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Research and experimental development (R&D) is an important driver of economic growth and productivity. Gross expenditure on domestic R&D (GERD) is a country's total expenditure on R&D performed by all sectors of the economy. South Africa's GERD as a percentage of its GDP (GERD/GDP) remains below government targets and has stagnated over the past decade, largely due to declining business sector R&D. This paper aims to identify the drivers of firm-level R&D intensity, defined as the firm's R&D expenditure as a percentage of turnover. It is the first South African study to examine both micro- and macro-economic drivers of firm R&D, with a paucity of literature on this topic for middle-income countries. Using the South African National R&D Survey data, the study utilized the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) model and found that public financial support for firms, smaller firm-size, firm-level collaboration, political stability, foreign direct investment, and public R&D investment are positively associated with firm R&D intensity. The results highlight the importance of public financial support for smaller firms and investments in higher education and research institutions in promoting firm-level R&D, thereby providing useful policy insights for boosting business sector and economy-wide R&D expenditure and reaching national GERD/GDP targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers detailed reflections of two lecturers on the teaching of Social Sciences Education Honours modules in a multidisciplinary context at one university in South Africa. The reflections portray that, while in Social Sciences Education students from diverse specialisations are enrolled in courses that are multidisciplinary in nature, the teaching pedagogy used continues to be disciplinary-based. Through the qualitative self-reflective narrative study of two lecturers teaching Commerce Education and History Education in the Honours programme in this university, the paper explores how these lecturers teach these Honours modules in a multidisciplinary context. Drawing on the reflections of the two lecturers, the conclusions of the study were that, the Honours programme in Social Sciences Education needs to be an integrated and multidisciplinary study, given the pedagogical weaknesses, and the resultant compromising of the quality of the teaching of the disciplines within this programme. The paper proposes 'border crossing pedagogy' as a solution that can be used in a multidisciplinary classroom because it allows for integration of disciplines in terms of content and teaching approach. This calls for revisiting how the modules within Social Sciences Honours programme are taught in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper shows how in the past quackery was seen as a problem of remoteness and isolation while today it is global connects which provide the nourishing grounds for it. It looks at 'Dr Elsie' from rural Bushbuckridge, South Africa who uses a Quantum Resonance Magnetic Analysis Machine as a diagnostic tool to prescribe Chinese supplements. The paper describes how the practicing 'doctor' draws approval and a sense of legitimate professionalism from the economic success of her newly established business. Here, pseudo medical business becomes a conduit for social aspirations while she places the 'burden of proof' about the legitimacy of what she does with the very same people who the technology she uses deceives. The paper is framed by how the author's own sense of faithfulness as researcher is challenged by the difficulty to draw a clear line between authentic and pseudo health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concise and effective business English communication underpins successful organisations. During the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) much of the working day is spent in some form of communication, usually e-mails. This paper examines the effectiveness of English communication between integral parts of a business operation during the 4IR. A mixed methods approach utilising a non-experimental design was used to investigate effective business communication using e-mails in English in a medium sized organisation in South Africa. A questionnaire consisting of 10 Likert type scale questions and 5 open ended questions was used. Purposive sampling was utilised as the population was small (150 employees, final sample 55) thus results cannot be generalised. Certain barriers to communication were identified which were considered important. For instance, many staff members were second language English speakers and often misunderstand e-mails. As a result, they reported that they felt frustrated in their working life and were demotivated. It was concluded that many e-mails were challenging to staff and needed to be written in everyday English not business language. The authors recommended that workshops and initial training in business language skills when people enter the organisation should be undertaken. Human Resources could also audit the use of appropriate English. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fuelwood is the primary energy for most households throughout the developing world. With increasing urbanization and declining local availability of fuelwood, a growing proportion of households obtain their fuelwood by purchasing it. These fuelwood markets are the key nexus in supply and demand scenarios and can be potentially significant points for intervention to address energy security amongst the urban poor. This paper reports on the fuelwood demand and marketing in a small town in South Africa. Despite the availability of more modern fuels mad state subsidization of electricity, fuelwood was still used by half the households. Annual demand was 1.2 t per household. Over half of the households bought their fuelwood requirements because local stocks were limited. Those households that did collect their own fuelwood were significantly poorer than households that purchased fuelwood, as well as households that did not use fuelwood at all. Fuelwood markets operated through 45-60 vendors who transported fuelwood from further afield. Income from the fuelwood trade was low, but was strongly linked to hours worked. Thus, vendors working a fun week did earn a meaningful income, especially in the context of high unemployment in the area. Fuelwood vendors also provided casual employment opportunities for unskilled labour. Most vendors harvested fuelwood from commonage lands, with most of the wood being from alien species. Local stocks of wood are declining in the face of constant transformation of commonage to residential areas, and a national water and biodiversity conservation programme to eradicate alien plants. This decline poses a threat to the financial viability of fuelwood markets. Yet, an opportunity exists to incorporate the vendors into the alien plant clearing programme, since they already perform such a function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]