Impact of the Sectoral Determination for Farm Workers on the South African Sugar Industry: Case Study of the KwaZulu-Natal North and South Coasts

A survey of 103 sugarcane farmers on the KwaZulu-Natal coast was conducted in order to analyse the impact of the Sectoral Determination for Farm Workers (2002) on South African agriculture. The sample was separated into a high wage paying North Coast and lower wage paying South Coast. Typically farmers were unable to distinguish between the impact of the Sectoral Determination and other labour laws. Results indicate that the impact of the legislation is similar in each region. No respondents reported mass retrenchment, but job shedding is disguised by not replacing workers (especially unskilled workers) that leave the farm. A sizeable number of growers (17 per cent on the South Coast and 44 per cent on the North Coast) have reduced the working week to 27 hours (or 36 hours in the Felixton Mill Group Area) enabling them to pay wages on an hourly, rather than a weekly basis. This strategy reduces the effective wage. About 40 per cent of growers have reduced the in-kind benefits to their workers. About half of respondents indicated that they are likely to increase their use of seasonal and contract labour in future. Although a majority of respondents indicated that they considered mechanisation of the harvesting process, cost and topographical factors currently does not make this a serious alternative to manual harvesting. However, because of increased wage costs and the relatively strong currency in recent years, chemical weed control has become an attractive alternative to manual weed control.Crop Production/Industries, Labor and Human Capital,

The economics of tobacco control in South Africa

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 193-207)

Investigating Market Behavior Correlations between Classified Tokens using the International Token Classification Framework

This paper explores the novel International Token Classification framework, creates a large sample set of tokens classified according to the framework, clusters the tokens into groups, and performs statistical analysis regarding the selected token’s correlation. It investigates how the current token landscape looks by classifying 200 tokens. These tokens are clustered in three different groups, payment token, DeFi ecosystem token, and network utility tokens. We first investigate whether tokens tend to move in the same direction with the tokens from their group, and secondly, we use a created average portfolio return to compare the single token return with the different groups. According to the results, we mainly found utility and payment tokens from the IT and Finance industries. Out of the three groups, tokens clustered in the payment token group showed the highest correlations within the group and with their own group portfolio average. Overall, we conclude that the classification indeed has an impact on the relationship of token pairs. However, the results show that many more factors influence the market behavior of tokens, which should also be considered. Keywords: Blockchain; token; correlation; classification; Bitcoin.This paper explores the novel International Token Classification framework, creates a large sample set of tokens classified according to the framework, clusters the tokens into groups, and performs statistical analysis regarding the selected token’s correlation. It investigates how the current token landscape looks by classifying 200 tokens. These tokens are clustered in three different groups, payment token, DeFi ecosystem token, and network utility tokens. We first investigate whether tokens tend to move in the same direction with the tokens from their group, and secondly, we use a created average portfolio return to compare the single token return with the different groups. According to the results, we mainly found utility and payment tokens from the IT and Finance industries. Out of the three groups, tokens clustered in the payment token group showed the highest correlations within the group and with their own group portfolio average. Overall, we conclude that the classification indeed has an impact on the relationship of token pairs. However, the results show that many more factors influence the market behavior of tokens, which should also be considered. Keywords: Blockchain; token; correlation; classification; Bitcoin

Recent trends in smoking prevalence in South Africa - Some evidence from AMPS data

Objective. To estimate trends in smoking prevalence among different demographic and income segments for the period 1993- 2000.Methodology. Annual data were obtained from a commercially generated database focusing on product usage. Using regression techniques, trends in smoking prevalence were estimated.Results. Since 1993 aggregate cigarette consumption has decreased by 26%. Smoking prevalence has decreased from 32% to 27% of.the adult population. This is ascribed mainly to the sharp increase iri cigarette prices. Sixty per cent of the decrease in per capita cigarette consumption is explained by a reduction in average consumption of smokers. The other 40% is explained by a reduction in smoking prevalence. Smoking prevalence has been decreasing for most demographic and socio-economic groups. The most significant decreases have been recorded for males, blacks, young adults, and low-income households. Groups that have not experienced significant decreases in smoking prevalence include coloureds, whites,females, and highincome households. Conclusion. Rapidly increasing excise taxes are a powerful policy tool in reducing cigarette consumption. Because poor people spend a larger proportion of their income on cigarettes, their relative tax burden is higher than the more affluent sections of society. Cigarette excise taxes are therefore regressive, However, since the poor tend to reduce their consumption by a greater percentage than the rich in response to price increases, excise increases are likely to reduce the regressiveness of the tax. Nevertheless, in view of the low quitting rates, a strong case exists for the government to subsidise cessation and nicotine replacement therapies, especially among the poor

Institutional strengthening in Egyptian development aid projects

In recent years Dutch aid projects have focused more on institutional strengthening. The overall impact of this type of aid has been limited. This paper explores possible reasons for this. In Egypt, it appeared to be difficult to make significant changes in the institutional setting. Main constraints were the low salaries, recruitment and personnel policies and the organisational culture within the government. Another factor that may have played a role is inadequate recognition of cultural backgrounds of the international consultants advising in Egypt. This is explored using Hofstede¿s and Trompenaar¿s typologies of culture and their effects on management. Maslow¿s Hierarchy of Needs, as applied to the environment of institutional strengthening, is also considered. Adjusting an organisational culture to improve efficiency and sustainability of the organisation is a long and difficult process and should not be seen as an extension of tradition technical assistance aid projects, but rather it should be implemented as a dedicated long-term project. A major finding is that short-term consultancies may only be effective for idea generation, and not as instruments for implementing change management. Managerial capacity building should be a long-term activity with gradual change, particularly in government settings. Recognition of organisation culture in light of trans-national cultural typologies by Hofstede and Trompenaars, as well as, acceptance of the most pressing needs of the target group as the responsibility of one and the same financing agency are found lacking in traditional Development Aid

Self-reported alcohol use and binge drinking in South Africa: Evidence from the National Income Dynamics Study, 2014 - 2015

Background. Although the South African (SA) government has implemented alcohol control measures, alcohol consumption remains high.Objectives. To quantify the prevalence of self-reported current drinking and binge drinking in SA, and to determine important covariates.Methods. We used the 2014 - 2015 National Income Dynamics Study, a nationally representative dataset of just over 20 000 individuals aged ≥15 years. Multiple regression logit analyses were performed separately by gender for self-reported current drinkers (any amount), selfreported bingers as a proportion of drinkers, and self-reported bingers as a proportion of the total population. An individual was defined as a binge drinker if he/she reported consumption of ≥5 standard drinks on an average drinking day.Results. Current alcohol use (any amount) in 2014 - 2015 was reported by 33.1% of the population (47.7% males, 20.2% females). Of drinkers, 43.0% reported binge drinking (48.2% males, 32.4% females). The prevalence of self-reported binge drinking as a percentage of the total population was 14.1% (22.8% males, 6.4% females). Although black African males and females were less likely than white males and females to report drinking any amount, they were more likely to report binge drinking. Coloured (mixed race) females were more likely than black African females to report drinking any amount. Males and  females who professed a religious affiliation were less likely than those who did not to report drinking any alcohol. The prevalence of self-reported binge drinking was highest among males and females aged 25 - 34 years. Smoking cigarettes substantially increased the likelihood of drinking any amount and of binge drinking for both genders.Conclusion. In SA, one in three individuals reported drinking alcohol, while one in seven reported binge drinking on an average day on which alcohol was consumed. Strong, evidence-based policies are needed to reduce the detrimental effects of alcohol use

The case for minimum unit prices on alcohol in South Africa

Background. Although only about a third of South African (SA) adults indicate that they consume alcohol, heavy drinking is common. As a result, society carries large alcohol-related mortality and economic burdens.Objectives. To investigate the feasibility of a minimum unit price (MUP) on alcohol, aimed at reducing the prevalence of heavy drinking.Methods. The study calculates unit values, defined as total monthly alcohol expenditure per household, divided by the household’s total monthly alcohol consumption, for four categories of drinking households (moderate, intermediate, occasional heavy and regular heavy), using wave 4 data (2015) from the National Income Dynamics Study. A cumulative distribution of the unit values is derived for each of the four categories of drinking households. A number of hypothetical MUPs are imposed, and the impact of these MUPs on the consumption of the different categories of drinking households is estimated, taking cognisance of the fact that these households respond differently to price changes. Moderately drinking households tend to be more price sensitive than regular heavy-drinking households.Results. Occasional and regular heavy-drinking households comprise a quarter of all households (and half of all drinking households) in SA, but consume 84% of all alcohol consumed in the country. There are large differences in the calculated average price of alcohol between different categories of drinking households, ranging from ZAR12.00 per standard drink among moderately drinking households to ZAR1.53 per standard drink among regular heavy-drinking households. An MUP of ZAR3.00 (alternatively ZAR10.00) per standard drink is estimated to reduce alcohol consumption by 11.9% (21.8%) among regular heavy-drinking households, by 3.1% (11.6%) among occasional heavy-drinking households, by 2.3% (15.9%) among intermediate-drinking households and by 0.3% (6.1%) among moderately drinking households.Conclusions. An MUP on alcohol is not a silver bullet, but could have a significant impact on reducing the consumption of alcohol among regular heavy-drinking households, and to a lesser extent among occasional heavy-drinking and intermediate-drinking households. The government should strongly consider implementing such a policy.

Impact of the sectoral determination for farm workers on the South African sugar industry: case study of the Kwazulu-Natal North and South Coasts

A survey of 103 sugarcane farmers on the KwaZulu-Natal coast was conducted in order to analyse the impact of the Sectoral Determination for Farm Workers (2002) on South African agriculture. The sample was separated into a high wage paying North Coast and lower wage paying South Coast. Typically farmers were unable to distinguish between the impact of the Sectoral Determination and other labour laws. Results indicate that the impact of the legislation is similar in each region. No respondents reported mass retrenchment, but job shedding is disguised by not replacing workers (especially unskilled workers) that leave the farm. A sizeable number of growers (17 per cent on the South Coast and 44 per cent on the North Coast) have reduced the working week to 27 hours (or 36 hours in the Felixton Mill Group Area) enabling them to pay wages on an hourly, rather than a weekly basis. This strategy reduces the effective wage. About 40 per cent of growers have reduced the in-kind benefits to their workers. About half of respondents indicated that they are likely to increase their use of seasonal and contract labour in future. Although a majority of respondents indicated that they considered mechanisation of the harvesting process, cost and topographical factors currently does not make this a serious alternative to manual harvesting. However, because of increased wage costs and the relatively strong currency in recent years, chemical weed control has become an attractive alternative to manual weed control

Extraordinary behavioral entrainment following circadian rhythm bifurcation in mice.

The mammalian circadian timing system uses light to synchronize endogenously generated rhythms with the environmental day. Entrainment to schedules that deviate significantly from 24 h (T24) has been viewed as unlikely because the circadian pacemaker appears capable only of small, incremental responses to brief light exposures. Challenging this view, we demonstrate that simple manipulations of light alone induce extreme plasticity in the circadian system of mice. Firstly, exposure to dim nocturnal illumination (<0.1 lux), rather than completely dark nights, permits expression of an altered circadian waveform wherein mice in light/dark/light/dark (LDLD) cycles "bifurcate" their rhythms into two rest and activity intervals per 24 h. Secondly, this bifurcated state enables mice to adopt stable activity rhythms under 15 or 30 h days (LDLD T15/T30), well beyond conventional limits of entrainment. Continuation of dim light is unnecessary for T15/30 behavioral entrainment following bifurcation. Finally, neither dim light alone nor a shortened night is sufficient for the extraordinary entrainment observed under bifurcation. Thus, we demonstrate in a non-pharmacological, non-genetic manipulation that the circadian system is far more flexible than previously thought. These findings challenge the current conception of entrainment and its underlying principles, and reveal new potential targets for circadian interventions

Employee psychological well-being, transformational leadership and the future of hospitality jobs

Employee psychological well-being is a central concern for hospitality establishments as it impacts talent retention. This empirical research explores the  relationship between transformational leadership and employee psychological well-being. This relationship is tested through a mediation model where  transformational leadership is proposed to explain the effect on the psychological well-being of hospitality employees (hedonic and eudaemonic well-  being) through the affective mediators thriving at work and employees’ amplification of pleasant emotions and employee engagement. The cross-  sectional data came from 133 5-star hotel employees in the Netherlands. Analysing the responses showed that eudaemonic well-being had to be split  into four new variables: growing and giving, liveliness, self-esteem and managing oneself. Furthermore, thriving at work and employee engagement fully  mediated between transformational leadership and hedonic well-being, thriving at work fully mediated between transformational leadership and  growing and giving, while thriving at work and employees’ amplification of pleasant emotions fully mediated between transformational leadership and  self-esteem. A direct relationship was found between transformational leadership and managing oneself. Practical and theoretical implications are  discussed in detail.&nbsp