3. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - All submissions
Permanent URI for this communityhttps://wiredspace.wits.ac.za/handle/10539/45
Browse
3 results
Search Results
Item "Deepening democracy?" Democratic practices and values in co-operatives operating within a Solidarity Economy framework: a case study of the Tswelelane bakery in Gauteng(2016-03-07) Bentes, Saulo de Tarso ValeThis research report analyses the relationship between the Solidarity Economy framework and democratic values and practices. The research involved a literature review of the principles informing the Solidarity Economy (SE) framework, the experience of the SE in Brazil compared to South Africa, and the differences compared to conventional co-operatives. The field work involved semi structured interviews and participant observation in a worker co-operative located in Ivory Park, Gauteng. The co-operative is a bakery with approximately seven years of history with struggles and changes. The observation focused on the organization of power relations within the co-operative, the social relations between members themselves, with the community and with another institutions The research found that, despite facing challenges and being a small size cooperative, the social relationships are marked by democratic decision making, a flat, horizontal form of internal organisation and harmonious, collegial social relationships with an overall emphasis on solidarity. It suggests that co-operatives organised in terms of the Solidarity Economy framework have the potential to deepen sustainable democracy. Keywords: Solidarity Economy, Worker Co-operative, South Africa, Brazil, Qualitative method, Leadership, Social Relations, Democracy.Item Dynamics of biotechnology entrepreneurship in South Africa and Brazil(2014-08-04) Alagbaoso, Manessah ObinaliBiotechnology entrepreneurship is a relatively new and distinct field of entrepreneurship. Most current empirical research is conducted in the developed economies and cannot be directly extrapolated to the developing economies. The paucity of empirical research and the lack of a conceptual framework for biotechnology entrepreneurship constitute gaps that this research addressed through the development of a proposed theoretical framework of biotechnology entrepreneurship based on empirical research conducted within the context of the developing economies of South Africa and Brazil. The current methodological approaches to research in biotechnology entrepreneurship predominantly make use of a nomothetic philosophical approach and employs quantitative methods. Current research is also often based on surveys conducted within one developing economy context. Consequently, few studies in biotechnology entrepreneurship use the qualitative multiple case study approach. This methodological gap is addressed in this research through the use of qualitative multiple case studies, in the idiographic philosophical tradition, in two developing economies; South Africa and Brazil. The data collection process included in-depth interviews, documents review and observations, which improved the quality of the research through data triangulation. Ten themes were identified, which formed the basis for developing the proposed theoretical framework. In addition, seven factors that influence the process of biotechnology entrepreneurship in South Africa and Brazil were identified as regulation; funding; infrastructure; skills; entrepreneurial and commercialisation capabilities; market for biotechnology products; and social development. This research shows that the individual-opportunity nexus of entrepreneurship does not entirely hold for biotechnology entrepreneurship in South Africa and Brazil. Instead, there is a nexus of research and development; and a governmentincentivised environment that is conducive for biotechnology entrepreneurship. The policy implications of these dynamics in South Africa and Brazil; as well as implications for the other stakeholders in the biotechnology industry are articulated as being linked to the control of the factors that influence biotechnology entrepreneurship by the various stakeholders. Hence, the implications for government are predominantly linked to regulation and infrastructure; and the implications for the other stakeholders are predominantly linked to funding and skills.Item The integration of housing rights into the informal settlement intervention process: An international review(2006-10-31T08:21:17Z) Ismail, Mohamed Iqbal EbrahimThe failure of governments to promote efficient housing policies coupled with increasing speculation in land markets has resulted in scarcity of serviced land, leading to a lack of adequate housing for the majority of the urban population. This has resulted in illegal land use and development and the eventual situation of informal settlements developing at a rapid rate. However most governments in the developing world, including South Africa have failed to acknowledge that most new urban informal settlements are developed by an illegal process as informal settlement residents willingly or unwittingly contravene planning regulations, contravene laws out of ignorance of the legal requirements, coupled with the inability to conform to the high standards set. Consequently, States respond to this illegality in the form of eviction as it threatens the economic, social and political stability of the urban environment. Concepts promoted internationally and identified in international literature recognize that the solution to informality lies in appropriate protection of rights which should ensure access to secure shelter leading to access to other benefits such as livelihood opportunities, public services and credits. That flowing from International Laws and Covenants, Human Rights Law needs to be looked at as a system of law that creates legally binding obligations for states with the aim of protecting, respecting and promoting housing rights for informal settlement residents. In the context of rights, Fernandes goes further in emphasising the legal constitutional perspective of the urban phenomenon where law is used as a vehicle for urban development and social change as well as encouraging state action and its attempts at socio-political legitimization in the context of informal settlement intervention.