Innovation and Advertising: Theory and Evidence.

Advertising and innovation are two engines for firms to escape competition through a better attraction power toward consumers or quality advantage. We propose a model that encompasses both the static and dynamic interactions between R&D, advertising and competitive environment. This model provides two main predictions. First, for a given competitive environment, quality leaders spend more in advertising in order to extract maximal rents; thus, lower costs of ads may favor R&D. Second, more competition pushes Neck and Neck firms to advertise more to attract a larger share of consumers on their products or services. Empirical evidence from a large panel of 59,000 French firms over 1990-2004 supports these two properties.Advertising, Innovation, Competition, Lerner.

Research review : aging out of residential care in South Africa

Abstract: Approximately 21,000 children were accommodated in residential care in South Africa in 2011/2. Despite this large number, and the state’s substantial financial investment in residential care, there has, until recently, been little research on care-leaving: the transition out of care due to reaching adulthood. Furthermore, much of the research available has not been published in international journals. This article reports on a systematic review of research on residential care-leaving in South Africa, from 2003 to 2016. A thematic analysis of the resulting 40 research outputs maps the scope of findings from South African research, in relation to theory of leaving care, measurement tools developed, young people’s experiences of leaving care, transitional outcomes, processes of leaving care, facilitators of improved outcomes, care-leaving services and policy on leaving care. Critical gaps in the current research opus are identified, with a view to refining future research on young people aging out of care in South Africa

Resilience of vulnerable students transitioning into a South African University

Abstract: Youth transitioning into university face numerous life challenges, particularly in South Africa with its high levels of poverty and inequality. This article, recognising the vulnerability of many students, sets out to identify the resilience processes that facilitate the resilient outcomes of life satisfaction and academic progress. Using a sample of 232 psychosocially vulnerable undergraduate students, a quantitative survey was conducted and analysed using multivariate procedures. Results indicate that 27% of the variance in life satisfaction was accounted for by 19 resilience variables, with community relationships and family financial security being individually significant, and that 18% of the variance in academic progress was accounted for, with learning orientation being individually significant. Family relationships also emerged as important for both outcomes. The findings suggest that, during times of adversity, South African students drawn in particular on relational resources in their home communities, and that academic progress is protected from deterioration by vulnerable students’ love for learning. Practice implications for universities are proposed that go beyond reactive, therapeutic services towards creating a supportive academic community

Developing the concept of ubuntu as African theory for social work practice

Abstract: Ubuntu is an African concept referring to humanness. It gives expression to deeply-held African ideals of one’s personhood being rooted in one’s interconnectedness with others. Social workers seeking to develop an African framework for decolonial social work practice turn repeatedly to ubuntu for aid. But the term has, for the most part, been limited to the idea of mutual aid – people helping each other in a spirit of solidarity. This article endeavours to extend and deepen the ubuntu concept to strengthen its potential as a theory informing social work practice. This is done by interweaving other African ideas with ubuntu in three domains: ethics, sustainable development and ecospirituality

The Youth Ecological-Resilience Scale : a partial validation

Abstract: Purpose: In South Africa, the field of scale development and utilisation in social work is referred to as ‘ecometrics’, i.e. the measurement of ecological constructs. There is, however, a lack of ecometric tools available for use by social workers, particularly in the area of measuring strengths or resilience. Given the high vulnerability of South African youth, this paper describes the design and validation of a youth resilience measure. Method: The Youth Ecological-Resilience Scale (YERS), a multidimensional, summated rating scale that measures youth resilience within an ecological framework, was designed and validated with a diverse sample of 575 young people, using ecometric techniques. Results: The YERS shows good levels of reliability and validity. Conclusions: The YERS is suitable for group administration and research, and also for assessment of individuals when triangulated with other assessment methods. Several studies of youth transitions using the YERS are described, as well as suggestions for its use in social work practice

DESIGNING QUESTIONNAIRES FOR USE IN MULTICULTURAL CONTEXTS

Measurement is an integral part of the assessment process in social work. Whether or not this isdone formally, social workers inevitably quantify the functioning of client systems duringassessment: “This community lacks access to social resources; this family experiences highlevels of conflict; this person has a severe drug addiction.” All of these statements, typical ofsocial work assessments, involve measurement

RESILIENCE ASSESSMENTS IN SOCIAL WORK: THE CASE OF THE SA DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE

In recent years there has been a growing interest in social work literature in the strengths (Saleebey, 2008) and assets (Kretzmann & McKnight, 1993) of people and systems. This interest has involved a shift away from the dominant preoccupation with pathology and deficits that has characterised much of the history of social work (Bendor, Davidson & Skolnik, 1997; Weick & Saleebey, 1995). Part of the appeal of the strengths perspective is its alignment with the social values of human dignity and respect for client self-determination (Healy, 2005). While the strengths and resilience perspectives have become well established in social work, there is relatively little literature on the processes of assessment from these perspectives. In many ways the resilience and strengths perspectives are just that – perspectives, ways of looking at the world, a political stance that we as practitioners take towards our client systems. This is appropriate as it points towards the value base of social work; but these perspectives must also be translated into clear practice guidelines

A comparison of youth resilience across seven South African sites

Abstract: The resilience of children and youth is an increasingly important area of research. Young people growing up in distressed communities, characterised by poverty, crime and family troubles, are particularly vulnerable. Resilience can assist these young people in navigating through these challenges towards independent living, particularly as they transition out of adolescence and into young adulthood. Children in South Africa are almost universally vulnerable, but children growing up in residential care facilities and children from poverty stricken communities are particularly in need of resilience. This quantitative study of 575 South African children compared their resilience in terms of individual, family and community protective factors across seven sites, including child and youth care centres, schools in poor communities and schools in middle class suburban communities. Contrary to expectations, the study found that children in one of the children’s homes and one of the poor communities had the highest levels of resilience. Moreover, all but one of the sites scored very high on at least one of the resilience variables, suggesting unique profiles of resilience across the sites. Practice implications for child and family social work are discussed

A critical review of resilience theory and its relevance for social work

Abstract: As resilience theory gains traction as a theoretical framework for research in social work, it is important to engage it critically. This article provides a critical review of resilience theory, drawing on an array of key authors, dating back fifty years. The review addresses three aspects of resilience theory: its definition, the construction of adversity and outcomes, and the nature and scope of resilience processes. The relevance of resilience theory for social work in South Africa is evaluated according to three criteria: the research questions it fosters, its contribution to indigenous knowledge and decolonisation, and its contribution to social development. Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk 2018:54(1)