South Africa was invited to join the Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC) group at the end of 2010, mainly because South Africa is viewed as the ‘gateway’ into Africa, and South Africa is also considered to be the link between BRIC and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). It is expected that the BRIC countries will increase their foreign direct investment (FDI) to South Africa. This inflow of BRIC FDI may lead to the advantages of boosting SADC exports, which is important as it may lead to the SADC countries experiencing expanded market opportunities, and exports have for a long time been viewed as an engine of economic growth. It has been further indicated that it is evident that relatively few studies have been conducted on the relationship between FDI and exports within the African context and that this relationship is not well understood. In light of these shortcomings in the literature, the first aim of this study was to attempt to contribute to the literature on FDI in SADC by investigating the relationship between BRIC FDI inflows on SADC exports. From the assessment of recent studies conducted on the relationship between FDI and exports in developed, developing and African countries a number of conclusions have been made. The first was that the majority of the studies conducted between 2000 and 2011 by various authors used causality tests and regression models to determine the relationships between FDI and exports. It also seemed that bi-directional causality is most often found, thereby indicating that FDI has a positive influence on exports and exports also have a positive influence on FDI. The secondary research aim, to determine the specific relationship between the BRIC’s FDI on SADC exports to BRIC and the world, was analysed by means of a descriptive and empirical study (correlation test, regression model, Granger causality test and panel data causality testing method), and the results indicated that, from 2003 to 2011, there was a strong positive correlation between BRIC FDI inflows to SADC and SADC exports to BRIC (59 per cent) and the world (96 per cent). The regression analysis showed that 53 per cent of the variance in the SADC exports to the BRIC is explained by BRIC FDI, while 99 per cent of the variance in the SADC exports to the world is explained by BRIC FDI. Finally the Granger causality test results indicated that BRIC FDI inflows contributed to higher exports from SADC, specifically SADC exports to the world. This was however not the case for SADC exports to BRIC. The results further suggest that there is a possible cointegration between BRIC FDI and the SADC exports to the world, reflecting, among other things, that the simultaneous movement of BRIC FDI inflows with SADC exports to the world may be mainly due to exogenous factors rather than a direct causal relationship. The BRIC FDI inflows on the SADC exports to the world being significant is a motivation for the SADC group to further motivate integration, co-operation and participation within BRIC, as this may possibly lead to further inward FDI flows, which may further promote exports to the world. Future studies would include determining the market forces that contribute to the simultaneous movement of BRIC FDI inflows into SADC, with the SADC exports to the world. / MCom (International Trade), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

Unemployment within the South African economy has indicated to be a prominent issue with an official unemployment rate of 25.2% in the year 2013 (Statistics South Africa, 2013). The South African government released the National Growth Path that is primarily focused on creating stable economic growth, in order to create jobs as well as eradicate inequality. This is followed by the Industrial Policy Action Plan 2 (IPAP2) document which includes a policy package to facilitate the specific industries that are identified for job creation (DTI, 2012). Thus, employment creation has become a real concern within the South African context. The highest percentage of total employment has remained within the services industry since 2004, at a rate above 60%. This is double the combined employment within agriculture and industry, with agriculture at 5% and industry at 25% of total employment. Thus the services industry has contributed to the highest amount of employment in South Africa. The exports of services have grown consistently since the year 2004. The largest exporter within the services industry is the travel sector, with substantial exports which peaked at 9 billion dollars in 2013. When analysing the remaining service sectors within the South African economy, it indicates that there can be a greater deal of growth in exports, with the majority of service sectors exporting less than 1 billion dollars. Export expansion can be a basis to growth in employment creation, if policy can specifically be focused towards it. Because of the demand for methods and strategy for employment creation, this study reviewed the literature regarding the effects of export expansion, as well as research methods to identify labour intensive sectors and their spill-over effects. Studies show that the increases in exports have a predominantly positive effect on employment. Furthermore, these studies also found prominent inter-linkages of services sectors within the economy. The aim of this study was to determine the most employment-intensive services sectors and their linkages with other sectors within the South African economy, in order to make recommendations for policy makers towards sustainable economic growth and job creation in the services sector. The Social Accounting Matrix (SAM) used in this study model generally explains through a general table of a region or nation, by listing the regional or national economy accounting data within a square table. Thus the main goal of the SAM model was to form a comprehensive economic-wide database, which included information about all the productive activities in the economy, as well as incorporating unproductive institutions and markets, such as capital markets, factor markets, government, households and the rest of the world. The above model can thus be used to determine the link between a specific sectors expansion and the labour intensity of that sector. Furthermore, the model is not only limited to measure labour intensity, but it can also measure the specific GDP and production spill-over effects for a specific sector within the economy. Therefore, the study could analyse the spill-over effects of specific services sectors, as well as the possible employment effect it could have throughout the South African economy. The results of the study could then also be used as a strategy for export expansion and employment creation. There is currently no policy focused strategy for the services industry, which could become beneficial. The first step for the empirical analysis was to identify the services sectors which are tradable/ exportable. The following SAM services sectors are more tradable/ exportable than others in commercial terms, and thus they will be used in the analysis of this study: - Building and Construction - Trade - Accommodation - Communication - Finance and Insurance - Real Estate - Business Services - Community, Social and Personal Services In the second part of the study, the objective was to determine the most employment-intensive services sectors and its linkages with other sectors within the South African economy, in order to make recommendations for policy makers towards sustainable economic growth and job creation in the services sector. The results of this study indicated that an increase in the exports of services in South Africa has a definite impact on employment in the following sectors: - Production o Accommodation, Real Estate and Building and Construction - GDP o Accommodation, Real Estate and Building and Construction - Labour o Community, Social and Personal Services, Accommodation, and Business Services / MCom (International Trade), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The South African government recognises the need for export growth to contribute towards economic growth and articulates this in different national policy documents. It is evident that the Western Cape Province also recognises the need for export growth, as the province is facing various economic and socio-economic challenges. Therefore, aligning policies to focus on export promotion which supports the labour intensive sectors within the province by uplifting employment and eradicate poverty. The aim of this study is to determine specifically export market diversification opportunities for the Western Cape Province. The main objective is to determine the Western Cape’s world-wide market diversification opportunities with the highest export potential. The literature underlines the importance of export growth and the benefits of export diversification. It can also be concluded that countries operating in the extensive margin are more likely to generate high economic growth and development opportunities. By implementing export diversification strategies, higher employment levels and output growth can be achieved on a provincial and national level. A three-step methodological process to determine the export market diversification opportunities for the Western Cape Province is used. Firstly, the products in which the Western Cape Province has a revealed export specialisation are determined by using the revealed trade advantage (RTA); secondly, the geographical concentration of the Western Cape’s exports of these products is determined by means of the Herfindahl Hirschman Index (HHI); and lastly, the export market opportunities for the Western Cape Province’s export-orientated products that are geographically concentrated are determined by using the decision support model (DSM). The results of the study identified 188 geographically concentrated export products for the Western Cape and 2 866 realistic product-country level export diversification opportunities. It is recommended that the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Western Cape trade promotion organisation, WESGRO, in collaboration with the relevant export councils and industry associations, use the results of this study to focus their export promotion and diversification strategies on the identified product-country combinations. / MCom, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

A volatile real exchange rate and high unemployment rate is a growing concern in South Africa, therefore the right macroeconomic policy is required. The challenge is to find stability in the real exchange rate paired with a low inflation rate, both of which are necessary to promote long term economic growth, which in turn creates more job opportunities. This study analyses the impact of the exchange rate on unemployment in South Africa by considering quarterly data for the period 2003 to 2013. In this study, the macroeconomic transmission channel is divided into two transmission paths, imports and exports. These find their roots in the Phillips curve and the Keynesian theory on unemployment respectively. The vector error correction model (VECM), together with an analysis of the impulse response functions and variance decompositions, are implemented to determine the short and long run impacts of the exchange rate on unemployment. After the completion of a variety of specifications, estimations and tests, both macroeconomic transmission paths revealed in the empirical analysis that the real exchange rate has a significant impact on unemployment. In the imports transmission path, the real exchange rate, imports and the CPI have significant long term relationships with unemployment. Furthermore, the exports transmission path found significant short term relations with unemployment in considering the real exchange rate, exports and economic growth. The impulse responses in both transmission paths indicated that a shock in the exchange rate will have a significant effect on unemployment in the short run. Similar results were found with the variance decomposition. In the import transmission path, movements in the real exchange rate explained an increasing portion of the variance in unemployment. Alternatively, in the export transmission path the real exchange rate and exports explained an increasing portion of the variance. The evidence therefore suggests that South Africa should focus more on stabilising the exchange rate, since fluctuations in unemployment are a result of shocks in the real exchange rate, following the macroeconomic transmission channels discussed. / MCom (Economics)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2015

South Africa was invited to join the Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC) group at the end of 2010, mainly because South Africa is viewed as the ‘gateway’ into Africa, and South Africa is also considered to be the link between BRIC and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). It is expected that the BRIC countries will increase their foreign direct investment (FDI) to South Africa. This inflow of BRIC FDI may lead to the advantages of boosting SADC exports, which is important as it may lead to the SADC countries experiencing expanded market opportunities, and exports have for a long time been viewed as an engine of economic growth. It has been further indicated that it is evident that relatively few studies have been conducted on the relationship between FDI and exports within the African context and that this relationship is not well understood. In light of these shortcomings in the literature, the first aim of this study was to attempt to contribute to the literature on FDI in SADC by investigating the relationship between BRIC FDI inflows on SADC exports. From the assessment of recent studies conducted on the relationship between FDI and exports in developed, developing and African countries a number of conclusions have been made. The first was that the majority of the studies conducted between 2000 and 2011 by various authors used causality tests and regression models to determine the relationships between FDI and exports. It also seemed that bi-directional causality is most often found, thereby indicating that FDI has a positive influence on exports and exports also have a positive influence on FDI. The secondary research aim, to determine the specific relationship between the BRIC’s FDI on SADC exports to BRIC and the world, was analysed by means of a descriptive and empirical study (correlation test, regression model, Granger causality test and panel data causality testing method), and the results indicated that, from 2003 to 2011, there was a strong positive correlation between BRIC FDI inflows to SADC and SADC exports to BRIC (59 per cent) and the world (96 per cent). The regression analysis showed that 53 per cent of the variance in the SADC exports to the BRIC is explained by BRIC FDI, while 99 per cent of the variance in the SADC exports to the world is explained by BRIC FDI. Finally the Granger causality test results indicated that BRIC FDI inflows contributed to higher exports from SADC, specifically SADC exports to the world. This was however not the case for SADC exports to BRIC. The results further suggest that there is a possible cointegration between BRIC FDI and the SADC exports to the world, reflecting, among other things, that the simultaneous movement of BRIC FDI inflows with SADC exports to the world may be mainly due to exogenous factors rather than a direct causal relationship. The BRIC FDI inflows on the SADC exports to the world being significant is a motivation for the SADC group to further motivate integration, co-operation and participation within BRIC, as this may possibly lead to further inward FDI flows, which may further promote exports to the world. Future studies would include determining the market forces that contribute to the simultaneous movement of BRIC FDI inflows into SADC, with the SADC exports to the world. / MCom (International Trade), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

Thesis (MBA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / Since gaining independence in 1990, Namibia has enjoyed a fairly stable economic performance, but its heavy reliance on its natural resources, especially its mineral resources, is at times worrisome. Historically, the country has depended primarily on diamond exports as a major source of foreign exchange earnings and state revenue. The contribution of diamond mining to government revenue has over the years declined from a high of N$1493 million in 2002 to the levels of N$821 million in 2007. Similarly, the contribution of diamond mining to the Gross Domestic Product has decline marginally from N$4.59 billion (16.9 percent) in 2006 to N$3.56 billion (13.1 percent) in 2007 respectively. It is evident that there has been a steady, but progressive decline in the proportional contribution of diamonds to the national income in relation to the other sectors of the economy. This decline can however not be directly attributed to a corresponding decline in the diamond production output, but perhaps due to a decline in diamond demand and lower prices. Based on the fact that diamond production and expansion thereof to offshore operations in particular will continue for years to come and still make significant contribution to the Namibia economy, this study attempts to formulate value addition strategies that could lead to the optimisation of the Namibia diamond economy potential, especially local benefication, as well as increased international competitiveness within the established world diamond markets. To this end, it evaluates the intricate supply and demand patterns in the world diamond market to understand how Namibia could position itself. The study found that there is a clear case for local diamond benefication as an economic imperative and that it is a feasible proposition. However, it must be approached cautiously and within a clearly defined and structured framework. It is recommended that Namibia should pursue the benefication of her unique gem quality diamonds in conjunction with external manufacturing experts and marketers in order to secure a bigger stake in the global diamond pipeline. To this end the government needs to formulate clear incentive strategies and packages for investors and also open the playing field for local manufacturers, without compromising existing relations and revenue streams. Furthermore, it is suggested that Namibia strive to maintain an amicable balance between rough exports and local benefication, whilst expanding the regulatory and enabling environment. Other proposals that will support local benefication and competitiveness of the Namibian diamond economy are diamond branding and marketing through already existing diamond marketing pioneers such as DTC International. Finally, Namibia needs to embark upon strategies to urgently increase its skills base and improve the productivity of its labour force in order to achieve the vision of a flourishing diamond benefication sector.

Since the introduction of film to Japan in the 1890s, Japanese cinema has been continually influenced by transnational processes of film production, distribution, promotion, and reception. This has led inevitably to questions about the inherent nationality of Japan's film culture, despite the fact that Japanese cinema has often been subjected to analyses of its fundamental ‘Japaneseness'. This study seeks to make an original contribution to the field of Japanese film studies by investigating the contradictory ways in which Japan has functioned as a global cinematic brand in the period 2000 to 2010, and how this is interrelated with modes of promotion and reception in the English-speaking markets of the UK and the USA. Through textual and empirical analyses of seven films from the selected period and the non-Japanese consumption of them, this thesis argues that contemporary film exports are culturally-decentred in regards to their industrial and, to some extent, aesthetic dimensions. This results from contradictory modes of ‘cultural erasure' and ‘cultural performance' in the production of certain films, whereby aesthetic traces of cultural specificity are concealed or emphasised in relation to external commercial interests. Despite strategies of cultural erasure, explicit cinematic representations of cultural specificity remain highly valued as export commodities. Moreover, in the case of contemporary Japanese film exports, there are significant issues of ‘cultural ownership' to be accounted for given the extent to which non-national industrial consortia (film producers, financers, DVD distributors, film festivals) have invested in the promotion and in some cases the production of Japanese films. Thus, both in relation to the aesthetic erasure of Japaneseness and their non-Japanese commercial identities, recent film exports can be viewed as non-national cultural products that have a commercial and cinematic identity connected to external influences as much as internal ones.

Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The study addresses two important research questions which are in essence motivated by the trade policy reform that took effect in the 1990s to reverse decades of inward industrialisation strategies towards outward industrialisation strategies to promote economic growth and development. This raised the expectation that a movement away from low-demand growth products towards commodities with stronger demand growth and buoyant price trends would be encouraged. The first central question that this study addresses is the extent to which South African agricultural exports are moving up the value chain relative to the agricultural exports of the other members of the Cairns Group. The second research question that the study addresses is to determine whether South Africa's movement up the value chain (value adding activities) in agricultural exports is more competitive than the other members of the Cairns Group. To adequately address the first research question data from the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS) and World Trade Organisation (WTO) databases were used to examine their trade perspectives. The second research question was addressed by applying Relative Comparative Advantage (RTA) using data from the FAOSTAT 2002 to determine each country's competitive status in selected agro- food chains. The results show that South Africa managed to surpass all other members of the Cairns Group, except Chile, Philippines and Bolivia, whose export structures are highly dominated by high-value products relative to South Africa in terms of the movement up the value chain in agricultural exports. This is the case despite the fact that countries such as Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Indonesia, New Zealand, Thailand and Uruguay have managed to increase their percentage export value of high-value agricultural products and that South Africa has experienced a decrease in the percentage export value of high-value products. The results also clearly show that the food chains in Costa Rica, Paraguay, Thailand and South Africa are generally marginally competitive, whilst the food chains in Canada, Chile, Colombia, Indonesia and Uruguay are only just marginally competitive as many of their RTA values are situated around zero. The food chains in Guatemala, Malaysia, New Zealand and Philippines are internationally uncompetitive. And the food chains in Argentina,Australia and Brazil are internationally competitive. The analysis also reveals that competitiveness decreases in all these countries when moving from primary to processed products in the agro-food chains which implies that value-adding opportunities are constrained. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie spreek twee belangrike navorsingvraagstukke aan wat in wese gemotiveer is deur die handelsbeleidshervormingsproses wat in die 1990s 'n aanvang geneem het. Dekades van intern-gerigte industrialisasiestrategieë is na ekstern-gerigte industrialisasiestrategieë omgeskakel om sodoende groei en ontwikkeling aan te moedig. Hierdie proses het die verwagting geskep dat 'n beweging weg van produkte met lae groei in vraag, na goedere met 'n sterker groei in vraag en veerkragtige prystendense sal aanmoedig. Die eerste sentrale probleem waarop in hierdie studie gefokus word is die mate waartoe Suid- Afrikaanse landbou-uitvoere in die waarde-ketting op beweeg het relatief tot die landbouuitvoere van die ander lede van die Cairns Groep. Die tweede vraag wat die narvorsig aanspreek is an vas te stelof Suid Afrika se waardeletting oktiwiteite in landbou uitvore meer kompeterend is as die van onder lede van die Cairns Groep. Om die eerste navorsingsprobleem voldoende aan te spreek, is data van die Voedsel en Landbou Organisasie, Handel en Industriële Beleidstrategieë en die Wêreldhandelsorganisasie gebruik. Hierdie organisasies se databasisse is gebruik om handelsperspektiewe te bepaal. Die tweede navorsingsprobleem is aangespreek deur die toepassing van die Relatiewe Vergelykende Voordeel (RVV) op die data bekom van die FAOSTAT 2002. Hierdeur is elke land se mededingende status in sekere geselekteerde agri-voedselkettings bepaal. Die resultate wys dat Suid Afrika daarin geslaag het om die ander lede van die Cairns Groep verby te steek, met die uitsondering van Chilli, die Filippyne en Bolivië, waar uitvoerstrukture gedomineer word deur hoë waarde produkte relatief tot Suid Afrika. Hierdie tendens is ten spyte daarvan dat lande soos Argentinië, Australië, Brasilië, Colombië, Costa Rica, Indonesië, New Zealand, Thailand en Uruguay daarin geslaag het om hul persentasie uitvoerwaarde van hoë waarde landbouprodukte op te stoot, en dat Suid Afrika, daarenteen, ervaar het dat die uitvoere van hierdie produkte afgeneem het. Die resultate toon duidelik dat die voedselkettings in Costa Rica, Paraguay, Thailand en Suid-Afrika oor die algemeen marginaal kompeterend is, terwyl die voedselkettings in Kanada, Chile, Colombië, Indonesië en Uruguay tot 'n mindere mate marginaal kompeterend is aangesien hul RVV-waardes rondom nul lê. Die voedselkettings in Guatemala, Maleisië, Nieu-Seeland en die Filippyne is internasionaal nie-kompeterend, met die voedselkettings in Argentinië, Australië en Brasilië wel internasionaal kompeterend. Die analise wys ook dat die mededingendheid afneem in al hierdie lande wanneer hulle van primêre na geprosesseerde produkte beweeg in agri-voedselkettings, dit impliseer dat waarde toevoeging geleenthede tot produkte beperk is.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Kenya has historically depended on its coffee industry as a major contributor to foreign exchange earnings and farm incomes. Between 1975 and 1986, coffee was Kenya's leading foreign exchange earner, contributing over 40 percent of total foreign exchange earnings. But since 1988, the Kenya coffee industry has undergone a rapid decline, characterised by very low export earnings, a huge decrease in production and productivity and consequently, increased poverty amongst coffee farmers. By 2000, it contributed only 10 percent of total foreign exchange earnings. This decline has arisen due to the global coffee crisis, in other words, the persisting large imbalance between supply (production) and demand (consumption), that has led to a major collapse in world coffee prices. Given the fact that the coffee crisis is expected to persist for several years to come, this study attempts to formulate coffee industry proposals that would lead to the optimisation of Kenya's coffee potential, as well as increased international competitiveness. Towards this end, it evaluates the intricate supply and demand patterns in the world coffee market to try to identify where the opportunities lie. It is found that even though the overall demand for coffee is growing slowly, there is an emerging niche or specialty coffee market that has arisen owing to new consumption patterns and increased awareness and preference by consumers of premium coffee origins. This niche market offers a route to rising standards of living to farmers, such as those in Kenya, who grow premium quality coffees. It is recommended that Kenya should pursue intense value addition of her coffee to enable her capture a bigger portion of her export sales. Similarly, Kenya will need to alter her production and marketing strategy to feed the emerging niche market instead of the mainstream market, as is currently the case. Furthermore, it is suggested Kenya should strive to increase domestic consumption, which is currently negligible. Other proposals that will support increased competitiveness of Kenya's coffee industry include reducing the cost of coffee production and improving the efficiency and performance of producer organisations. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Kenia is baie afhanklik van hul koffie-industrie aangesien dit 'n wesenlike bydrae tot die land se buitelandse valuta en binnelandse boerdery-inkomste lewer. Tussen 1975 en 1986 het koffie die meeste buitelandse valuta vir Kenia gegenereer. Hierdie prestasie kon egter nie volgehou word nie en sedert 1988 het Kenia se koffie-industrie agteruit geboer. Hierdie tydperk is gekenmerk deur verlaagde uitvoerverdienstes, en afnames in produksie en produktiwiteit wat grootskaalse armoede onder koffieboere teweeg gebring het. In 2000 het koffie-uitvoere slegs 10 persent van Kenia se buitelandse verdienstes bygedra. Hierdie negatiewe tendens is veroorsaak deur die globale koffiekrisis, oftewel die wanbalans tussen vraag (verbruik) en aanbod (produksie), wat internasionale koffiepryse tot baie lae vlakke gedryf het. Aangesien dit blyk asof die globale koffiekrisis vir nog 'n hele paar jaar sal aanhou, gaan hierdie navorsingsprojek poog om voorstelle vir Kenia se koffie-industrie te formuleer. Die voorstelle is gemik op die optimalisering van Kenia S8 koffie-industrie en om die land in staat te stel om internasionaal te kompeteer. Die navorsing evalueer ook die heersende intrinsieke patrone van vraag en aanbod in die wereld koffiemark en probeer om geleenthede te identifiseer. Dit is byvoorbeeld bevind dat alhoewel die totale vraag na koffie wereldwyd stadig toeneem, daar ontluikende nismarkte vir spesiale koffies onstaan het as gevolg van nuwe verbruikspatrone, asook 'n toenemende bewustheid van top gehalte koffie. Dit is veral verbruiksvoorkeure vir topgehalte koffie van 'n spesifieke gebied van oorsprong wat baie relevant is vir Kenia en dit is juis hierdie nismarkte wat 'n guide geleentheid bied aan Kenia se topgehalte koffieboere. Dit word dus aanbeveel dat Kenia op waardetoevoeging tot hul bestaande koffiebronne fokus, wat groter buitelandse valuta teweeg kan bring. Kenia sal egter hul produksie- en bemarkingstrategiee dienooreenkomstig moet aanpas om die fokus van die hoofstroom koffiemark na die ontluikende nismarkte te skuil. 'n Verdere voorstel is dat Kenia sy plaaslike koffie-verbruik vergroot en stimuleer aangesien dit tans baie laag is. Ander voorstelle wat Kenia se mededigingsvermoe in die koffiemark kan verbeter, sluit in inisiatiewe om produksiekostes te verlaag, asook om die effektiwiteit en prestasie van produsente-organisasies ta verbeter.

published_or_final_version / Environmental Management / Master / Master of Science in Environmental Management