Browsing by Author "Parker, Gail, Denise"
Now showing 1 - 6 of 6
Results Per Page
Sort Options
Item Drivers for Local Economic Development in South African Municipalities(2021-11-05) Parker, Gail, DeniseLocal economic development (LED) within municipalities in South Africa has been viewed as a failing project by many commentators, practitioners and scholars. One of the areas attributed as a causal factor for distrust on efforts related to local economic development is lack of clarity on foundational dynamics and drivers of LED. This study used interpretivist approaches to analyze key theoretical frameworks that provide explanations for challenges related to articulation of drivers for LED. As a theoretical paper authors established rigor through mapping theories to building blocks of a theoretical argument being the what, when, how and why. The central argument of this paper is that while the potential of LED strategies is not disputed and the economic value of land is , the implementation of such strategies does not assist in achieving the intended objectives of poverty alleviation and economic development. The study concluded that while local municipalities are mandated by the Constitution to “promote social and economic development”, they will not be able to do this without clear policy guidance; institutional capacity-building; inter-sectoral collaboration; political ‘champions’ to drive the process; and real empowerment of the beneficiaries whom the projects is supposed to assist. Key Words : Local economic development. Theoretical framework, Commonage, Business development, Black economic empowerment,Item Enhancing Capacity for Local Economic Development in Creating Vibrant, Productive and Sustainable Rural Communities(2021-11-04) Parker, Gail, Denise; Costa, KingSince the advent of South Africa’s democracy, there have been many pressing questions; one of which has been: ‘to what extent has the newly found political and civil freedoms, which is guaranteed for all South Africans, translated into an a more economically-viable life?’ This research investigated whether local economic development (LED) interventions necessarily improve the livelihoods of poor communities. The methods used were hinged upon the interpretivist paradigm, using literature as a basis of enquiry. Furthermore, semi-structured interviews with target groups (eg. project beneficiaries, government officials, municipal manager, town mayor, etc) were conducted, followed by focus group-style interviews with key stakeholders. The study found that sound economic development vision may thrive if linked to the following: clear policy guidance, institutional capacity building, intersectoral collaboration, political will and real empowerment.Item Instilling Value-Significance in Land Ownership in the Northern Cape Province(2021-11-04) Parker, Gail, DeniseThe concept of value-significance in landownership has been viewed from only one dimension – the economic dimension. This study focused on the intrinsic dimension, sometimes theoretically called “place attachment” to determine how this component could be infused in land reform support and maintenance programmes directed towards beneficiaries of the land redistribution programme in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. The current state of post-land redistribution programme is characterized with a plethora of problems that lead to discouraged beneficiaries, unproductive land use and ultimate land degradation. This study sought to answer the question, “How to instill value-significance in land ownership to beneficiaries of the land redistribution programme in the Northern Cape Province”. An interpretivist phenomenological approach was selected as method of inquiry, purposively selecting ten study participants from different cohorts of the land redistribution programme between the period 1994 to 2018. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to obtain in-depth insights, to describe the lived experiences of participants. Aligned with ethical standards, interviews were conducted and recorded on an audio recording device, with the permission of participants. Recorded data was transcribed and analyzed using both thematic analysis benchmarked to the COSTA QDA Technique and the webQDA software. Findings of the study culminated into thematic expressions, namely: land redistribution programme needs to be underpinned by a structured maintenance programme; lives of beneficiaries are transformed; beneficiaries aspire full ownership of the land for productive use. The study concluded in a rigorous synthesis of these thematic expressions and culminated in development of the INSTIL Framework for instilling value-significance in land ownership. It is recommended that the framework for instilling value-significance in land ownership be implemented to enhance the success of the land redistribution programme in the Northern Cape province. Key words: Identity, Instil, Land ownership, Place attachment, Value-significanceItem Instilling value-significance in landownership in the Northern Cape Province(2020-11-28) Parker, Gail, Denise; Costa, KingThe concept of value-significance in landownership has been viewed from only one dimension – the economic dimension. This study focused on the intrinsic dimension, sometimes theoretically called “place attachment” to determine how this component could be infused in land reform support and maintenance programmes directed towards beneficiaries of the land redistribution programme in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. The current state of post-land redistribution programme is characterized with a plethora of problems that lead to discouraged beneficiaries, unproductive land use and ultimate land degradation. In view of the above, this study sought to answer the question, “How to instill value-significance in land ownership to beneficiaries of the land redistribution programme in the Northern Cape Province”. An interpretivist phenomenological approach was selected a method of inquiry, purposively selecting study participants from different cohorts of the land redistribution programme between the period 1994 to 2018. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to obtain in-depth insights, seeking to describe the lived experiences of the land redistribution programme. Aligned with ethical standards, interviews were conducted and recorded on an audio recording device, with the permission of participants. Recorded data was transcribed and analyzed using both thematic analysis benchmarked to the COSTA QDA Technique and the webQDA software. Findings of the study culminated into four thematic expressions as follows: (1) Land redistribution programme needs to be underpinned by a structured maintenance programme; (2) Land redistribution programme transformed lives of beneficiaries; (3) Beneficiaries of land redistribution programme aspire full ownership of the land for productive use; and (4) A framework for instilling value-significance in land ownership could enhance the maintenance of the land redistribution programme. Through a rigorous synthesis of these thematic expressions, a final outcome of this study culminated in a development of the INSTIL Framework for instilling value-significance in land ownership.Item Mapping the Emergence of Local Economic Development in South Africa since the Dawn Of Democracy(2021-11-10) Parker, Gail, Denise; Costa, KingThis paper is an explorative discourse on strategies used for local economic development since the dawn of a new democracy in South Africa. In doing so, the study reflected on international experience and current local economic development practices while at the same time focusing on variables that could be characterized as enablers or barriers to successful implementation in poor areas. It is a theoretical paper, hinged upon secondary analysis of publications in relation to local economic development between the period of 1994 and 2004 with a specific intent to understand the strength and weakness of the foundations upon which the current policies are based. The synthesis focused on concepts such as poverty alleviation initiatives linked to land-based local economic development in South Africa. The study concluded that while there are similarities in the emergence of LED across the global spectrum, less developed countries such as South Africa continue to face a myriad of challenges related to policy development, execution, monitoring and evaluation. It was further recommended that strategic intents for LED should be aligned to community aspirations to have a sustainable impact. It was further recommended that while donor agencies remain crucial, proper allocation and reporting mechanisms may help sustain relationships between LED practitioners and funders. Lastly, it was recommended that a strong and legitimized political will and leadership are vital in encouraging popular participation and sustained community based response.Item The Challenge of Sustainable Land-Based Local Economic Development in Poor Communities of South Africa: The Case of Groblershoop, Northern Cape(2021-11-05) Parker, Gail, DeniseSince the advent of South Africa’s democracy, there have been many pressing questions; one of which has been: ‘to what extent has the newly found political and civil freedoms, which is guaranteed for all South Africans, translated into an a more economically-viable life?’ This research investigates whether local economic development (LED) interventions necessarily improve the livelihoods of poor communities. More specifically, the goal of this thesis is to explore some of the reasons why land-based economic development interventions often struggle to meet their main objective of improving the livelihoods of local poor people. It is hoped that the findings of this research will assist policymakers and local economic development planners in making more informed decisions. Using a qualitative research methodology, a three- pronged approach is adopted to address the key goal of this thesis. First, a review of the literature on LED was conducted: a comparative study into its origins in wealthy, developed countries; and the experiences on the successes and failures of LED as a developmental tool. Secondly, a review was made of the experiences of the application on LED approaches in a South African context, with special reference to the policy and support of LED strategy. Thirdly, a case study of Groblershoop, which is in the Northern Cape, is presented. It focuses on LED that is based on land, and the role that it plays in the livelihood approaches of poor people. In conclusion, it is posited that while the potential of land-based LED is not disputed, the implementation of such strategies are often inconsistent with the overall objective of poverty alleviation and economic development. For this reason, local municipalities will not be able to do this without clear policy guidance; institutional capacity-building; inter-sectoral collaboration of political ‘champions’ to drive the process; and real empowerment of the beneficiaries whom the projects are supposed to assist.