An integration of the livelihoods and asset-based community development approaches: A South African case study

This study provides an integrated framework and practice model of the sustainable livelihoods (SL) and the asset-based community development (ABCD) approaches. A household survey of a rural village in South Africa is used as a basis of analysis to demonstrate the application of the integrated approach. The results elucidate the vulnerability of the people and a range of inter-locking and multi-dimensional factors contributing to poverty in the community. The results also show people's assets, capabilities and activities which enable them to cope and survive despite constraints and shortcomings. It was found that the integrated SL/ABCD framework is a useful framework to understand the strengths of a vulnerable community in order to plan and implement sustainable community development strategies.     

Regional development in the Southern African development area

This article draws the conclusion that the present regional development strategy is an improvement on the previous policy of industrial decentralization, both in terms of its stated objectives and its achievements, but that it does not fully come to grips with the development problems of the Southern African development region (SADA). In spite of some very sound objectives on which the strategy is based, it still focuses too much on the development of growth points (or IDPs) and industrial development. Growth centre strategies have, however, only met with limited success, both internationally and in South Africa. A more comprehensive and bottom‐up approach to regional development is called for, but it will not be possible to finalize the regional development policy before clarity is reached on the future political dispensation of South Africa.     

Internet-enabled supply chain integration: Prospects and challenges for the South African automotive industry

The impetus for supply chain integration (SCI) in the global automotive industry is being driven by the Internet. The article critically explores the potential of the Internet to optimise and streamline the complex supply chains found in the South African automotive industry. The Internet's potential to create seamless, collaborative supply networks could provide the local automotive industry with a distinctive competitive advantage in its pursuit of an 'outward orientation' and 'global connectedness' after a lengthy period of trade isolation and government protection. The findings, however, reveal that domestic automotive firms are generally not using the Internet for substantive interbusiness trade and advanced SCI. By not making the transition to Internet-enabled SCI, South African automotive firms may be placing themselves at risk of becoming less competitive in the globally interconnected market, which will impact on both their current market positions and long-term viability.     

The development axis as a development instrument in the Southern African development area

Development axes are phenomena which occur world‐wide and which are widely used in the physical planning process as a working tool to regulate economic and geographical space. Different interpretations of the phenomenon lead to considerable differences in its application as a planning instrument ‐ also in South Africa. An attempt has been made to analyse different approaches to the concept against the background of its fundamental morphological properties. It is argued that there is still today a need for a development axis policy in the Southern African development area (SADA). Finally an alternative approach is suggested which makes it possible to illuminate some of the most important disadvantages in the current application of the concept in Southern Africa.     

Export Performance,Regional Demand,and the Prospects of Intra-West African Trade in Vegetable Oils

Abstract: The present paper assesses the relative roles of internal and external factors in the decline of groundnut trade by AGC countries. Furthermore, it analyses the determinants of regional vegetable oils demand and evaluates the extent to which regional exporters can benefit from the rapid expansion of demand on regional markets. Résumé: Ce document cherche à déterminer le rôle relatif des facteurs internes et externes dans le fléchissement du commerce de l'arachide entre les pays de l'AGC. Par ailleurs, son auteur analyse les causes détermhantes de la demande régionafe des huiles végétales et cherche àévaluer dans quelle mesure les exportateurs régionaux peuvent profiter de l'expansion rapide de la demande sur les marchés de la région     

African Social Sciences and Development in the New Century: Challenges and Prospects

Abstract: This paper examines the travails of the social sciences in Africa since the post‐colonial era. It pinpoints the fact that the ability of the social sciences to be really meaningful to the delusive development quest by Africa has been undermined by a combination of structural and epistemological problems. These problems range from the dismal economic environment in the continent, the structural limitations imposed on research, poor conditions of service to laziness and epistemological inferiority among African social scientists. However, the paper posits that the current wind of change blowing across Africa, a re‐examination of the epistemology of the field and a conscientious self‐reappraisal will ultimately reposition the social sciences to play significant roles in the development of Africa.     

Evaluating participation in African economic integration schemes: the case of the North African Arab Maghreb

This article makes an attempt to assess the significance ofeconomic integration among African countries, taking the ArabMaghreb Union (AMU) of 1989 as a case study, judged from theperspective of one member country - Algeria. The main conclusionto emerge from the empirical findings is that, while the existenceof trade expansion effects can be demonstrated, their impacton the Algerian economy is quite modest.     

上海游艇业发展前景

新型的都市型工业不仅要实现物质生活的高层次,还要提高市民精神文化生活的质量。 "游艇业"就是一个非常好的选择。所谓"游艇业",包括旅游服务业和游艇制造业。尽管现代游艇运动和游艇制造已存在百年以上,但在新经济时代背景下,世界游艇业仍是第二产业和第三产业高度集成、良性互动的"中间产业"之-。     

上海服务贸易现状与前景

一、 当代服务业发展的新特点 当前,服务业在国民经济中的地位空前提高,在经济结构中的比例也越来越大,正在成为新时代的主导产业。同时,服务业结构也在发生变化,它的一个突出特点就是知识密集型新兴服务业在增加值中的比重明显增加,成为带动服务业增长的火车头。服务业的这种结构变化反映了新经济时代的经济结构特点。 二、上海服务业的发展相对滞     

Trade Creation and Trade Diversion Effects in the Economic Community of Central African States

This paper analyzes trade creation and trade diversion effects in the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) between 2007 and 2016 using the Gravity Model. The results show that variables like GDP, population, bilateral distance, political stability and corruption are crucial for the determination of bilateral trade flow. More importantly, the study finds that there is neither trade creation nor trade diversion in the ECCAS region. Thus, the FTA in ECCAS did not lead either to reinforce intra‐trade or to emphasize trade with non‐member countries. Yet, the Economic Community of Central African States (CEMAC), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the East African Community (EAC) have been trade creating during the aforementioned period. Therefore, the paper recommends policy makers to promote more regional integration within ECCAS notably through the construction of intra‐zone communication means and the effective establishment of the free movement of people and goods within the region.     

The Southern African customs union: A reappraisal

The paper attempts to evaluate, as far as possible quantitatively, the costs and benefits to the countries of the ‘Southern African periphery’ (Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland) of participation with South Africa in the current customs union agreement. On balancing the agreement's measurable effects (on industrial development, exports, government revenue and the cost of living) against one another, it appears that on sanguine assumptions only, there would be a substantial benefit to Botswana and a much more moderate benefit to Lesotho if the customs union were dismantled and replaced by separately protected national markets. Such a calculation, however, neglects what may be the most important benefit and cost to the ‘peripheral’ countries of leaving the customs union, namely the increase of ‘economic independence’ and the risk of South African retaliation respectively: themes which are explored in the final section.     

Economic Integration for Development in Eastern and Southern Africa: Assessment and Prospects

Abstract: In this paper we discuss regional economic integration schemes in Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA), their theoretical basis, current status and the actual and potential efforts to transform them into meaningful instruments for cross-border socio-economic change. This is done in the context of the changing regional dynamics in Southern Africa. (JEL: 055; FIS). Résumé: Dans ce document, nous examinons les programmes d'intégration régionale en Afrique australe et en Afrique de l'Est (ESA), de leur base théorique, leur état d'avancement et des efforts réels et potentiels visant à en faire des instruments significatifs de progrès socio-économique international. Cela a été entrepris dans le cadre de l'évolution des facteurs régionaux en Afrique australe.     

Trade integration and within-plant productivity evolution in Chile

We analyze the impact of trade integration on plant TFP using Chilean plant-level data (1982–1999) and 3-digit bilateral trade flows. Our contribution is to disentangle the impact of export and import barriers, estimated as border effects within a multilateral context. A fall in export barriers is positively correlated with plant productivity in traded sectors. The reduction of import barriers, however, can only be associated to productivity improvements in export-oriented sectors. In import-competing sectors a robust positive correlation shows up between plant productivity and protection. We then test several channels linking trade integration and firm productivity.     

福建自贸区离岸金融业务发展存在的问题与对策

随着我国经济建设的不断加强以及福建自贸区的成立,离岸金融业务成为了经济生活中不可或缺的一部分,离岸金融业务的出现对福建省来说可谓是机遇与挑战并存。离岸金融业务增进了闽台间的交流,更好地发展了福建独特的地缘优势,促进其自身及周边地区的发展,但同时离岸金融业务也存在着发展不完善、片区经济不协调、管理机制不足等诸多问题,福建省应建立有效的商业模式,创新贸易发展方式,加大创新力度,实行三大片区优势互补,以实现和台湾的产业对接,进一步完善福建自贸区银行服务离岸金融业务,使其拥有一个更好的发展前景。     

Inflation and Economic Growth: Evidence from the Southern African Development Community

In this paper, we investigate the role of inflation rates in determining economic growth in 15 sub‐Saharan African countries, which are all members of the Southern African Development Community, between 1980 and 2009. The results, based on panel time‐series data and analysis (we use the fixed effects and fixed effects with instrumental variables estimators to account for heterogeneity and endogeneity in thin panels), suggest that inflation has had a detrimental effect to growth in the community. We highlight that inflation has offset the Mundell–Tobin effect and consequently reduced the much needed economic activity in the community, and also the importance of an institutional framework conducive to a stable macroeconomic environment as a precondition for development and prosperity in the community.