Regulatory incoherence and economic potential of freshwater recreational fisheries: the trout triangle in South Africa
- Marire, Juniours, Snowball, Jeanette D, Fraser, Gavin C G
- Authors: Marire, Juniours , Snowball, Jeanette D , Fraser, Gavin C G
- Date: 2014
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/68621 , vital:29295 , https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.2753/JEI0021-3624480406
- Description: Publisher version , We apply John R. Commons’s negotiational psychology, specifically his principle of sovereignty, to the development of a discordant regulatory culture and its likely impact on the economic potential of recreational fishing. Using South African environmental judicial precedents and other documentation, we formulate six plausible hypotheses. We argue that regulatory incoherence, entitlement insecurity, corporate-dominated social valuation, strategic power coalitions, lack of procedural fairness, and the extent of judicial enforcement of environmental rights help explain the economic potential and isolation of the freshwater recreational fisheries sector. We find a consistent pattern of extraction and monopolization of sovereign power by the Department of Mineral Resources from propertied parties. Thus, regulatory domination is a major mechanism affecting the economic potential of recreational fisheries in the Trout Triangle. While Commons postulated that private property is a sufficient condition for participation in the determination and use of sovereign power, we argue that private/public property is only a necessary condition. The conjunctive sufficient condition is the existence of both regulatory coherence between spheres of government and property.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Marire, Juniours , Snowball, Jeanette D , Fraser, Gavin C G
- Date: 2014
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/68621 , vital:29295 , https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.2753/JEI0021-3624480406
- Description: Publisher version , We apply John R. Commons’s negotiational psychology, specifically his principle of sovereignty, to the development of a discordant regulatory culture and its likely impact on the economic potential of recreational fishing. Using South African environmental judicial precedents and other documentation, we formulate six plausible hypotheses. We argue that regulatory incoherence, entitlement insecurity, corporate-dominated social valuation, strategic power coalitions, lack of procedural fairness, and the extent of judicial enforcement of environmental rights help explain the economic potential and isolation of the freshwater recreational fisheries sector. We find a consistent pattern of extraction and monopolization of sovereign power by the Department of Mineral Resources from propertied parties. Thus, regulatory domination is a major mechanism affecting the economic potential of recreational fisheries in the Trout Triangle. While Commons postulated that private property is a sufficient condition for participation in the determination and use of sovereign power, we argue that private/public property is only a necessary condition. The conjunctive sufficient condition is the existence of both regulatory coherence between spheres of government and property.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2014
Could a regulated market approach for rhinoceros horns work in South Africa? Some practical issues and concerns
- Collins, Alan, Fraser, Gavin C G, Snowball, Jeanette D
- Authors: Collins, Alan , Fraser, Gavin C G , Snowball, Jeanette D
- Date: 2013
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/68600 , vital:29292 , http://www.essa2013.org.za/fullpaper/essa2013_2708.pdf
- Description: Publisher version , One of the proposals for fighting rhinoceros poaching is to legalise the trade in rhino horn and adopt a regulated market approach (RMA), which would require a vote at the 2016 CITES meeting in order to overturn the ban on the trade in rhino horn. The legal trade in rhino horn would enable the auctioning of stockpiles of horn and encourage captive breeding programmes. The aim of increasing the supply of horn is to reduce incentives to poach by driving down the price. This paper uses a conceptual/theoretical approach to consider the practical implications of the adoption of an RMA, drawing on demand, supply and production theory. The intention is explicitly to set out some practical concerns and issues that seem to have been underplayed or neglected in most published economic discourse on the subject. To secure a stockpile for some species needs biological success in captive breeding programs (CBPs) but this varies across species and habitats. Rhinoceros herds in a CBP would need relatively spatially extensive terrain and costly permanent security measures, and only appear feasible for the less aggressive “white” rhino. Thus, market price would actually need to be sustained at a high level to cover the start-up and security costs of such a programme that are unlikely to fall significantly. This is a double-edged sword in that the persistent high price of rhino horn provides an incentive for continued poaching activities. Supplementary policy measures that differentiate among consumer groups may also prove necessary.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Collins, Alan , Fraser, Gavin C G , Snowball, Jeanette D
- Date: 2013
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/68600 , vital:29292 , http://www.essa2013.org.za/fullpaper/essa2013_2708.pdf
- Description: Publisher version , One of the proposals for fighting rhinoceros poaching is to legalise the trade in rhino horn and adopt a regulated market approach (RMA), which would require a vote at the 2016 CITES meeting in order to overturn the ban on the trade in rhino horn. The legal trade in rhino horn would enable the auctioning of stockpiles of horn and encourage captive breeding programmes. The aim of increasing the supply of horn is to reduce incentives to poach by driving down the price. This paper uses a conceptual/theoretical approach to consider the practical implications of the adoption of an RMA, drawing on demand, supply and production theory. The intention is explicitly to set out some practical concerns and issues that seem to have been underplayed or neglected in most published economic discourse on the subject. To secure a stockpile for some species needs biological success in captive breeding programs (CBPs) but this varies across species and habitats. Rhinoceros herds in a CBP would need relatively spatially extensive terrain and costly permanent security measures, and only appear feasible for the less aggressive “white” rhino. Thus, market price would actually need to be sustained at a high level to cover the start-up and security costs of such a programme that are unlikely to fall significantly. This is a double-edged sword in that the persistent high price of rhino horn provides an incentive for continued poaching activities. Supplementary policy measures that differentiate among consumer groups may also prove necessary.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
Dancing with the devil: formative peer assessment and academic performance
- Mostert, Markus, Snowball, Jeanette D
- Authors: Mostert, Markus , Snowball, Jeanette D
- Date: 2013
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/69301 , vital:29483 , https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2012.705262
- Description: Peer assessment can be important in developing active and independent learners, as well as providing more and faster feedback in large classes, compared to marking done by tutors. In addition, the evaluative, critical stance required by students in order to assess their peers' work encourages the development of higher-order cognitive skills. Changing roles from being assessed to being an assessor can also improve students' ability to judge and improve on their own work. However, peer assessment does have potential problems and there is some debate as to the appropriate academic level at which to implement it, the kinds of feedback that are given and the ways in which students respond. In addition, there is little evidence that peer assessment has an impact on academic performance. This research reports the results of an online peer assessment exercise for a macroeconomics essay conducted in a large Economics 1 class at Rhodes University. Of the 800 students, about half participated in the peer assessment exercise. Data were collected from students via a formal course evaluation. In addition, a sample of 50 essays was evaluated in terms of the relationship between peer marks and final (tutor) marks received and the impact that peer assessment had on the quality of the final essay submitted. An Ordinary Least Squares regression was used to investigate the impact of peer assessment participation on marks. Results showed that peer marks tended to ‘bunch’ in the 60–68% range, indicating the reluctance of peers to give very high or low marks. In general, peers gave more useful feedback on technical aspects, such as presentation and referencing (which were also the categories in which students most often made improvements), than on content. Regression analysis showed that peer assessment participation was not a significant determinant of final essay mark, but that economics ability and English language proficiency were.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Mostert, Markus , Snowball, Jeanette D
- Date: 2013
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/69301 , vital:29483 , https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2012.705262
- Description: Peer assessment can be important in developing active and independent learners, as well as providing more and faster feedback in large classes, compared to marking done by tutors. In addition, the evaluative, critical stance required by students in order to assess their peers' work encourages the development of higher-order cognitive skills. Changing roles from being assessed to being an assessor can also improve students' ability to judge and improve on their own work. However, peer assessment does have potential problems and there is some debate as to the appropriate academic level at which to implement it, the kinds of feedback that are given and the ways in which students respond. In addition, there is little evidence that peer assessment has an impact on academic performance. This research reports the results of an online peer assessment exercise for a macroeconomics essay conducted in a large Economics 1 class at Rhodes University. Of the 800 students, about half participated in the peer assessment exercise. Data were collected from students via a formal course evaluation. In addition, a sample of 50 essays was evaluated in terms of the relationship between peer marks and final (tutor) marks received and the impact that peer assessment had on the quality of the final essay submitted. An Ordinary Least Squares regression was used to investigate the impact of peer assessment participation on marks. Results showed that peer marks tended to ‘bunch’ in the 60–68% range, indicating the reluctance of peers to give very high or low marks. In general, peers gave more useful feedback on technical aspects, such as presentation and referencing (which were also the categories in which students most often made improvements), than on content. Regression analysis showed that peer assessment participation was not a significant determinant of final essay mark, but that economics ability and English language proficiency were.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2013
Determinants of life satisfaction among race groups in South Africa
- Ebrahim, Amina, Botha, Ferdi, Snowball, Jeanette D
- Authors: Ebrahim, Amina , Botha, Ferdi , Snowball, Jeanette D
- Date: 2013
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/69311 , vital:29497 , https://doi.org/10.1080/0376835x.2013.797227
- Description: Economic indicators, like gross domestic product per capita, are commonly used as indicators of welfare. However, they have a very limited and narrow scope, excluding many potentially important welfare determinants, such as health, relative income and religion – not surprising since they were not designed to fill this role. As a result, there is growing acceptance, and use of, subjective measures of well-being (called ‘happiness’ or ‘life satisfaction’, often used interchangeably) both worldwide and in South Africa. Happiness economics does not propose to replace income-based measures of well-being, but rather attempts to complement them with broader measures, which can be important in making policy decisions that optimise societal welfare. This paper tests for differences in subjective well-being between race groups in South Africa, and investigates the determinants of self-rated life satisfaction for each group. Using the 2008 National Income Dynamics Study data, descriptive methods (analysis of variance) and an ordered probit model are applied. Results indicate that reported life satisfaction differs substantially among race groups, with black South Africans being the least satisfied group despite changes since the advent of democracy in 1994. Higher levels of educational attainment increased satisfaction for the whole sample, and women (particularly black women) are generally less satisfied than men. As found in many other studies, unemployed people have lower levels of life satisfaction than the employed, even when controlling for income and relative income. The determinants of life satisfaction are also different for each race group: white South Africans attach greater importance to physical health, whereas employment status and absolute income matter greatly for black people. For coloured people and black people, positional status (as measured by relative income) is an important determinant of well-being, with religious involvement contributing significantly to the well-being of Indian people.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Ebrahim, Amina , Botha, Ferdi , Snowball, Jeanette D
- Date: 2013
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/69311 , vital:29497 , https://doi.org/10.1080/0376835x.2013.797227
- Description: Economic indicators, like gross domestic product per capita, are commonly used as indicators of welfare. However, they have a very limited and narrow scope, excluding many potentially important welfare determinants, such as health, relative income and religion – not surprising since they were not designed to fill this role. As a result, there is growing acceptance, and use of, subjective measures of well-being (called ‘happiness’ or ‘life satisfaction’, often used interchangeably) both worldwide and in South Africa. Happiness economics does not propose to replace income-based measures of well-being, but rather attempts to complement them with broader measures, which can be important in making policy decisions that optimise societal welfare. This paper tests for differences in subjective well-being between race groups in South Africa, and investigates the determinants of self-rated life satisfaction for each group. Using the 2008 National Income Dynamics Study data, descriptive methods (analysis of variance) and an ordered probit model are applied. Results indicate that reported life satisfaction differs substantially among race groups, with black South Africans being the least satisfied group despite changes since the advent of democracy in 1994. Higher levels of educational attainment increased satisfaction for the whole sample, and women (particularly black women) are generally less satisfied than men. As found in many other studies, unemployed people have lower levels of life satisfaction than the employed, even when controlling for income and relative income. The determinants of life satisfaction are also different for each race group: white South Africans attach greater importance to physical health, whereas employment status and absolute income matter greatly for black people. For coloured people and black people, positional status (as measured by relative income) is an important determinant of well-being, with religious involvement contributing significantly to the well-being of Indian people.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2013
Determinants of student satisfaction with campus residence life at a South African University
- Botha, Ferdi, Snowball, Jeanette D, De Klerk, Vivian A, Radloff, Sarah E
- Authors: Botha, Ferdi , Snowball, Jeanette D , De Klerk, Vivian A , Radloff, Sarah E
- Date: 2013
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/68543 , vital:29281 , https://econrsa.org/publications/working-papers/determinants-student-satisfaction-campus-residence-life-south-african
- Description: Publisher version , Although there are a number of studies on the determinants of general quality of life among university students, these occur mainly in developed countries and do not focus specifically on campus-based residence life. It has long been accepted that factors outside the classroom (“the other curriculum”) can contribute to academic success, as well as the achievement of other important outcomes such as the appreciation of human diversity. Striving towards equality of residence life satisfaction across different racial and gender groups, for example, is thus important for academic outcomes and for the development of well-functioning citizens. This study is based on the 2011 Quality of Residence Life (QoRL) Survey, conducted at a South African university, comprising roughly 2 000 respondents. Based on descriptive analyses and ordered probit regressions, the study investigates the association between satisfaction with QoRL and (i) residence milieu and characteristics, (ii) direct and indirect discrimination, (iii) perceptions of drug and alcohol issues in residence, (iv) safety, and (v) individual student characteristics. One of the main findings is that there are no significant differences in satisfaction with QoRL across racial and gender groups; a finding that suggests significant progress in university transformation and equity goals. The general atmosphere and characteristics of residences are also important predictors of QoRL satisfaction. , Economic Research Southern Africa (ERSA) is a research programme funded by the National Treasury of South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Botha, Ferdi , Snowball, Jeanette D , De Klerk, Vivian A , Radloff, Sarah E
- Date: 2013
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/68543 , vital:29281 , https://econrsa.org/publications/working-papers/determinants-student-satisfaction-campus-residence-life-south-african
- Description: Publisher version , Although there are a number of studies on the determinants of general quality of life among university students, these occur mainly in developed countries and do not focus specifically on campus-based residence life. It has long been accepted that factors outside the classroom (“the other curriculum”) can contribute to academic success, as well as the achievement of other important outcomes such as the appreciation of human diversity. Striving towards equality of residence life satisfaction across different racial and gender groups, for example, is thus important for academic outcomes and for the development of well-functioning citizens. This study is based on the 2011 Quality of Residence Life (QoRL) Survey, conducted at a South African university, comprising roughly 2 000 respondents. Based on descriptive analyses and ordered probit regressions, the study investigates the association between satisfaction with QoRL and (i) residence milieu and characteristics, (ii) direct and indirect discrimination, (iii) perceptions of drug and alcohol issues in residence, (iv) safety, and (v) individual student characteristics. One of the main findings is that there are no significant differences in satisfaction with QoRL across racial and gender groups; a finding that suggests significant progress in university transformation and equity goals. The general atmosphere and characteristics of residences are also important predictors of QoRL satisfaction. , Economic Research Southern Africa (ERSA) is a research programme funded by the National Treasury of South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
Is Fairtrade in commercial farms justifiable?: its impact on commercial and small-scale producers in South Africa
- Jari, Bridget, Snowball, Jeanette D, Fraser, Gavin C G
- Authors: Jari, Bridget , Snowball, Jeanette D , Fraser, Gavin C G
- Date: 2013
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/69408 , vital:29519 , https://doi.org/10.1080/03031853.2013.847036
- Description: Fairtrade initially was limited to improving the lives of small-scale and peasant farmers, but later on it embraced commercial farmers, which attracted criticism. While there are a number of justifications for the Fairtrade organization's decision, there are authors who feel that meaningful “fair trade” cannot be achieved with the inclusion of commercial farms. This paper investigates the impact of Fairtrade on commercial farms and small-scale farmer cooperatives in South Africa. Fairtrade on South African commercial farms embraces a number of policy concerns related to land reform, BEE and sustainable development. The results of the study show that when commercial farms are included in the Fairtrade model, communities in which these farmers live benefit from developmental projects. In addition, in some instances, farm workers gain shares in the commercial farms, and benefit from the farm owners’ knowledge and capital.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Jari, Bridget , Snowball, Jeanette D , Fraser, Gavin C G
- Date: 2013
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/69408 , vital:29519 , https://doi.org/10.1080/03031853.2013.847036
- Description: Fairtrade initially was limited to improving the lives of small-scale and peasant farmers, but later on it embraced commercial farmers, which attracted criticism. While there are a number of justifications for the Fairtrade organization's decision, there are authors who feel that meaningful “fair trade” cannot be achieved with the inclusion of commercial farms. This paper investigates the impact of Fairtrade on commercial farms and small-scale farmer cooperatives in South Africa. Fairtrade on South African commercial farms embraces a number of policy concerns related to land reform, BEE and sustainable development. The results of the study show that when commercial farms are included in the Fairtrade model, communities in which these farmers live benefit from developmental projects. In addition, in some instances, farm workers gain shares in the commercial farms, and benefit from the farm owners’ knowledge and capital.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
Rhino poaching: supply and demand uncertain
- Collins, Alan, Fraser, Gavin C G, Snowball, Jeanette D
- Authors: Collins, Alan , Fraser, Gavin C G , Snowball, Jeanette D
- Date: 2013
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/70476 , vital:29665 , https://doi.org/10.1126/science.340.6137.1167-a
- Description: IN THEIR POLICY FORUM “LEGAL TRADE OF AFRICA’S RHINO HORNS” (1 MARCH, P. 1038), D. Biggs et al. point out that the trade ban on rhino horn has not been successful in reducing rhino poaching, which reached a record high of 668 in 2012. They argue that trade bans support illegal organizations, whereas a regulated legal market could reduce poaching effort and provide much-needed income for conservation. In making their case, Biggs et al. overlook a few important points.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Collins, Alan , Fraser, Gavin C G , Snowball, Jeanette D
- Date: 2013
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/70476 , vital:29665 , https://doi.org/10.1126/science.340.6137.1167-a
- Description: IN THEIR POLICY FORUM “LEGAL TRADE OF AFRICA’S RHINO HORNS” (1 MARCH, P. 1038), D. Biggs et al. point out that the trade ban on rhino horn has not been successful in reducing rhino poaching, which reached a record high of 668 in 2012. They argue that trade bans support illegal organizations, whereas a regulated legal market could reduce poaching effort and provide much-needed income for conservation. In making their case, Biggs et al. overlook a few important points.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
Where angels fear to tread: online peer-assessment in a large first-year class
- Mostert, Markus, Snowball, Jeanette D
- Authors: Mostert, Markus , Snowball, Jeanette D
- Date: 2013
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/68845 , vital:29330 , https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2012.683770
- Description: Publisher version , In the context of widening participation, large classes and increased diversity, assessment of student learning is becoming increasingly problematic in that providing formative feedback aimed at developing student writing proves to be particularly laborious. Although the potential value of peer assessment has been well documented in the literature, the associated administrative burden, also in relation to managing anonymity and intellectual ownership, makes this option less attractive, particularly in large classes. A potential solution involves the use of information and communication technologies to automate the logistics associated with peer assessment in a time-efficient way. However, uptake of such systems in the higher education community is limited, and research in this area is only beginning. This case study reports on the use of the Moodle Workshop module for formative peer assessment of students’ individual work in a first-year introductory macro-economics class of over 800 students. Data were collected through an end-of-course evaluation survey of students. The study found that using the feature-rich Workshop module not only addressed many of the practical challenges associated with paper-based peer assessments, but also provided a range of additional options for enhancing validity and reliability of peer assessments that would not be possible with paper-based systems.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Mostert, Markus , Snowball, Jeanette D
- Date: 2013
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/68845 , vital:29330 , https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2012.683770
- Description: Publisher version , In the context of widening participation, large classes and increased diversity, assessment of student learning is becoming increasingly problematic in that providing formative feedback aimed at developing student writing proves to be particularly laborious. Although the potential value of peer assessment has been well documented in the literature, the associated administrative burden, also in relation to managing anonymity and intellectual ownership, makes this option less attractive, particularly in large classes. A potential solution involves the use of information and communication technologies to automate the logistics associated with peer assessment in a time-efficient way. However, uptake of such systems in the higher education community is limited, and research in this area is only beginning. This case study reports on the use of the Moodle Workshop module for formative peer assessment of students’ individual work in a first-year introductory macro-economics class of over 800 students. Data were collected through an end-of-course evaluation survey of students. The study found that using the feature-rich Workshop module not only addressed many of the practical challenges associated with paper-based peer assessments, but also provided a range of additional options for enhancing validity and reliability of peer assessments that would not be possible with paper-based systems.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2013
Are arts events a good way of augmenting the economic impact of sport?: The case of the 2010 FIFA world cup and the national arts festival in South Africa
- Authors: Snowball, Jeanette D
- Date: 2012
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/71430 , vital:29848 , https://econrsa.org/system/files/publications/working_papers/wp294.pdf
- Description: Despite the debate about whether arts consumers are also sports consumers, many countries have used cultural events to leverage further tourism spending from sports events, the most famous example being the cultural Olympics. This paper reports the findings of research conducted at the 2010 South African National Arts Festival, which was specifically timed to coincide with SoccerWorld Cup matches being played in a nearby city. Of the 600 interviews conducted with Festival-goers, only 23% reported also attending World Cup soccer matches. Regression analysis revealed that, while there is some overlap between arts and sports attendees, their demographics and consumption habits are significantly different. However, consumption outside of major events showed somewhat more overlap. This suggests that staging cultural events at the same time as major sporting events is not an ideal strategy, since they tend to compete with, rather than complement, each other.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Snowball, Jeanette D
- Date: 2012
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/71430 , vital:29848 , https://econrsa.org/system/files/publications/working_papers/wp294.pdf
- Description: Despite the debate about whether arts consumers are also sports consumers, many countries have used cultural events to leverage further tourism spending from sports events, the most famous example being the cultural Olympics. This paper reports the findings of research conducted at the 2010 South African National Arts Festival, which was specifically timed to coincide with SoccerWorld Cup matches being played in a nearby city. Of the 600 interviews conducted with Festival-goers, only 23% reported also attending World Cup soccer matches. Regression analysis revealed that, while there is some overlap between arts and sports attendees, their demographics and consumption habits are significantly different. However, consumption outside of major events showed somewhat more overlap. This suggests that staging cultural events at the same time as major sporting events is not an ideal strategy, since they tend to compete with, rather than complement, each other.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
Five unpublished coins of Alexander the Great and his successors in the Rhodes University Collection
- Snowball, Jeanette D, Snowball, Warren D
- Authors: Snowball, Jeanette D , Snowball, Warren D
- Date: 2012
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/68489 , vital:29267 , http://dx.doi.org/10.7445/50-0-73
- Description: Publisher version , The article briefly discusses the economic and political significance of the Alexander III (“the Great”) type silver tetradrachm and publishes three of his coins currently held by the Rhodes University Classics Museum. Based on stylistic elements, they are classified as from the Amphipolis and Arados mints and were probably minted during his lifetime. Two further tetradrachms from the empires of Alexander’s successors, Ptolemy II and Seleucus IV, are also published.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
Five unpublished coins of Alexander the Great and his successors in the Rhodes University Collection
- Authors: Snowball, Jeanette D , Snowball, Warren D
- Date: 2012
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/68489 , vital:29267 , http://dx.doi.org/10.7445/50-0-73
- Description: Publisher version , The article briefly discusses the economic and political significance of the Alexander III (“the Great”) type silver tetradrachm and publishes three of his coins currently held by the Rhodes University Classics Museum. Based on stylistic elements, they are classified as from the Amphipolis and Arados mints and were probably minted during his lifetime. Two further tetradrachms from the empires of Alexander’s successors, Ptolemy II and Seleucus IV, are also published.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
Richard T. Carson: Contingent valuation: a comprehensive bibliography and history
- Authors: Snowball, Jeanette D
- Date: 2012
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/71504 , vital:29859 , https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10824-012-9165-7.pdf
- Description: For those of us who have been involved in willingness to pay studies for some time, Contingent Valuation: A comprehensive bibliography and history by Richard Carson is a fascinating read, tracking the early development of the method and debates around it from an insider’s perspective. As someone who has not only been involved in contingent valuation research over many years, but who has also been instrumental in shaping it, Richard Carson is the ideal author of this carefully crafted book.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Snowball, Jeanette D
- Date: 2012
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/71504 , vital:29859 , https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10824-012-9165-7.pdf
- Description: For those of us who have been involved in willingness to pay studies for some time, Contingent Valuation: A comprehensive bibliography and history by Richard Carson is a fascinating read, tracking the early development of the method and debates around it from an insider’s perspective. As someone who has not only been involved in contingent valuation research over many years, but who has also been instrumental in shaping it, Richard Carson is the ideal author of this carefully crafted book.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
The economics of greening the Grahamstown National Arts Festival in South Africa
- Dobson, Blaise, Snowball, Jeanette D
- Authors: Dobson, Blaise , Snowball, Jeanette D
- Date: 2012
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/71445 , vital:29851 , https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC132010
- Description: The article analyses the broad history underpinning the notion of sustainable development and its context within the events industry in South Africa. It explores the willingness of festival-goers to pay for a hypothetical recycling programme to reduce the negative externalities of the Festival. Results show that festival-goers were, on average, willing to pay an additional R2.30 per "green" ticket to fund the proposed programme. A statistical regression was used to explore the determinants of willing-to-pay. If applied to all tickets, the total willing-to-pay amount far exceeded the actual cost of the recycling programme.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Dobson, Blaise , Snowball, Jeanette D
- Date: 2012
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/71445 , vital:29851 , https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC132010
- Description: The article analyses the broad history underpinning the notion of sustainable development and its context within the events industry in South Africa. It explores the willingness of festival-goers to pay for a hypothetical recycling programme to reduce the negative externalities of the Festival. Results show that festival-goers were, on average, willing to pay an additional R2.30 per "green" ticket to fund the proposed programme. A statistical regression was used to explore the determinants of willing-to-pay. If applied to all tickets, the total willing-to-pay amount far exceeded the actual cost of the recycling programme.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2012
The role of culture in enabling or constraining the use of technology in higher education teaching and learning: the Commerce Curriculum Project
- Mostert, Markus, Snowball, Jeanette D, Boughey, Chrissie
- Authors: Mostert, Markus , Snowball, Jeanette D , Boughey, Chrissie
- Date: 2012
- Language: English
- Type: conference paper , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/61073 , vital:27945
- Description: This paper draws on a project located in one faculty at a South African university which aimed to use Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to enhance teaching and learning. More specifically, the paper uses Archer’s (1995, 1996, 2000, 1998) ‘analytical dualism’ and ‘morphogenesis’ to explore the way individuals involved in the project were able to exercise agency in departments which were relatively hostile to the goals they were aiming to pursue despite the wider cultural domain encompassing many ideas which construct the use of ICTs as significant in promoting student learning. The paper thus contributes to the culture/agency subtheme of the HECU6 conference. The paper begins by providing some background to the project before moving on to an exploration of the way Archer’s theoretical work was used to analyse data collected by project leaders.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Mostert, Markus , Snowball, Jeanette D , Boughey, Chrissie
- Date: 2012
- Language: English
- Type: conference paper , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/61073 , vital:27945
- Description: This paper draws on a project located in one faculty at a South African university which aimed to use Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to enhance teaching and learning. More specifically, the paper uses Archer’s (1995, 1996, 2000, 1998) ‘analytical dualism’ and ‘morphogenesis’ to explore the way individuals involved in the project were able to exercise agency in departments which were relatively hostile to the goals they were aiming to pursue despite the wider cultural domain encompassing many ideas which construct the use of ICTs as significant in promoting student learning. The paper thus contributes to the culture/agency subtheme of the HECU6 conference. The paper begins by providing some background to the project before moving on to an exploration of the way Archer’s theoretical work was used to analyse data collected by project leaders.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
Understanding student performance in a large class
- Snowball, Jeanette D, Boughey, Chrissie
- Authors: Snowball, Jeanette D , Boughey, Chrissie
- Date: 2012
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/71333 , vital:29834 , https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14703297.2012.677658
- Description: Across the world, university teachers are increasingly being required to engage with diversity in the classes they teach. Using the data from a large Economics 1 class at a South African university, this attempts to understand the effects of diversity on chances of success and how assessment can impact on this. By demonstrating how theory can be used to understand results, the paper aims to encourage university teachers to adopt proactive strategies in managing diversity, rather than simply explaining it using student characteristics.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Snowball, Jeanette D , Boughey, Chrissie
- Date: 2012
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/71333 , vital:29834 , https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14703297.2012.677658
- Description: Across the world, university teachers are increasingly being required to engage with diversity in the classes they teach. Using the data from a large Economics 1 class at a South African university, this attempts to understand the effects of diversity on chances of success and how assessment can impact on this. By demonstrating how theory can be used to understand results, the paper aims to encourage university teachers to adopt proactive strategies in managing diversity, rather than simply explaining it using student characteristics.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2012
Where angels fear to tread: online peer-assessment in a large first-year class
- Mostert, Markus, Snowball, Jeanette D
- Authors: Mostert, Markus , Snowball, Jeanette D
- Date: 2012
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/69289 , vital:29480 , https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2012.683770
- Description: In the context of widening participation, large classes and increased diversity, assessment of student learning is becoming increasingly problematic in that providing formative feedback aimed at developing student writing proves to be particularly laborious. Although the potential value of peer assessment has been well documented in the literature, the associated administrative burden, also in relation to managing anonymity and intellectual ownership, makes this option less attractive, particularly in large classes. A potential solution involves the use of information and communication technologies to automate the logistics associated with peer assessment in a time-efficient way. However, uptake of such systems in the higher education community is limited, and research in this area is only beginning. This case study reports on the use of the Moodle Workshop module for formative peer assessment of students’ individual work in a first-year introductory macro-economics class of over 800 students. Data were collected through an end-of-course evaluation survey of students. The study found that using the feature-rich Workshop module not only addressed many of the practical challenges associated with paper-based peer assessments, but also provided a range of additional options for enhancing validity and reliability of peer assessments that would not be possible with paper-based systems.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Mostert, Markus , Snowball, Jeanette D
- Date: 2012
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/69289 , vital:29480 , https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2012.683770
- Description: In the context of widening participation, large classes and increased diversity, assessment of student learning is becoming increasingly problematic in that providing formative feedback aimed at developing student writing proves to be particularly laborious. Although the potential value of peer assessment has been well documented in the literature, the associated administrative burden, also in relation to managing anonymity and intellectual ownership, makes this option less attractive, particularly in large classes. A potential solution involves the use of information and communication technologies to automate the logistics associated with peer assessment in a time-efficient way. However, uptake of such systems in the higher education community is limited, and research in this area is only beginning. This case study reports on the use of the Moodle Workshop module for formative peer assessment of students’ individual work in a first-year introductory macro-economics class of over 800 students. Data were collected through an end-of-course evaluation survey of students. The study found that using the feature-rich Workshop module not only addressed many of the practical challenges associated with paper-based peer assessments, but also provided a range of additional options for enhancing validity and reliability of peer assessments that would not be possible with paper-based systems.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2012
The determinants of happiness among race groups in South Africa
- Ebrahim, Amina, Botha, Ferdi, Snowball, Jeanette D
- Authors: Ebrahim, Amina , Botha, Ferdi , Snowball, Jeanette D
- Date: 2011
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/68589 , vital:29291 , http://www.essa2011.org.za/fullpaper/essa2011_2182.pdf
- Description: Publisher version , Economic indicators, like GDP per capita, are commonly used as indicators of welfare. However, they have a very limited and narrow scope, excluding many potentially important welfare determinants, such as health, relative income and religion - not surprising since they were not originally designed to fill this role. There is thus growing acceptance, and use of, subjective measure of wellbeing, (called ‘happiness’ measures) both worldwide and in South Africa. Happiness economics does not propose to replace income based measure of wellbeing, but rather attempts to compliment them with broader measures, which can be important in making policy decisions that optimise societal welfare. This paper tests for differences in subjective wellbeing between race groups in South Africa, and investigates the determinants of self-rated life satisfaction (happiness) for each group. Using the 2008 National Income Dynamics Study (NIDS) data, descriptive methods (ANOVA) and an ordered probit model are applied. Results indicate that reported happiness differs substantially among race groups, with black South Africans being the least happy group despite changes since the advent of democracy in 1994. Higher levels of educational attainment increase satisfaction for the whole sample, and women are generally less happy than men (particularly black women). As found in many other studies, unemployed people have lower levels of life satisfaction than the employed, even when controlling for income and relative income. The determinants of happiness are also different for each race group: While white South Africans attached greater importance to physical health; employment status and absolute income matter greatly for black people. For coloured people and black people, positional status (as measured by relative income) is an important determinant of happiness, with religious involvement significantly contributing to the happiness of Indian people.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
- Authors: Ebrahim, Amina , Botha, Ferdi , Snowball, Jeanette D
- Date: 2011
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/68589 , vital:29291 , http://www.essa2011.org.za/fullpaper/essa2011_2182.pdf
- Description: Publisher version , Economic indicators, like GDP per capita, are commonly used as indicators of welfare. However, they have a very limited and narrow scope, excluding many potentially important welfare determinants, such as health, relative income and religion - not surprising since they were not originally designed to fill this role. There is thus growing acceptance, and use of, subjective measure of wellbeing, (called ‘happiness’ measures) both worldwide and in South Africa. Happiness economics does not propose to replace income based measure of wellbeing, but rather attempts to compliment them with broader measures, which can be important in making policy decisions that optimise societal welfare. This paper tests for differences in subjective wellbeing between race groups in South Africa, and investigates the determinants of self-rated life satisfaction (happiness) for each group. Using the 2008 National Income Dynamics Study (NIDS) data, descriptive methods (ANOVA) and an ordered probit model are applied. Results indicate that reported happiness differs substantially among race groups, with black South Africans being the least happy group despite changes since the advent of democracy in 1994. Higher levels of educational attainment increase satisfaction for the whole sample, and women are generally less happy than men (particularly black women). As found in many other studies, unemployed people have lower levels of life satisfaction than the employed, even when controlling for income and relative income. The determinants of happiness are also different for each race group: While white South Africans attached greater importance to physical health; employment status and absolute income matter greatly for black people. For coloured people and black people, positional status (as measured by relative income) is an important determinant of happiness, with religious involvement significantly contributing to the happiness of Indian people.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
The experiences of Fringe producers at the South African National Arts Festival: production, profits and non-market benefits
- Snowball, Jeanette D, Antrobus, Geoffrey G
- Authors: Snowball, Jeanette D , Antrobus, Geoffrey G
- Date: 2011
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/143123 , vital:38203 , DOI: 10.1080/10137548.2009.9687901
- Description: Unlike the performing arts generally, festivals and special events have been growing in popularity worldwide: since the 1980s there has been an explosion of the number of festival of all types, not just arts festivals, but folk festivals, harvest festivals, food festivals, family festivals, carnivals, literary festivals – the list is long. It is estimated that there are more than 300 festivals in the UK (British Federation of Festivals 2004), 1300 in Australia (Johnson et al 2005) and more than 5000 in the US (Blumenthal 2002).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
- Authors: Snowball, Jeanette D , Antrobus, Geoffrey G
- Date: 2011
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/143123 , vital:38203 , DOI: 10.1080/10137548.2009.9687901
- Description: Unlike the performing arts generally, festivals and special events have been growing in popularity worldwide: since the 1980s there has been an explosion of the number of festival of all types, not just arts festivals, but folk festivals, harvest festivals, food festivals, family festivals, carnivals, literary festivals – the list is long. It is estimated that there are more than 300 festivals in the UK (British Federation of Festivals 2004), 1300 in Australia (Johnson et al 2005) and more than 5000 in the US (Blumenthal 2002).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
Government failure and state incapacity: the South African public sector in the 1990s
- Dollery, Brian, Snowball, Jeanette D
- Authors: Dollery, Brian , Snowball, Jeanette D
- Date: 2010
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/71343 , vital:29835 , https://doi.org/10.1080/10113430309511164
- Description: In their editorial introduction to the 1994 Special Issue of the South African Journal of Economic History devoted to a sectoral analysis of the South African economy during the 1980s, Stuart Jones and Jon Inggs described this period as a "lost decade", with per capita incomes even lower in 1990 than they had been in 1980. Moreover, "no other Western country experienced a comparable decline in the 1980s and South Africa herself had never experienced anything like it since the formation of Union in 1910". Thus, from the perspective of economic growth, the decade of the 1990s could not have had a less auspicious beginning.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Dollery, Brian , Snowball, Jeanette D
- Date: 2010
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/71343 , vital:29835 , https://doi.org/10.1080/10113430309511164
- Description: In their editorial introduction to the 1994 Special Issue of the South African Journal of Economic History devoted to a sectoral analysis of the South African economy during the 1980s, Stuart Jones and Jon Inggs described this period as a "lost decade", with per capita incomes even lower in 1990 than they had been in 1980. Moreover, "no other Western country experienced a comparable decline in the 1980s and South Africa herself had never experienced anything like it since the formation of Union in 1910". Thus, from the perspective of economic growth, the decade of the 1990s could not have had a less auspicious beginning.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2010
Introducing a learning management system in a large first year class: impact on lecturers and students
- Snowball, Jeanette D, Mostert, Markus
- Authors: Snowball, Jeanette D , Mostert, Markus
- Date: 2010
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/68631 , vital:29297 , https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC37639
- Description: Publisher version , The challenges of teaching large classes are well documented in the literature on teaching in higher education. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have the potential to address some of these challenges, but, used inappropriately, technology can perpetuate entrenched practices and simply support performance models of teaching that encourage transmission approaches to learning. This article reports on the impact of implementing a learning management system (LMS) in a first year introductory macroeconomics course with 600 students in a blended learning context. Experiences of the course coordinator, lecturers and an educational technologist are discussed and data was also collected on student perceptions via a course evaluation questionnaire. Results show that the LMS was successful in a number of areas, particularly in improving the lecturers' accessibility to students and in encouraging interaction and participations in online discussion forums.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Snowball, Jeanette D , Mostert, Markus
- Date: 2010
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/68631 , vital:29297 , https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC37639
- Description: Publisher version , The challenges of teaching large classes are well documented in the literature on teaching in higher education. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have the potential to address some of these challenges, but, used inappropriately, technology can perpetuate entrenched practices and simply support performance models of teaching that encourage transmission approaches to learning. This article reports on the impact of implementing a learning management system (LMS) in a first year introductory macroeconomics course with 600 students in a blended learning context. Experiences of the course coordinator, lecturers and an educational technologist are discussed and data was also collected on student perceptions via a course evaluation questionnaire. Results show that the LMS was successful in a number of areas, particularly in improving the lecturers' accessibility to students and in encouraging interaction and participations in online discussion forums.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2010
The valuation of campus built heritage from the student perspective: comparative analysis of Rhodes University in South Africa and St. Mary’s College of Maryland in the United States
- Poor, Joan P, Snowball, Jeanette D
- Authors: Poor, Joan P , Snowball, Jeanette D
- Date: 2010
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/67488 , vital:29102 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.culher.2009.05.002
- Description: Pre-print , Many universities and colleges around the world have done extensive surveys of their campus built heritage resources. A detailed description and accounting of a campus's built heritage, landscape heritage and archaeology, are often used for historic preservation planning, and sustaining built culture is also an important aspect of campus master planning of future buildings. Such institutions of higher education have deep historical roots, in Europe it is not uncommon for buildings to be dated prior to the sixteenth century. In countries where European colonies were established, institutions of higher education often date to the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Once students have arrived at their chosen campus, however, except for perhaps the first week orientation rituals, do the students actually develop ties to their campus built heritage? This research investigates the knowledge students possess of their respective campus built heritage and the importance of built heritage as a legacy to them. Two institutions are included in this study in an effort of draw comparative assessments. A student questionnaire was administered at Rhodes University in South Africa and St. Mary's College of Maryland in the United States during April 2008. Results indicate students on both campuses place positive intrinsic value on their respective campus built heritage. Just over half (52%) of Rhodes students and about 68% of St. Mary's students were willing to pay some positive amount to protect campus built heritage. Empirical probit model results combining the data from both institutions found that current student knowledge of their respective campus built heritage did not positively relate to the value they place on preservation, even though the visual identity was significant for students and influenced their decision to attend the particular institution. The lack of significance regarding a racial variable coefficient estimate suggests that the use of an institution's visual identity in terms of built heritage may have important marketing implications, particularly in cases where universities or colleges are trying to attract students from more diverse backgrounds. We found no significant relationships between willingness to pay to preserve an institution's built heritage and the demographic variables included in our empirical model. Fundraising data analysis includes positive willingness to pay for conserving built heritage, yet funding for new construction was not significant.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Poor, Joan P , Snowball, Jeanette D
- Date: 2010
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/67488 , vital:29102 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.culher.2009.05.002
- Description: Pre-print , Many universities and colleges around the world have done extensive surveys of their campus built heritage resources. A detailed description and accounting of a campus's built heritage, landscape heritage and archaeology, are often used for historic preservation planning, and sustaining built culture is also an important aspect of campus master planning of future buildings. Such institutions of higher education have deep historical roots, in Europe it is not uncommon for buildings to be dated prior to the sixteenth century. In countries where European colonies were established, institutions of higher education often date to the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Once students have arrived at their chosen campus, however, except for perhaps the first week orientation rituals, do the students actually develop ties to their campus built heritage? This research investigates the knowledge students possess of their respective campus built heritage and the importance of built heritage as a legacy to them. Two institutions are included in this study in an effort of draw comparative assessments. A student questionnaire was administered at Rhodes University in South Africa and St. Mary's College of Maryland in the United States during April 2008. Results indicate students on both campuses place positive intrinsic value on their respective campus built heritage. Just over half (52%) of Rhodes students and about 68% of St. Mary's students were willing to pay some positive amount to protect campus built heritage. Empirical probit model results combining the data from both institutions found that current student knowledge of their respective campus built heritage did not positively relate to the value they place on preservation, even though the visual identity was significant for students and influenced their decision to attend the particular institution. The lack of significance regarding a racial variable coefficient estimate suggests that the use of an institution's visual identity in terms of built heritage may have important marketing implications, particularly in cases where universities or colleges are trying to attract students from more diverse backgrounds. We found no significant relationships between willingness to pay to preserve an institution's built heritage and the demographic variables included in our empirical model. Fundraising data analysis includes positive willingness to pay for conserving built heritage, yet funding for new construction was not significant.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010