1,720,968 research outputs found
Barriers, determinants and enablers of market orientation : impact on business performance for small to medium enterprises in South Africa
No full textPhD (Business Management)|cNorth-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus|d2013Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are recognised as important for the economic success of countries all over the world because of their contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP), to innovation, to export revenue, to the provision of goods and services to society and large enterprises, to social stability, to employment creation, and to the improvement of economic welfare. These organisations operate within an economic environment characterised by volatility, highly demanding dynamism and tough competition, which often seriously threaten their performance and their survival. The South African business environment in general is constantly changing in the face of an unreceptive economic environment and a subtle political setting which breeds a highly competitive market. For SMEs to withstand the hazards of such a precarious and unfavourable competitive climate, they need to engage in market-oriented strategies. While market orientation research in large organisations has been studied etensively, little attention has been paid to the market orientation of SMEs. Market orientation models have been developed and tested only for developed countries, which recognise the substantial importance of market orientation in the modern business arena. Despite its importance, market orientation and its implementation and relationship with business performance has not been widely researched in developing economies. This need for a market orientation model that is applicable to developing countries underlies this research, the principal purpose of which is to develop a market orientation–business performance conceptual model and test it in a developing country setting. For this purpose, the researcher applied the market orientation constructs as guided by various proponents in the field. Market orientation was identified from the large body of literature and a conceptual framework of market orientation–business performance was proposed. The conceptual framework considered barriers to market orientation, determinants and enablers of market orientation and market orientation with its dimensions (customer emphasis, information generation, intelligence dissemination and intelligence responsiveness or taking action) and economic and non-economic performance as consequences. This framework was then tested in order to identify the link between barriers to market orientation, determinants of market orientation, overall market orientation and business performance. Such efforts have been observed in previous market orientation literature but those studies did not distinguish barriers from determinants. The objective of this study was to establish the relationship between market orientation and the performance of SMEs measured by financial and non-financial measures of business performance. It also sought to ascertain the barriers to market orientation and the determinants/enablers of market orientation and their relationship with market orientation. Another objective was to examine the extent to which SMEs in South Africa have adopted market-oriented practices. A quantitative method was used. Surveys were conducted with 273 SMEs respondents, which were identified using a convenience sampling method. Data from owners/managers of these SMEs were collected using structured questionnaires. This study is different from previous studies on various grounds. Firstly, this study on market orientation is particularly focused on SMEs. Secondly, this study considered barriers to market orientation and determinants of market orientation separately, as having two divergent effects on market orientation. Thirdly, this study considered both the economic and non-economic performance measures as business performance indicators, factorising all the dimensions and modelling the relationship structures. Finally, this study was conducted in a developing economy (South Africa) where limited market orientation studies have been carried out with emphasis on market orientation among SMEs. Quantitative research methods were used to arrive at a valid and convergent conclusion about market orientation and its relationship with business performance. For this purpose, quantitative survey data were obtained from officials of both marketing and non-marketing departments of SMEs in the Vaal Triangle (South Africa). The hypotheses of the study were tested using t-tests statistics, analysis of variance (ANOVA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and structural equation modelling (SEM) goodness of fit. The findings of the study supported the hypotheses of the study and confirmed the applicability of the proposed market orientation framework. The findings also indicated that the market orientation of SMEs in South Africa is determined by four fundamental factors (top management emphasis, market-based reward system, inter-departmental connectedness and management risk posture). In addition, the findings identified four key barriers to market orientation (centralisation and formalisation, inter-departmental conflict, competitive intensity and turbulence). The study also found a significant effect of market orientation on business performance. The findings of this study are consistent with those of previous market orientation studies undertaken in developed countries. At the final stage, the first conceptual model of market orientation–business performance applicable to SMEs in a developing country (South Africa) was offered on the basis of the findings of this study. This conceptual model provides insights and groundwork for further research. Therefore, in order to verify its generic application, it is hoped that this model will be used as a starting point for further studies and be tested in other countries in the world, both developed and developing.Doctora
Valuing the impact of pollution on the poor: the case of Bophelong
No full textGlobal Business and Technology Association Fifteenth Annual International Conference, Helsinki, Finland, 2-6 July 2013This paper reports on a comparative study of poverty and the social cost of pollution among poor households in Bophelong. The level of poverty was measured and compared with the cost of pollution as revealed by citizens of Bophelong through a household questionnaire. To do this, the level of poverty was determined by looking at the Household Subsistence Level (HSL), while the social cost of pollution was determined using Contingent Valuation methods. These methods are generally termed contingent valuation (CV) methods and are used to elicit from respondents what they would be willing to pay for a cleaner environment or what they would have to be paid to accept the pollution. Further, the study performed regression analysis to determine the effect of pollution on poverty levels. Pollution was found to be a problem in the area as reported by respondents. Respondents valued pollution higher in 2013 compared to 2003. It is important for policy makers to be aware of the cost of pollution to the poor as they are more vulnerable due to the inability to cushion themselves against any negative consequences.http://gbata.org/http://gbata.org/journal-of-global-business-and-technology-jgbat/publications
An analysis of the demand for new passenger vehicles in South Africa (1995–2005)
Full text linkThesis (MCom (Economics))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2012This dissertation analyses the determinants of demand for new passenger vehicles in South Africa over a ten-year period, between 1995 and 2005. The following investigation into the determinants of demand for new passenger cars, is based both on a statistical and empirical analysis of the performance of the South African new passenger car market. Firstly, in Chapter 2 a brief history of the South African motor in industry provides a background for the analysis which follows in this dissertation and gives some insight into the historical developments that created the structure of the industry during the period analysed by the study. The theoretical components of the thesis focus on the macro-economic theory of demand, which seeks to explain the influences which determine consumer demand when purchasing durable goods and more specifically new passenger cars. Chapter 3 explains how consumers trade off preferences and substitutes in their efforts to maximise their utility. When comparing the general theory of
demand to the theory of demand for durable goods and more specifically the theory of demand for new passenger cars, it is demonstrated that the theory of demand for new passenger cars is inherently different to that of non-durable goods. New passenger cars and other durable goods require a relatively higher investment, last longer than non-durable goods and literally retain some of their value, as they get older. Chapter 3 creates a theoretical foundation upon which the determinants of demand for passenger cars will be analysed in Chapter 4. Chapter 4 forms the base upon which the South African New Passenger Car Market will to be analysed. In Chapter 4 the study statistically and graphically analyses the primary economic determinants of demand for new passenger cars. The analyses first present the relationship between price and new passenger car demand. It was found that demand for new passenger cars was price elastic. It was also identified that price elasticity of demand changed over the ten-year period analysed. Next, the impact of population growth and personal disposable income on new passenger car demand was analysed. It was discovered that should the population grow faster than the economy; relative prices unchanged, personal disposable income will decline and thereby affect desired stocks of new passenger cars negatively. The effect of disposable income on the sale of new passenger cars was found to be income inelastic. Income elasticity also, however displayed signs of change over the analysed period. The effect of the rate of interest on the demand for the new passenger cars was also analysed. The analysis indicated that changes in interest rates resulted in changes of various proportions in all rates of interest in the economy; such an effect filtered through to the new passenger car market. After this, the effect of GDP on the demand for new passenger cars was examined. The examination found that changes in the new passenger car market correlated very closely with GDP growth changes, hence GDP changes served as an important indicator of the new passenger car market. The result of changes in the price of fuel on new passenger car demand was also examined. The result showed that the structure of the market, i.e. the size of cars, etc. was more affected than the volume of sales. Finally, the effect of the level of confidence in new passenger car demand was analysed. Business and consumer confidence were found to be good indicators of the new passenger car market.
Chapter 5 concluded and summarised the findings of the dissertation. The study also noted that the effects of South Africa’s upgraded public transport system in the form of the Bus Rapid Transport System (BRT) and the Gautrain on the demands of new passenger cars could be a case for future research.Master
An econometric analysis of fiscal policy and monetary policy interdependence : comparative study between Nigeria and South Africa
Full text linkPhD (Economics), North-West University, Vanderbijlpark CampusFiscal policy and monetary policy are important macroeconomic tools used to achieve macroeconomic objectives. The dominant objective of fiscal policy is to increase the aggregate output of the economy while the overriding objective of monetary policy is to regulate and control the interest and inflation rates. Conventionally, both fiscal and monetary policies were under the control of the national governments. Consequently, traditional economic analyses were made with respect to both policies to attain the optimum policy mix of the two in order to achieve the broad macroeconomic goals. But more recently, as a result of the transfer of monetary policy control and monetary policy formulation to central banks, there has been a significant and notable structural change in the way in which fiscal and monetary policies interact. There has been a dilemma as regard whether these two policies are complementary, or are substitutes to each other for achieving macroeconomic goals. The issue of fiscal and monetary policies interaction and the idea of complementarity or substitutability for each other comes up only when both fiscal and monetary policies authorities are independent of each other. But when the goals of either of the authority, mostly monetary policy authority, is made subservient to the fiscal authority simply because national government controls the fiscal authority, then fiscal authority solely dominates the policy making and as a result hinder the monetary policy objective. This study revisits the discussion on fiscal and monetary policies interaction by econometrically analyzing the interdependence between fiscal and monetary policies interactions in Nigeria and South Africa. Consequently, the study aimed at estimating the degree of fiscal and monetary policies interdependence in Nigeria and South Africa; analyse the trend of inflation with respect to the degree of fiscal and monetary policies interdependence; and evaluate the dynamic responses between fiscal and monetary policies variables.
In order to achieve the objectives of the study, the study employed a quantitative research methodology. Time series data on nominal consumption expenditure, money supply, government debt, inflation rate, interest rate, tax revenue, output level, and government spending for the period 1981-2016 were adopted for the analysis and simulation was also done within the DSGE modelling. The data were sourced from the World Bank Development indicator (WDI), a publication of World Bank. The study made use of dynamic ordinary least square (DOLS) proposed by Stocks and Watson to estimate the degree of fiscal and monetary policies
interdependence in Nigeria and South Africa while a trend analysis was carried out to examine the trend of inflation with respect to the degree of fiscal and monetary policies interdependence. Dynamic Stochastic general equilibrium model (DSGE) and Bayesian vector autoregressive model (BVA) were used to evaluate the dynamic responses between fiscal and monetary policies variables.
The result of the first model used to estimate the degree of fiscal and monetary policies interdependence showed that the degree of fiscal and monetary interdependence in Nigeria is 0.84 while it is found to be 0.67 in the South African economy. This empirical finding suggests that the degree of fiscal and monetary policies interdependence in both Nigeria and South Africa is greater than 0.5 and closer to 1. This implies that in coordination of fiscal and monetary policies interactions in both economies, central bank is more active and first mover. Put differently, because the degree of fiscal and monetary policies interdependence is greater than 0.5 in both countries, the apex bank enjoys a high degree of autonomy in coordination of fiscal and monetary policies. The implication is that about 84% and 67% of government debt are backed up by fiscal authority in Nigeria and South Africa respectively while remaining percentage is accommodated by monetary authority, and that monetary authorities in both countries fixed their policies ahead and enforce discipline on fiscal authorities. Hence, both economies could be said to be under a low fiscal dominance hypothesis. This is because the zero or low fiscal dominance requires that the degree of fiscal and monetary policies interaction be greater than zero and closed to one as found under the present study.
Also the results of the trend analysis showed that the inflation rate has been consistently higher in the Nigerian economy than in the South African economy, while average annual inflation rate under the study period in Nigeria was 19.6% and 9.1% in South Africa. The empirical findings suggest that though Nigeria has a higher degree of fiscal and monetary policies interdependence than the South African economy, average inflation rate in Nigeria is higher than in South Africa. This result does not find evidence of low inflation being associated with higher degree of fiscal and monetary policies interdependence.
Findings from the dynamic stochastic general equilibrium model (DSGE) and Bayesian vector autoregressive model (BVA) reveal that fiscal and monetary policy interacts with each other in
both the Nigerian and South African economy. Inflation responds to fiscal policy shocks in the form of government spending, revenue and borrowing shocks. Monetary authority’s decisions also affect fiscal policy variables. However, monetary and fiscal policies interactions are largely stronger in South Africa than Nigeria.
The empirical results show that the dominant sources of variation in output level in Nigeria are shocks to government debt while shocks to tax, interest rate and government spending are found to be dominant sources of variation in output level in South Africa. Also, output level, government debt and interest rate are important sources of variation in government spending in Nigeria while they are found to be output level, tax revenue and interest rate shocks in South Africa. Government debt and inflation shocks are significant and dominant of sources variation in interest rate in Nigeria while all the variables seemed to be significant sources of variation in South Africa. Tax revenue, government debt and government spending shocks are significant sources of variation in inflation in South Africa, while all the variables are found to be a significant sources of variation in inflation in Nigeria.
The study concludes based on the empirical findings, that monetary policy authorities in Nigeria and South Africa should strive more to maintain the current level of their autonomy given their higher degree of fiscal and monetary policies interdependence. Current level of autonomy can be maintained by ensuring that the fiscal authority plans its inter-temporal budget constraints such that current level of government outstanding debt and its interest would always be offset by future primary surpluses rather than seigniorage. The productive base of Nigeria needs to be awakened as is almost moribound in terms of perfomance. This can be done through elimination of various structural rigidities in Nigerian economy, provision of adequate and modern infrastructure such as good roads, power suppy which aid productive activities, discouraging importation of already inflated products into the country and tax concessions to producers of essential commodities. Meanwhile, though the average level of inflation in South Africa is lower than that of Nigeria, South African inflation rate can still be brought lower given the degree of fiscal and monetary policies interdependence by also further strengthening the productive base of the economy.Doctora
A logistical hub as a local economic development initiative for the Vaal region
Full text linkPhD (Economics) North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2011The purpose of this thesis was to show that a logistical hub would be a perfect local economic development initiative for the Vaal region given its current level of poverty and unemployment and the potential excess capacity that exists within its dominant industries. The research methodology applied by the study was twofold. First an analysis of relevant literature relating to the theoretical perspectives regarding local economic development and spatial development initiatives was undertaken. This established the link between the need for an LED initiative within the Vaal region and a possible vehicle for the project, namely an SOl or IDZ. The benefits of industrial clusters were highlighted in order to further establish the need for all three components of the VLH. A situational analysis of the Vaal region was undertaken in order to determine the extent of poverty and unemployment within the Vaal region. It was found that 53.5% of the Vaal population is unemployed, while 51.6% live below the respective poverty lines for the region. The sectorial analysis indicated that 22% of all employment opportunities within the Vaal originate from manufacturing activities. The secondary economic sector also provides the greatest source of backward and forward industrial linkages and sectorial multipliers available to the region. It was determined that any initiative instituted in the Vaal should be have the secondary sector as its main focal point. The VLH would be established to ensure the sustainable growth of the Vaal's dominant industries. This study suggests that the VLH would enable local industries to take advantage of the opportunities presented by its proximity to two of South Africa's major trade routes, thereby increasing output and eventually economic growth and development. By using similar projects as a template for the VLH, it can be assumed that the project would generate over R 1 billion in investment revenue and would create between 28 000 and 42 000 direct jobs (those relating to the actual VLH) while 9 000 to 14 000 jobs would be created from the downstream activities located in the VIDZ. There is no question that the VLH would increase LED within the Vaal region.Doctora
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
The relationship between perceptions of the causes of poverty and household characteristics
Full text linkAs pioneered by Feagin (1972), the literature on the theories of poverty focuses on individualistic, structural and fatalistic causes of poverty. The individualistic perception blames individuals themselves for their poverty situation. In contrast, the structural perception of poverty blames society for poverty, while the fatalistic perception views poverty as merely bad luck. Even although various people have different perceptions of the causes of poverty, these views typically fall into one of these three categories. People tend to ascribe to these perceptions mostly because of their ontological and cosmological views of life, which are influenced by household characteristics. The purpose of this study was to investigate the household characteristics that determine perceptions of household heads with regard to the causes of poverty. Indexes on individualistic, structural and fatalistic perceptions were calculated for each household and used as dependent variables in an Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression model. The study found that a household head's years of schooling, grant recipients and food insecurity were strong predictors of the structural perception while as regards the individualistic perception, the study reported a positive strong relationship with the age of the head of a household, the number of years of schooling received by the head of the household whereas there was a negative significant relationship with food insecure households, and also with female heads of household. Fatalistic perceptions were strongly predicted by food insecurity, grant recipients and years of schooling of the head of household. The implications of the results are that policy makers need to first understand the perceptions of the poor before coming up with mitigating programmes as the perceptions might influence the effectiveness of the interventions
The built environment and physical activity participation in a semi–urban area in Southern Gauteng
Full text linkPublic health researchers over the years have drawn the attention to the effects of community environments on health conditions such as physical inactivity. Physical inactivity has been reported to be the second leading risk factor for chronic diseases after smoking and contributes significantly to total mortality. A review of literature suggests that the built environment can either facilitate or constrain physical activity participation. The purpose of the study was to examine the influence of the physical environment on physical activity participation among semi-urban residents. A structured questionnaire assessing physical activity participation and the built environment was administered to 148 respondents in a semi-urban township in the Southern part of the Gauteng province, South Africa. A descriptive analysis of the sample was undertaken, followed by the calculation of participants' body mass index (BMI), classification of physical activity and the mean ranking of various environmental factors. Results indicate that respondents' physical activity participation ranged from mild to moderate with majority of the respondents not meeting the minimum physical activity guidelines (30 minutes or more a day, most days of the week of at least moderate physical activity). In addition, the results indicate that the built environment or the lack thereof play an influential role in physical activity participation. Perceived access to various destinations, street planning in the neighbourhood, places for walking and cycling, neighbourhood surroundings, safety from traffic and safety from crime seem to prohibit residents from participation in physical activity. Government, policy makers and environmental planners need to take cognisance of future planning in the development of user-friendly environments so that residents can meaningfully participate in physical activity.http://reference.sabinet.co.za/webx/access/electronic_journals/ajpherd/ajpherd_v18_supp1_2_a10.pd
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
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