A Veblenian Dichotomy re-examination of labour brokerage and South African labour market functionality
- Authors: Haaketa, Bernadatte Tina
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Veblen, Thorstein, 1857-1929 , Contracting out -- South Africa , Temporary employment -- South Africa , Industrial relations -- South Africa , Labor supply -- South Africa , Labor supply -- Effect of technological innovations on -- South Africa , Manpower policy -- South Africa , Labor market -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/168446 , vital:41583
- Description: Labour markets ar ound the world have witnessed a great change in labour relations. The introduction of globa lisation, increased competition and technological advancements has caused business organisations to change their employment methods. While trying to survive and remain profitable, employers have adopted a new form of triangular employment relationship. Thi s form of employment relationship known as labour broking and which forms part of the Temporary Employment Services (TES) involves a relationship between the worker, labour agent (broker) and a client c ompany. Although it may seem like a good strategy for business organisations, the change in employment relationships has had negative effects and contributed to labour market dysfunctionalities . This has resulted in critics of labour broking calling or an end in labour broking and supporters of labour broking asking for better regulation of the industry. Labour markets are me When it comes to analysing labour broking and its impact on labour market functionality in South Africa. Scholars and analysts such as Budlender ( 2013 ) and Bhorat, Lil enstein, Oosthuizen , and Thornton ( 2016 ) have used the Neoclassical , New Institutional Economics and Marxist approach es. The current views on labour broking and the current schools of thought fail to look at the underlying behavioural aspect of labour brokers and the client c ompanies. Hence making it easy for labour brokers and their client companies to continue with their unscrupulous activities. However, this t hesis adapted the Veblenian Dichotomy framework which focuses on understanding the role of the evolutionary proce ss and the role of institutions in shaping economic behaviour. The Veblenian dichotomy shows that power plays an important role in how labour markets are run. Similarly, behaviour also influences the manner in which labour brokers and client companies trea t workers. And lastly the Veblenian dichotomy shows that in order for the industry to be run better there has to be change in the behaviour and cultu re of the labour brokers and client companies . This view allows for deeper analysis of the reasons for the flour ishing nature of labour broking and the rationale behind the behaviour of economic players and attempts to provide solutions on how labour brok ing can be correctly administered in South Africa. The Veblenian Dichotomy categorises institutions into t wo sets, namely the ceremonial institutions and instrumental institutions. Where Ceremonial institutions are said to be institutions that foster the interests of business such as profitability and earning of free income, even if there is no corresponding i ncrease in production. While Instrumental institutions, usually working through the influence of technology, address the interests of the common pers on and the labourer as well as business (Waller, 1982; Foster, 1981; Veblen, 1919). These two systems of va lues and institutions are antagonistic and the relative strength of one to the other determines economic outcomes and in whose interests the outcomes would be (Waller, 1982; Foster, 1981; Veblen, 1919). The Veblenian Dichotomy further looks at ceremonial encapsulation which occurs when ceremonial systems prevail over instrumental systems. Ceremonial encapsulation presents the hypothesis that the insti tutional structure will absorb new technology only to the extent that it can do so without disrupting the e xisting value structure (Waller, 1987; Bush, 1979.) The thesis use d various sources , such as working papers, public hearings, court cases, trade union submissions, integrated reports from companies, employee submissions and media publications on the debate about labour broking whether labour broking and applied the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysi s (IPA) research approach, in the process of data collection and analysis . The thesis further applied thematic analysis to derive themes that would be used to analyse the impact of labour broking on labour market functionality in South Africa. The emergent themes and subthemes were Exploitative lab our relations subthemes; job Insecurity, increased financial burden and no skills development. The second theme was; Competitive advantage and the subthemes were; i ncreased profits and organisational efficiency. The third theme was l abour market efficiency and the subthemes were. E mployment creation and labour market flexibility. And, the last theme was a mbiguous l abour regulation s with subthemes; n o freedom of association and a tool for circumventing labour regulations . Lastly, Tool’s (1994) criteria of j udgement for institutional adjustments was used to evaluate the emergent themes and to evaluate the impact of l abour broking on the overall welfare of individuals, which includes determining whether employees in the TES sector gain skills and improved stan dards of living. The findings of the research the TES sector is characterised by ceremonial values. Ceremonial values (as mentioned in section 3.3) are those values that are warranted by the ways of life that prescribe status and hierarchies and unpleasant distinctions to apply value and status on other people (Bush, 1987, 1988; Ayres, 1967). Thus changing the way in which labour brokers conduct themselves or handle labour broking activities would prove to be difficult . T he power that is mostly used in TES employment sectors is condign power. Condign power is explained as the form of power that is predominantly used in ceremonially encapsulated markets. And it involves making use of punishment or fear in order to get people to do something. This is because w orkers in the TES sector are forced to submit to conditions that they would not normally have submitted to if t hey did not have a fear of losing their jobs. This supports existing literature which shows that in the TES sector, TES employers use force and p ower in order to get the workers to do something, and this results in a master - servant relationship between the employer and the employee. Furthermore, the protests that erupt in the TES sector agree with Marxist theory which notes that the frustrations in the way workers are treated would result in a revolution of the working class against the employers. However, now, workers have not been able to overcome the employers and take over the industry. In addition to what current literature says, the research found that some managers make use of labour broking as a way of manifesting their exploitative characteristics on the labour market, thus creating information asymmetries in order to advance their own personal needs. Situations such as these reve al characteristics of opportunistic behaviour, which is perpetuated by the imperfect flow of information. This means th at the market is imperfect, and imperfect markets are characteristics of dysfunctional labour markets. The research also found that it i s the South African Constitution that protects labour brokers and client companies from accounting for the unfair treatm ent of workers. Labour brokers and client companies rely on the South African Constitution to defend them when it comes to banning labou r broking. This is because section 22 of the Constitution talks about the right of every individual to trade freely in S outh Africa (Kutumela, 2015). When institutional adjustments do not meet the requirements of the progressive criteria, it means they are regressive. Based on the data that was collected and the responses and remarks of the workers, trade unions, and trade union federations, it can be said that TES employment and labour broking hinders labour market functionality. Hence, it can be concluded that, due to the characteristics mentioned, labour broking does indeed have a regressive element which hinders labour m arket functionality. An area for further research for TES employment would be to look at the impact of the amendments to the Labour Rela tions Act. Specifically focusing on the Constitutional Court ruling, which forces labour brokers to treat employees who have been employed for longer than three months as permanent employees.
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- Date Issued: 2020
Invasion status and impact potential of Florida bass Micropterus floridanus in South Africa
- Authors: Khosa, Dumisani
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Micropterus floridanus , Florida largemouth bass -- South Africa , Black bass -- South Africa , Micropterus floridanus -- South Africa -- Habitat , Florida largemouth bass -- South Africa -- Habitat , Black bass -- South Africa -- Habitat , Introduced fishes -- Environmental aspects -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/165733 , vital:41276
- Description: In South Africa, the introduction of alien fishes was largely driven by the development of recreational fishing opportunities. Government-backed programmes resulted in the introduction of four Black Bass species: Micropterus salmoides, Micropterus dolomieu, Micropterus punctulatus and Micropterus floridanus. These species are regarded as the primary threat to native biota and there is an urgent need to assess their spread and impacts. This thesis focuses on: assessing the current distribution of all four Black Basses; using genetic techniques to establish the extent of hybridisation between M. salmoides and M. floridanus, and using functional responses to assess the impact potential of M. salmoides and M. floridanus under the context dependence of temperatures and habitat complexity. Maximum entropy modelling of habitat suitability for Black Bass highlighted that M. salmoides had broad climatic suitability across South Africa, while suitability for M. dolomieu and M. punctulatus was restricted to the Cape Fold Ecoregion. An extensive area-based invasion debt was observed for all Micropterus spp. To better understand the dynamics of hybridisation between M. salmoides and M. floridanus, 38 species-diagnostic single nucleotide polymorphism was used to screen Black Bass populations from the Breede River and Kowie River catchments. Micropterus salmoides alleles were more prevalent than M. floridanus in both the Breede River catchments (69.1% and 30.9%, respectively) and Kowie River catchments (63.3% and 36.7%, respectively). However, isolated populations found in dams (reservoirs) remained free from hybridisation. To compare resource utilisation (i.e. per capita effects) between M. salmoides and M. floridanus, two experimental chapters were designed. Chapter 4 focuses on how temperature mitigates per capita effects between the two Black Basses. There was a significant decrease in per capita effects for M. salmoides with increasing temperatures, while the converse was true for M. floridanus. Chapter 5 gives an account of the influence of habitat complexity on per capita effects. The results showed that habitat complexity did mitigate per capita effects, specifically on M. floridanus, which showed a significant drop in per capita effects; however, no significant difference was recorded for M. salmoides. In the two experimental chapters, M. floridanus exhibited a superior per capita effect compared to M. salmoides, implying higher predation impact on native biota.
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- Date Issued: 2020
Three Hundred Years
- Date: 1988
- Subjects: South Africa -- History -- 20th century , Government, Resistance to -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: text , book
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/37342 , vital:34155 , Bulk file 7
- Description: This is one of many individual publications put out by the New Unity Movement History Series and is a republication of a work by Hosea Jaffe whose pen name was 'Mnguni'.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1988
Producer co-operatives in South Africa: their economic and political limits and potential
- Authors: Philip, T Kate
- Date: [1987?]
- Subjects: Cooperative societies -- South Africa , Producer cooperatives -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: text , book
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/75250 , vital:30391
- Description: The social and political effects of mass unemployment in South Africa mean there is an urgent need for strategies of job- creation. In this context, the Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu), the South African Youth Congress (SAYCO), and the National Unemployed Workers' Co-ordinating Committee (NUWCC) have all expressed support for producer co-operatives, which are not only seen to have the potential to create jobs, but at the same time, are seen as providing a democratic alternative to capitalist enterprises. Thus firstly, this dissertation is exploring the potential for producer co-ops to fulfil these roles. However, for co-ops to make any contribution at all, they have to be economically viable. Thus this dissertation also attempts to analyse the terms on which this may be possible. In Chapter One, I analyse the roots of mass unemployment in South Africa, locate the problem and its effects within the framework of the current economic and political crisis, and analyse state strategies for overcoming this problem. I then turn to analysing the social and psychological effects of unemployment, and the implications of this for the growth of democratic organisation in the factories and township communities. I look at the strategies emerging for organising the unemployed, and conclude that the potential to organise the unemployed hinges largely around the extent to which unemployed workers' organisation manages to create jobs. In this regard, co-ops are a strategy of job creation that allows the unemployed to take the initiative in creating their own jobs, and on terms that build different forms of work organisation. On the basis of the priorities defined by the NUWCC, I then turn to analysing the limits and possibilities of co-op production. In Chapter Two, I address the theoretical issues that have emerged in relation to co-ops in capitalist society internationally, and attempt to analyse the reasons for their widespread economic failure, and for their tendency to degenerate into capitalist enterprises. From this, I draw out the potential terms on which collapse and/or degeneration can be countered, and refer to Mondragon in Spain and Lega in Italy as case studies. I then look at the potential political role co-ops can play, and conclude this chapter by focussing the issues discussed onto South African questions. In Chapter Three, I attempt a typology of co-op development in South Africa today, highlighting the extent to which a broad range of social forces see co-ops serving their own interests. Then, on the basis of a list of production co-ops in Addendum A, I analyse some of the overall features of the democratic co-ops that do exist at present, and point to the existence of degenerative tendencies in the South African context, with specific reference to Thusanang. I then focus on three case studies - the Pfananani co-ops, a carpentry co-op, and Nonthutuzelo. Each of these co-ops has arisen under different conditions, and they illustrate different aspects of the issues co-ops in SA will have to address if they are to survive. Chapter Four focusses on the production co-ops of the Sarmcol Workers Co-op (SAWCO), particularly the t-shirt co-op. The analysis of SAWCO constitutes the main case study of this dissertation. I have prioritised SAWCO because at the time I began the research, it was the only co-op with structural links to a Cosatu union; it is a co-op that arose out of the context of a workers' struggle, and contains important lessons for the establishment of co-ops with a clear relationship to democratic organisation. Furthermore, it relies on the 'solidarity' market to sell its products, and highlights certain important features and contradictions within this market. Finally, it highlights key issues in relation to the structures of ownership and control in democratic co-ops. In my conclusion, I attempt to draw together the material in the dissertation as a whole. I apply the theoretical discussion to the South African context, assess the implications of the nature of SA's economy for the development of co-ops, and attempt to provide some pointers to the terms on which democratic co-ops can be economically viable, thus creating jobs, at the same time as making a broader contribution to the extension of democracy in South Africa. , Labour studies research report (University of the Witwatersrand); v 4
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- Date Issued: [1987?]