Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Technological unemployment'

The study was conducted to understand how technological unemployment is affecting financial services companies in South Africa. Technology investment is seen as creating and building competitive capabilities for companies and Countries, however with further investment in technology it may result in displacement of workers through automation of jobs. Considering the high unemployment, South Africa should be understanding the impacts of technology investment and developing responsive strategies to improve the unemployment problem. The research is grounded on technological unemployment theory which is the displacement of workers as result of technology advancement. The study included a review of skills development strategies which have been identified by various studies as key response to reducing the displacement of workers. It also included a review of how technology is changing company business models with the implementation of artificial intelligence and blockchain technologies in the financial services sector. The data collection followed qualitative research approach where interviews were conducted with Senior Leaders in the industry to understand their strategies and outlook on the future both unemployment and technology advancement.
Mini Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2020.
pt2021
Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS)
MBA
Unrestricted

Ever since the first Industrial Revolution, during which many textile artisans lost their jobs to weaving machines, the relationship between technological progress and unemployment has been explored and examined by researchers and policy makers. Existing empirical research, mostly at the microeconomic level, has presented ambiguous results. Procuring data on 51 U.S. states for a period of 19 years and a large number of controls, this paper studies the employment effect of technological innovations with a novel state-level macroeconomic analysis. Using commercially-supplied Research and Development expenditure as a proxy, this paper finds that although technological innovations have a non-significant effect on employment at the general state level, there are a few factors that determine how well each state’s labor market responds to technological changes. More specifically, non-urbanized, non-tech-savvy, or states with a large number of workers employed in Manufacturing or Accommodation and Food Services industry experience a more severe unemployment effect than the other states. The results also suggest that unemployment rate is more negatively affected by technological innovations during the Obama Administration, compared with the Clinton and Bush Administration. This paper adds to the limited, macroeconomic literature on technological unemployment, and provides policy makers with important implications on how to prepare citizens for the imminent waves of technological changes.

This paper aims to explain how new technology impacts the labor market and to what extent it substitutes for labor. In addition, the relationship between new technology and income distribution will be examined. The analysis is based on an extensive literature survey and an empirical analysis covering 10 OECD countries over an eight year period. Advanced economies were chosen because according to recent research, they are likely to be most affected by rapid technological development. By implementing panel data and a fixed effect estimation technique, it is shown that ICT-investments are positively correlated with unemployment while no effect was found with regard to inequality.

The ability of the South African economy to absorb labour has been declining since the 1960's, with the manufacturing sector employment declining since 1990. The decline in manufacturing jobs flies in the face of increased output of the sector. This trend is attributed to the application of technology and sophisticated equipments in the manufacturing process leading to a loss of jobs, particularly for unskilled labour. Unemployment in South Africa has become one of the biggest challenges facing the present government. The government in its bid to overcome this major problem is doing everything to get to the crust of the matter, including information on major causes of unemployment in the country. Reduction of unemployment is hugely regarded as a prerequisite for poverty alleviation, a policy that is very close to the heart of the present government. For this singular reason, information on major causes of unemployment in South Africa is becoming increasingly important to policy makers. The objective of this study is to compare the effect of labour and capital on the revenue of the beverage industry in South Africa from 1985 to 2005 using translog production function. The study showed that new technology, due to spending on new capital did not play a significant role in achieving an increase in revenue in the beverage sector. The increase in revenue was rather attributed to an increase in spending on labour. Increasing expenditure on labour by 1% raised revenue by 0, 62% while 1% change in capital expenditure increased revenue by 0,43%. This, in some ways, indicates that the beverage sector of the South African economy is labour-intensive. One could therefore conclude that the beverage industry relies more on labour and does not contribute significantly to unemployment in South Africa.
Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

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Technological change is a key variable in the inherent accumulation process of the capitalism system. Every major transformation leads to qualitative and quantitative changes in the way the labor force is inserted on the production process. Even before the first industrial revolution there is controversy whether or not technological advancement creates structural unemployment, this debate pervaded by classical economics, still present today among structuralists and neo-Schumpeterian economists. In this paper, we analyzed the three major technological transformations of capitalism system, and if such changes are responsible for substantial changes on the employment levels. We identified that unemployment arising from technological progress assumes a cyclical character, but also follows non-economic variables. There were found different institutional arrangements and unemployment levels for similar technological standards, thus suggesting that the high level of unemployment, with low growth and productivity - seen in the post-Fordism - can be caused by factors that transcend the new technologies. By analyzing the new economic environment in Brazil, it was found that the traditional sectors generate more jobs and growth to the country, but are unable to sustain this growth in the medium and long term due to low productivity and competitive advantage. The most dynamic and technological sectors tend to generate more indirect jobs and by the income effect, diverges its technological advances to other sectors of the economy, allowing more investments and job generation
A mudança tecnológica é uma variável chave no processo de acumulação capitalista. A cada grande transformação das forças produtivas ocorrem mudanças qualitativas e quantitativas da inserção do homem na produção. Desde antes da primeira revolução industrial existe a polêmica se o avanço tecnológico cria ou não desemprego estrutural, este debate perpassou pela economia clássica, estando presente até os dias de hoje, sobretudo nos pensamentos estruturalista e neoschumpeteriano. Neste trabalho, analisamos as três grandes transformações tecnológicas do capitalismo, para verificar se tais mudanças são responsáveis por substanciais modificações nos níveis de desemprego. Verificamos que o desemprego proveniente do progresso tecnológico assume um caráter cíclico, mas também obedece a variáveis não econômicas. Foram detectados diferentes arranjos institucionais e níveis de desemprego no mesmo padrão tecnológico, sugerindo assim que o elevado nível de desemprego, com baixo crescimento e produtividade - verificado no pós-fordismo - pode ser causado por fatores que transcendem às novas tecnologias. Ao analisar a economia brasileira na nova economia verificou-se que os setores tradicionais geram mais empregos e crescimento no Brasil, mas que não são capazes de sustentar esta expansão no médio e longo prazo por possuírem baixa produtividade e vantagens competitivas. Os setores de maior dinamismo e conteúdo tecnológico tendem a gerar mais empregos indiretos e por efeito renda, irradia seus avanços tecnológicos em outros setores da economia, possibilitando mais investimentos e geração de empregos

Le sujet des migrations internationales a récemment fait l’objet d’une attention sans précédent dans l’opinion publique comme dans les médias. Or, si le débat sur les effets des migrations internationales semble plus que jamais d’actualité, celui-ci attire l’attention des économistes depuis plusieurs décennies déjà. La présente thèse s’insère ainsi dans la littérature économique sur les effets des migrations internationales en proposant trois essais empiriques sur les implications de la mobilité humaine, à la fois pour les migrants, les natifs dans leur pays d’accueil et leurs proches restés dans leur pays d’origine. Le Chapitre 2 revisite de manière empirique l’impact du multiculturalisme (mesuré par un indice de diversité à l’intérieur du groupe des migrants et par des effets de contamination) sur les performances macro-économiques des États Américains sur la période 1960-2010. Nous distinguons les effets du multiculturalisme par niveaux d’éducation, en contrôlant pour les variables standards de la littérature sur la croissance ainsi que pour l’hétérogénéité inobservée et en prenant en compte le statut légal des migrants ainsi que leur âge d’entrée aux États-Unis. Dans le but d’identifier un effet causal, nous comparons plusieurs stratégies d’identification différentes de la littérature existante. Nos résultats convergent vers un effet robuste positif et significatif de la diversité des diplômés du tertiaire sur le PIB par tête. Aucun effet de la diversité pour les niveaux d’éducation inférieurs, ou d’effets de contamination ne sont mis en évidence. Le Chapitre 3 s’insère dans la littérature sur les déterminants de la performance des migrants sur le marché du travail dans leur pays d’accueil. Nous regardons si l’attitude des natifs affecte ou non les durées de chômage des migrants en Allemagne. En utilisant des données de panel (GSOEP) au niveau individuel sur la période 1984-2012 et un modèle de durée, nous trouvons que des niveaux de confiance plus faibles des natifs envers les résidents d’un pays donné (mesurés à l’aide des enquêtes Eurobarometers) sont associés à des durées de chômage plus longues pour les immigrés originaires de ce pays. Nos résultats soulignent le fait que, différents groupes d’immigrés font face à des obstacles différents en fonction de leur origine, pour s’insérer sur le marché du travail. Le Chapitre 4 cherche quant à lui à comprendre si les migrants au niveau international contribuent ou non au progrès technologique dans les pays en développement en induisant un transfert de connaissances productives de leur pays d’accueil vers leur pays d’origine. En utilisant un indicateur pour le niveau de connaissances productives de chaque pays (ECI) et les stocks bilatéraux de migrants vers 20 pays de l’OCDE, nous montrons que la migration internationale est un canal de transmission important de la technologie
International migration recently attracted unprecedented public attention and media coverage. However, while the debate on the effects on international migration on the economy seems now more relevant than ever, it already attracts the attention of economic researchers for decades. The present thesis provides three empirical studies that investigate the implications of international migration both for migrants themselves, natives in their host countries and those left behind. Chapter 2 empirically revisits the impact of multiculturalism on the macroeconomic performance of US states over the 1960-2010 period. We test for skill-specific effects of multiculturalism, controlling for standard growth regressors and a variety of fixed effects, and accounting for the age of entry and legal status of immigrants. To identify causation, we compare various instrumentation strategies used in the existing literature. We provide converging and robust evidence of a positive and significant effect of diversity among college-educated immigrants on GDP per capita. Conversly, we find no impact of low-skilled diversity or contamination effects. Chapter 3 fits within the literature looking at the determinants of the performance of immigrants in the destination country labor markets. We investigate how natives’ attitudes affect immigrants’ unemployment duration in Germany. Using individual level panel data from the German Socio Economic Panel from 1984 to 2012, we use survival analysis methods to model immigrants’ unemployment durations. We find that lower trust levels of natives towards the citizens of a given country, measured using Eurobarometer surveys, positively influence the unemployment duration of immigrants originating from this country. Our results highlight the fact that immigrants face different obstacles depending on their origin when it comes to integrating destination country labor markets. Chapter 4 analyses whether international migrants contribute to increasing technological advances in developing countries by inducing a transfer of productive knowledge from developed countries back to migrants’ home countries. Using the Economic Complexity Index as a proxy for the amount of productive knowledge embedded in each countries and bilateral migrant stocks of 20 OECD destination countries, we show that international migration is a strong channel of technological transmission

1. Ckopenko B. C. Sustainable development of the national economy: current problems and mechanisms of provision: materials of the II international scientific-practical Internet 27th. nat. University of Economics and Trade named after Mikhail Tugan-Bapanovsky. Kpiviy Pig: DonNUET, 2018. 485c. 2. Stpilchuk Yu. I. Financial provision of innovative projects of small and medium business: global challenges and Ukrainian issues: coll. Materials of the I International Scientific-Practical Conference; December 7, 2016, Kyiv. K .: KNEU, 2016. S. 239. 3. Small Business: Legislative Experience / National Institute for Systematic Research on Entrepreneurship Problems. URL: https://nisse.ru/. 4. Boltyanska L. O., Andreeva O. I., Lysak O. I. Economics of the enterprise: textbook. manual: recommended by the Ministry of Education and Science. Hepcon: Old- plus, 2015. 668 p. 5. Chmelova O. C., Balanda V. V. Strategies of innovative development of the Ukrainian economy: problems, prospects, efficiency // Proceedings of the VIII International Scientific and Practical Internet Conference of Students and Young Scientists "Strategy of Innovative Development of the Economy of Ukraine: problems, perspectives, efficiency "Ford-2017" December 27, 2017 p. Kharkiv: NTU "KhPI", 2017 p. 231 c. 6. Zagadepchuk Yu. V. Summer scientific discussions, XXI International scientific-practical internet-conference. Vinnytsia, June 15, 2018. Ch. 1, 73 p.
Revealing the importance of small business as part of the economic environment and its impact on the socio-economic state of society as a whole.
Розкриття важливості малого підприємництва як частини економічного середовища та вплив його на соціально-економічний стан

Le premier chapitre de cette thèse s’intéresse à la relation entre les technologies de l’information et de la communication (TIC) et la productivité dans 8 pays de l’OCDE. L’objectif est de trouver une explication à la coexistence d’un progrès technologique marqué associé à l’absence de rupture dans les performances de productivité sur les dernières décennies. Nos résultats suggèrent qu’il y a une relation positive entre la diffusion des TIC et le progrès technique tandis les variations d’efficience sont associées négativement avec ces technologies. Ces résultats suggèrent que les économies étudiées sont toujours en phase d’adaptation. Le deuxième chapitre analyse le rôle des TIC dans la polarisation du marché du travail. En utilisant des données de 8 pays industrialisés, nos résultats attestent d’une contribution des TIC à cette dynamique et d’un impact différencié par pays et par industrie. Nous relevons aussi que la diffusion des TIC s’accompagne d’abord d’un biais technologique en faveur des travailleurs les plus qualifiés (SBTC) puis contribue à la polarisation du marché du travail. Nous notons également un affaiblissement de la relation positive entre TIC et demande de travailleurs qualifiés. Le troisième chapitre évalue le risque de destructions d’emploi par le capital informatique au Japon. Nous estimons que près de 55% de l’emploi est susceptible d’être réalisés par des outils informatique dans les prochaines années. Ce type de risque semble égal si l’on prend en compte la différence de genre des travailleurs. En revanche, nous notons que les travailleurs les plus précaires sont soumis à un risque plus important
The first chapter of this thesis investigates the relationship between Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and productivity within 8 OECD countries. It aims at providing explanations for the coexistence of this strong technological evolution together with the absence of break in the productivity trend during the last decades. Our results suggest that there is a clearly identifiable positive relationship between computerization and technical progress, while ICT diffusion negatively affects pure efficiency changes. Our findings support that the economies under consideration are still in a phase of adaptation.The second chapter analyses the role of ICT on the job market polarization. Using data for 8 industrialized economies, our results show a significant contribution of ICT on polarization dynamics with some differences between countries and industries. We also find evidence that diffusion of ICT is initially accompanied by a Skill Bias Technological Change (SBTC), then contributing to job market polarization. Finally, our findings highlight a progressive weakening of the positive link between ICT diffusion and the increasing demand for high-skilled workers over time.The third chapter evaluates the risk of job destructions induced by computer technology in Japan. Relying on recent methodology, we found evidence that approximatively 55% of jobs are susceptible to be carried by computer capital in the next years. We also show that thereis no significant difference on the basis of gender. On the contrary, non-regular jobs (those that concern temporary and part-time workers) are more vulnerable to computer technology diffusion than the others

The main research question of this dissertation is whether factors other than labor productivity can help to explain short-run fluctuations and medium-run trends in unemployment in Austria respectively Western Continental Europe. In the part on analyzing short-term-fluctuations I will set up a New Keynesian DSGE model with a richly specified labor market. This model will be used to compare how different labor market specifications fit to Austrian quarterly data. Most importantly, the Bayesian model comparison indicates an important role for nominal wage rigidities and for a timely response of employment to changes in vacancies. Furthermore, models with consensual determination of working hours ('efficient bargaining') tend to perform relatively well. The best model can reproduce the relative volatility of labor market tightness compared to labor productivity comparatively well. Moreover, shock decompositions show that fluctuations in Austrian labor market tightness are mainly driven by demand shocks and to a much smaller extent by productivity shocks. In the part on explaining medium-term-trends in unemployment I will set up a theoretical model and demonstrate that certain stylized facts can also be generated by an increase in international trade (and not only by skill-biased technological change). Furthermore I will show that a differential response of different industrial economies ('US' versus 'Continental Europe') might be due to characteristics of sectors which are not directly exposed to globalization.

碩士
國立中山大學
人力資源管理全英語碩士學位學程
107
The advent of automation has caused the disruption of the labor markets of many industries in the past and has the potential to continue to do so in only a greater extent in the future. Recent evidence indicates that ongoing technological advances are driving automation in numerous industries and will likely expand to others in the future. Automation-related technologies such as artificial intelligence, advanced robotics, and the Internet of Things are still relatively in their infancy and new developments are being made each day. Globally, tech giants such as Baidu and Google spent over $20 billion USD in 2016, with over 90% being spent on research and development (Bughin, 2017). But along with the ever-increasing rate of technological development and adoption, it is important to consider the distinct possibility that an enormous displacement of workers can suddenly occur on a global scale. Studies have shown that up to 47 percent of current employment is at risk for being automated (Frey and Osborne, 2013). This paper aims to apply descriptive research methods to analyze the significance of the current threat of automation in the United States. It will investigate past threats posed by automation taken in a historical context, recent and future developments in technology, and also any impacts on employment rates. Possible solutions for dealing with the threat of automation will also be reviewed, including corporate strategy as well as an examination of the feasibility of government education subsidies, alternative work arrangements, and universal basic income.

博士
國立暨南國際大學
輔導與諮商研究所
103
Semiconductor industry in Taiwan met with global financial meltdown and produced unemployment. Many technological engineers with graduated degrees lost jobs and tried to find another work very hard. That had become a serious social problem. The purpose of this research was to explore unemployed engineers' life experiences about career mobility and credential values under the impact of semiconductor industry transition. Six unemployed engineers participated in this study. Narrative inquiry was used to develop an understanding of participants’ career contexts and opinions about credential values. Semi-structural in-depth interviewing was conducted by the researcher and guided by open-ended questions. The findings were: (1)The factors affected engineers’ career developments were in ecological systems under post-financial tsunami, inclusive of the impact of global economic development, to be a technology employee wasn’t the best occupational choice, and market factors would effect on technological development and opportunities of works. (2)Semiconductor industry transition affected the steadiness of employees’ career, inclusive of the awareness of unstable career state, to be worried about the wages were fell behind, and challenges of coping skills about be unemployment. (3)The factors of career mobility were multiple, inclusive of career satisfaction would be a drive and an attraction for career mobility, people with professional knowledge as moving productive tools, work experience and qualifications were symbolized personal wealth, psychological contract would be tested, structural unemployment would effect on career mobility. (4)The difficulties of obtaining employment were reflected by career mobility, inclusive of limited job vacancy, too professional to change jobs, it’s hard for works to keep jobs stable until retiring and less uneasily to find a job than fresh men. (5)Engineers had the advantages of career mobility, inclusive of to break through career plateau, to accumulate relationships, and to develop abilities for psychological adaption. (6)Technology corporations’ preference of credential reflected social mainstream values, inclusive of people with high degree would get outstanding social impressions and move upward more easily, the potential social values would be represented that wages level were according to different degrees, people with high degrees would expect good life in the future. (7)Credential values were judged in social contexts, graduated degree values depended on economic development stages, occupational categories and fields, and degrees couldn’t represent every working conditions. (8)To be specialized was the choke point for engineers with graduated degree, it’s enough that one degree for one job only, multi-abilities and qualifications were expected, people should overcome the difficulty that too many competitors with high degrees, and try to create more values by using theories and skills. (9)Engineers expected the goals of career development in the future were including individual working abilities and corporation welfares both. Finally, clinical and research suggestions were discussed according to the results, especially for engineers, semiconductor industry , government, university about career counseling strategies.

Are robots stealing jobs? A large majority of Europeans think they do. This paper shedslight on the drivers of anxiety of the European population about automation and possiblejob replacement. We find that fears of automation are linked to individual characteristics –“who you are” – but also macro ones – “where you’re born”. Our results show that women,less educated individuals, blue-collar workers and those that are not skilled in ICT are moreconcerned with robotization, but younger individuals fear for their own jobs the most. Atthe country-level, economies with higher shares of employment in manufacturing industryand agriculture, higher GDP growth and higher unemployment rates are more likely to fearthe impact of new technologies, hinting at a role of both structural and cyclical factors.

Η άποψη ότι κατά τη διάρκεια των τελευταίων χρόνων είμαστε μάρτυρες θεαματικών εξελίξεων στις τεχνολογίες πληροφοριών και επικοινωνιών είναι πλέον κοινός τόπος. Οι εξελίξεις, όμως αυτές, επηρεάζουν άμεσα τη παραγωγικότητα της εργασίας με συνέπεια τη μετάλλαξη και του ίδιου του εργασιακού περιβάλλοντος τόσο ποιοτικά όσο και ποσοτικά. Οι έννοιες της πληροφορίας και της γνώσης αποκτούν ιδιαίτερη σημασία στο νέο τεχνο-οικονομικό παράδειγμα που ουσιαστικά βασίζεται σε αυτές, αναπτύσσοντας καινοτομικές δραστηριότητες στη παραγωγική διαδικασία, στις δεξιότητες των εργαζομένων και στη λειτουργία των επιχειρήσεων γενικότερα. Η ολοένα και πιο έντονη, όμως, εισροή των τεχνολογιών πληροφορικής και επικοινωνιών, ενώ δημιουργεί νέες αγορές και νέα προϊόντα και άρα αυξάνει τις θέσεις εργασίας, παράλληλα εκτοπίζει εργατικό δυναμικό αφού πλέον η μηχανή αντικαθιστά τον άνθρωπο. Αποτέλεσμα αυτού, οι αλλαγές στις εργασιακές σχέσεις και νέες προκλήσεις τόσο στην εκπαίδευση όσο και στον εργαζόμενο και την επιχείρηση. Η παρούσα διπλωματική εργασία αναλύει τις αλλαγές που επιφέρει στην απασχόληση η τεχνολογία πληροφοριών και επικοινωνιών και παρουσιάζει τα στοιχεία που συνθέτουν τη νέα οικονομία στην οποία είμαστε ήδη εισηγμένοι. Παράλληλα, προσδιορίζει τις επιδράσεις της νέας τεχνολογίας και τις προκλήσεις που δημιουργούνται μέσα από αυτή.
The fact that last years we are witnesses of spectacular developments in the technologies of information and communications is worldwide accepted. However, these developments influence directly the productivity of work and the result of this is the mutation of the labour environment in quantity and quality. The significances of information and knowledge acquire particular importance in the new [techno]- economic example which substantially is based on them, developing innovative activities in the productive process, in the skills of employees and in the operation of business generally. However the continuously surge of technologies of information and communications, while it creates new markets and new products and increases the employment and at the same time displaces workforce with machines. As a result of this, are the changes in the labour relations and new challenges in the education and business. The present diplomatic thesis analyzes the changes that effect in the employment because of the technology of information and communications and presents the elements that compose the new economy in which we have been already in. At the same time, it determines the effects of new technology and the challenges that are created through this.

My dissertation focuses on the heterogeneity in labor markets. The first chapter proposes an explanation for the unemployment rate difference between skill groups. Low skill workers (workers without a four year college degree) have a higher unemployment rate. The reason for that "... is mainly because they (low skill workers) are more likely to become unemployed, not because they remain unemployed longer, once unemployed" (Layard, Nickell, Jackman, 1991, p. 44). This chapter proposes an explanation for the difference in job separation probabilities between these skill groups: high skill workers have lower job separation probabilities as they are selected more effectively during the hiring process. I use a labor search model with match specific quality to quantify the explanatory power of this hypothesis on differences in job separation probabilities and unemployment rates across skill groups. The second chapter analyzes the effects of one channel of interaction (job competition) between skill groups on their labor market outcomes. Do skilled workers prefer unskilled jobs to being unemployed? If so, skilled workers compete with unskilled workers for those jobs. Job competition generates interaction between the labor market outcomes of these groups. I use a heterogeneous agents model with skilled and unskilled workers in which the only interaction across groups is the job competition. Direct effects of job competition are reducing skilled unemployment rate (since they have a bigger market) and increasing the unskilled unemployment rate (since they face greater competition). However number of vacancies respond to job competition in equilibrium. For instance, unskilled firms have incentives to open more vacancies since filling a vacancy is easier if there is job competition. Thus how unskilled unemployment and wages are affected by job competition depends on which effect dominates. The results for reasonable parameter values show that job competition does reduce the average unemployment rate. It reduces the skilled unemployment rate more, generating an increase in unemployment rate inequality. However, the employment rate at skilled jobs is unaffected. The third chapter focuses on skill biased technological change. Skill biased technological change is one of the explanations for the asymmetry between labor market outcomes of skill groups over the last few decades. However, during this time period there were also skill neutral shocks that could contribute to these outcomes. The third chapter analyzes the effects of skill biased and neutral shocks on overall labor market variables. I use a model in which skilled and unskilled outputs are intermediate goods, and final good sector receives all the shocks. A numerical exercise shows that both skilled and unskilled unemployment rates respond to shocks in the same direction. The response of unemployment rate to skill neutral shocks is bigger than the response to skill biased shocks for both skill groups. However, the unskilled unemployment changes more than the skilled unemployment rate as a response to skill neutral shocks. Thus, skill neutral shocks reduce the unemployment rate gap between skill groups.
text

Employment issues in South Africa (SA) are a significant problem. There are ongoing discussions revolving around the employability challenges facing South African graduates, particularly in the Information Technology (IT) sector. The preparedness of these IT graduates has been questioned with many looking towards skill sets and employability status while others have scrutinised the validity of the IT curriculum meeting industry needs. The research focuses on a case study of graduates from an accredited, private higher education institution in SA. The study followed a qualitative approach using questionnaires and interviews to understand the experiences of employers, employed graduates and recruitment personnel upon employment of the graduates. This study investigated, determined and confirmed recommendations to adapt the South African higher education IT curriculum to improve the productivity of IT graduates upon employment.
School of Computing
M. Sc. (Computing)

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 238- 250)
People who are Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET) in the Gauteng province are faced with a number of challenges that have many detrimental effects. One major issue is the large number of NEET people who are information illiterate to operate information services that are largely web based. Previously, information services used to be more static in nature, but ICT advancement have enabled flexibility in terms of how people actively search for developmental and work opportunities information. Scholars and research institutions have conducted extensive studies on developing the capacity of NEET people. However, there was little evidence of studies that focus on services that serve information to this community of NEET people. Therefore, this thesis aims to propose an information services framework and provide an insightful discussion about information services and NEET people. Data were collected primarily through semi-structured interviews with NEET people and, in the process, observations transpired along, with document analysis. The study adopted qualitative research and the findings were analysed thematically in line with the objectives of the study. The study revealed that intervention programmes are important to support NEET people to gain confidence and prepare them for work by refining their skills. In addition, there are initiatives that offer support and training at no cost. The major findings of the study were that there are inequalities experienced by NEET people because of socio-economic issues. It was also discovered that there are NEET people who are self-taught to utilise information services on ICT platforms. The study concludes that information literacy is important for NEET people to proficiently make use of information services to search for information. Work experience topped the agenda in terms of challenges experienced by NEET people when seeking for work. Furthermore, seeking for work or developmental opportunities information is an emotionally draining exercise for most NEET people. Such that some of the NEET people have indicated that they feel discouraged, particularly when continuously being rejected by potential organisations. Good education remains important as it has the capacity to build the individual’s mind and better place the individual’s mind to demonstrate passion towards what the persons envisage to do. A further study is recommended to investigate the extent to which lack of ICT skills has an impact on increasing the risk of NEET people remaining NEET.
Information Science
D. Litt. et Phil. (Information Science)

This thesis studies the effect of generosity of unemployment insurance on economic growth. More generous unemployment insurance is argued to cause an increase in unemployment on the one hand and better job match quality on the other. Our model shows that in the developed countries, there may be some level of unemployment insurance which ensures that the productivity gain offsets the loss due to higher unemployment. On the contrary, in the developing countries, any level of unemployment insurance was revealed to harm economic growth. Moreover, we present strong evidence in favour of a positive effect of unemployment insurance on the aggregate productivity growth. Key words: Unemployment Insurance, Distance to Frontier, Endogenous Growth Model, Technology Growth, Economic Growth