The institutional and financial arrangements for industrial decentralisation

In a sense this paper provides a 'how to' of industrial decentralisation (ID)- the in­stitutions which should be approached by companies interested in ID, and the interrelationships among these institu­tions. The goal of this paper, however, is broader. It is to chronicle the institutional and financial changes which have been brought about by the reformulation of ID policy, and especially by the form­ation of the Development Bank of South­ern Africa (DBSA). Our object is to con­sider the implications of these changes. We are concerned both with the impact of the challeges on the private sector, and also with the extent to which they will contribute to the attainment of the objec­tives of Goverment policy. The paper consists of four sections. The first section contains a brief introduction to the political-economic framework of the ID policy. In the second we provide an overview of the institutional and finan­cial arrangements circa 1981. The over­view provides a basis both for tracing the changes which have occurred, and for suggesting why they were thought neces­sary. The final section contains our prognostications for the future of ID policy, especially as it affects the private sector.&nbsp

History of Industrial Decentralization in South Africa (part II): Historical Development and the Impact of the Policy

This research deals broadly with the history and development of industrial decentralization in South Africa. It provides a basic analysis of a number of inseparable historic, political and economic issues, and is presented in two parts. The first part firstly traced the economic forces that generated current concentrated patterns of economic activity in South Africa, and secondly, reviewed the origins of the industrial decentralization policy. It concluded that despite a relatively rigid natural regional economic structure that developed historically, and despite the continued presence of the economic forces that brought this structure about, the government began with a policy of industrial decentralization in 1960. The second part of the research, published here, firstly assesses the development of the policy in an attempt to indicate reasons for major changes, and secondly discusses the impact of the policy with reference to current evidence. It concludes that the industrial decentralization policy may have had serious economic consequences to date, but may nevertheless have a continued role in the ongoing political development of the country. The approach throughout has been to provide a relatively compact'chronology of the policy and its antecedents

History of Industrial Decentralization in South Africa (Part I): The Regional Concentration of Industry and Historical Basis of the Policy

This research deals broadly with the history and development of industrial decentralization in South Africa. It provides a basic analysis of a number of inseparable historic, political and economic issues, and is presented in two parts. This first part begins by tracing the economic forces that generated current concentrated patterns of economic activity in South Africa, and goes on to review the origins of the industrial decentralization policy. It concludes that despite a relatively rigid natural regional economic structure that developed historically, and despite the continued presence of the economic forces that brought this structure about, the government commenced with a policy of industrial decentralization in 1960. The second part of the research firstly assesses the development of the policy in an attempt to indicate reasons for major changes, and secondly discusses the impact of the policy with reference to current evidence. It concludes that the industrial decentralization policy may have had serious economic consequences to date, but may nevertheless have a continued role to play in the ongoing political development of the country. The approach throughout has been to provide a relatively compact chronology of the policy and its antecedents