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on Africa |
| By: | Mbate, Michael |
| Abstract: | This paper empirically examines how an individual’s economic, social and political capital affects the propensity to make bribe payments in exchange for public services. Using an individual-level survey on bribes, the econometric results suggest that the burden of bribery is borne by the poor, but substantially decreases when institutions that constrain bureaucratic corruption are strong and effective. The results also show that bribery incidences decrease when social capital is high but increase when political networks are prevalent. These findings support the need to combine anti-corruption reforms with poverty reduction strategies in order to foster equity in public services provision in Kenya. |
| Keywords: | Poverty, Bribery, Institutions |
| JEL: | H41 O55 |
| Date: | 2015–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:71654&r=afr |
| By: | Tsusaka, Takuji W.; Orr, Alastair; Msere, Harry W.; Homann-KeeTui, Sabine; Maimisa, Penias; Twanje, Gift H.; Botha, Rosemary |
| Abstract: | It is widely believed that commercialization and mechanization of food crops lead to disempowering women as men take over control from women. We argue that women are not necessarily discontent in the face of the agrarian transformation. By collecting sex-disaggregated panel data and applying a ‘women’s crop tool’, we analyze and rethink the implication of agricultural commercialization for intra-household gender relation among smallholder farmers through research on groundnut producers in southern Africa, where groundnut is largely regarded as a ‘women’s crop’. In addition to examining the effect of commercialization in Zambia and Malawi, small-scale post-harvest mechanization was provided experimentally to selected farmers in Zambia. The panel regression results show that commercialization did not lead to disempowering women in either country, which is consistent with the qualitative discussions with farmers held before the baseline surveys. Furthermore, by combining PSM and DID methods, it was found that machine shelling did not disempower women farmers either. The finding provides insights into how gender relation among smallholders is affected at the initial stage of commercialization and mechanization of ‘women’s crops’. |
| Keywords: | gender, women, commercialization, mechanization, groundnut, Zambia, Malawi, Agricultural and Food Policy, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Consumer/Household Economics, Crop Production/Industries, Farm Management, Institutional and Behavioral Economics, International Development, Marketing, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies, Research Methods/ Statistical Methods, J16, O13, Q12, |
| Date: | 2016 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea16:235885&r=afr |
| By: | Amankwah-Amoah, Joseph; Ifere, Simeon; Nyuur, Richard |
| Abstract: | Despite the considerable research on strategic persistence, there remains a lack of understanding as to why companies persist with underperforming workers. Our study seeks to fill this gap in the literature by integrating the concepts of the paradox of success, external legitimacy, nepotism and the escalation of commitment perspectives to develop an integrated explanation for persistence with underperforming workers. Drawing on insights from two emerging economies in Africa: Ghana and Nigeria, we uncovered that persistence with underperforming workers stem from information hoarding, favouritism through tribalism and externally imposed constraints. Our study also articulates the underlying processes inherent in such persistence. The wider implications for theory and public policy are examined. |
| Keywords: | Africa; underperforming employees; human capital; underperforming workers; talent |
| JEL: | L1 L3 L38 M0 |
| Date: | 2016–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:71629&r=afr |
| By: | Gaddis,Isis |
| Abstract: | Measuring poverty requires adjusting nominal consumption (or income) into a real value of consumption, across geographic areas and over time. To this end, data on consumer prices are used to construct a price index. There are a range of approaches to do this, from using the consumer price index, to survey-based unit values, which differ in the underlying sources of price data and methodologies for indexing. These different approaches can have large impacts on poverty measures and trends. Surprisingly little attention has been focused on this topic. This study reviews a range of issues and the evidence on how prices matter for measuring poverty, particularly in Africa. It draws on a wide literature, much from developed countries, and offers suggestions for future work in this area. |
| Keywords: | Regional Economic Development,Access to Markets,Markets and Market Access,Rural Poverty Reduction |
| Date: | 2016–04–26 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:7652&r=afr |
| By: | Wamisho, Kassu |
| Keywords: | International Development, International Relations/Trade, |
| Date: | 2016–07–31 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea16:235768&r=afr |
| By: | Ndambendia, Houdou |
| Abstract: | This paper addresses the trade and investment cooperation between African states and BRIC countries in a dynamic economic environment. No doubt that given it size and open up strategy, China is playing an outstanding role in this cooperation. It appears as the top trading and investor partner among BRIC countries with Africa. Trade is mainly dominated by raw materials coming from Africa to BRIC and manufactured products going to Africa from BRIC. China has the most geographically diversified investment in Africa than other BRIC countries. However, Primary and tertiary sectors are the most targeted sectors for FDI to the continent, leaving behind sector with more labor content. Some policy recommendations are proposed in order for this cooperation to achieve the long term development goal of Africa. |
| Keywords: | trade, investment, FDI, Africa, BRIC |
| JEL: | F41 F63 O55 |
| Date: | 2015 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:71675&r=afr |
| By: | Davide Del Prete; Giorgia Giovannetti (Dipartimento di Scienze per l'Economia e l'Impresa); Enrico Marvasi |
| Abstract: | This paper analyzes the participation and the position of North African countries into global value chains (GVCs). Exploiting the recently released multiregional Input-Output tables from UNCTAD-Eora, we describe regional and country GVC involvement. North African countries have not been able so far to fully integrate into international production networks. However, large part of their (low) trade is due to value added related activities, mainly in the upstream phases, and the importance of foreign linkages has been increasing over time signalling the existence of unexploited opportunities. We complement the Input-Output analysis with evidence from bilateral trade flows and case studies from specific sectors. This anecdotal evidence is in line with previous findings. Overall, our results suggest that enhancing GVC participation of North African countries is likely to substantially benefit local industries, countries and the whole area. However, the ability to retain such benefits relies on specific characteristics, such as the level of human capital, the trade logistics and the presence of trade barriers, thus leaving room for policy intervention. |
| Keywords: | international production networks, global value chains, Multi-Regional Input-Output tables, North Africa. |
| JEL: | F14 F15 L23 O11 O55 |
| Date: | 2015 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:frz:wpaper:wp2016_07.rdf&r=afr |
| By: | Zhang, Yu; Kibriya, Shahriar |
| Abstract: | Slave trade affects regional economic development, degree of trust among individuals, community cohesion, and ethnic identity, which in turn have a bearing on the spatial distribution of civil conflict in Africa. Hence, ethnic homelands that have more slaves exported are expected to be more prone to conflict. By using a subnational dataset in Sub Sahara Africa (SSA) between 1997 and 2014, we find that slave trade in the colonial period significantly causes higher risks of civil conflict in the present. In order to reduce the concern of endogeneity, we employ the historical slave trade distances as instruments, which do not affect conflict except through their influence on slave trade. |
| Keywords: | civil conflict, slave trade, sub Saharan Africa, Institutional and Behavioral Economics, International Development, |
| Date: | 2016–08–02 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea16:236202&r=afr |
| By: | Simplice Asongu (Yaoundé/Cameroun); Jacinta C. Nwachukwu (Coventry University) |
| Abstract: | In this study, we argue that an approach which will reconcile the two opposing camps in Sino-African relations and bring the most progress is a “middle passage” that greases contradictions and offers an accommodative, balanced and pragmatic vision on which Africans can unite. We present a case under which countries can substantially enhance the prospect of development if an African consensus builds on a merger between the Western and Chinese models. We balance national interest with human rights, sovereign authority with individual rights and economic goals with political rights. The chapter presents arguments on the need for a development paradigm in Africa that reconciles the Washington Consensus with the Beijing Model. The analytical framework is organised in three main strands, notably: (i) historical perspectives and contemporary views; (ii) reconciliation of dominant schools of thought and paradigms surrounding Sino-African relations and (iii) practical and contemporary implications. Reconciled schools of thought are engaged in four main categories: optimists versus (vs.) pessimists; preferences in rights (human vs. national, idiosyncratic vs. sovereign and political vs. economic) and the Beijing model vs. the Washington Consensus. |
| Keywords: | Economic relations; China; Africa |
| JEL: | F19 F21 O10 O19 O55 |
| Date: | 2016–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:agd:wpaper:16/011&r=afr |