Are Business Incubators Really Creating New Jobs by Creating New Businesses and New Products

This article examines the use of business incubators to enhance industrial innovation and new venture formation. Currently, the number of business incubators is rapidly growing. Yet, we have little solid evidence that such centers actually stimulate the growth and success of either innovations or new ventures. Gerald Udell examines incubators' resources and services in an effort to assess their potential impact. He conducted a survey of two hundred incubators and linked the results to a partial review of the literature to aid in the assessment of business incubators.     

An assessment of household rainwater collection systems in a periurban/rural ward of KwaZulu

Household rainwater features were examined in the high rainfall Inadi ward, in the Vulindlela district of KwaZulu. The aim of the investigation was to determine the present status of rainwater collection equipment at private houses, with a view to upgrading such facilities as an interim source of water for potable and general purposes. The survey showed that galvanized roofs in general were in reasonable condition, although gutters and storage vessels were inadequate and were often in a poor state of repair. It is important to note that the data revealed acceptance of rainwater collection as a supplementary water supply source.     

Aiding self‐employed car‐washers in the informal sector in Durban

In the past year, the South African Government has committed itself to ‘developing’ the informal sector as a strategy to ease the unemployment crisis and to aid the underemployed. In this paper, the author examines both the lives of self‐employed car‐washers and car‐washing as an activity within the informal sector. He argues that many ‘marginalised’ people who eke out a subsistence in the lower echelons of the informal sector in South Africa regard themselves as lumpenproletariat (or ‘wage‐labourers‐in‐waiting') and not dynamic entrepreneurs. These people expect the Government to intervene in the process of their transition to proletarianism. Further, activities such as car‐washing offer no prospects for self‐advancement.     

Effects of ethanol production from sugar‐cane with a free sugar market

A free market for sugar is simulated. Results indicate that area under sugar‐cane would decrease by 49 per cent and labour employment by 26 per cent relative to the actual situation. Sugar‐cane would only be produced in areas with a comparative advantage. No sugar would be exported. Ethanol production from sugar‐cane would only occur with government price supports which would lead to an increase in the price of edible sugar. Development costs per additional worker employed of a one billion litre ethanol industry would amount to about R35 300 compared with over one million rand for a new petroleum from coal plant (Sasol).