Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Developing Human Capital'

In the first chapter, co-authored with Emanuela Galasso, we evaluate an original large-scale intervention in Madagascar (SEECALINE) that focuses on promoting correct breast-feeding, complementary feeding and hygiene practices. We find that the program helped 0-5 year old children, in the participating communities to bridge their gap in weight-for-age z-score and the incidence of underweight. The program also had significant effects in protecting height-for-age and reducing the incidence of stunting. We also show that SEECALINE can have very different effects on the anthropometric status of children, depending on the educational level of the mother. We find that the program improved height-for-age only for children whose mothers had at least secondary level education. We propose an explanation based on interaction effects between proxies of birth conditions and maternal education. More educated mothers meet the necessary conditions that reinforce the behavioral change enabling program effects. We provide evidence that access to public health facilities during birth and early childhood is necessary for translating behavioral change into improvements in children‟s health status. Chapter 1 leaves the question of differential take-up by maternal education unanswered. The heterogeneous effects could be due to lack of adoption of practices by the least educated mothers. In the second chapter I apply difference-in-difference and propensity score weighting techniques to identify causal impact of the program availability on behavioral change and show that least educated mothers adopted the recommended practices. This complements the evidence presented in chapter 1 that although improved knowledge of child-care may be necessary it is not sufficient to translate into improvements in nutritional outcomes. In the third chapter co-authored with Emanuela Galasso and Jeffrey Yau, we estimate the returns to differential lengths of exposure to SEECALINE. We address this question using information available only on program participants. To that end, we develop a methodology that circumvents this data hurdle and estimate returns to differential lengths of exposure using administrative data. We find that the differential returns are decreasing over time, though they do not dissipate to zero. These results provide suggestive evidence that the returns to the program reflect learning effects from the intervention.

This thesis consists of a short introduction and three self-contained analytical chapters. Chapter 1 focuses on the question of learning gaps and divergence in achievement across countries. I use unique child-level panel data from Ethiopia, India, Peru and Vietnam to ask at what ages do gaps between different populations emerge, how they increase or decline over time, and what the proximate determinants of this divergence are. I document that learning gaps between the four countries are already evident at the age of 5 years and grow throughout the age trajectory of children, preserving country ranks from 5 to 15 years of age. At primary school age, the divergence between Vietnam and the other countries is largely accounted for by substantially greater learning gains per year of schooling. Chapter 2 focuses on learning differences between private and government school students in India. I present the first value-added models of learning production in private and government schools in this context, using panel data from Andhra Pradesh. I examine the heterogeneity in private school value-added across different subjects, urban and rural areas, medium of instruction, and across age groups. Further, I also estimate private school effects on children's self-efficacy and agency. I find modest or insignificant causal effects of attending private schools in most test domains other than English and on children's academic self-concept and agency. Results on comparable test domains and age groups correspond closely with, and further extend, estimates from a parallel experimental evaluation. Chapter 3 uses panel data from the state of Andhra Pradesh in India to estimate the impact of the introduction of a national midday meal program on anthropometric z-scores of primary school students, and investigates whether the program ameliorated the deterioration of health in young children caused by a severe drought. Correcting for self-selection into the program using a non-linearity in how age affects the probability of enrollment, we find that the program acted as a safety net for children, providing large and significant health gains for children whose families suffered from drought.

My thesis comprises of three stand‐alone papers, which are connected by the theme of social protection and human capital accumulation. In the first paper, using experimental data from South Sudan, I focus on evaluating the effects of food transfer on household labour supply decisions and crowding‐out of informal private transfers. I do not observe significant impact on either of these two domains, except reduction in child labour. This effect corresponds with increased school enrolment of children. I find that positive income shocks from short‐term food transfers induced the households to invest in durable goods, and child ‘non‐work’ is a luxury good for the ultra‐poor. The second paper evaluates the effects of a policy related to exam standard on labour market performance of secondary school graduates in Bangladesh. Using a natural experiment, the paper shows that lowering standard reduced labour market returns for the graduates. General equilibrium effects of increased supply of graduates and lower human capital accumulation due to lower standard have been identified as possible mechanisms underlying this labour market effect. In my third paper, I evaluate the effects of an asset transfer programme for the ultra‐poor in Bangladesh on children’s enrolment. I find that despite exceptionally large positive impact on household income, asset transfer did not increase enrolment rates. Moreover, there was increased demand for child labour in these households. The evidence suggests that asset transfer may not be sufficient to increase school enrolment among households in extreme poverty and may have unintended effects on child labor.

Abstract The purpose of the thesis has been to investigate the relation between human capital and economic growth in developing countries around the world. The main research question is how the human capital impact on the economic growth in developing countries during the period of 2010 -2015.The world is mainly divided into two major groups, which are Developed & Developing countries, as well as poor & rich countries. In this thesis mainly concern only developing and poor countries and their role of the economic growth. The key factors of economic growth are GDP/capita, per capita income, birth rate, death rate, population growth rate, life expectancy at birth, working age population, education, literacy rate and investment in technology. The world is populated day by day such has never been before. In the past history it look back to 123 years to increased from one billion to two billion from 1804 to 1927.Then, next billion took 33 years. The following two billions took 14 years and 13 years, respectively (Ray, Development Economics).             The data has been taken from the Developing countries around the world which is taken a cross sectional data set and data has been analysed with multiple liner regressions model with ordinary least squares (OLS). For this purpose which applied the difference tools & theory which are human capital and technology development, economic growth, norms, externalities and human social capital.   The previous studies is examined the most important factors of economic development that is economic growth and human capital investment. Similarly, the theoretical discussion is described the Solow model, human capital theory, technological progress, demographic transition and social capital. For examine the data is divided into two groups which are dependent and independent variables. Economic growth GDP/capita, GDP/capita growth rate are dependent variable and Ln. GDP initial, life expectancy at birth, population growth rate, education, working age population and investment in technology are independent variables.   This analysis shows the majority of the variables in the study have positive significant relation to the GDP/capita growth. This result furthermore support the developing countries provides insight on the world economic development status towards the independents variables.

The aim of this research is to study how the Swedish service sector measures and develops Human Capital. It consists on five parts. The first part will be compounded by the background, problem, purpose and limitations. We will detail the goal of the project; we will introduce the research question which we will answer at the end of the thesis. The second part deals with the Methodology; we will use the necessary methods in order to conduct properly this study. After that, in the third part, Theoretical Framework, we will develop the model in order to know how Human Capital is measured and developed, that is to say, the theoretical aspects of our research in order to acquire enough knowledge and from here, to be able to answer the research question. The fourth part will regard the Empirical Findings with the results of the questionnaire. Analysis will be the fifth part, where we will apply the theory studied in the previous part throughout the questionnaire. It will be based on making Conclusions, last part where we will answer the research question launched in the introduction.

In recent years, a research consensus has coalesced around the notion that human capital development and an efficient public service are critically important determinants of societal transformation, especially in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, there is no similarly wide agreement on how to systematically drive improvements in the quality of a nation's human capital or its public service. This thesis contributes to this debate and adds to the literature on strategies for effective civil service human capital development and management in a developing context. Specifically, the study interrogates and explores the experience of a developing country - Nigeria, to illustrate the dynamics of a typical civil service human capital and capability development (CD) strategy. I critically examine the social and relational complexities of the policy process and how dominant neo-liberal logic is constituted, forming part of the metanarrative in state identities that perpetuate unequal power relations, elite interests, and ineffective institutional arrangements. Influenced by post structural and social constructivist philosophies, the research challenges the dominant neo-liberal orthodoxy on human capital. In this regard and utilising a case study approach, the study critically explores and reveals how the standards for human capital development are negotiated in the Nigerian federal civil service (NFCS), and examines the discourses and practices they produce. I utilise the sociology of knowledge approach to discourse (SKAD) as well as policy documents and semi-structured interviews with senior policy planners, to capture the nuanced realities and everyday meanings that are lost in dominant metanarratives of civil service human capital reforms in SSA. These explorations are positioned within the broader development debates about the need to adopt social constructivist research frames to better understand contextual issues in the capability development (CD) process. The research findings indicate that while most reform programmes in the NFCS have been captivated by the capacity development and service delivery rhetoric, the complex interplay between the dearth of human capabilities and the politicisation of the implementation process means that the impact of such policies have been very minimal. The study reveals that the relational complexities between policy agents have been engendered largely by the nature of Nigeria's political economy, which appears to have produced dynamic and interweaving unequal power relations that have helped constitute discourses centred on institutional inefficiencies, including: 'patronage', 'intense rent-seeking', and 'personalisation' of the policy process that are currently ongoing. These discourses are actively navigated, produced and reproduced according to Nigeria's social and political contexts. I argue that this socially constituted and re-constituted locale creates a complex and uniquely challenging context for reforms, such that developing civil service capacities has become a major challenge, because 'reform' policies tend to serve the interests of a few powerful elites, who are bent on maintaining the status quo. The thesis makes key recommendations that recognise these challenges and provides policy options and a framework to help the Nigerian federal service embark upon a capability development initiative that will help improve the efficiency of the Service and lead to accelerated national development.

FDI inflow to developing countries has shown a drastic increase in the past few decades. Accordingly, many policy makers and academics are concerned about policies that attract FDI inflows to enhance economic growth from the positive spillover effects of FDI. Hence this study examines the general impact of FDI on the economic growth of 56 developing countries for the period 1985-2014. In order to analyze the growth effect of FDI into different macroeconomic situations, the sample countries are grouped into 24 low-income developing countries and 32 upper middle-income countries. The overall panel data analysis based on endogenous growth theory supported the positive growth effect of FDI for the pooled 56 countries and upper middle- income countries. However the growth effect of FDI for low-income countries tend to be statistically significant but negative. Moreover, to investigate the absorptive capacity of the host country an interactive term of FDI and human capital is included to estimate the general model. The regression results from the interactive term denote that the growth effect of FDI is dependent on the level of human capital in the host country. Hence a minimum level of human capital is essential in order to maximize and absorb the positive growth effect of FDI.

This study explores the complex factors that contribute to low youth education attendance in Malawi. While current education and youth policy is framed in terms of providing access to quality education for all Malawians, this has proved challenging to implement in practice. A qualitative approach involving a range of stakeholders was adopted. 341 respondents participated in one–to-one and group interviews and provided in-depth insights into the issues affecting educational attendance. Data was thematically coded using NVivo and network analysis was used to determine the complexity of the interrelationships of the factors undermining youth attendance. Human capital theory (HCT) underpins the design of the study and the analysis of the data collected; however, HCT alone was insufficient to account for patterns in the data and therefore post-colonial, women's empowerment, motivation, decentralization, corruption and media development theories were used to complement and extend HCT in the analysis undertaken. Furthermore, while, in HCT, education and training are considered strategies for empowering people to make informed choices, enter employment and contribute to personal and national development, a central concern of the Malawian education system is the preparation of young people, and particularly young women, to undertake traditional roles. This study demonstrates that youth, especially young women in rural settings, face many challenges to their remaining in education and achieving employment outcomes beyond traditional expectations. This also limits the potential for wider-ranging social changes and economic development. Examples provided illustrate how sector-wide patterns of educational resourcing and provision, organisational issues, teacher and learner attitudes, and cultural practices interact. Policy formation and evaluation in Malawi are driven by external funder priorities and political expediency rather than being evidence-based. This study, contrastingly, offers an empirical basis for policy formation and decision-making vis-a-vis youth education, and proposes a strategic plan to improve levels of education attendance.

In a world that is increasingly united in time and distance, I examine why the world is increasingly divided socially, economically, and digitally. Using data for 35 variables from 93 countries, I separate the countries into groups of 31 each by gross domestic product per capita. These groups of developed, lesser developed and least developed countries are used in comparative analysis. Through a review of relevant literature and tests of bivariate correlation, I select eight key variables that are significantly related to information communication technology development and to human development. For this research, adoption of the Internet in the developing world is the innovation of particular interest. Thus, for comparative purposes, I chose Internet Users per 1000 persons per country and the Human Development Index as the dependent variables upon which the independent variables are regressed. Although small in numbers among the least developed countries, I find Internet Users as the most powerful influence on human development for the poorest countries. The research focuses on key obstacles as well as variables of opportunity for Internet usage in developing countries. The greatest obstacles are in fact related to Internet availability and the cost/need ratio for infrastructure expansion. However, innovations for expanded Internet usage in developing countries are expected to show positive results for increased Internet usage, as well as for greater human development and human capital. In addition to the diffusion of innovations in terms of the Internet, the diffusion of cultures through migration is also discussed in terms of the effect on social capital and the drain on human capital from developing countries.

Many healthcare organizations are investigating the reasons for nurse turnover and seeking ways to retain the nurses they already employ. The primary deliverable of the DNP project was a nurse retention plan. In order to devise the plan, the DNP student conducted a literature review, collected qualitative data from representative nursing staff members, and assembled an expert panel of senior leaders to secure permissions to implement the nurse retention plan. The purpose of the project was to develop a nurse retention plan for the emergency department and propose it to an expert panel of nursing administration at the project site. The concepts of nursing satisfaction, theory of human capital, nurse dissatisfaction, and nurse turnover were used for this DNP project. At the practicum site, 36.7% of the emergency department nurses (n =22) participated in the DNP student's focus groups. Coding was used and the themes that emerged from the focus groups were that nurses feel stuck and want the opportunity to advance, there was a lack of communication and pay was a determining factor regarding whether nurses plan to stay employed in the project site's emergency department. Recommendations to decrease voluntary nursing turnover included more flexible scheduling, forming a scheduling committee in the department, providing for more nursing autonomy, and the sharing of emergency department staff throughout the health system all of which were accepted by the expert panel for evaluation and implementation. This project contributes to positive social change, as nurse satisfaction and decreased nursing turnover has been linked to increased patient satisfaction and better patient outcomes.

According to the different studies, there is a strong correlation between (GDP) per capita as the index of economic growth and indicators of human development such as life expectancy, infant mortality, adult literacy, political and civil rights. Based on Millennium Development Goals, which is a program made by UN to reduce extreme poverty and improve human development in developing countries, we can find the indicator of which has key role and affect the other goals of human development directly and clearly. Considering the concept of education accurately we also would be faced with subject of literacy for both genders in a society. Recent empirical research reveals the benefit of women's education and describes the importance of this subject for the economic development.Therefore the main object of this paper is the relation between human development and economic growth and the effect of education on human capital accumulation and thereby on the economic growth, especially the case of female literacy rate and its consequences for human development. This paper will analyze the effect of the human development on the economic growth and well being with special attention to the female education concept related to the MDG in developing countries generally. It will consider mainly the sub Saharan countries as developing countries. For this purpose we will verify the theoretical literature via comparing statistic and charts for the region under consideration.

The pivotal role of Higher Education (HE) for the progression of developing countries is widely acknowledged. Higher Education contributes to, among other important aspects, the generation of human capital for later incorporation into important sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, new technologies, or tourism. Important international donor agencies already acknowledge this fact, particularly within the past decade. Since the beginning of the new millennium, Higher Education has acquired a prominent position on their agendas, and a notable increase in funding has been observed. In this framework, Capacity Building (CB) interventions have one of the preferred actions by donors since the eighties, due to the influence of the Human Capital Theory (and Endogenous Growth Models) in the development assistance domain. These interventions, in the field of Higher Education in developing countries, might adopt different approaches: individual (via scholarships to students), organizational (via consortia or networks between universities, targeting Higher Education institutions), and societal (via projects targeting some aspects of the Higher Education systems). Despite the fact that HE CB interventions in developing countries are becoming more popular little research and monitoring has been done to understand the impact of these multiple types of interventions neither by academics, donors or policymakers. By considering these gaps, the aim of this research was to propose an evaluation and monitoring framework for specific HE CB interventions that will allow to explore the human capital benefits of these types of interventions. The study approaches this aim from different angles: by strengthening the links between key concepts form different fields, providing a better understanding of the types of HE CB interventions and proposing methods to measure the impact which are, in turn, empirically tested during the research. The study adopts different methodologies according to the research aims. A combination of mixed qualitative and quantitative methods was chosen to analyse two selected case studies. The first was a HE CB programme for Latin American Deans chosen to observe its impacts for the participating individuals. Based on this case study, a new methodological tool was proposed to assess individual HE CB interventions at mid and long-term. The second case study involved a sample of worldwide HE CB programme practitioners engaged through the participatory methodology of a Delphi survey to observe their perceptions about the impact of different programmes at multiple levels: individual, organisational and societal. Through this multiple approach, the study makes a number of contributions. First, it adds to the literature combining both the Economics of Education and CB by contributing to the academic debate from the theory and specially providing new empirical evidences. Second, the study proposes new forms of measuring the impact some of which are empirically tested and validated though the positive results of this study, while others will need to be further developed and tested in future research. In summary, through all the different case studies selected, the research has contributed to provide better evidence of the impact and benefits of HE CB interventions to inspire more efficient programmes and better evidence-based policies that could contribute to the development of these countries.

This thesis principally seeks to provide empirical examination of the contribution of human capital, particularly in the form of education, to productivity at the micor level, through the lens of human capital and production theories, for a pooled sample of countries from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), in comparison with both the Eastern Europe and Central Asia countries (ECA). This research mainly aims to establish substantive empirical evidence on the varying effects of human capital on growth, across regions. It also aims to investigate the role of human capital investment in the productivity gains, mainly through efficiency and labour productivity, in the formal private manufacturing sector, in the aforementioned regions. The thesis takes into account the variations in per capita income levels, based on the World Bank classifications of countries by income group. In addition, this research recognises and takes into account the heterogeneity which exists throughout the selected sample of countries. The main objective of evaluating the impact of human capital is to untangle the existing differences in the firms’ performance, partly on account of employing different workers with varying levels of education, with distinctive regional socio-economic changes, and different political conditions. The stochastic frontier analysis (SFA), as a fully parameterised model is used, in order to address and examine the determinants affecting production efficiencies, especially from a human capital point of view, and in the light of Vandenbussche, Aghion, and Meghir’s 2006 assumptions, on growth, distance to frontier, and composition of human capital, which remains untested in MENA and ECA at the firm-level. The SFA was applied following the approach of Caudill, Ford, and Gropper (1995) (CFG) by estimating and testing stochastic frontier production functions, assuming the presence of heteroscedasticity in the one-sided error term (inefficiency), and by following the approaches of Hadri (1999) for cross sectional data assuming the existence of heteroscedasticity in both error terms (the one-sided inefficiency term and the two-sided symmetric random noise), in order to obtain more accurate measures of technical efficiency. However, the rationale for this choice of the two different regions, is the heterogenous organisational structures, and the dissimilarities between production functions across economies in different developmental phases, which can be used as a suitable platform for analysing the distinctive effects of human capital composition on efficiency, and growth in each region in comparison with the other. In addition, the applied methodology also involves the incorporation of two matching methods consisting of a completely randomised experimental design, propensity score matching (PSM), and a fully blocked experimental design, Mahalanobis distance matching (MDM), using a cross-sectional firm level dataset, in order to examine the causal effects of formal training on productivity in MENA, and in ECA. The main conclusion of the empirical analysis suggests that highly-educated labour proxied by workers with tertiary education and those with university degree, appear to have a positive and statistically significant impact on efficiency in the two regions. Noting that the closer is the country to the frontier, the more important this level of human capital tends to be. As a country becomes closer to the frontier, it depends more on innovation and knowledge creation, which leads to the reallocation of labour from unskilled-complementary technology production activities, to skilled-prejudiced and technology-intensive activities. This result appears to confirm the association between high levels of human capital and growth, and chimes with the relevant literature about the link between human capital and growth in the developing and developed countries. It was also found that low-skilled labour component, denoted by workers who attended secondary school, seemed to have positive and statistically significant contribution to efficiency only in the less developed countries, such as MENA. This is due to the fact that the further the country is from the technological frontier, the more reliant the country becomes on imitation activities, and this seemed to corroborate the ideas posited in the literature about the sources of growth and the proximity to the world’s technological frontier. The low-skilled labour in the private manufacturing firms, in MENA, is positively associated with high levels of efficiency, and its impact appears to be significant, especially in high- technology firms. Although in the more affluent countries, such as the high-income economies in Eastern Europe, and the middle-income economies in ECA at large, the impact of secondary school workers gives the impression of being insignificant on efficiency. With respect to the intermediate-skilled labour, which is represented by the proportion of workers who have been trained in technical schools, or received on-the-job training, the maximum likelihood estimates point that their effects on efficiency have a propensity to be statistically insignificant, in MENA and ECA, in reducing the effects of inefficiency in firms’ performance. In fact, intermediate-skilled labour is found to have a positive and significant relationship with higher levels of inefficiency, especially in MENA. Put simply, it impedes efficiency improvements in the manufacturing firms, particularly, in the low and medium-technology plants in MENA. Furthermore, the effects of highly-skilled workers on efficiency were found to be positive and of a high level of significance in the low and medium-technology firms, and this is quite clear, especially, in the high-technology manufacturing firms in this region. All in all, the results of this study are in line, and compare well with the hypotheses of endogenous growth models of Lucas (1988) and Romer (1990), and with the assumptions of Benhabib and Spiegel (1994), that the economic growth is conditional on the human capital accumulation to improve efficiency and increase productivity in order to catch up with the technological frontier and shift it upward.

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate whether an increase in the level of human capital and reduction of gender inequality in the labor market affect developing nation’s growth rate and welfare. The data used in this thesis cover 74 emerging and developing countries for the years of 2001 and 2007. Solow’s augmented growth model has been used to estimate how increased rates of females and males completing primary school effects economic growth in order to see what effect the Millennium Development Goal’s (MDG) target of universal primary education has on the economy. The rates of female and male participation rates in the labor force are also tested for to see if one can determine how reduced gender inequality affects economic growth. The main findings are that increased female and male completion rates in primary school do affect economic growth positively as expected. However, what was not expected was that an increased participation rate of female and male in the labor force affect economic growth negatively. The conclusion is that increased levels of primary education among males and females will increase economic growth. Hence the MDGs of achieving universal primary education and homogenous education between females and males in 2015 are important for economic growth and increase of welfare.

The level of human capital development depends upon the quality of education and training which in many developing countries is low. In addition, the quality of human skills and knowledge is one of the key determinants of inward foreign direct investment (IFDI) in to developing countries. Literature witnessed the knowledge and skills gaps despite substantial investment in the education, training and human capital development. IFDI could fill the knowledge and skills gap in host developing countries. The aim of this research is to examine the impact of IFDI on human capital development in developing countries through FMNE subsidiaries' human resource development and training programmes on local managers' knowledge and skills development and the resultant impacts on local organisations and thereby on local human capital development. Qualitative methodology applied to analyse semistructured interviews with a convenience sample of 24 managers working in FMNE subsidiaries and local organisations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Findings showed that FMNE subsidiaries consider the development of knowledge, skills and abilities of the local managers as a strategic investment. Consequently, short and long training and development (T&D) programmes for local managers are provided both locally and overseas. FMNE subsidiaries trained local managers move from FMNE subsidiaries to local organisations for financial benefits, career progression and other reasons such as higher authority, balance between work and family, favourable location, avoiding work pressure and job security and stability. The mobility of FMNE subsidiaries trained local managers to local organisations leads to human skills and knowledge spillovers such as transfer of knowledge and skills, advancement of professional capabilities, improvement in work behaviours and development of intrapreneurial skills. These spillovers result in upgrading of management skills, availability of intrapreneurial skills, changes in work behaviour and ethics and improvement in capabilities and performance in local organisations. IFDI by FMNE subsidiaries thus leads to positive impacts on the local human capital development such as development of local knowledge and skills, leadership, professional capabilities and competencies in host developing countries. This study provides evidence that IFDI has positive contributions in local human capital development in host developing countries. Natural resource rich countries like the KSA should focus on good IFDI that not only exploits the natural resources but also contributes to local human capital development.

This paper examines the effect of foreign direct investments, FDI, on economic growth in developing countries. This is done by the presentation of a theoretical framework, in which technological transfer and the learning of new technologies is considered to be the engine of growth along with a critical examination of a number of empirical studies on the subject. I will later on perform a discussion of the underlying conditions for FDI to work efficiently along with the implications for Sub-Saharan Africa regarding FDI inflows. The implications are studied within a framework that considers human capital as an important channel through which the potential benefits arising from FDI may be realized.

This study examines the relationship between reception of remittances and CCT participation. Three hypotheses, predicting a negative relationship between remittances and CCTs, are presented. These are tested by logit regressions based on data from national household surveys from four Latin American countries. The study finds some support for a negative correlation between remittances and CCT participation, but lack of data restricts the possibility of drawing firm conclusions from the study.

Mestrado em Desenvolvimento e Cooperação Internacional
O presente trabalho pretende colocar em questão a sustentabilidade de acções que impliquem a atribuição de incentivos a profissionais de saúde com as competências essenciais ao desempenho das suas funções, durante um período de tempo limitado, com o objectivo da sua fixação em países onde é elevada sua carência. Para tal, é utilizado um caso — projecto em implementação desde 2005 por uma ONGD portuguesa, cujo objectivo específico é garantir a qualidade na prestação e na gestão de um conjunto integrado de cuidados de saúde (preventivos, primários e assistenciais) nos sete distritos de São Tomé e Príncipe — em que toda a sua equipa é constituída por técnicos locais que recebem, adicionado à remuneração por parte do Estado, um complemento de salário no âmbito do projecto. Contando o projecto com o apoio de financiadores durante um período limitado de tempo, uma vez terminado esse financiamento, os seus quadros técnicos deixarão de contar com aquele complemento de salário. Sendo hipotéticos emigrantes à procura de condições económicas equivalentes às que obtiveram durante o tempo de duração do projecto, se tal acontecer, os objectivos do projecto serão pervertidos. Perante esta dúvida, são analisados os riscos e benefícios de projectos algo controversos relativamente a estratégias de fixação de recursos humanos de saúde nos países beneficiários, procurando proporcionar não só a financiadores como a executores de projectos de saúde um instrumento de análise comprovado.
This paper aims to put into question the sustainability of actions involving the granting of incentives, for a limited period of time, to health professionals with the essential skills to the performance of their duties, to stem the flow of labour abroad mainly from countries where the shortage of health human resources is high. A case study is used, a project under implementation since 2005 by a Portuguese NGO, whose specific objective is to ensure the provision of quality preventive and primary healthcare in seven districts of São Tomé and Príncipe - where the entire team consists of local workforce that receive, added to their salary from the state, incentives from the project. Depending this project on the support of donors, once such funding is finished, if the technical staff covered by the project no longer rely on such additional wages, they are hipothetical migrants seeking economic conditions equivalent to those obtained during the project. If this happens the project objectives will be perverted. Given this doubt, the risks and benefits of this type of some controversial projects are analysed, focusing on strategies with the aim of reducing brain drain, trying to give to donors and promoters of development projects a proven analysis tool.

Developing countries often use government-funded overseas scholarships to build some of their human capital abroad in order to fill skills gaps at home. Most of these developed skills however do not return home thereby ostensibly defeating the purpose of the programmes. There is also a dearth of quantifiable outcome targets to objectively assess the achievements of these schemes. The Rivers State government of Nigeria set up one such government-funded overseas scholarships programme in 2008. This study is an empirical assessment of the relative success of the Rivers State overseas scholarships programme. The study examines the extent to which the outcomes were aligned with its policy goals. Five research objectives and seven hypotheses were postulated for the study. The population was the 1,298 students who had travelled abroad to study and should have graduated and returned by 2015. It adopted a quantitative research approach using descriptive statistics and binary outcome regression techniques on secondary data. The study found that 89% (1,152) of the 1,298 had successfully graduated and 37% (485) had graduated and returned home. Age, successful graduation, immigration policy and level of award were statistically significant predictors of their likelihood to return home. The study concludes that the programme was relatively successful in developing the human capital of the individual students of Rivers State but not too successful in developing human capital for the State because majority of the students did not return home to add to the manpower pool. It recommends the continuation of the programme but that policy goals should be quantified as key success factors and the successfully graduated students should be incentivised to return home through creation of job opportunities at home and signing return home agreements with study destination countries. These measures should engender the chances of developing human capital for Rivers State.

Tableau d'honneur de la Faculté des études supérieures et postdoctorales, 2018-2019
Cette thèse de doctorat s’intéresse à la migration interne et internationale. Dans un premier temps, je m’intéresse à l’intégration professionnelle des immigrants de la catégorie des travailleurs qualifiés au Québec. Le Québec comme la plupart des autres provinces du Canada, sélectionnent leurs immigrants sur la base de caractéristiques particulières telles que le niveau d’éducation, l’expérience professionnelle, les compétences en français et ou en anglais. Ces compétences devraient faciliter l’insertion professionnelle de ces immigrants et il est donc surprenant de voir que près de la moitié d’entre eux retournent aux études une fois arrivés au Québec afin d’obtenir un diplôme universitaire ou collégial. De ce fait, les deux premiers chapitres de cette thèse s’attèlent à comprendre pourquoi ces immigrants, malgré une telle dotation en capital humain à l’entrée du marché du travail Québécois, décident de retourner aux études et quels sont les effets de cet investissement en éducation tout d’abord sur les fréquences d’emplois et les durées en emploi et ensuite, sur le profil de revenus. Dans un deuxième temps, cette thèse s’intéresse à la participation à la migration interne en Ouganda et l’effet de cette participation sur la productivité agricole des ménages vivant en milieu rural. Le premier chapitre s’intéresse à l’effet dynamique de la formation post-migratoire sur l’offre de travail des immigrants. A cet effet, je fais la distinction entre un emploi qualifié et un emploi non qualifié. Ici, un emploi qualifié est celui-là qui correspond au plus haut diplôme obtenu par l’immigrant à l’entrée. J’utilise un modèle de durée à plusieurs états et à plusieurs épisodes qui permet de tenir compte de l’hétérogénéité observable et inobservable entre les individus. Le principal résultat révèle que les immigrants originaires de pays riches n’ont pas besoin d’investir davantage dans l’éducation Québécoise. En revanche, les immigrants originaires de pays pauvres quant à eux, bien que hautement qualifiés, bénéficient largement d’une telle formation à long terme car cela facilite leur transition vers des emplois qualifiés et non qualifiés et hors du chômage. Mes résultats indiquent également que la sélection dans l’éducation doit être prise en compte afin d’éviter des problèmes de sélection significatifs. À la différence du premier où on suppose que l’effet causal de la formation est le même pour chaque individu, le deuxième chapitre quant à lui s’intéresse à l’hétérogénéité de l’effet causal de la formation sur les revenus. Autrement dit, pour chaque individu il est possible d’estimer un effet moyen en comparant son revenu dans le cas où il a obtenu un diplôme au Québec avec la situation où il n’aurait pas eu un diplôme au Québec, et vice-versa. Ceci est possible grâce à l’introduction de l’approche bayésienne dans l’analyse d’évaluation d’impact mettant en exergue l’estimation du contre-factuel de la variable d’intérêt. Les principaux résultats révèlent que les gains de l’éducation acquise au Québec par rapport à ceux de l’éducation acquise à l’étranger diffèrent d’un immigrant à l’autre. En outre, il y a un gain négatif à entreprendre des études au Québec pour tous les immigrants. Particulièrement, plus la probabilité d’entreprendre des études au Québec est élevée plus le retour sur investissement est faible. Il semblerait que les employeurs rémunèrent les immigrants non pas seulement par rapport à leur diplôme or sa provenance mais aussi par rapport à la qualité de leur précédent emploi. Ainsi, on s’attendrait à ce que les immigrants, toute suite après leur formation, acceptent un emploi relativement moins rémunéré que celui qu’il aurait eu étant donné son éducation. Par ailleurs, bien que l’approche bayésienne suggère que, comparativement aux immigrants qui ont obtenu un diplôme collégial au Québec, ceux qui obtiennent un diplôme universitaire sont les plus négativement affectés par un tel investissement en éducation, l’approche Fréquentiste suggère que ces derniers obtiennent le meilleur rendement des études acquises au Québec. Cela soulève à nouveau la question du biais de sélection qui peut subvenir lorsque l’hétérogénéité de l’effet n’est pas prise en compte. Le troisième chapitre a pour objectif d’estimer la distribution de l’effet dynamique de la participation des ménages à la migration interne de la main d’œuvre sur la productivité agricole. Les résultats révèlent que même si en moyenne la migration interne affecte positivement la productivité agricole, il y a des ménages pour lesquels l’effet est négatif. De plus, les ménages pour qui l’effet est négatif sont pour la plupart de petits agriculteurs et sont par conséquent plus susceptibles d’être pauvres et donc plus susceptibles d’être sujet à la volatilité des prix au niveau local. Par ailleurs, l’effet moyen de la migration tend à augmenter avec la probabilité de participer à la migration interne signifiant que les individus décident de participer à la migration parce qu’ils anticipent des gains futurs plus élevés. Parallèlement, j’examine dans quelle mesure les taux de migration antérieurs, largement utilisés dans la littérature en tant qu’instrument de la décision de participer à la migration, sont exogènes à la productivité agricole. Les résultats suggèrent que ces variables ne sont pas exogènes car elles sont intimement corrélées avec la productivité agricole.
This doctoral thesis is interested in international and internal migration. First, it focuses on the professional integration of immigrants in the category of skilled workers in Quebec. Quebec is one of the ten provinces of Canada that, like most other provinces, implemented a program back in 1996 that explicitly selected highly qualified workers based on particular characteristics such as the level of education (Bachelors’, Masters’ or PhD’s), work experience, French and/or English proficiency. Despite these skills that should facilitate their professional integration, 48% of immigrants return to school once they arrive in Quebec in order to obtain a university or college diploma. The first two chapters of this thesis investigates why these immigrants decide to go back to school with such an endowment of human capital and what the effects of this investment in education are on the job frequencies and job durations and, on the earnings profile. This thesis then focuses on the households participation in internal labor migration and the dynamic effect of this participation on the agricultural productivity of households living in rural area of Uganda. The first chapter investigates the extent to which the return to foreign-acquired human capital is different from the education acquired in Quebec. Specifically, it seeks to estimate the benefits of post-migration education over foreign-education on the transitions between qualified and unqualified jobs and unemployment by means of a multiple-spells and multiplestates model. Here, a qualified job is one that corresponds to the highest degree obtained by the immigrant before they come in Quebec. The main results suggest that immigrants originating from well-off countries have no need to further invest in domestic education. Meanwhile, immigrants from poor countries, despite being highly qualified, benefit greatly from such training in the long run as it eases their transitions into qualified and unqualified jobs and out of unemployment. Our results also indicate that selection in education must be taken into account in order to avoid significant selection problems. Unlike the first chapter in which only the average effect of schooling is estimated, the goal of the second chapter is to estimate the distribution of the causal effect of Quebec-acquired education on migrants’ earnings. In other words, it is possible to estimate an average effect for each individual by comparing his income in the case he has obtained a Quebec diploma to the situation where he has not obtained a diploma from Quebec, and vice versa. This is possible thanks to the introduction of the Bayesian approach in the treatment analysis allowing to account for the heterogeneity of the effect. The main results reveal that on average and for each immigrant, there is a negative gain to study in Quebec. However, the magnitude of the effect differs from one immigrant to another. Particularly, the gains tend to decrease with the likelihood of enrolling in school and with the level of ability. Thus, our results suggest that employers pay migrants not only based on their level of education or its origin but more importantly based on the quality of prior jobs held. Furthermore, one would expect immigrants to accept, right after their training, a relatively less paid job than the one he would have had given his education. While the Bayesian approach suggests that immigrants who have enrolled to obtain a university degree are the most negatively affected, the Frequentist approach suggests that those immigrants obtain the highest positive return from Quebec-acquired education. This raises again the issue of mis-evaluation when the essential heterogeneity is not taking into account. The goal of the third chapter is to estimate the distribution of the dynamic effect of household participation in internal labor migration on agricultural productivity in Uganda. Since household can have both observed and unobserved factors that can affect both the decision to participate or not in migration and the return from it, this study account for the heterogeneity of the effect. Results reveal that although, on average, internal labor migration positively affects agricultural productivity, there are households for which the effect is negative. In addition, households for which the effect is negative are mostly small farmers, therefore more likely to be poor and more likely to be subject to local price volatility. It seems that return to migration helps poor household to meet other needs. Moreover, the average effect of migration tends to increase with the probability of participating in internal migration, meaning that households decide to participate in migration because they anticipate higher future returns. At the same time, we also examine the extent to which past migration rates, widely used in the literature as an instrument for the decision to participate in migration, are exogenous to agricultural productivity. Results show that these variables are not exogenous because they are highly correlated with agricultural productivity.

Doctor Legum - LLD
The research problem of this study is the jurisprudential inconsistency in the application of the right in section 26(3) of the South African Constitution's Bill of Rights. The inconsistency is due to inadequate conceptualisation of the substantive requirements of meaningful engagement (ME) by the South African Constitutional Court (ConCourt). The central argument is that the development of a community engagement model based on the substantive requirements of ME will enhance the application of section 26(3). This study commences by illustrating the disempowering nature to the squatters of the apartheid evictions in South Africa. To tighten influx control, the apartheid regime introduced a battery of laws that disempowered the squatters. The apartheid-induced disempowerment of the squatters penetrated into the democratic dispensation. In the examination of the normative context of evictions post-1994, this study identifies six primary drivers for substantive involvement of the occupiers during evictions. The six primary drivers seek to address the disempowering trajectory during evictions.

For decades the question regarding foreign aid’s effectiveness has been disputed. The ongoing debate concerning whether foreign aid yields or prevents economic growth has been discussed by different scholars, though with dissimilar outcomes. Foreign aid is often criticized for creating destruction rather than stimulating developing countries economic growth, though the fundamentals for aid is to create opportunities for developing countries to evolve and gain better socio-economic structures. Different forms of aid are supposed to create different outcomes, i.e. short- and medium-term aid ought to stimulate the country while long-term aid such as infrastructure and education should create growth for the recipient country. The problem of aid is mostly corruption, corrupted regimes hinders the natural development for aid that is to say it hampers the positive outcome aid can produce. So, does foreign aid have a positive impact on recipient countries growth? The aim of this study is to acknowledge the importance of foreign aid. In order to analyse whether foreign aid results in economic growth for developing countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, a crosssection regression analysis has been conducted. To sum up the results of this study foreign aid doesn’t have a significant effect on economic growth in the region Sub-Saharan Africa although other variables such as education and foreign direct investment has a significant effect on growth.

1) Informality and Overeducation in the Labor Market of a Developing Country This chapter explores the connection between labor market segmentation in two sectors, a modern protected formal sector and a traditional- unprotected-informal sector, and overeducation in a developing country. Informality is thought to have negative consequences, primarily through poorer working conditions, lack of social security, as well as low levels of productivity throughout the economy. This chapter considers an aspect that has not been previously addressed, namely the fact that informality might also affect the way workers match their actual education with that required performing their job. Using micro-data from Colombia the relationship between overeducation and informality is tested. Empirical results suggest that, once the endogeneity of employment choice has been accounted for, formal male workers are less likely to be overeducated. Interestingly, the propensity of being overeducated among women does not seem to be closely related to the sector choice. 2) Double Penalty in Returns to Education: Informality and Educational Mismatch in the Colombian Labor Market This chapter examines the returns to education taking into consideration the existence of educational mismatches in the formal and informal employment of a developing country. Results show that the returns of surplus, required and deficit years of schooling are different in the two sectors. Moreover, they suggest that these returns vary along the wage distribution, and that the pattern of variation differs for formal and informal workers. In particular, informal workers face not only lower returns to their education, but suffer a second penalty associated with educational mismatches that puts them at a greater disadvantage compare to their formal counterparts. 3) Wage Gaps Across Colombian Regions: The Role of Education and Informality This chapter analyzes the role of education and informality on regional wage differentials. The hypothesis that is put under examination is that apart from the difference in the endowments of human capital across regions, regional heterogeneity in the incidence of informality may be another important source of regional wage inequality. The results for Colombian regions confirm marked differences in wage distributions between regions and that they differ in the endowment of human capital and more importantly in the incidence of informality. Regional heterogeneity in returns to education is especially intense in the upper part of the wage distribution. While heterogeneity in the informal pay penalty throughout the territory is more relevant in the lower part of the wage distribution.

Dans un contexte qualifié d’ « économie du savoir », où la croissance de l’économie mondiale repose de plus en plus sur les activités intensives en connaissance, la thèse s’interroge sur la capacité de deux petits États insulaires en développement – Maurice et Trinidad – à s’adapter pour s'intégrer à cette dynamique. Ces anciennes colonies britanniques, membres du Commonwealth depuis leur accession à l'indépendance dans les années soixante, font état d’indicateurs de développement en constante progression et sont souvent considérées comme des modèles de réussite économique. La thèse étudie la mise en place des institutions dans ces pays et cherche à évaluer dans quelle mesure l’héritage de la période coloniale, à travers la trace qu'ils en conservent dans la période contemporaine, peut faciliter la transition de leurs économies vers les secteurs intensifs en savoir. Pour ce faire, elle retrace leur trajectoire de développement institutionnel et économique des origines jusqu’à nos jours et elle s’intéresse notamment aux mesures prises aujourd’hui pour doter le pays du cadre nécessaire à l’économie de la connaissance, en particulier à travers le rôle de l’enseignement supérieur en tant qu’outil fondamental pour former le capital humain. Tout en reconnaissant que certains des atouts dont disposent les deux pays pour s’engager dans ce processus avec succès peuvent être mis en relation avec leur passé colonial, la thèse approfondit l’hypothèse que leur transformation en économies de la connaissance risque aussi d'être entravée par des caractéristiques héritées de cette période et qui, des décennies après l'accession à l'indépendance, freinent une large diffusion de la connaissance au sein de leur population
At a time when economic growth is thought to be driven primarily by knowledge, the purpose of this research is to analyse to what extent two Small Island Developing States – Mauritius and Trinidad – are adequately equipped for this new economic context. As former British colonies, they both joined the Commonwealth upon gaining independence in the nineteen-sixties and they have since largely succeeded in overcoming their initially unfavourable conditions. Today, their good political, economic and social development is widely acknowledged. The main focus of this research is to evaluate how far colonial legacy, which is still visible in the contemporary institutions of both these states, can favour the transition they wish to undertake towards knowledge-intensive activities as drivers of economic growth. For this purpose, the research analyses the development trajectory followed by their institutions and their economy spanning the whole period of their colonial and post-independence history; additionally, this research considers the steps which are undertaken nowadays to build the framework required to foster a knowledge economy by studying more specifically the role of higher education as an essential tool for human capital formation. While upholding that some of the assets which could help them achieve their objectives can be linked to their colonial past, the research contends that the transformation of these two countries into knowledge-based economies could be hindered by the legacy of colonisation on some of their current features and which, decades after gaining independence, impedes the widespread diffusion of knowledge amongst their population

The rapid emergence of broadband, or always-on Internet, during the course of the last decade, has increased the importance of the so- called information society in urban and industrialized societies world- wide. Liberalized information and communications technology (ICT) market forces worldwide have however failed to supply these services to rural and low-income regions resulting in the so-called digital divide. One financial tool, adopted by many developing nations to drive broadband investments in underserved areas, is the universal service fund (USF), a public fund mainly levying its resources from ICT market players. USFs have previously been used to fund telecom networks but with the growing importance of broadband, structural and regulatory discrepancies are preventing USFs from adequately supporting broadband investments. Currently, little up-to-date academic theory exists within this field; thus, this thesis serves to outline principles that policy-makers and regulators need to consider when designing or reforming universal service fund mechanisms. The research is based on a series of qualitative country case studies investigating policy, procedural, and executional aspects related to USFs and rural broadband. Publicly available material has been complemented with interviews of stakeholders from various levels to establish a holistic empirical base upon which conclusions have been drawn. The conclusions outline principles governing public involvement in USFs, roles played by various stakeholders in the broadband ecosystem, and strategies for rural broadband network deployment.
Framfarten av bredband under det senaste årtiondet har ökat vikten av det så kallade informationssamhället i de industrialiserade och urbaniserade samhällen. Marknadskrafterna inom den liberaliserade informations- och kommunikationsindustrin har dock misslyckats med att göra dess tjänster tillgängliga till glesbefolkade och låginkomstregioner, vilket har lett till en digital klyfta. Ett finansiellt hjälpmedel som många utvecklingsländer har anammat för att påskynda bredbandsinvesteringar i regioner med få bredbandsuppkopplingar är fonder för samhällsomfattande tjänster (USF), som är en offentlig fond vilken får den största delen av sitt kapital genom en pålaga på intäkterna från aktörer inom informations- och kommunikationsindustrin. USF:er har tidigare använts för att finansiera telekomnätverk, men i takt med att bredbandets ökande genomslag i samhället har strukturella och regleringsmässiga problem med USF:erna uppdagats vilka hindrar dem från att effektivt stödja bredbandsinvesteringar. För närvarande finns lite akademisk teori på området, och sålunda syftar denna uppsatts till att tillhandahålla principer vilka beslutsfattare och regulatorer bör efterfölja vid utformning eller reformering av mekanismer för samhällsomfattande tjänster för bredband. Arbetet baseras på en serie kvalitativa fallstudier av länder med policy, procedurella och verkställande aspekter kopplade till USF:er i områden med få bredbandsuppkopplingar i fokus. Material tillgängligt för allmänheten har kompletterats med intervjuer av intressenter från olika organisations- och samhällsnivåer för att skapa en heltäckande empiri på området från vilka slutsatser har dragits. Slutsatserna innehåller principer som rör offentlig inblandning i USF:er, roller för samhällets olika intressenter i ett ekosystem för bredband, samt strategier för utbyggnad av bredbandsnätverk i glesbefolkade områden.

Trabalho de Projeto do Mestrado em Economia apresentado à Faculdade de Economia
O objetivo principal deste trabalho é analisar a relação entre a qualidade da habitação e a disponibilidade de capital humano no contexto dos países em desenvolvimento. A análise tenta preencher uma lacuna na literatura atual referente à falta de estudos empíricos que abordem o impacto que as condições de moradia podem ter sobre o capital humano, adquirido no sistema de ensino, de um indivíduo. A análise foi realizada utilizando dados cross section, maioritariamente adquiridos da base de dados da UNESCO para 52 países de baixa e média renda, seguindo a classificação geral de renda da metodologia Atlas do Banco Mundial, em que estimamos um conjunto de regressões por meio de OLS com a variável de interesse sendo a proporção da população que vive em habitações abaixo do padrão mínimo de qualidade e a variável dependente os anos médios de escolaridade da população. Os resultados obtidos nas regressões indicaram uma relação positiva entre um aumento na proporção da população que vive em habitações de qualidade abaixo do padrão e anos médios de escolaridade, mas com pouca ou nenhuma significância estatística, tornando a análise empírica inconclusiva. A fiabilidade dos dados relativos à qualidade da habitação fornecidos pela UNESCO pode estar na origem dos resultados inconclusivos anteriores, apontando para a necessidade de investir mais recursos na recolha de dados e na produção de indicadores. Este investimento pode ter um papel relevante em futuras pesquisas que possam preencher a presente lacuna na literatura e para a definição de políticas públicas.
The main objective of this work is to analyse the relationship between the quality of housing and the availability of human capital in the context of developing countries. The analysis attempts to fill a gap in the current literature regarding the lack of empirical studies that address the impact that living conditions can have on human capital, acquired in an individual's education system. The analysis was performed using cross-sectional data, mostly taken from the UNESCO database for 52 low and middle-income countries, following the general income classification from the World Bank Atlas Methodology, in which we estimated a set of regressions by OLS with the variable of interest is the proportion of the population living in houses below the minimum standard of quality and the dependent variable, the average years of schooling of the population. The obtained results from the regressions indicated a positive relationship between an increase in the proportion of the population living in substandard housing and average years of schooling, but with little or no statistical significance, making the empirical analysis inconclusive. The reliability of the housing quality data provided by UNESCO may be the source of the previous inconclusive results, pointing to the need to invest more resources in the gathering of data and the production of indicators. This investment may have a relevant role in future research for addressing the gap in the literature and for the definition of public policies.

Research report presented to SBL, Unisa, Midrand.
Lean manufacturing is a very good and effective concept of managing a company. The philosophy of reducing wastes found in a manufacturing business is a sound idea. When these wastes are minimized, the quality of the products or services is improved, the production time and the cost of manufacturing the goods is reduced. With this in mind, many companies go through lean manufacturing training to get the most out of their systems. But this is only achieved if there is a proper implementation lean manufacturing plan. However, despite the training and plans, some companies have trouble in implementing lean manufacturing systems. There are different reasons in the failure of implementing lean manufacturing principles in projects. One of them is the difficulty in grasping the true nature of lean manufacturing from a human capital perspective.

Thesis (Ed.D.)-California State University San Marcos ; University of California, San Diego , 2010.
Abstract: leaves xiii-xiv. Committee members: Janet Chrispeels (co-chair), Carolyn Hofstetter (co-chair), Delores Lindsey. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 186-195). Also issued online

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirement for Doctor of Philosophy in Management Sciences, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2016.
The aim of this study was the development of an Exploratory Framework of Human Capital linked to Intellectual Capital and Knowledge Management for the Durban University of Technology as a case study. The main problem revolved around the lack of an integrated road map for the identification, management and operationalisation of an integrated framework for the Durban University of Technology (DUT) in the UoT Sector, focusing on Human Capital capabilities, Intellectual Capital and Knowledge Management, which emphasised the need for this study. The three main objectives of the study were to investigate the importance and contribution of Human Capital at the DUT operating in a highly dynamic Knowledge-based Economy, to formulate strategies for the Institution to meet its Human Capital demands in the competitive Knowledge-based Economy and to develop an Exploratory Framework of Human Capital linked to Intellectual Capital and Knowledge Management for the Durban University of Technology. The research design adopted was the quantitative paradigm with a pre-coded structured close ended questionnaire comprising the 5 Point Likert Scale that was used to administer the instrument to the selected sample respondents. The questionnaire comprised of 5 Sections, each under a specific main theme related to the research topic. The target population comprised of 1874 employees at the Durban University of Technology. A computerised tool called the Excel Functionality Program was used to generate the random numbers for the sample selection for each group. The sample of 320 employees was selected using simple random sampling without replacement for both the Administrative and Academic staff members at the DUT. A total of 280 questionnaires were returned by the sample respondents. However, 8 questionnaires were discarded as they were incomplete and the final questionnaire returns equated to n = 272, namely, (118 questionnaires from the Academic Staff grouping and 154 questionnaires from the Administrative Staff). This represented a high response rate of 85% which was largely attributed to the researcher using the personal method of data collection. After the study was completed, the researcher solicited the services of a Senior Librarian to run the TURNITIN Program to test the entire thesis for plagiarism which proved useful. In the main, the analysis of the data involved the use of robust non-parametric tests for the empirical analyses using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21 for Windows. A variety of non-parametric tests were also used to test some 71 hypotheses formulated for the various sections and components of the study as well the tenability of the Exploratory Framework (Figure 4.1) developed. Some significant findings emerged from the comprehensive statistical analyses which were also corroborated by national and international studies conducted by various researchers who also showed their concordance or discordance with the current findings and were referenced accordingly. It should be noted that the recommendations cannot be generalised to other UoTs in the HE Sector, as this was an in-house investigation involving the DUT as a case study. The main empirical findings of the study, inter alia, included the following: The value of integrating Intellectual Capital and Knowledge Management into strategic planning at the DUT, the importance of developing an operationalised Human Capital Scorecard to address the different functions of the Academic and Administrative groups respectively at the DUT and a strong emphasis and role of Strategic Human Resource Management at the DUT. Thus, the Exploratory Framework developed as a model for the DUT within the UoT Sector concomitant with the outcomes and recommendations of the study may prove beneficial for future goal oriented strategies by top management of DUT. The study concludes with suggestions for further research in this emerging field of endeavour.
D

International developments in the area of governance over the past few years have seen an increase in the powers and responsibilities of local authorities. These responsibilities have to a greater extent assumed a developmental dimension. In order for local government to fulfil its constitutional mandate, it has to ensure that services are effectively provided in its area of jurisdiction. They also have to ensure that they do this in as cost-effective a way as possible in order to reach as many beneficiaries as possible, i.e. there is a proportional relationship between the resources of a local authority and its ability to carry out its developmental responsibility. Local government has to manage this huge responsibility with a clear understanding that, increasingly, it is seen as constituting a distinct sphere of government rather than an extension of provincial and national governments. A further implication that local authorities have to grapple with is the problem of insufficient capacity to fulfil their developmental roles. Local authorities have also been assigned a pivotal role in the implementation of the development agenda outlined in the RDP. Local authorities are essential to realising the transformation of the socio-economic landscape of the country. To this end they must ensure the effective delivery of services to communities within their areas of jurisdiction. It is at this level that government is closest to the people; it is this sphere of government which affects their daily lives more directly than any other; and it is only in this sphere of government in South Africa where individual representatives are elected directly from defined geographic constituencies. The new constitutional dispensation offers very little diversion from the international trend referred to above. Councillors and officials within local authorities must find amongst themselves common ground to enable them to serve the long-term interest of communities. Capacity needs to be built in order for local authorities to be able to accomplish their developmental obligation. Councillors and officials need to find a way to develop a shared vision among all stakeholders within their area of jurisdiction. They need to facilitate the forging of relationships with communities, businesses, other spheres of government and the structures of civil society. An achievement of a common vision will enhance effective service delivery and sustainable development in the local authority’s area of jurisdiction. Stakeholder involvement is an essential ingredient for sustainable development. Funding capacity for local authorities remains a major problem in local government. Municipalities may in this regard consider engaging the private sector, i.e. to privatise certain functions in order to effectively provide some of the services. Effective communication and co-operation between councillors and officials is important to ensure the efficient implementation of the community vision and financial management or optimisation of scarce resources. Councillors must be able to work and communicate effectively with the officials who implement their policies and manage the public affairs of the community. Financial management for councillors is not merely accounting or audit practices. It is, in effect, fulfilling the public trust placed in local representatives by the electorate. This brings into the picture the very important aspect of capacity building which is required for local authorities to fulfil their mandate of effective service delivery to residents. Local authorities have to ensure that services are provided to the communities in the most effective way possible and that the benefits of resource optimisation are further reinvested in the interest of the residents. It is a solemn responsibility which, if not handled properly, can result in economic decline, political gridlock and even violent protest against a local authority.
Prof. C.J. Maritz

This exploratory and interpretive research examines the anticipated consequences of information and communication technology (ICT) on six remote rural communities, located in the northern Peruvian Andes, which were provided with computers connected to the Internet. Instead of looking for economic impacts of the now-available technological tools, this research investigates how local individuals use (or not) computers, and analyses the mechanisms by which computer-mediated information, obtained by those who use computers, is disseminated through their customary face-to-face interactions with their compatriots. A holistic multiple-case study design was the basis for the data collection process. Data were collected during four-and-half months of fieldwork. Grounded theory informed both the method of data analysis and the technique for theory building. As a result of an inductive thinking process, two intertwined core themes emerged. The first theme, individuals’ exploitation of ICT, is related to how some individuals overcome some difficulties and try to make the most of the now available ICT tools. The second theme, complementing existing social networks through ICT, reflects the interaction between the newly ICT-mediated information and virtual networks and the local existing social networks. However, these two themes were not evenly distributed across the communities studied. The evidence revealed that dissimilarities in social cohesion among the communities and, to some extent, disparities in physical infrastructure are contributing factors that explain the unevenness. But social actors – named as ‘activators of information’ – become the key triggers of the disseminating process for fresh and valuable ICT-mediated information throughout their communities. These findings were compared to the relevant literature to produce theoretical generalisations. As a conclusion, it is suggested any ICT intervention in a developing country requires at least three elements to be effective: a tolerable physical infrastructure, a strong degree of social texture and an activator of information.

JEL classification Category: Labor and demographic economics JEL: J24 – Human capital, Skills, Occupational choice, Labor productivity Category: Industrial organisation JEL: L21 – Business Objectives of the Firm JEL: L84 – Personal, Professional, and Business Services Category: Business administration and business economics; marketing; accounting JEL: M53 – Training JEL: M54 – Labor Management
This master project aims to test a new developed evaluation tool to measure the efficacy of business theatre in a pilot project with an anonymous company X in Frankfurt in Germany. The goal of the artistic intervention is to improve communication skills among the twenty attendees. The designed tool consists of an interview scheme and two surveys, before and after the actual intervention and derived from the Kirkpatrick’s and Phillips ROI model. In order to understand the concept of artistic intervention the first chapter introduces excising literature on the main topics covered in this project. Based on the literature review, the second chapter provides specific research questions that lead through the project and are basis for the developed surveys and the interview scheme. In addition, this methodology chapter provides insight into the chosen research methods and justifies the new developed evaluation instrument with its limitations. The results are presented in the third chapter of this paper and lead to the conclusion that the tool provides interesting and valid information about a positive improvement of the employees’ perception and skills due to the business theatre intervention. However, the results indicate that for company X only a poor learning transfer is guaranteed. The last chapter suggests forms of implementation together with a timeline. In addition, a comparison of the results with descriptive statistics and paired sample t-tests are provided to statistically prove the significant changes caused by the business theatre intervention. A conclusion provides answers to the previously designed research questions.
Este projeto de mestrado pretende testar a nova ferramenta de avaliação de eficácia de teatro empresarial num projeto piloto com a companhia anónima X, em Frankfurt, Alemanha. O principal objetivo da intervenção artística é o melhoramento das capacidades de comunicação entre os vinte participantes. A ferramenta descrita consiste num esquema de entrevistas e dois inquéritos, antes e depois da atual intervenção e derivada do modelo ROI de Kirkpatrick's and Phillips. Tendo em vista o entendimento do conceito de intervenção artística, o primeiro capítulo introduz uma literatura concisa nos principais tópicos cobertos neste projeto. Baseado na crítica literária, o segundo capítulo providência pesquisa cientifica especifica, relevante em todo o projeto, e que são as bases para os inquéritos desenvolvidos e o esquema de entrevista. Este capítulo providência ainda comentários sobre os métodos de pesquisa escolhidos e justifica os novos instrumentos de avaliação desenvolvidos, com os seus limites. Os resultados são apresentados no terceiro capítulo deste trabalho, e estes concluem que a ferramenta apresenta informação válida e interessante sobre uma vasta melhoria em termos de habilidades profissionais devido à intervenção de teatro empresarial. No entanto, os resultados indicam que para a companhia X, apenas uma fraca transferência de aprendizagem é garantida. O ultimo capitulo sugere formas de implementação juntamente com um guia temporal. Tem também comparações dos resultados com estatísticas descritivas emparelhadas com t-tests amostrais, e são demonstradas para provar estatisticamente as mudanças significativas causadas pelo teatro empresarial. A conclusão providência respostas para as perguntas específicas a pesquisas de desenvolvimento previamente colocadas.

This study analysed the effects of international trade on human development in two developing regions, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The choice of comparing SADC and ASEAN is motivated by the many similarities between both regions half a century ago, and the stark divergence of their respective development pathways which has led to different development outcomes half a century later. Annual data from 2000 to 2018 and dynamic panel data econometric techniques were used in this study, controlling for individual country characteristics, endogeneity, serial correlation, heterocedasticity and interdependencies between the countries in each region. Two estimations were done in this study; sample wide estimations and country specific estimations. In the sample wide estimations the Generalised Method of Moments of Arellano and Bover (1995) with forward orthogonal deviations, and Feasible Generalised Least Squares of Parks (1967) and Kmenta (1986) were used, whilst Swamy’s Random Coefficients were used in the country specific estimations. Trade is measured using the current account balance as a percentage of GDP, whilst human development is captured by the United Nations’ Human Development Index (HDI). In the sample wide estimations, the study found that trade openness enhances human development for both SADC and ASEAN as measured by the Human Development Index (HDI). Gross fixed capital formation, economic growth and technological progress all had positive effects on human development in both regions. Unemployment had a counter intuitive positive effect on human development. This raises issues on the nature and quality of employment, including concerns on cheap production labour and vulnerable employment. The ASEAN region had a higher mean level of economic growth, a trade surplus and higher level of technological progress than SADC. This is consistent with the manufacturing focus of ASEAN, compared to the primary commodity exporting nature of SADC which had a trade deficit. However, in each region there were country specific differences in terms of what drives human development. The country specific disparities in drivers of human development have implications for the regional trade and development nexus. In particular, these disparities must be considered in the conceptualization and implementation of the SADC Industrialisation and Strategy Roadmap, and the most recent African Continental Free Trade Area. The policy implication is that such regional trade agreements should accommodate countries’ specific heterogeneity as the policy pathways will differ between countries.
Business Management
D. Phil. (Management Studies)