Economic Studies Archives - Page 2 of 4 - Arid Areas Research and Development

The enterprise ecology of towns in the Karoo

Toerien, DF and Seaman MT (2010), The enterprise ecology of towns in the Karoo, South Africa, In South African Journal of Science, May/June. ABSTRACT Two concepts, (1) companies are ‘living’ entities and (2) ‘company ecology’, stimulated our hypothesis that towns are ‘enterprise ecosystems’. This hypothesis cannot be tested directly. However, if it is correct,…

Sustainable low-technology businesses: the key to large-scale job creation in SA

Toerien, DF (2008), Sustainable low-technology businesses: the key to large-scale job creation in South Africa, in ASSAF (Academy of Science of South Africa), Local Economic Development in Small Towns, Housing Delivery and Impact on the Environment, Pretoria. Introduction Widespread poverty is one of the most pressing problems of South Africa. The inability over decades…

Bethulie case study

Sigenu, K (2007), Bethulie case study. Unpublished report, Centre for Development Studies, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein. BACKGROUND Bethulie had its origins as a mission station for the displaced San from nearby Philippolis in the mid 1820s. Nowadays it is part of the Kopanong Local Municipality along with eight other towns, i.e. Gariepdam,…

Cradock case study

Sigenu, K (2007), Cradock case study. Unpublished report, Centre for Development Studies, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein. BACKGROUND The history of Cradock dates back to the beginning of the 19th century, when British troops were stationed in the Great Fish River area to ensure peace on the country’s Eastern Frontier. A fort was…

Graaff-Reinet case study

Sigenu, K (2007), Graaff-Reinet case study. Unpublished report, Centre for Development Studies, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Graaff-Reinet lies in the horse-shoe bend of the Sundays River and in the shadow of the rocky Sneeuberg Mountain Range. It is known as the “Gem of the Karoo”. It gets this name from…

Nieu-Bethesda case study

Kruger, N (2007), Nieu-Bethesda case study. Unpublished report, Centre for Development Studies, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein. BACKGROUND –BRIEF HISTORY Nieu Bethesda was established in 1878 on the farm Uitkyk which belonged to Mr. B.J. Pienaar. At first it was set aside as a site for a Dutch Reformed Church since it took…

Economic diversification in a mining town

Helmuth, A (2009), Economic diversification in a mining town: A case study of Oranjemund, MBA mini-thesis, Rhodes University, Grahamstown. Abstract Can mining industries and mining based localities promote Local Economic Development (LED)? This case study, on the mining town of Oranjemund, seeks to examine the economic diversification prospects of the town. Stakeholder views are…

Promotion of small-town development

Van Rooy, R (2007), Promotion of small-town development: The case of the Apollo Development Association in Victoria West, Mini-thesis, Masters in Development Studies, University of the Free State. ABSTRACT South African small towns are in desperate need of appropriate forms of Local Economic Development. In terms of their nature and scale, the projects embarked on…

Making plans against all odds

Human, F, Marais, L, Botes, L (2008), “Making plans against all odds: Local Economic Development in small towns of the Free State”, 2008, Africa Insight, 38(1) 2008, pp53-66. Abstract Since the transition to democracy, there has been an increasing emphasis on local economic development (LED) in South Africa. The LED efforts in three small municipalities of…

Promoting small town development

Van Rooy, R and Marais, L (2012), “Promoting small town development: The case of the Apollo Development Association, in R Donaldson and L Marais (eds), Small Town Geographies in Africa: Experiences from South Africa and Elsewhere, Nova Press. Lochner Marais can be contacted at maraisjgl@ufs.ac.za; book for sale from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Small-Town-Geographies-Africa-Experiences/dp/162100001X).