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Open Access
Article
Publication date: 9 February 2023

Weliswa Matekenya and Clement Moyo

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of foreign direct divestments (FDD) on economic growth and development in South Africa for the period 1991–2019.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of foreign direct divestments (FDD) on economic growth and development in South Africa for the period 1991–2019.

Design/methodology/approach

The non-linear autoregressive distributed lag technique is used for the empirical analysis. Two regression models are specified, one for economic growth and the other for development which is proxied by poverty.

Findings

The empirical results suggest that foreign divestments are detrimental to both economic growth and development. Furthermore, the results suggest that the negative effects of foreign divestments outweigh the positive effects of FDI inflows.

Practical implications

South African policymakers should thus use policies that promote the retention of FDI inflows together with those that attract inflows. Furthermore, policies that promote economic freedom such as transparency and reduction in the time frame for granting government permits for business operations are also of paramount importance.

Originality/value

Most of the available literature on FDD focuses on the firm perspective. Available studies on the effect of FDD on economic growth do not investigate the effect of divestment on economic development. Economic growth is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for the achievement of socioeconomic development.

Details

Journal of Chinese Economic and Foreign Trade Studies, vol. 16 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1754-4408

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 15 October 2020

Clement Moyo and Pierre Le Roux

The impact of financial development on economic growth has received considerable attention since the 2008/2009 global financial crisis. High levels of credit to the private sector…

Abstract

Purpose

The impact of financial development on economic growth has received considerable attention since the 2008/2009 global financial crisis. High levels of credit to the private sector were partly to blame for the crisis, and this has re-ignited the debate on whether the growth-enhancing effects of financial development outweigh the retarding effects associated with financial crises. This paper therefore examines the financial development–growth nexus in SADC countries during the period 1990–2015.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical analysis is conducted using the pooled mean group estimator. Furthermore, financial development indices are created due to the strong correlations between the individual financial development indicators using principal component analysis.

Findings

The results show that financial development, captured by the indices or the individual financial development indicators, has a negative impact on economic growth in the long term.

Research limitations/implications

Due to the unavailability of data, the study only focussed on banking sector development. The researcher would have preferred to incorporate stock market development.

Practical implications

Due to financial vulnerabilities emanating from an inadequate monitoring and supervisory framework, further enhancement of financial development should be undertaken with caution in SADC countries. Therefore, institutional quality should be enhanced in order for SADC countries to benefit from the development of the financial sector.

Originality/value

Most studies investigating the financial development–growth nexus in SADC countries utilise the individual measures of financial development which often produce contradicting results. This study constructs financial development indices to capture the impact of various banking sector development indicators on growth.

Details

African Journal of Economic and Management Studies, vol. 12 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-0705

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 16 April 2020

Clement Moyo and Pierre Le Roux

The impact of financial reforms and financial development on an economy has received considerable attention over the recent past. This paper aims to investigate whether financial…

8684

Abstract

Purpose

The impact of financial reforms and financial development on an economy has received considerable attention over the recent past. This paper aims to investigate whether financial liberalisation and financial development increase the likelihood financial crises in Southern African development community (SADC) countries.

Design/methodology/approach

Due to the binary nature of the dependent variable, the logit model is used for the analysis using data for the period 1990 to 2015.

Findings

The results showed that financial liberalisation captured by real interest rates reduces the likelihood of financial crises. Furthermore, regulatory quality strengthens this reductive effect of financial liberalisation on the probability of financial crises. On the other hand, financial development represented by bank credit increases the incidence of financial crises. The results also suggest that financial liberalisation may increase the likelihood of financial crises indirectly through financial development.

Research limitations/implications

The study recommends that a sound regulatory and supervisory framework be established as well as institutional quality raised to curb the effect of financial development on the incidence of financial crises.

Originality/value

There is scant evidence on the role that financial liberalisation and financial development play in the incidence of financial crises in the SADC. This study incorporates the effect of institutional quality in the analysis which has been neglected by most studies on financial reforms in SADC countries. A number of recent studies in SADC countries conclude that financial development resulting from financial reforms, may hinder economic growth. Therefore, this study sheds light on this negative relationship.

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 2 May 2022

Weliswa Matekenya and Clement Moyo

Innovation is regarded as a crucial determinant of growth and development in South Africa, and small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) have been earmarked as instruments for…

5838

Abstract

Purpose

Innovation is regarded as a crucial determinant of growth and development in South Africa, and small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) have been earmarked as instruments for the achievement of the socio-economic goals and innovation as set out in the National Development Plan. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of innovation on SMME performance in South Africa.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical analysis was conducted using the quantile regression technique to examine the effect of innovation on the performance of firms at different sales levels. Data from the World Bank's enterprise survey was used for the analysis.

Findings

The results of the empirical analysis showed that R & D expenditures have a positive and significant effect on performance for firms with higher sales (high growth or larger firms). There is evidence that the introduction of new products/services promotes performance for low growth/ smaller firms.

Practical implications

The empirical results imply that innovation is crucial for SMMEs’ development and growth. However, smaller/low growth firms are not able to spend on R & D due to a lack of funds which could be the reason for their low survival rate. More support needs to be provided to smaller firms with lower sales growth, given the large financial outlay required for R & D expenditures. Despite the lack of funding for R & D expenditure, smaller firms are encouraged to introduce new products and methods of production that do not require major financial outlays.

Originality/value

There is scant empirical evidence on the impact of innovation on firm performance in South Africa. Most studies investigate the challenges faced by SMMEs and the different types of innovation approaches used by firms. Furthermore, the study employs the quantile regression approach which highlights the effect of innovation on firms of different sizes.

Details

African Journal of Economic and Management Studies, vol. 13 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-0705

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 January 2020

Clement Chipenda and Tom Tom

The purpose of this paper is to provide a contemporary perspective on post land reform Zimbabwe with special focus on the youth. It uses the social reproduction conceptual…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a contemporary perspective on post land reform Zimbabwe with special focus on the youth. It uses the social reproduction conceptual framework to show that two decades after land reform, there are generational questions which are now arising in the new resettlement areas which need deeper, empirical and more nuanced analysis to comprehend. In a context where some countries in Southern Africa are grappling with the best ways of dealing with their land questions, it shows that from a youth perspective, the Fast Track Land Reform Programme (FTLRP) has important lessons.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was largely qualitative and grounded in an interpretive research paradigm. It employed various data gathering instruments and solicited for responses from 151 young people as well as 11 key informants. The study used the social reproduction perspective as a conceptual and evaluative tool to ascertain the outcomes of the FTLRP from a social reproduction perspective with special focus on young people.

Findings

The study showed that there are some young people in the resettlement areas who blame the land reform programme for the challenging socio-economic situation which they are facing. It also shows that for the youth, the FTLRP has had multi-dimensional impact; while some are complaining, others have managed to use their agency to access natural resources and land, which has seen them “accumulating from below”. For some young people, land reform has positively transformed their lives, while others feel that it has limited their opportunities.

Originality/value

The paper provides new and contemporary insights on post land reform Zimbabwe. This is an area which is increasingly gaining traction in scholarship on the FTLRP. In addition, the paper provides a unique perspective of looking at the issue of the youth from a social reproduction perspective; this is a unique academic contribution. Lastly, the paper is useful insofar as it transcends the debates on the FTLRP to proffer a unique analysis on the social reproduction dimensions of the FTLRP.

Details

African Journal of Economic and Management Studies, vol. 11 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-0705

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 30 October 2023

Cole E. Short and Timothy D. Hubbard

As one of the most influential theories in strategic management, Hambrick and Mason’s Upper Echelons Theory has yielded significant conceptual and empirical advancements linking…

Abstract

As one of the most influential theories in strategic management, Hambrick and Mason’s Upper Echelons Theory has yielded significant conceptual and empirical advancements linking executive characteristics and perceptions to decision-making. Specifically, work on this theory consistently shows that CEOs’ decisions are biased by personal characteristics to the benefit and detriment of firms. While this stream of research links executive decision processes to outcomes such as executive dismissals, analyst evaluations, and press coverage, surprisingly little is understood about if and whether the information CEOs convey is subject to the same filtering process by a firm’s key evaluators. Thus, in this chapter, we aim to extend Upper Echelons Theory by positing that a double filtering process occurs whereby the cognitive aids CEOs use can be informed by not only their cognitive base and values but also the characteristics and priorities of those who evaluate the nonverbal and verbal signals they send. To do so, we build on recent conceptual and empirical advancements to make a case for the decision-making biases and tendencies that influence signal interpretation by three key evaluator groups internal and external to the firm: boards of directors, financial analysts, and the media. We conclude by considering the implications of evaluators’ information filtering and how this more holistic view of Upper Echelons decision-making can enable executive teams to be strategic with the cognitive aids they use to influence evaluations.

Article
Publication date: 27 March 2018

Johnson Kampamba, Simon Kachepa, Boipuso Nkwae, Ntombi Godiraone Matlhogojane and Tuelo Outule

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the housing delivery to the low income through the Self Help Housing Agency (SHHA) in Gaborone, Botswana.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the housing delivery to the low income through the Self Help Housing Agency (SHHA) in Gaborone, Botswana.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected through the use of questionnaire, interviews, records searches and observations using the mixed-method approach to establish why people sale houses. Proportionate and simple random sampling was used to obtain a sample size of 93 plots for both new SHHA areas and old SHHA areas at 90 per cent confidence level. For each plot, data pertaining to plot allocation, plot ownership, exchange of ownership over the years were collected.

Findings

The findings revealed that the programme has been hit by challenges emanating from the low-income group selling their houses to middle-income group which is predominant in the area thus leading to gentrification. It was also established that the number of sales in SHHA areas were increasing as evidenced from the transfers that were taking place. This could be influenced by the increasing demand for housing due to a growing population in Gaborone. The findings also revealed that demand is one of the determinants of rising prices, thus an incentive to the low-income group to sell their houses at higher prices.

Research limitations/implications

The implication of these findings is that the low income will be displaced and might become homeless in future thus creating an opportunity for illegal settlements to develop.

Originality/value

The study has provided a context in which housing delivery to the low-income group can be safe guarded.

Details

International Journal of Housing Markets and Analysis, vol. 11 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8270

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 March 2020

Chukwuma Clement Okeji, Obiageli Martina Ilika and Emmanuel Ebikabowei Baro

The purpose of this study is to assess information literacy skills of undergraduates in Nigerian universities.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to assess information literacy skills of undergraduates in Nigerian universities.

Design/methodology/approach

A self-assessed questionnaire was developed to collect data from the final year undergraduates in 15 universities. A total of 1,350 final year Library and Information Science (LIS) students responded to the questionnaire which was used for analysis.

Findings

The study revealed that the majority of the LIS final year undergraduates mostly consult journal articles, followed by internet information and online databases during their research process. The undergraduates rated well-known author(s), current information, credible information, accurate and relevant information as very important when evaluating online information resources. It was found that the students rated their ability to organize information and integrate ideas from consulted information as high. While they were deficient in ability to correctly paraphrase ideas to avoid plagiarism and use citation and referencing styles correctly. On the whole, almost half of the final year undergraduates of LIS rated their level of information literacy skills to be moderate.

Practical implications

The findings of the study will inform librarians and faculty in universities in developing countries like Nigeria to develop an information literacy instruction policy.

Originality/value

Assessing information literacy skills will provide the foundation and knowledge to improve the development of information literacy training programmes.

Details

Global Knowledge, Memory and Communication, vol. 69 no. 6/7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2514-9342

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 May 2015

Roger Darby

The purpose of this paper is to provide further discussion on the role of educational support adding value by sustaining the function of capacity building in emerging countries…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide further discussion on the role of educational support adding value by sustaining the function of capacity building in emerging countries and states in transition and development. The Asia-Pacific region is noted for being in a continuous and rapid state of change dramatically affecting both private and public institutions. One such institution involves the provision of education with specific emphasis on leadership development in the defence sector; and the on-going education and development of military personnel, civil servants and civilians from different professions, in the wider Indonesian society. This exploratory research paper highlights one bi-lateral educational initiative that has acted as a catalyst for change which was developed in partnership between the Indonesian and British governments and Cranfield University in the UK. The findings highlight a challenge to dominant western perspectives on educational provision in general and leadership development in particular; and focused on the potential for a schism between content and process issues in the provision in particular of leadership development that is not contextually situated and can be dominated by Anglo-American perspectives. Key factors including capacity building, knowledge management, the learning process and the influence of culture were identified as fundamental and integral for a more appropriate design of leadership development programmes in defence and security, within the Asia Pacific region.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a case study approach, it utilises one educational institution involved in the provision of education with specific emphasis on leadership development in the defence sector; and the on-going education and development of military personnel, civil servants and civilians from different professions.

Findings

The findings highlight a challenge to dominant western perspectives on educational provision in general and leadership development in particular; and focused on the potential for a schism between content and process issues in the provision of education and leadership development that is not contextually situated and can be dominated by Anglo-American perspectives.

Practical implications

It is a potential guide in helping practitioners in identifying, designing and implementing leadership development courses to manage the complexity of the processes of change in an international context.

Originality/value

Given the dearth of research on defence and security the study was prescient. This paper contributes much needed further discussion about the role leadership development interventions play in supporting capacity building in states in transition and development.

Details

Journal of Management Development, vol. 34 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0262-1711

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 November 2017

Latisha Reynolds, Amber Willenborg, Samantha McClellan, Rosalinda Hernandez Linares and Elizabeth Alison Sterner

This paper aims to present recently published resources on information literacy and library instruction providing an introductory overview and a selected annotated bibliography of…

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to present recently published resources on information literacy and library instruction providing an introductory overview and a selected annotated bibliography of publications covering all library types.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper introduces and annotates English-language periodical articles, monographs, dissertations and other materials on library instruction and information literacy published in 2016.

Findings

The paper provides information about each source, describes the characteristics of current scholarship and highlights sources that contain unique or significant scholarly contributions.

Originality/value

The information may be used by librarians and interested parties as a quick reference to literature on library instruction and information literacy.

Details

Reference Services Review, vol. 45 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0090-7324

Keywords

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