Determination of social, environmental and economic benefits for community participation in forestry in Mpumalanga, South Africa
- Authors: Long, Leo Searle , Chirwa, Paxie
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Forests and forestry -- South Africa -- Mpumalanga
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/34339 , vital:33307
- Description: Rural communities living adjacent to commercial forestry operations are often affected by numerous negative social issues such as poverty, unemployment, poor healthcare, and limited infrastructure, amongst others. In excess of 61% of forestry land managed by the state owned SAFCOL SOC Ltd is under land claim, as part of the Restitution of Land Rights Act (Act 22 of 1994). It is therefore necessary for forest companies to seek active means of engaging and partnering with these communities through a participatory forest management (PFM) approach. This study explored the sustainable (social, environmental and economic), benefits of such an approach as perceived (experienced) by these local rural communities, and specifically land claimants. The study was conducted in communities adjacent to SAFCOL plantations in the Mpumalanga Province of South Africa. Data were collected between May and June 2017 by means of a structured questionnaire. Surveys were conducted on 46 households within the identified communities so as to verify and evaluate perceived benefits in terms of forest products, ecosystem services and amenities/services/infrastructure provided by SAFCOL and the broader forest industry. The results indicated that these communities recognize and obtain numerous social, environmental and economic benefits from the forest including Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) such as firewood; forest provisioning ecosystem services (FPESs) such as improved water quality; and more metaphysical benefits such as access to gravesites and the protection of traditions and customs. These benefits have the ability to improve the social well-being, economic independence, and the quality of environmental services obtained by the associated communities. It was however found that the utilization of these benefits was widely differentiated according to gender and land claimant status. Whilst males and females largely benefitted equally, there was a distinct benefit preference between genders for different NTFPs. For example males showed preference for the collection of building material, bush meat and for livestock husbandry, whilst females showed preference for the collection of firewood, medicinal plants and fruit, amongst others. Similarly, it was found that overall, non-land claimants benefited more than land claimants. Reasons for this are primarily due to the increased distance with which the land claimants live from the forest resource when compared to non-land claimants. The empirical value of the data produced through this study will be invaluable in negotiations with the land claimant communities on land settlement agreements, joint venture proposals, including Participatory Forest Management, and future land tenure. Through such inclusivity and vested interest in the sustainable management of the forests, corporate risk is reduced and community/land claimant relationships are reinforced. Such Participatory Forest Management arrangements are key to ensuring the longevity and resilience to the forest sector post-transfer of claimed land.
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- Date Issued: 2019
The South African economy and internationally fuelled business cycles: an econometric analysis
- Authors: Conradie, Tiaan
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Business cycles -- Econometric models , Econometrics
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/4354 , vital:20588
- Description: The objective of this study is to understand the dynamics of international monetary policy and the relationship that exists between larger more developed economies and smaller less developed economies within a policy context. The 2008 financial crisis has caused intense revival of Austrian economics due to the monetary nature of the recession caused as a subsequent effect of the stock/housing market collapse that occurred in 2007. One factor of the 2008 financial crisis that created intense concern was the extent to which the slowdown in economic activity was able to be transmitted across international borders. The South African economy was not isolated from the financial crisis by any means and experienced a significant slowdown in economic growth. By making use of data collected from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis and the appropriate econometric techniques, a model is developed to study the dynamics between United States monetary policy and the South African economy. The Austrian School provides a sound theoretical framework that allows for the specification of testable propositions to verify the validity of an “Austrian” internationally transmitted business cycle. Using United States money supply, South African private consumption, South African gross fixed capital formation and the South African current account, a vector autoregressive model is specified to analyse the dynamics behind the United States and South African economy. The results of the empirical test all confirm the theoretical prescriptions developed in the literature review that monetary growth in the United States raise consumption, investment and improve the current account balance in the South African economy. This is a novel result for this study as it confirms that a large central economy has the ability to trigger economic expansions in a peripheral economy. This study further points out the inefficiencies associated with Keynesian style policy making and propagates for a movement towards a more prudent Austrian approach. Keynesian policy making through demand oriented policies have historically been more concerned with “curing” economic instability rather than preventing it. In light of this, the need for economic reform specifically within the manner in which monetary policy is conducted is evident. Aggressive monetary policy in the wake of economic slowdown is no longer effective at creating a sustainable and stable economic environment. A movement away from the monopolization of money and central economic decision making is necessary if the global economy wishes to reach economic permanence.
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- Date Issued: 2015
Investigating a business model for implementing pathology services within the public sector
- Authors: Ngcwangu, Sakiwo
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Pathological laboratories -- Administration , Medical laboratories -- Administration , Laboratories -- Organization & administration
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:9345 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1013368
- Description: As the business evolves, organisations are faced with challenges as today’s customers have changed, and demand a value for the products and services purchased. Customer satisfaction is a key factor to business excellence. The health sector and its service providers are faced with such demands, having to ensure customer satisfaction with limited resources. The aim of the study was to investigate a business model that could be implemented within the public sector to render pathology services. Particular reference was given to the National Health Laboratory Service as a provider of choice for rendering medical laboratory services within public health institutions and related departments. The data has been collected using a self constructed questionnaire which has been distributed to the NHLS centers within the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality. 45 percent of the employees, in the region took part in the survey. The study tested the perceptions of the respondents with respect to the business model, specifically the determinants of a business model and its effects. The results of the empirical study revealed that a relationship exists between the business model, its determinants and customer satisfaction. Correlation analysis was done between the business model, customer relation management, continuous improvement, talent management, business process reengineering and customer satisfaction. Conclusions and recommendations have been drawn from the study. The NHLS needs to change its approach to business, invest in people education, training and development, improve its communication strategies with customers and realign its processes in order to maintain business excellence and provide a better service within the public sector
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- Date Issued: 2012