Thetextiles, clothing, leather & footwear industry in south africa: an opportunity for development?

Date
2023-02
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Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Industrial policy formulation is fraught with challenges, and existing tools to guide such policy have been argued to be insufficient to effectively address its inherent complexity. More recently, the combination of the so-called Input-Output Product Space (IO-PS) and Location Determinant Framework (LDF) has been proposed as an improved approach to identify opportunities for industrial development and how to support these opportunities. However, these tools have not been sufficiently tested by applying them to case studies and industrial policy questions. Hence, this study seeks to evaluate these framework by applying them to the case of the South African textiles, clothing, leather and footwear (TCLF) industry. This study focuses on identifying the key activities that could support sustainable economic growth in the country. The most recent import and export data specific to the South African TCLF sectors are analysed through a combination of the lens of the IO-PS approach and then the LDF is applied. By employing the Harmonized System (HS) trade codes, the TCLF value chain is defined. The product space metrics for each classified product category are measured. The bovine leather manufacturing industry is identified as the optimal product category to further investigate by evaluating and comparing with the South African government’s current industrial policy interventions, to recognise strategic development patterns. The LDF framework is utilised to understand these optimal sectors further. The results from the application of the these tools are critically evaluated, as well as the ease of using the frameworks. This contributes to the understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the using the combination of the IO-PS and LDF for industrial policy analyses.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die formulering van nywerheidsbeleid is belaai met uitdagings, en bestaande instrumente om sulke beleid te rig, is aangevoer dat dit onvoldoende is om die inherente kompleksiteit daarvan doeltreffend aan te spreek. Meer onlangs is die kombinasie van die sogenaamde Inset-Uitset Produkruimte (IO-PS) en Liggingbepalende Raamwerk (LDF) voorgestel as ’n verbeterde benadering om geleenthede vir industriële ontwikkeling te identifiseer en hoe om hierdie geleenthede te ondersteun. Hierdie instrumente is egter nie voldoende getoets deur dit op gevallestudies en nywerheidsbeleidsvrae toe te pas nie. Daarom poog hierdie studie om hierdie raamwerk te evalueer deur dit toe te pas op die geval van die Suid-Afrikaanse tekstiele, klere, leer en skoene (TKLS) industrie. Hierdie studie fokus op die identifisering van die sleutelaktiwiteite wat volhoubare ekonomiese groei in die land kan ondersteun. Die mees onlangse invoer- en uitvoerdata spesifiek vir die Suid-Afrikaanse TKLS-sektore word ontleed deur ’n kombinasie van die lens van die IO-PS-benadering en dan word die LDF toegepas. Deur die Geharmoniseerde Stelsel (HS) handelskodes te gebruik, word die TKLS-waardeketting gedefinieer. Die produkspasie-metrieke vir elke geklassifiseerde produkkategorie word gemeet. Die beesleervervaardigingsbedryf word geïdentifiseer as die optimale produkkategorie om verder te ondersoek deur die Suid-Afrikaanse regering se huidige nywerheidsbeleidsingrypings te evalueer en te vergelyk, om strategiese ontwikkelingspatrone te herken. Die LDF-raamwerk word gebruik om hierdie optimale sektore verder te verstaan. Die resultate van die toepassing van hierdie instrumente word krities geëvalueer, sowel as die gemak van die gebruik van die raamwerke. Dit dra by tot die begrip van die sterk- en swakpunte van die gebruik van die kombinasie van die IO-PS en LDF vir nywerheidsbeleidsontledings.
Description
Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2023.
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