Domestic tourist spending and economic development: The case of the North West Province

Globally, tourism is the largest and fastest growing industry, outpacing all other industries. In South Africa, tourism is widely regarded as a growth catalyst, able to generate much-needed income and employment opportunities. The market potential of domestic tourism has, however, been downplayed in favour of international tourism. This research argues that tourism – especially domestic tourism – can contribute significantly to regional growth and development in South Africa. A survey was carried out among domestic tourists in the North West Province, one of the poorest provinces in South Africa. This survey was used to draw up a demographic and spending profile of the average domestic tourist in the province, and to determine the possible implications of this spending on different macroeconomic variables in the province.     

Remaining at the margins: Case study of farmworkers in the North West Province,South Africa

This article explores living conditions, livelihoods and prospects of farmworkers with regard to land reform legislation. Research was conducted from 2004 to 2010 on four farms in the North West Province, interviewing farmworkers and farm owners. Representatives of the agricultural union Agri North West and land analysts were interviewed to obtain their perspective on farm labour. Despite protective legislation, farmworkers' living and working conditions have deteriorated. Farmworkers further lack alternative livelihood options, perpetuating their dependency on farm owners, who are the only ones providing services and some social security. Among the main barriers in the empowerment of farmworkers are limited insights regarding complex social relationships on farms, the challenge to address the specificity of power relations, and the marginalised position of farmworkers and their lack of agency in the broader political system. Both farmworkers and farm owners need support structures and strengthened institutional capacity to gradually change power dynamics.     

The determinants of rural and urban household poverty in the North West province of South Africa

Based on standard poverty measures, the extent of poverty in the North West province is on average worse than in South Africa. For instance, the poverty gap ratio for North West is twice that of the South African average, and the FGT index is three times as high. This article therefore aims to identify the determinants of rural and urban poverty in the North West province of South Africa. Using data gathered from a survey of 593 black households across the province, probit model estimates suggest that the major significant determinants of household poverty in both rural and urban areas are education and household size. A difference between rural and urban poverty is, first, that extra female adults in a rural household raise the probability of poverty. Secondly, having a migrant (out) worker as head of the household in rural areas lowers the probability of poverty, while this does not apply to urban households. A sensitivity analysis for the robustness of the results over a range of poverty lines reveals that the impact of education is much stronger for poorer households than for more wealthy households.     

Rural schools and educational technology: A case study of rural schools in the Molopo district,Mafikeng

This article examines the position and conditions of rural schools around Mafikeng (North-West Province, South Africa) with relation to the Technology Learning Area – a core component of Curriculum 2005. Technology Education (TE) has been undergirded by the launching of the Science and Technology Campaign by the national Ministry of Education at the introductory phase of Curriculum 2005. Given the well-known limitations on the capacity of rural schools to engage meaningfully and productively with both technological and science education, this pilot study investigates the pre-planning and strategising by relevant stakeholders. The article also focuses on the career aspirations of learners, and career guidance and expectations on the part of the teaching staff and parents, with reference to the acquisition of competencies in the Technology Learning Area by learners. Financial contributions by rural communities to school funds and security provisions for these schools which, it is envisaged, will house instructional materials for TE, are confronted and analysed.     

Analysing legal mobilisation’s potential to secure equal access to socioeconomic justice in South Africa

ABSTRACT

From the moment South Africa became a liberal democracy, the Government promised to deliver on social security for the poor. However, South African NGOs have reported that several barriers prevent poor South Africans, and black women in particular, from accessing the country’s social assistance system. Government inaction has compelled NGOs to approach the Courts. As reflected in a series of court judgements, many problems faced by the system relate to the administration of payments by South African and multinational corporations. But is this the complete story?

Applying a critical, analytical lens of legal mobilisation to explain the potential of legal mobilisation to secure progressive structural change, this article will assess the extent to which civic-based, legal advocacy aimed at securing access to social grants, and challenging the manner in which these grants have been administered, has the potential to more strategically advance socioeconomic justice and inequality for South Africa’s poor.     

Manufacturing enterprises and marketing planning in a mining area of the North West Province,South Africa: lessons for local business support centres

This paper examines the extent to which manufacturing SMMEs (small, medium and micro enterprises) see marketing planning as important for their businesses in the area of the North West Province known as PKOSH (Potchefstroom, Klerksdorp, Orkney, Stilfontein and Hartbeesfontein). It identifies lessons for local business support centres, based on a case study of manufacturing businesses in this region. The literature suggests that appropriate marketing planning will increase profitability, but it was found that most manufacturing industries in this area do not plan their marketing appropriately. This is largely because of their close relationship with and dependence on the mining industry, which is at present extremely volatile, with mine closures imminent. Against this background, the authors argue that local business support centres should have a much better understanding of local business trends and should provide information to help businesses open up markets beyond their immediate environment.     

南有西湖，北有明湖

1958年．大明湖被正式辟为公园。 如今．大明湖即将“还湖于民”。高高的围墙将被拆除．大明湖将从“深闺”中掀起盖头来．成为“城中湖”而不是“园中湖”。     

Migrate for education: An unintended effect of school district combination in rural China

A large number of village primary schools in rural China were closed since the 1990s. This paper studies the impact of the reduction in the number of primary schools on the migration decision of rural residents. First, using China Health and Nutrition Survey that contains information on community characteristics, we find that both the disappearance of village primary school and the increased distance to nearby primary school increased the migration probability of village residents. Second, using the 1% population survey in 2005 and prefecture level information, we find that the decline in the number of primary schools between 2000 and 2004 increased the migration probability of rural residents. Exploring the heterogeneous effects, we find that the migration of individuals with primary-school-age children is more sensitive to the relocation of primary schools, and that the effect is stronger for families with boys than those with girls. These results suggest that human capital investment motive and regional education policy play an important role in China's urbanization process.     

流动人口子女义务教育问题剖析

本文通过分析我国在保障流动人口子女（主要是农民工子女）义务教育问题方面出台的政策变迁，以及这个问题的解决进程，指出流动人口女子义务教育问题的解决具有长期性和复杂性，并从转变流入地政府观念、拓宽资金渠道、加强数量监控等方面提出切实解决这个问题的政策构想。     

Labour market discrimination in the North West province of South Africa

This article provides an econometric estimate of labour market discrimination in the North West province of South Africa. Using data obtained from the October 1995 Household Survey, it was found that in 1995 statistically significant gender discrimination exists against women in North West's labour market. The male discriminatory wage advantage of 127 per cent and the female discriminatory disadvantage of 195 per cent were ascribed to the overrewarding and underrewarding of some personal characteristics of males and females, respectively. Productivity differentials of 40 per cent in favour of females and a premium paid to women measuring 71 per cent also exist. Discrimination explains 50 per cent of the wage gap between genders, while productivity differentials and the premium account for 13 and 37 per cent respectively. The study supports 'affirmative action' and suggests policies that aim to alter the occupational distributions, and these may need to target educational decisions made prior to labour market entry.     

A note on black economic well-being in the North and West

Conclusion These very positive gains in economic well-being for certain categories of black families do not surprise us. Those in which the head is under 35 and live in the North and the West have had relatively more opportunity open to them as a result of some of the strong enforcement policies of the late sixties and affirmative action programs. This group of the black population, by and large, is better educated, more mobile, and more job-ready. It is, therefore, in a position to be more productive and thereby earn relatively higher incomes when society relaxes some of its discriminating tendencies. No such advantages, however, are available to the households headed by females or older households which comprise the overwhelming members of families in poverty.     

Evaluating remedial education in elementary schools: Administrative data from a municipality in Japan

In this study, we examine the effect of a remedial education program in language arts and mathematics for third- and fourth-grade students with low previous academic performance. Utilizing a unique panel data set constructed from the administrative data of public elementary schools in Adachi ward in Japan, we estimate the impact of remedial program participation on the subsequent test scores in Japanese language arts and mathematics. This paper utilizes the variations in placement policies of schools as an instrument to identify the effect of the remedial education program, controlling for selection biases. Our estimation results indicate that the remedial education programs had positive effects on test scores of Japanese language arts by 0.13 of a standard deviation, while no statistically significant effect was found for mathematics test scores. The results suggest that the participants increased awareness of the importance of study practices and hours of study as well.     

西部中小城市规划创新的若干思考

着眼于中国西部中小城市规划工作在深化政府行政管理体制改革、加强城市规划培训、加强规划编制基础工作、有针对性地研究适合西部中小城市特点的规划编制管理办法等方面进行探讨,并提出进一步提高中小城市规划工作水平的改革创新思路。     

Human resource development and growth: improving access to and equity in the provision of education and health services in South Africa

This paper demonstrates the importance of improving access to and equity in the provision of essential services such as education and health for enhancing human development. A major constraint to accelerating and sustaining economic growth in South Africa is the shortage of skilled human resources. Human capital formation (through appropriate education, training and health) is vital for growth. However, for sustained growth to reduce poverty and unemployment, human capital of a ‘higher order’ than the system is currently producing, in both quantitative and qualitative terms, must be generated. The paper reviews progress in the education and health sectors and identifies the challenges. It stresses the need for policy makers to recognise the link between education and health outcomes and the provision of clean water, adequate sanitation, cheap and accessible transport and effective nutrition programmes. Addressing only the education and health services is unlikely to lead to optimal outcomes in these sectors.     

The education of migrant children in China's urban public elementary schools: Evidence from Shanghai

The education of migrant children critically determines the level of human capital of China's future labor force. The majority of migrant children in Chinese cities now study in public schools. This paper uses self-collected data in Shanghai in 2010 and 2012 to evaluate the performance of migrant students in public elementary schools. We find that across schools, migrant students with better family background enter into schools with higher quality. Within the same schools, migrant students perform as well as their local counterparts, in both cognitive and non-cognitive dimensions. Our results suggest that there is no evidence of within-school discrimination against migrant students within public schools, and the key to improving their education is access to better schools.     

Determinants of labour force participation in the North West province of South Africa

Based on data extracted from the 1995 October Household Survey of Statistics South Africa, this study has found that potential income is a major factor in labour force participation by African women in the North West province of South Africa. Other significant determinants of participation for both genders are age, education, region, marital status and relationship to the head of the household. The results imply that significant discrimination against African women still exists in the North West province, which partly explains the much lower participation rate for African women (64 per cent), compared with that of African men (86,5 per cent). The study supports the North West government's development strategy of developing human resources to eradicate poverty.     

总部经济及其对苏北地区承接产业转移的启示

文章从总部经济的概念、效应及其发展等的分析出发,结合新一轮产业转移的现实案例,指出总部经济作为区域经济合作与发展中逐步形成的新经济形态,对于苏北欠发达地区有效承接发达地区的产业转移具有积极的启示意义.     

安徽省农村居民消费结构的ELFS模型解析

本文在分析安徽省农村居民消费水平和结构的具体特点的基础上,从消费者的效用最大化原则出发,引入了Luich的扩展线性支出系统(ELES)模型,并运用模型及其关联信息,对农村居民生活消费结构变动规律、现状作了实证分析.据此指出目前安徽省农村居民消费结构存在的问题和缺陷.     

Returns to education in China: Evidence from the great higher education expansion

China experienced a near 5-fold increase in annual Higher Education (HE) enrolment in the decade starting in 1999. Using the China Household Finance Survey, we show that the Great HE Expansion has exacerbated a large pre-existing urban-rural gap in educational attainment underpinned by the hukou (household registration) system. We instrument the years of schooling with the interaction between urban hukou status during childhood and the timing of the expansion – in essence a difference-in-differences estimator using rural students to control for common time trends. We find that the Great HE raised earnings by 17% for men and 12% for women respectively, allowing for county fixed-effects. These Two Stage Least Squares (2SLS) estimates, which are robust to additional controls for hukou status at birth fully interacted with birth hukou province, can be interpreted as the Local Average Treatment Effect (LATE) of education on earnings for urban students who enrolled in HE only because of the Great HE Expansion. For the selected subsample of respondents with parental education information, we find that the 2SLS returns for students from more disadvantaged backgrounds are at least as high as their more advantaged counterparts, for both genders.