Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Economic development – Social aspects – OECD countries'

Technological change and time preference are two important factors affecting the mechanics of the process of economic growth, and the endogeneity of these factors receives increasing attention in recent studies. This thesis provides analyses of the roles of endogenous technological change and endogenous time preference in the growth process, With particular interests in long—run growth7 the organization and direction of innovation, equilibrium dynamics, and improvements of household welfare. The thesis consists of the following chapters. Chapter 1 introduces the research. Chapter 2 reviews the related literature and the modelling foundations that are extended in the thesis. Chapter 3 extends the basic Schumpeterian growth model to investigate the relation between the cooperative R&D decision by firms and the aggregate technological Change (productivity growth). In a duopolistic intermediate—good market, duopolistic firms are concerned With their individual R&D cost and profits in noncooperative R&D, Which yields a constant successful probability of innovation; whereas in cooperative R&D, the learning ability and the probability of successful innovation for the duopohsts increase as the level of technology grows, but the R&D cost and profits are shared equally. We show that the duopolists prefer to cooperate in R&D as the economy converges Closer toward the frontier, Which is consistent With our empirical evidence. Moreover, we analyse the dynamics of the convergence paths induced by both R&D cooperation options, implying that if the learning ability of the duopolists is sufficiently high, the economy converges toward a high—technology steady state near the frontier; however, the economy’s technology relative to the frontier may stop growing in a nonconvergence trap if the cost of imitation is relatively low. Chapter 4 focuses on the direction of technological change and its effect on the growth process and individual welfare. This chapter proposes a directed technological change model where managerial skills become complementary to the production skills in intermediate—good production, and it provides the solutions of high— relative to low—skilled technologies and long-run growth rates. We derive several results from this framework. First, weak and strong equilibrium biases of technological change still hold for the management sectors such that an increase in the relative managerial skills raises the wage inequality between high— and low-skilled managers, which explains the empirical evidence in the US, Australian and British labour markets. Second, the transitional dynamics of the economy—wide technology implies that a sectoral management shock causes temporary growth in both the aggregate total factor productivity and the aggregate output, which is higher than the balanced growth path level. Third, we show that education but not on—the—job training can be a feasible scheme to acquire managerial skills if individuals are heterogeneous in their ability. Chapter 5 investigates the determinants of time preference and their effects on equilibrium dynamics in the canonical neoclassical growth model, the AK model, and the real business cycle (RBC) model. Two types of marginal impatience endogenize the representative household’s discount function to alter its time preference: increasing (Koopmans—Uzawa type) and decreasing (Becker-Mulligan type), which are induced by current consumption and future—oriented capital, respectively. In the canonical neo—classical growth model, we derive a set of sufficient conditions for a unique steady state equilibrium, in which local stability still holds when marginal return to capital decreases more slowly than marginal impatience. Moreover, based on functional forms and assumptions, this framework can be extended to the endogenous version of neo—classical growth: the AK model, which sustains long—run growth. In an application of the uncertainty version—the RBC model in a small open economy—the equilibrium level of future—oriented capital is obtained in a reduced form, which simultaneously overcomes the nonstationarity problem. The positive relation (procyclicality) between the turnover of future—oriented and current consumption is also consistent with the empirical evidence from Australia. Chapter 6 summarises the research results and points out directions of future research. This thesis has implications for improving a household’s welfare. In Chapter 3, we find that the representative household in a country that converges towards the frontier along the cooperative R&D path can have higher welfare than the household in a country along the noncooperative R&D convergence path. Moreover, we claim that the government could contribute a lump—sum subsidy as a growth maximization policy for the economy to ameliorate the under contribution to learning ability of duopolistic firms resulted from the decentralized equilibrium, which could lead to growth and welfare maximization, simultaneously. Chapter 4 shows that subsidies to encourage education can increase the supply of one type of skill. If an individual belongs to this type of skilled group, the between-group wage inequality will increase this individual’s welfare if the bias of technological change is strong enough to offset the time cost of education. Finally, Chapter 5 demonstrates that expenditures by the household on particular goods reduce the remoteness of future pleasures. If the effect of these expenditures on the rate of time preference exceeds their counterpart in current utility, the household’s welfare will also be improved.

This study builds an integrative framework to delineate the process of growing entrepreneurial firms in developing countries. Deriving from the existing entrepreneurship literature, this thesis uses two notions to delineate the process of growth of indigenous firms: entrepreneurial intent and entrepreneurial capability. Then, drawing on the literature of economic development, it identifies three key sectors, the state, the market and the social sector, that foster entrepreneurial intent and cultivate entrepreneurial capability.
The research setting is the information technology (IT) industries in China and Taiwan, each of which has had impressive performance when compared with their counterparts in other developing countries. This study differentiates the growth of entrepreneurial firms into three stages, getting started, getting there, and staying there, and proceeds to analyze the comparative-historical experiences of six IT firms, three in China and three in Taiwan. The firms in China are the Advanced Technology Service Division (ATSD), Lenovo Computer, and Great Wall Computer. The firms in Taiwan are United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC), Acer, and Vanguard International Semiconductor (VIS).
It is found that at the stage of getting started, the government tends to be key among the three sectors, and can broadly influence the firms' entrepreneurial intent by building the national institution context, and more specifically through industrial policies. At the stage of getting there, the domestic social sector becomes more salient, and can transfer technology to entrepreneurial firms either from abroad or from their own research; they can also help defend entrepreneurial firms in intellectual property disputes with multinational firms. At the stage of staying there, due to their advanced technology, multinationals as forces in the market become more prevalent, and can enhance or destroy the capability of entrepreneurial firms. Overall, the state can act as context builder, champion and confronter; the social sector can play the roles of capability builder and capability defender, while the market, via multinational firms, can play the roles of capability destroyer and capability enhancer.

The history of economic thought is ‘flooded’ with neo-classical accounts despite the fact that neoclassical economics did not occupy history alone. This has caused the discourses on ‘lost alternatives’ to be relegated as the deterministic ‘straight line’ neo-classical historical discourses are elevated. Globally hegemonic neo-classical discourse aided this phenomenon as it served to subordinate any counterhegemonic local discursive processes towards alternatives. This study is premised on the theme of non-neoclassical ‘lost alternatives’ using the post-apartheid South Africa as a case study. Emerging from the apartheid regime, the impetus towards non-neoclassical redistributive policies was strong in South Africa but this did not gain traction as the ANC’s ‘growth through redistribution’ was replaced by globally hegemonic discourse which favoured ‘redistribution through growth’. This thesis postulates the idea of two waves of ‘internal’ discursive formations; capturing the transition to democracy up to 1996 as the first wave and the period from 2005 to about 2009 as the second wave. The developmental state paradigm (DSP) emerged as the central heterodox paradigm with ideas such as industrial policy, welfare, and social dialogue/compacts being main elements. The DSP was expressly chosen in the early 1990s, the first period of strong internal discursive formation, but faded as neo-classical policies, epitomised through GEAR, dominated the policy space. The DSP discourse gained vitality in the second wave of internal discursive formation (2005-2009) and it was associated with the subsequent Zuma’s administration. The study illustrates that the DSP has failed to be fully developed into a practical framework but remained only at rhetorical level with the phrase ‘developmental state’ inserted into government policy documents and documents of ANC as a ruling party. The thesis further illustrates that the DSP fared well ideologically because of its inclination to the ideology of ‘developmentalism’ tended to trump any socialist inclined policies such as a generous welfare regime. The thesis rebuts the notion of the DSP in South Africa which has only been amorphously developed with the phrase ‘developmental state’ becoming a mere buzzword. The thesis argues that the DSP in the 21st century is much more complex and the growing ‘tertiarisation’ of the economy makes the Social Democratic Paradigm SDP’s capability centric approach much more relevant for South Africa. The study goes further to argue that a (SDP) is much more suitable alternative for addressing South African colonial/apartheid legacies and consolidation of democracy.

This thesis draws on David Harvey’s concept of “accumulation by dispossession” and an international political economy (IPE) approach centred on the institutional arrangements and power structures that privilege certain actors and values, in order to critique current capitalist practices of primitive accumulation by the global corporate extractive industry. The thesis examines how accumulation by dispossession by the global extractive industry is facilitated by the “free entry” or “free mining” principle. It does so by focusing on Canada as a leader in the global extractive industry and the spread of this country’s mining laws to other countries – in other words, the transnationalisation of norms in the global extractive industry – so as to maintain a consistent and familiar operating environment for Canadian extractive companies. The transnationalisation of norms is further promoted by key international institutions such as the World Bank, which is also the world’s largest development lender and also plays a key role in shaping the regulations that govern natural resource extraction. The thesis briefly investigates some Canadian examples of resource extraction projects, in order to demonstrate the weaknesses of Canadian mining laws, particularly the lack of protection of landowners’ rights under the free entry system and the subsequent need for “free, prior and informed consent” (FPIC). The thesis also considers some of the challenges to the adoption and implementation of the right to FPIC. These challenges include embedded institutional structures like the free entry mining system, international political economy (IPE) as shaped by international institutions and powerful corporations, as well as concerns regarding ‘local’ power structures or the legitimacy of representatives of communities affected by extractive projects. The thesis concludes that in order for Canada to be truly recognized as a leader in the global extractive industry, it must establish legal norms domestically to ensure that Canadian mining companies and residents can be held accountable when there is evidence of environmental and/or human rights violations associated with the activities of Canadian mining companies abroad. The thesis also concludes that Canada needs to address underlying structural issues such as the free entry mining system and implement FPIC, in order to curb “accumulation by dispossession” by the extractive industry, both domestically and abroad.

Defence date: 12 December 2005
Examining Board: Professor William Roberts Clark (Univ. Michigan) (external co-Supervisor); Professor Adrienne Héritier (EUI); Professor Fiona McGillivray (NYU); Professor Martin Rhodes (EUI) (Supervisor)
First made available online 4 October 2016
Why have some countries been more successful than others in keeping price stability? This thesis answers this question by exploring the political determinants o f the policies of price stability on the basis o f the political cost they incur to the government It challenges the universality o f conventional approaches to the politics o f inflation such as the role of independent central banks or the role o f wage moderation. It argues that price stability cannot be understood without taking into account the political costs politicians face in different political and economic systems when deciding to deflate. Price stability is a public good that has to be financed by all the groups in the society. At the same time, it is a good with negative externalities; some groups benefit more than others (for example savers and financial intermediaries) while some other groups pay higher cost than others (lower income groups that face higher risks of getting unemployed). The political dilemma is resolved by compensating those who bear the highest cost, as long as they have the political voice. The political inclusiveness o f the political party system determines whether the interests o f the disaffected minority will be represented in the government and will be taken care of through higher social transfers. As a result, price stability is a function o f the party system and of the welfare state. The thesis provides empirical support from 18 OECD countries of the positive role o f social insurance on deflation. It also shows that proportional electoral systems and coalition governments redistribute more through higher social spending than less proportional systems and single party governments. As a consequence, more proportional political systems have enjoyed higher price stability and have been less subjected to monetary political business cycles than less proportional systems.

MCom (Economics)
Department of Economics
The need to realise steady economic growth, measured in this research by Gross Domestic Product (GDP), has ignited a plethora of studies about the contributors of economic growth and their optimal levels. Government expenditure is one contributor to economic growth. From a theoretical standpoint, optimal government size is depicted by an inverted U-curve known as the Armey curve which is hypothesised between the relationship of government size and economic growth. Empirical literature provides evidence that optimal government size is between 20-30 percent a share of GDP. However, little has been done to investigate the optimal level of isolated components of government spending that maximizes economic growth. One component of government spending that has gained limelight over the past decade is that of social assistance. Defined as public expenditure spent as cash and food transfers to the poor, this research uses social assistance expenditure to assess its optimal level that maximizes growth. This is important because some policymakers are concerned about the ballooning budgets directed at social assistance, and argue that the scarce resources need to be transferred to other social services sectors such as health and education. Basing on the panel-data accessed from the World Bank, this research uses the quadratic equation model to determine the optimal level of social assistance for African and Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) countries covering the period 2009-15. The finding is that the optimal level of social assistance spending for African and OECD countries is 3.2 percent of GDP and 29.4 percent of GDP respectively. The study also finds that both African and OECD countries operate below the optimal levels and it is suggested that they need to increase social assistance spending in order to realize positive contributions to economic growth.
NRF

CIDA, the leading Canadian agency in the area of international assistance, is responsible for approximately 78% of the country's aid budget. The Agency's mandate to "support sustainable development in developing countries, in order to reduce poverty and contribute to a more secure, equitable, and prosperous world" indicates that the Agency is concerned with social and cultural factors. However, CIDA does not have any specific mechanisms or tools such as SIA to help achieve its social and cultural sustainability goals. The objectives of this thesis were: a) to develop an analytical framework for undertaking and analysing SIA, and b) to compare CIDA's SIA-related strategies, procedures and mechanisms as they stand now to what is stated in the literature, so as to indicate how and when the Agency uses them, and also to assess their quality and effectiveness. The overarching question that constituted the pillar of this thesis was a two-pronged question: Do CIDA's strategies, procedures and mechanisms equal SIA without being SIA? And are those strategies, procedures and mechanisms adequate to cover issues that are normally dealt with through traditional SIA? This question was answered through 1) the application of the analytical framework on two proposals submitted to CIDA, and 2) an analysis of CIDA's SIA-related procedures based on the framework, key informant interviews, and a review of the literature on the Agency's policies, guidelines, and practices. Based on the literature review, the application of the analytical framework, and on the comments of the informants, the need for an SIA-type procedure for assessing social and cultural effects and impacts for CIDA funding is suggested. Such a practice might very well clarify the Agency's requirements in relation to the consideration of social and cultural factors in the development of projects. Also, it is important to stress that the process should not be reduced to a bureaucratic procedure blindly applied. CIDA could go without formulating a distinct protocol for SIA, as it already has several project planning tools and procedures that could lend themselves very well to the purpose of SIA. Indeed, the Agency's results-based management (RBM) framework could be altered so as to make it more holistic in that it would take into consideration both intended and unintended effects and impacts, and would better take into account social and cultural factors. The application of the logical framework analysis (LFA) can also be expanded to achieve similar goals. Further, the Agency could focus on developing a more integrated and comprehensive type of impact assessment that would touch on all the required types of assessments.

An alternative view of the existing world order is adopted, since, it is argued, the orthodox view (of a benevolent First World tirelessly engaging the development problems of a Third) is illusory. The parlous condition of debt-ridden Third World countries is explained by locating them within the confines of this order and drawing an interrelationship between their lack of beneficial development and the rapid deterioration of their environments. Some of the mechanisms by which the now unrestrained western economic system are examined where the residents of one hemisphere are 'managed' to service and support the profligate lifestyles of elites in the other. It is argued that a western order has straddled a reconstructed world economy since 1945 and has been sustained by the hegemonic power of the United States and its major industrial allies. It is further argued that the archaic exploitative nature of this order has rendered it inappropriate for new world conditions and the present general turmoil is a symptom of its decline. The world is moving from an old to a new set of imperatives, which must be socially-just and ecologically-benign. Thus movements for socio/economic justice and the environment can no longer be perceived as separate ends but as parts of the same larger global process.

This thesis discusses issues relating to development, sin and salvation. It examines the development visions of the Millennium Declaration and NEPAD Documents and compares them with the values of the Kingdom of God. It identifies some lessons from the Millennium Declaration and NEPAD Documents, and the Kingdom of God for the Union Baptist Church of Mozambique. These lessons are to help the denomination as it involves itself in the mission of the Kingdom of God in the community in Mozambique. The thesis argues that there is a relationship between the visions of the Millennium Declaration and the NEPAD Documents, and the values of the Kingdom of God on a number of issues such as the issues of sickness, orphans, vulnerability, gender inequality, poverty, the poor, hunger, unemployment, oppression, exploitation, wars, crime, violence against women and children, injustice and corruption. The Kingdom of God is about love, health, well-being for all, care, justice, unity and solidarity; harmony, life, peace, freedom, restoration, acceptance, righteousness, community, and salvation that includes both spiritual and physical salvation of the whole person both now in this life before death and after death. However, the thesis argues that the eschatological aspect of the Kingdom of God helps us see that sin is deeply rooted in human life, and even our best efforts at development will not rid the world of sin. The Church therefore has to remind society of this deeper sin, and to proclaim the gospel of the forgiveness of sins, while struggling with the evidence of that sin in poverty, sickness, injustice and violence. The church, especially the Union Baptist Church of Mozambique, has to be a key player in striving for Kingdom values. The church is called to holistic and integral mission. It should take a leading role in the issues that concern our people and society today, because that is doing the will of God. The commandment to love our neighbour as we love ourselves has to be expressed through our participation in integral mission, which is concerned with all human beings and all God's creation. The shalom of the Kingdom has to be experienced by all, and the church must be the means through which shalom is realised.
Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu- Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2004.

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)