Abstract Whenever people think of FDI flows, the traditional assumption is that the investment flows from MNCs in the developed economies to either other developed economies and/or to the developing world. Now, a new trend has emerged owing to the process of globalisation. That is, FDI from the emerging and developing economies such as China, India, South Africa and Brazil is flowing to both developed and developing economies. There is more flexibility of movement of capital and knowledge which does not conform to hitherto held assumptions that FDI flows in a particular pattern to particular locations, that is, largely from the developed economies to the developing economies. This new trend needs to be captured both empirically and conceptually. One work we have been doing is exploring the new phenomenon of R&D related FDI flow into the emerging economies such as India, China and Brazil (Baskaran and Muchie, 2008). It is interesting that knowledge that is assumed often to be retained in the home parent company (usually in a developed country) is now open to movement to the to other parts of the world where there is a very strong pool of concentration of talent and skills such as India and China. Similarly, companies from the developing world now appear to be looking for strategic presence in other countries - both developed and developing economies. We explore the factors driving this outward flow of FDI from developing economies and the shape and nature of this flow. Further more, the research will examine the implications of this trend -- whether the FDI itself is changing because of this new trend and in what way this is taking place in reality. For this, we employ case studies of companies with external involvement from selected economies -- China, India and South Africa.

Abstract This paper is a contribution to the discussion on Innovation for Development. It is argued that innovation strategies in developing countries are the result of competing policy and contextual factors. In exploring this theme, it suggests that innovation strategies which are shaped by domestic market and policy realities are more robust and contribute towards improving the country-level performance of enterprises. The paper has seven sections which include a brief review of the literature related to innovation strategies in developing countries; a small discussion of success factors and policies of countries that offer good experiences and lessons in applying innovation strategies; a part on what policy implications to draw from the literature and the success stories for less developed countries; and a final section on the role of the donor countries in facilitating the implementation of the innovation strategies. The paper puts forward some tentative conclusions that summarise what has been learnt from the paper and affirms that the innovation-systems based strategies are indeed internationally replicable. The resulting policy and developmental frameworks will invariably exhibit high levels of variation. These differences emerge primarily from the systemic approach encouraged by the use of innovation policy. Secondly, the innovation-systems approaches ensure adaptability whilst maintaining methodological rigour. It also enables comparability and thereby also promotes appropriate and relevant benchmarking. Finally, the innovation-systems paradigm has a normative capacity to dynamically absorb and respond to the needs and demands of locally-specified domestic contexts.

Knowledge is the key to growth and development. Unfortunately, the knowledge gap which exists between industrialized countries and developing ones is large. As information technologies play an essential role in the movement of knowledge and information, they hold promise for the reduction of this gap. Information technologies are being introduced progressively in all activities of both the public and private sectors. Business organizations and commercial activities are thus being profoundly transformed, at varying levels and by different instruments. Developing countries cannot afford to be left behind in this information revolution. The international community recognizes this, and has instituted a range of programmes promoting electronic commerce in developing countries. However, to maximize the benefits, developing countries must put in place an environment that favours and promotes the acquisition, absorption and communication of knowledge by their citizens and business enterprises.

No description available.

No description available.

Rapid urbanisation which is a characteristic of most developing countries, has led to the importation of readily available solutions and to an overgeneralisation of human needs. The main objective of this study is to relate design to man's social and cultural needs. First, the study demonstrates the relationship between cultural and social variables that influence house form and settlement patterns. This is followed by a comparative case study analysis of existing house-settlement systems in two residential areas; one a modern government built scheme, the other a traditional development, both in the M'Zab, in Southern Algeria. The main assumption was that traditional houses and settlements were culturally more responsive than their modern equivalents. However, results refuted this assumption and indicated that social change affected many of people's values and attitudes towards housing. This indicates that neither international modernism, in housing provision, nor an attempt to slavishly copy past indigenous solutions are likely to be successful. Through studying human-environmental behaviour and using multiple-methods strategies, it is possible to bridge the gap between design and social research. A reorientation of the educational system would help towards a better communication not only between different professional practices and disciplines, but also involving the lay people. Finally, this study suggests that designing for potential adaptability a characteristic of traditional design, reflects culture, and would not only accommodate change, but would also involve active participation by people and therefore raise the level of responsibilty and satisfaction. The research combined evidence from documentary sources and field surveys. A multiple-method strategy was adopted to compare the two settlement systems of the case study. This included direct observation, interviews and trade-off games. The interview survey included three groups of people: the users, the local planning authorities and the building contractors. By stressing the socio-cultural variables, this study does not deny the role of other variables. On the contrary, the author accepts that design activities should aim towards maintaining a balance between environmental factors and financial constraints. It is, however, argued that human needs must be given at least the same degree of importance, if workable solutions to the problem of rapid urbanisation are to be found.

Typescript. / Bibliography: leaves 126-131. / xi, 131 leaves ill

Three arguments are normally presented as rationale for the privatisation of state owned enterprises. The first relates to the problem of the financing of higher levels of public expenditure / the second is based on the viewpoint that private ownership is more efficient than public ownership / whilst the third claims that the losses of inefficient public enterprise are responsible for excessive budget deficits and other fiscal problems.<br /> <br /> Although empirical evidence proves that privatisation enhances economic efficiency, it negatively affects the affordability of and access to essential services, which may have serous consequences for poorer households. This happens through increased prices of essential services, such as electricity and telecommunication, as well as through loss of employment opportunities during and after privatisation.<br /> <br /> Many countries, also in Africa, implemented various types of privatisation programmes over the past two decades in order to decrease the relative size of governments and to improve efficient delivery of services. Towards the end the 1990&rsquo / s and after the tragic genocide, Rwanda&rsquo / s Government of National Unity also embarked on an ambitious restructuring programme of its state-owned enterprises.<br /> The main purpose of this study was to assess the likely impact of privatisation on poor households in developing countries. The report presents a general overview of the literature, with a specific focus on Brazil, Argentina and South Africa. It investigates the experiences of these countries and derives lessons that can be learnt. Finally it assesses the possible impact of the privatisation of essential service delivery on poor households in Rwanda.<br /> <br /> The main conclusion of the study is that governments should look beyond efficiency benefits of restructuring and focus on the overall opportunity cost of the privatisation of essential service delivery. The specific method of privatisation may determine the final social impact. The case studies also highlight the need for more research into the challenges facing the privatisation of essential service delivery. It is clear that any restructuring should be preceded by a thorough analysis of the likely impact on the poorer sections of the community.

The perceived lack of conclusive quantitative evidence on the macroeconomic effects of debt relief in low-income countries has generally blurred the image of debt relief efforts and left the issues of its effectiveness and efficiency open to debate and dispute. This thesis seeks to shed more light on the subject by providing some further empirical evidence. This objective is achieved by performing an empirical investigation of two effects of debt relief. First, the study examines the debt relief-new borrowing relationship in a multivariable regression framework. The results that emerge suggest that, on average, debt relief can be beneficial in reducing the future new borrowing of Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPCs). This conclusion, to some extent, is in line with the goals of HIPCs debt relief initiatives in reducing external debt burdens of those countries to sustainable levels. However, it presents a challenge to the views of William Easterly on the ???perverse incentive effects??? of ???continuing waves??? of debt relief that are said to lead to further debt accumulation of a similar magnitude to replace old cancelled debt. Second, the analysis explores the influence of debt relief on domestic investment behaviour in developing countries. Debt relief is found to have a positive effect on domestic investment in countries with good policy environments. This result suggests that debt relief would be more effective in promoting domestic investment if it were more cautiously conditioned on sound policy frameworks.

Thesis (M.U.R.P.) -- University of Adelaide, Department of Architecture, 1978.