Subject Guides: Economics: Post-Graduates

Postgraduate Research Support

The Library Postgraduate Research Support service provides guidance and relevant training that supports postgraduate students and researchers during their research journey.

Information and Research Guides

See the Library Postgraduate Research Support guide for more information on recommended and authoritative resources. This guide provides a useful starting point for finding relevant subject information.

You may also consult the SAGE Research Methods guide to help you in finding the best literature to enable you to choose a methodology and launch into your research project.

Training Programme

A series of training sessions is scheduled to run during the 1st and 2nd semesters. Invitations to these sessions are sent to the postgraduate and research community through UWC Communication.

In the case where dates are not suitable, presentations can be done by invitation. Send an email request to library-research@uwc.ac.za

The session cover but are not limited to the following:

Introduction to Library Resources & Facilities
SAGE Research Methods Online
Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar
Research Visibility and Researcher Profiles
Citation tools: Mendeley & EndNote

The Division for Postgraduate Studies (DPGS) offers virtual mentoring to registered UWC postgraduate (PG) students.

Duties of the Writing Coaches

Conduct a one-on-one academic interaction with postgraduate students on general academic writing skills.
Provide comprehensive assistance in writing skills within the context of organised, logical and coherent presentations of research proposals and theses.
Assist postgraduate students with supervisor's comments in proposals or thesis drafts.

Duties of the Statistical Coaches

Assistance with the development of data collection tools (surveys, questionnaires, etc)
Data preparation and cleaning:
- Master sheet preparation, coding and labeling
- Data cleaning
- Assist with data analysis
- Use of data analysis software: SPSS and AtlasTi.

COACHES DO NOT WRITE FOR STUDENTS AND ARE NOT SUPERVISORS!

To request and be assigned a writing or statistical coach, please complete the JOTFORM via the link below:
https://form.jotform.com/51601578349965

The UWC Writing Centre aims to assist students with academic writing through providing support, feedback and advice, which is given by postgraduate tutors. It also helps lecturers to support the development of students’ writing in their courses.

They offer assistance with the following elements of writing:

Planning an essay or assignment, analysing the question and developing or improving the structure of the assignment.
Developing a coherent argument, providing evidence to support an argument; a clear structure and relevant response to the question.
Appropriate writing style and tone.
Using sources from literature, referencing and avoiding plagiarism.
Assistance with grammar and punctuation errors if needed.

How to book a consultation

There are a few ways of booking a consultation:

Go to the Writing Centre and make an appointment with their administrator.
Email writingcentre@uwc.ac.za to make an appointment with a tutor, or to request feedback via email, using the MS Word Comment function.
Call to make a booking on 021 959 2404.

You need to provide the Writing Centre with a copy of the draft of the writing you are working on, the assignment question (and instructions). If the lecturer has given you a rubric for the assignment, please share that with us as well. The Writing Centre should be able to give you an appointment within 24 hours, depending on how busy they are. Please leave yourself enough time to work on the assignment once you have received feedback.

Measuring policy content and outcomes : a quantitative study of balanced budget laws by Mou, Haizhen, 1977- author. Modern governments operate through laws and regulations. However, difficulties in measuring their contents prevent researchers from understanding and evaluating their effectiveness. For example, it is not clear whether balanced budget laws have helped Canadian provincial governments control their budget deficits because the content of these laws is seldom examined in sufficient detail. This case study introduces a method that evaluates the stringency of balanced budget laws by generating a numerical index, so that these laws can be compared across jurisdictions and over time, and can be evaluated against their outcomes. This study also describes our process of developing a research design that draws from interdisciplinary knowledge and integrates multiple methods to answer one research question: Are balanced budget laws effective when economic conditions deteriorate? Our research design and methods can be applied to a wide range of social science research.
Call Number: e-book
Publication Date: 2019
Handbook of Research on Nonprofit Economics and Management by Bruce A. Seaman (Editor); Dennis R. Young (Editor) Nonprofit organizations are arguably the fastest growing and most dynamic part of modern market economies in democratic countries. This Handbook explores the frontiers of knowledge at the intersection of economics and the management of these entities. Top researchers in the field review the role, structure, and behavior of private, nonprofit organizations as economic units and their participation in markets and systems of public service delivery, assess the implications of this knowledge for the efficient management of nonprofit organizations and the formulation of effective public policy, and identify cutting-edge questions for future research. Building on the success of the first edition, this thoroughly revised and expanded edition explores: (1) areas of general agreement from previous research; (2) areas of conflicting results and unexplored questions; (3) the relative roles of theory, data availability, and empirical analysis in explaining gaps in our knowledge; and (4) what must be done to improve our knowledge and extend the literature. Selected original chapters addressing especially challenging topics include: the value of risk management to nonprofit decision-making; nonprofit wages theory and evidence; the valuation of volunteer labor; property tax exemption for non-profits; when is competition good for the third sector; product diversification and social enterprise; international perspectives; the application of experimental research; and the macroeconomic effects of the nonprofit sector. This book is a valuable resource for academics, but the concerns of nonprofit sector managers and decision-makers are also addressed, making it a useful reference for practitioners as well. Contributors include:S. Alaimo, J. Alm, N. Bania, J. Bergdoll, W. Bowman, E. Brown, T. Calabrese, C.F. Chang, G.L. Chikoto-Schultz, J.J. Cordes, K. Coventry, L. Faulk, M.F. Grace, F. Handy, T.D. Harrison, B.T. Hirsch, P. Hughes, R.A. Irvin, M. Jegers, L. Leete, W. Luksetich, D.A. Macpherson, L. Mook, D.G. Neely, S.M. Oster, A.E. Preston, J. Quarter, P. Rooney, R. Sansing, B.A. Seaman, E. Searing, D.L. Sjoquist, A. Slivinski, R. Steinberg, R. Stoycheva, D. Teles, D.Tinkelman, S. Toepler, E.C. Tortia, H.P. Tuckman, V. Valentinov, D.R. Young
Call Number: e-book
ISBN: 1785363522
Publication Date: 2018-06-29
Research Methodology in Applied Economics by Don E. Ethridge Focused attention on how to organize and conduct research can increase the efficiency of the research process and its outcomes. The second edition of Research Methodology in Applied Economics provides time-tested guidelines to instruct graduate students in the research process. Emphasizing research methodology as it applies to economics, Ethridge provides (1) an overview of the conceptual and philosophical basis of research methodology and (2) procedural guidelines on designing, coordinating, and conducting research projects. This textbook integrates philosophies, concepts, and procedures in research methodology, adding practical tips such as how to write a research proposal, how to apply for funding, and how to write reports that effectively present research. This edition updates and increases the use of relevant examples for today's students, faculty, and researchers
Call Number: Level 7 ; 330.072 ETH
ISBN: 9780813829944
Publication Date: 2004-05-31
Doing Economics by Steven A. Greenlaw This handy reference text provides undergraduate students with a practical introduction to research methodology. Doing Economics makes students aware of what experienced researchers know implicitly: research is fundamentally a process of constructing persuasive arguments supported by theory and empirical evidence. As a result, students learn how to implement critical-reading, writing, and online research skills to produce valid and reliable research.
Call Number: Level 7 ; 330.072 GRE
ISBN: 9780618379835
Publication Date: 2005-05-27
Economic and Management Research by Peet Venter; Lilla Stack; Pierre Joubert; Deon Tustin Economic and Management Research is a step-by-step guide to doing research. It guides students systematically through the research process by helping them to plan a research project, execute the research by using the best methodology and report on the findings. The book focuses on bothquantitative and qualitative research methods, as well as mixed methods.
Call Number: Level 5 Short Loan ; 001.42 ECO
ISBN: 9780199049301
Publication Date: 2017-08-31

Investigating volunteer activities in South Africa This is the first South African study that analysed all three availablewaves of Statistics South Africa’s Volunteer Activities Survey data,which was linked to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey in the third quarter of the same year (2010, 2014 and 2018). The empirical findings showed that volunteers were predominantly female Africans without Matric, aged 25–34 years and resided in the urban areas of KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and Limpopo. In 2018the labour force participation rate and unemployment rate of the volunteers were 62% and 34% respectively. These rates were both a bit higher than the corresponding rates of people who did not volunteer. The volunteers spent 20 h in the past four weeks on volunteering activities relating to service work and elementary occupations. More than 85% of volunteers did not expect to receive anything back. For those who indicated otherwise, they most likely expected to receive out-of-pocket expenses and food.
Do Share Allocations to the Indigenous Investor Drive the Demand for IPOs? The purpose of this paper was to investigate the impact of allocating shares to the indigenous (Bumiputera) investors on the oversubscription ratio of IPO. This factor is unique to Malaysian IPOs and would enable us to reflect the signaling theory. Data on 348 IPO firms listed on Bursa Malaysia over a span of 17 years from 2002 to 2018 were examined using a cross-sectional regression analysis. The findings demonstrated no significant impact arising from the fractions of shares allocated to Bumiputera investors on the oversubscription ratios, except that the revised guidelines on the Bumiputera equity requirement had a significant negative influence on oversubscription. Further tests showed that the influence of such share allocation on oversubscription was moderated by firm size, which was proxied by market capitalization. The findings lend support to the signaling theory, indicating that the demand for IPOs will be slightly higher for larger firms listed in bigger markets.
Exploring the intersection where business models, a circular economy and sustainability meet in the waste economy: A scoping review The authors endeavor to investigate the intersection and relationship between sustainability, business models and a circular economy. These three concepts are believed to be at the heart of finding a solution to creating and implementing a circular economy. The three pillars of sustainability (society, environment and economics) have been identified as the golden thread when applied to developing circular economies and the business models used in these circular economies. These three pillars highlighted the areas of intersection and engagement between the circular economy and business models. The three pillars, or stakeholders, need to be considered equally and, where there is sacrifice and benefits, they need to be balanced. A scoping review was chosen, as the starting point, to ascertain the literature in the field. The results of the scoping review showed a lack of research conducted at the point of intersection between these three fields. Finding a solution by creating and implementing a circular economy will have positive effects on the economy, environment and society, as there is, proverbially, “not much time left” and everyone in the process will sacrifice and benefit. The research has highlighted the need to explore the intersection and relationship between sustainability, business models and the circular economy as a concept, and future research should develop frameworks to guide the development and implementation of this intersection to include all relevant stakeholders.
Scoping review of the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 on unplanned pregnancy Increased pressure on the healthcare system because of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) along with national lockdown policies had consequences on the sexual and reproductive health of women. While the pandemic has resulted in changes in pregnancy intentions, child-bearing and fertility, the direction of this relationship is unclear and is likely to be impacted by each country’s socio-economic status and stage of fertility transition. Understanding the fertility trajectory and the pandemic is important in understanding population structures and ageing, which have consequences for health policies, budgeting and economic activity.
Investigating volunteer activities in South Africa This is the first South African study that analysed all three availablewaves of Statistics South Africa’s Volunteer Activities Survey data,which was linked to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey in the third quarter of the same year (2010, 2014 and 2018). The empirical findings showed that volunteers were predominantly female Africans without Matric, aged 25–34 years and resided in the urban areas of KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and Limpopo. In 2018the labour force participation rate and unemployment rate of the volunteers were 62% and 34% respectively. These rates were both a bit higher than the corresponding rates of people who did not volunteer. The volunteers spent 20 h in the past four weeks on volunteering activities relating to service work and elementary occupations. More than 85% of volunteers did not expect to receive anything back. For those who indicated otherwise, they most likely expected to receive out-of-pocket expenses and food.
The fuel of unparalleled recovery: Monetary policy in South Africa between 1925 and 1936 The newly established South African Reserve Bank (SARB) was tasked to protect the currency by navigating the interwar gold standard, and, from March 1933, maintaining parity with the Pound Sterling. We find that South Africa’s exit from gold secured an unparalleled and rapid recovery from the Great Depression. South Africa’s exit was accompanied by an inextricable link of the SARB’s policy rate to the interest rate set by the Bank of England (BoE). This sacrifice of independent monetary policy allowed the SARB to fix the country’s exchange rate without impeding the flow of gold to London. The SARB fuelled the economy by reducing its policy rates and accumulating gold. Had South Africa not devalued, the country would have suffered a severe depression and persistent deflation. An alternative to the devaluation was for the SARB to pursue a cheap money strategy. By setting interest rates historically low, we find that South Africa could have achieved higher levels of economic growth, at the cost of higher inflation. Ultimately, South Africa’s unparalleled recovery can be ascribed to the devaluation; however the change in the SARB monetary policy and the bank’s control over the gold markets were of paramount importance.
Employed yet poor: Low-wage employment and working poverty in South Africa Working poverty exists worldwide and has shown an increase inprevalence over the past few decades. Over the years, there has been an increase in the number and severity of low-wageemployment, which in turn contributes significantly to poverty. Whilst paid employment has generally been considered as the dominant means to survive financially, salaries may be too low to maintain reasonable living standards. South African research on low-wage employment and working poverty in particular, are rare. Using data from the first four waves of the National Income Dynamics Study, this study fills the existing research gap by examining low-wage employment, working poverty, and low-wage poverty. The empirical findings indicated that all three groups are predominantly lowly-educated, middle-aged African female employees involved in elementary occupations in the informal sector.

Economics

Faculty Librarian: EMS

Postgraduate Research Support

How to book a consultation

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