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Papers

A key output for each of the REDI3x3 funded projects is the production of a publishable working paper. The papers below are those published by the project, since its inception in the later half of 2012. 

A total of 78 papers were commissioned. These will be added to the list below, as they are completed.

Dieter von Fintel May 31, 2015

Whereas some previous microeconometric evidence suggests that wage setters in South Africa are highly responsive to external local labour market circumstances, this is not corroborated by macro-economic studies. This paper interrogates thsi question again, with particular attention to methodological issues in wage curve estimation.

Frederick Fourie May 23, 2015

This paper critically evaluates the National Development Plan (NDP) against the backdrop of prior government initiatives such as the Medium Term Strategic Framework (MTSF) of 2009 and the New Growth Path (NGP) of 2010 and in terms of how they deal with the unemployment problem and economic growth. 

Philippe Burger and Frederick Fourie May 10, 2015

A recent survey of South African unemployment research reveals limited macroeconomic research on unemployment; in addition, almost all macroeconomic work on unemployment policy deals with the formal sector only. This paper critically evaluates the ability of standard macro‐economic theories to explain the South African unemployment situation and finds that these theories provide a partial explanation at most. Even the few models that appear to incorporate an informal, or secondary sector, cannot explain persistent high unemployment or analyse labour flows between sectors/segments. To fill this gap, the authors propose a macro‐economic framework that incorporates both formal (primary) and informal (secondary) sectors, imperfect competition, labour‐union wage bargaining and labour‐market entry barriers.

Andrew Charman and Leif Petersen November 01, 2014

This paper presents the findings of a small area census of micro-enterprises undertaken in five Cape Town townships in 2010-2012.

Martin Wittenberg October 01, 2014

This paper analyses the long-term trends in wages in South Africa, using the data from the October Household Surveys, Labour Force Surveys and Quarterly Labour Force Surveys.

Dorrit Posel, Daniela Casale and Claire Vermaak November 01, 2013

This paper interrogates the distinction between searching and non-searching unemployment in South Africa using data from the first national panel survey that tracks the individual. In particular, it tests whether the non-searching unemployed display a weaker commitment to the labour market than the searching unemployed; and investigates what counts as search activity.

Frederick Fourie and Murray Leibbrandt September 02, 2012

This paper presents the list of 'knowledge gaps' of the unemployment/employment focus area in REDI3x3. It builds on a recent survey (Fourie 201) which demonstrates that three major discourse 'worlds' - labour, poverty/inequality/development, and macroeconomic - can be distinguished.

Frederick Fourie September 01, 2012

This paper argues for a redirection and integration of the research debate on unemployment. It presents a critical survey and meta-analysis of the South African academic literature on unemployment.

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