the advice of their consultants. Evidence of the start of a third wave also emerged. Results indicate that an environmental shock exerted a substantial influence on the course of events. Under these:  Various factors combined to drive organisational evolution (i.e. adaptation to the environment).  Adaptation speed was inappropriate and exceeded that which was required for sufficient thought.  Uncertainty and vacuum circumstances arose leading to consequences that require redress.  The power of the relative stakeholders changed and influenced the strategic outcome.  An imbalance in stakeholder interests arose and ethical factors became consequential.  Business acted to restore certainty for itself. Existing literature explained organisational behaviour in environments of competitive shock and high turbulence, but not in circumstances of environmental shock. A model emerged to assist managers to deal with environmental change, which was applied to an analysis of pension fund reform. It was also applied to the pension fund perspective on Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment. This model may also be applied in analysis of land redistribution, sanctions and constitutional development. / Business Management / DBL

The Steel Merchant offers a service of stocking and distributing steel products and value added services throughout Africa. The company is the largest steel merchant in Africa employing over 5500 employees. The South African government implemented the Employment Equity Act, No 55, (1998) and Broad-Based Black Economic Act, No 53, (2003) to readdress the discrimination of the past and create fair opportunities for Previously Disadvantaged Individuals (PDI) in the workplace. The Steel Merchant's business environment is severely affected by these legislations and is required to comply with the provisions of the Act or will receive fines and penalties. Since the Acts inception the merchant continues to struggle in recruiting and retaining PDIs in professionally qualified and management positions. The organization has experienced strategic drift by falling from a Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) Procurement Recognition/Status Level of 5 down to level 6. The research identified various factors within the organization that are hindering its overall ability to adapt and progress in terms of Employment Equity (EE) and BEE. The study is focused on identifying the internal and external barriers that prevent the effective implementation of BEE and EE strategies in order to recruit and retain previously disadvantaged professionals at the Steel Merchant. The Research Objectives are: • To evaluate the effect of organizational culture and climate on the implementation of Employment Equity, Affirmative Action (AA) and BEE Strategies • To analyze the importance of Human Resource Management (HRM) in the development of recruitment and retention strategies of previously disadvantaged professionals • To investigate the differences in gender and race leadership qualities and behavior • To identify and assess the barriers in implementing employment equity recruitment and retention strategies • To determine how government legislation will influence the Steel Organizations' competitiveness internationally Internal secondary data was used to analyze the Merchant's Human Resource Management, EE and BEE performance. External secondary data from the South African government departments was used to analyze the legislative Acts and how the company performs compared to the industry standards. A quantitative research approach was followed in the investigation. A questionnaire was developed using closed-ended questions to obtain information related to the respondent's demographical background as well as their opinion on each objective. The questionnaire was distributed by email to 1 00 employees and weighted according to racial group (Black, White, Coloured and Asian) and gender (Male and Female). The method allowed the researcher to receive and analyze the information quickly at no financial cost. Descriptive statistics were used to interpret the results and describe the behaviour of each racial and gender group contained in the sample. The data methods used were: • Percentages • The mean, mode and median • Standard Deviation The conclusions from the sample were used to generalize about the steel merchant population whilst research from recognized academics was utilized to authenticate and substantiate the research findings improving the accuracy and reliability of the research. The results of the study identified the following factors have contributed to the merchant's inability to recruit and retain PDI at professionally qualified and management levels: • The Steel Merchant has a white male dominated organizational culture and ineffective HRM strategies • Black shareholders have contributed little towards previously disadvantaged development creating resentment by employees • Employment Equity, Black Economic Empowerment and Affirmative action has created racial divides, a lack of trust and will negatively influence the company's competitiveness internationally. The research identified various problems that hinder the implementation of EE and BEE policy at the steel merchant which makes it difficult to recruit and retain talented PDI. The following recommendations have been made to minimize resistance and integrate EE and BEE policies to improve recruitment and retention in the organization: • Define and communicate the BEE/EE vision and strategy • Delayer hierarchal levels • National Culture Training • Implement Performance Management Systems • lncentivize Knowledge Sharing • Re-evaluate the recruitment policies • Train, develop and mentor PDI • Develop career paths and succession plans • Create a leadership development program • Create a shared understanding of EE • Address white fears through empowerment • Black shareholders should be actively involved with the development of PO employees • Harness African culture to succeed internationally. EE and BEE is obligatory and will inevitably influence the company's performance. The Steel Merchant has the resources and capabilities to eliminate resistance and implement effective HRM strategies to recruit and retain talented POl in professional and management positions. By achieving this objective, the company's Broad Based Black Employment Equity (BBBEE) rating will advance resulting in a sustainable competitive advantage and more business opportunities in the future. / Graduate School of Business Leadership / M.B.A.

The aim of this study is to determine the role that innovation plays in economic development and how an economic environment can be created that is conducive to innovation. The urgent need for development in large parts of the world indicates the importance of the increase in innovative activities because innovation is indicated as the “engine of growth and development”. It was found that innovation takes place within an innovation system and should be studied from a system perspective. The system perspective implies that there are different participants and that these participants function individually but that they also interact (wittingly or unwittingly) with one another. The innovation system is defined as a system that includes the participants or actors and their activities and interactions, as well as the socio-economic environment within which these actors or participants function, which determine the innovative performance of the system. A system approach is therefore necessary to study the influence of innovation on development. The role that innovation plays in economic development has been established by means of the historical patterns of economic development and major innovations as well as an analysis of literature of empirical studies. The historical pattern indicates the importance of innovation for economic development, but literature revealed the complexity of the relationship due to the non-linear relationship among different actors or participants in an innovation system. The main determinants of innovation was identified and a conceptual, descriptive model for an innovation system was developed, indicating the different participants, their roles, the interaction among them, and the economic environment within which the participants function. The model was applied to the Mpumalanga province in South Africa as case study. Strengths and weaknesses were identified in the Mpumalanga innovation system and recommendations were made for the improvement of the Mpumalanga innovation system which in turn should lead to an improvement in the economic development of the province. / Economics / D.Comm. (Economics)

There is no historiography on Durban coloureds . This work is an attempt to change that . This dissertation is an urban study of a small coloured community in Greenwood Park (GWP) during the apartheid era - a study in which housing is used as a vehicle to examine this community's response to their changing economic and socio-political status from the 1950's to the 1970's. Because of the absence of historical data , this study relies heavily on the contributions of other social sciences . It also uses oral data to fill the many gaps in the story of this marginal group . Chapter 4 and 5 explores housing as a complex physical and social phenomenon. Chapter 6 explores the GWP community's response to their housing environment . In this chapter, the association between housing and socio-economic status is explored . From 1950 to the l 970's, housing became the single most defining entity which kept coloureds trapped in the vortex of privilege and oppression . / History / M. A. (History)

Founded in 1928, Iscor was intended to make South Africa self sufficient in the provision of steel while providing employment for poor whites. Economic considerations prevailed when Iscor began replacing expensive white labour with cheaper black labour. From 1934 to 1948 black labour was employed to curtail costs. While being replaced by black labour, white employees' salaries and fringe benefits remained better than those of their black colleagues. Affordable houses were provided for white employees while blacks were housed in overcrowded compounds. No medical or pension benefits were made available to black employees or their families, while white employees enjoyed both. White employees were provided with what were arguabley the finest sports facilities in the country while black facilities were neglected. With the National Party victory in 1948 more emphasis was placed on the employment of Afrikaans speaking white South Africans at the expense of blacks and English speaking whites. / History / M.A. (History)

The research was undertaken to investigate the impact of the Tshivhase Tea Estate on the space economy of Venda, the people and area ofMapate, and Duthuni, among whom the Tea Estate is established. The approach is based on principles. Principles of development theory are combined with appropriate spatial models. The development reality of Venda, together with many other development projects are analysed. Does the tea estate address the rural poverty problem? Findings are presented from a case study of Tshivhase and this proved the lack of growth and development impulses to alleviate the poverty of the rural people among whom it is located. Development is considered in terms of its possible simultaneous diffusion of economic activity and modernisation in all four dimensions of the spatial system : political, socio-cultural, economic and physical. / Department of Geography / M.A. (Geography)

This research surveys the Swiss missionaries' management of social transformation in South Africa (1873-1976). It has as its major focus the management of schools, hospitals and churches as the primary institutions of social change in society. The researcher's realisation that more often than not, the changes brought to bear on proselytes by the change forces take time to manifest themselves vividly induced him to extend the scope to include the dawn of the new political dispensation in this country in 1994. This need not surprise the readership as the triadic approach, which is synonymous with historial analyses compels researchers to avail readers of what happened in the past, present as well as what is likely to occur in future. In other words, readers will encounter the ethnic nationalism engineered by different change agents in this country and the repercussions thereof, and the schism within the Swiss Mission in South Africa/Evangelical Presbyterian Church in South Africa that started in 1989 and became reality by 1991. Finally, the thesis also appraises readers of what should be done in periods of rapid social change. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (History of Education)

The importance of formal education in socioeconomic development is an established fact. Formal education leads to better living standards through improved productivity, health and earnings. However, opportunities to acquire quality education are a function of a country's economic policy. This study inquires into the capacity ofthe South African macroeconomic strategy of Growth, Employment and Redistribution( GEAR) to afford people the opportunities to get quality education. The study shows close linkages between GEAR and structural adjustment programmes( SAPs). The study argues that SAPs and thus GEAR tend to have negative impact on the poor as social spending is reduced and education gets affected. This study concludes that GEAR is likely to impoverish the public formal education system, particularly in poorer communities. / Development Studies / M. Admin. (Development Administration)

The study was conducted across the four district municipalities in the Free State province of South Africa. The objective of the study was to determine socio-economic factors that affected livestock numbers among smallholder cattle and sheep farmers in the Free State province of South Africa. The research was qualitative and quantitative in nature. Proportionate random sampling method was used to collect data. The population comprised of smallholder cattle and sheep farmers that kept at least 30 livestock. Data between the 2008 and 2012 farming seasons were collected by administering well-structured questionnaires to 250 smallholder cattle and sheep farmers. Data collected were captured and analysed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS version 22 of 2013) to obtain frequency, cross-tabulation, descriptive statistics and ordinary least square (OLS) regression. Descriptive statistics results indicated that lack of camp systems, drought prevalence, increased feed costs, poor veterinary interventions, insufficient breeding stock, high cost of fuel and transportation, lack of equipment, diseases, stock theft and pilfering, and insufficient grazing land were the prevalent factors that affected cattle and sheep farming in the province.The OLS regression results indicated that the variables that significantly affected livestock numbers were district, household size, livestock numbers in 2008, planted pastures, grazing land condition, grazing land acquisition, service, advice / training, veterinary services, purchase of dosing products and sales per year. The results also indicated that the majority (96.8%) of the smallholder cattle and sheep farmers would like to increase their livestock numbers. It was therefore recommended that extension and veterinary services should be strengthened in the study area. In addition, it was recommended that smallholder livestock farmers should be encouraged to plant pastures to reduce pressure on the natural veld and make forage available throughout the year. Lastly, as a recommendation, government should provide subsidies with distribution policies that will ensure that all smallholder livestock farmers can benefit. / Agriculture and  Animal Health / M. Sc. (Agriculture)