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Abstract - The Impact of Food Price Changes and Food Insecurity on Economic Welfare: A Case of Selected Southern African Countries
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Abstract: Households are tremendously affected by changes in food prices. The extent of the impact depends on the income of households. This study is undertaken to analyse the impact of food price changes on food insecurity and economic welfare in selected southern African countries (Lesotho, Malawi, South Africa, Mozambique and Botswana). The Panel Auto Regressive Distributed Lag (PARDL) model is estimated using time series data from the period of 1980 to 2016. The findings of this study showed that food price changes positively affect economic welfare in the long run for the countries. Households that are net food sellers generate a higher income when prices go up. Therefore, food price changes are a gain for these households, especially producers and net sellers. Furthermore, the study revealed that inflation and net trade affect economic welfare for the countries in the short run. As a policy recommendation, the governments of these countries can subsidise food producers, most especially producers of staple foods that are seasonal; this can stabilize food price changes. As a result, both net sellers and net buyers of food can benefit from food prices. In other words, the benefit of food price can spread across to net buyers, not only net sellers. Also the governments of these countries can use monetary policy such as increase in interest rate to combat inflation. Keywords: PARDL, Food Price Instability, Food Security, Economic welfare, Southern African countries. |
Abstract - The Impact of Governance on Income Inequality in Ten Asian Countries
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Abstract: This study utilizes panel data analysis over the 1996 to 2015 period to investigate the impact of governance quality (including democratic quality and technical quality) on income inequality in ten Asain countries, classified as “advanced economies” and “emerging market and developing economies”. The empirical results show that the impacts of democratic quality and technical quality on income inequality are significantly negative within “emerging market and developing economies”. However, for the “advanced economies”, the effects of democratic quality and technical quality on income inequality are nonsignificantly positive and significantly positive, respectively. These findings imply that promoting good governance is useful to reduce income inequality for “emerging market and developing economies” but the effect may not be effective for “advanced economies. Keywords: Income Inequality, Governance, Panel Data Analysis. |
Abstract - The Impact of HOT Skills on Enhancing Professional Communication Strategies among Malaysian TESL Students
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Abstract: Effective professional communication is required for the university students, particularly studying Education, to achieve their career goals. Perhaps a set of the most important skills for enhancing professional communication strategies among the university students and practitioners are to use Higher Order Thinking skills (HOTs). This research was conducted to investigate the Malaysian students’ attitude towards HOTs in their professional communication strategies at two private universities in Malaysia. It tried to analyse the implementation of HOTs to indicate if these skills are able to enhance the university students’ professional communication strategies in academic and professional settings. This study involved 54 respondents which consisted of 41 Bachelor of Teaching English as a Second Language (BTESL) students and 13 Diploma of TESL (DTESL) students already done their internship. The research instruments were questionnaire and interview. The researcher-designed questionnaire was distributed through online to all the respondents. Moreover, the interviewees were randomly selected by the researchers. Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics and a comparative study. Overall, the findings showed that only a few trainee Malaysian BTESL students fell under the category of good background knowledge in HOTs. However, in the comparative study, it surprisingly showed that Malaysian DTESL students had a better understanding of HOTs compared to Malaysian BTESL trainee students. Therefore, it is suggested that HOTs are significant required thinking and creative skills which all Malaysian university students need to obtain during their education in the university level so that they can communicate effectively in this competitive world to achieve their career objectives. Keywords: Higher Order Thinking Skills, Creativity, Analysis, Evaluation, Communication strategies. |
Abstract - The Impact of Guarda Nacional Republicana’s Reward Systems on the Military’s Organizational Commitment
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Abstract: The aim of this research is to analyze the impact of Guarda Nacional Republicana’s rewards systems on the military's organizational commitment and, more precisely, on intrinsic rewards. Organizations in general, but they also have a hierarchical structure like this, to achieve success, need to know what is most valued by workers, in this case, the level of intrinsic rewards, as a way to increase commitment. This analysis is important because of the need for the superior hierarchical structure to gauge which intrinsic rewards are most valued by their subordinates, as well as what kind of intrinsic rewards have the greatest impact on military commitment. Organizations intend to keep their employees engaged in an affective and normative way, as these are the components of commitment that have the most positive effects. In this research, questionnaires were applied to military personnel who work in Guarda Nacional Republicana Units located in the Lisbon district. The sample studied is constituted of 497 military. The results indicate that the granting of intrinsic, formal and informal rewards to the military produces positive effects on their commitment. That is, the relationship and impact between these rewards and the affective and normative components of commitment is significantly positive. In addition, the informal intrinsic rewards are the most valued by the military. We also conclude that the intrinsic rewards granted to the military are extremely important because they contribute to their maintenance in the organization. The present investigation can also help the hierarchical superiors, in their daily routine, to know how to make their subordinates more committed. Keywords: Rewards Systems, Guarda Nacional Republicana, Organizational Commitment, Intrinsic Rewards. |
Abstract - The Impact of Knowledge-Based Economy on Growth Performance: Evidence from South Africa
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Abstract: This article seeks to measure and evaluate the impact of knowledge-based economy on growth performance in South Africa. The study focuses in identifying specific economic pillars that enhance growth performance in South Africa. Although transition from traditional to knowledge-based economy appears structural, the course to digital innovation guides adaptation to the global change. Following the World Bank KAM (knowledge assessment methodology), this article uses data analysis from the 2007 to 2016 to highlighted economic transition in the recent decade. This article uses quantitative methods to analyse secondary data collected from various websites such as SA Statistics, organisation for the Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) as well as the World bank that publish South African economic data. Data analysis is done using SPSS software version 26 as a major statistical tool for advance data interpretation. However, the study is limited to yearly data frequency compared to quarterly or monthly frequency since statistical data are mostly published per year. The empirical results showed that 67% of GDP (Gross Domestic Product) is explained by the dependent variables namely FDI 9Foreign Direct Investment), R&D 9Research and Development), trade ICT (Information, Communication and Technology) and Computer balance as well as literacy. Innovation system, economic regime, information infrastructure as well as human resources’ elements are statistically significant in improving economic growth in South Africa with a correlation matrix of 81%. Data interpretation showed that transition from traditional to knowledge-based economy is a key driver of national economic prosperity that guarantees long-term survival. Suggestions from the study stipulates that decision-makers should ensure efficiency of knowledge-based economy structure through definition and application of knowledge-related policies tailored to the country’s specifications. The proposed conceptual framework will guide the implementation of successful knowledge-based economy that will enrich growth performance in South Africa. Keywords: Growth, performance, knowledge-based economy, South Africa. |