A case‐study of an organisation for creche teachers in a rural area of South Africa

Early childhood educare programmes can aid development through their impact on young children, their mothers and the community. The stages of development of the Hlanganani Crèche Teachers’ Organisation are outlined. The lessons for development and the effectiveness of the organisation in addressing educare issues are examined. An organisation for educare workers can be effective in dealing with problems facing educare workers if it is approached with the aim of developing and empowering its members.     

Leyland Daf: A case of negative European integration

In February 1987 Daf, the privately owned Dutch truck maker, bought the British state-owned Leyland trucks and vans business. Almost five years to the day later, Leyland Daf went into liquidation. This report examines what went wrong and tells the story behind the 1987 deal. It will argue that the UK Government sold Leyland trucks to a parent company which had little to offer. This conclusion raises the crucial issues of how the British Government and the EC got us into this position and why both have done little to solve the regional problems they created.     

Econometric models based on count data. Comparisons and applications of some estimators and tests

This paper deals with specification, estimation and tests of single equation reduced form type equations in which the dependent variable takes only non-negative integer values. Beginning with Poisson and compound Poisson models, which involve strong assumptions, a variety of possible stochastic models and their implications are discussed. A number of estimators and their properties are considered in the light of uncertainty about the data generation process. The paper also considers the role of tests in sequential revision of the model specification beginr ing with the Poisson case and provides a detailed application of the estimators and tests to a model of the number of doctor consultations.     

PLANT LOCATION ANALYSIS USING DISCRETE STOCHASTIC PROGRAMMING1*

A plant location model with two major aspects is outlined. First, discrete stochastic programming is used to handle variability in supplies and demands. Second, the cost structure of plants is modelled in more detail and with more realism than is usual. Results from applying the model to the Queensland cattle slaughtering industry demonstrate the inappropriateness of using traditional deterministic plant location models to analyse problems with major stochastic elements. Deterministic models yield plant locations, sizes, throughputs, commodity flows and implications which differ markedly from those generated by stochastic models in which plant sizes and locations are optimally matched to variable fat cattle supplies. In addition, the traditional deterministic long-run model overestimates the normative gains of industry rationalisation.