Research articles (Dept of Economics)
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Motlaleng, G.R. (Botswana Society, http://www.botsoc.org.bw, NaN, 2009)[more][less]
Abstract: This paper aims to show trends and variations in the Botswana Pula exchange rate before and after the introduction of the crawling-peg exchange rate system. The survey indicates that previous devaluations not accompanied by the crawling-peg exchange rate system were short-lived. It is shown that since the adoption of the crawling-peg exchange rate system the Pula has been depreciating. Additionally, the variance and the standard deviation revealed that variations in the nominal bilateral Pula exchange rates have been minimal since the adoption of the crawling-peg exchange rate system. To corroborate the foregoing, both the variance and the standard deviation are computed for the nominal and real effective exchange rate of the pula against major currencies using quarterly data. The findings also suggest that the variations have been minimal after the crawling peg. This is shown by small variance and the standard deviation of both the nominal and real effective exchange rates. This implies stability in the Pula exchange rate and positive results of the crawling-peg exchange rate policy regime. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10311/1008 Files in this item: 1
Motlaleng_BNR_2009.pdf (4.632Mb) -
Siphambe, H.K. (John Wiley, www.wiley.com, NaN, 2003)[more][less]
Abstract: The impressive performance that Botswana has achieved since gaining independence in 1966 is one of the few success stories of economic development in sub-Saharan Africa. For the period 1965-1990, growth in per capita averaged 8.4 per cent per annum. In the 1990’s the country has however experienced lower average annual growth rates of about 1.7 per cent (Freeman and Lindaur, 1999). The fast growth in the 1970s and 1980s enabled the country to move from a position of severe poverty to being one of the richest in the region, and is one of the few in sub-Saharan Africa now classified as a middle-income country. Unemployment is however one of the most serious problems that the country is facing. This paper explores the issues of unemployment and employment in Botswana’ economy. This paper looks at both the supply and demand side of the labour market. Our supply side analysis involves using the original 1995/96 Labour Force Survey data to understand the unemployed. Part of the process involves specifying a probit function to determine precisely the factors determining unemployment. The paper also looks at the demand for labour by various key sectors of the economy, and tries to determine the quantitative relationship between employment and its major determinants. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10311/994 Files in this item: 1
Siphambe_SAJE_2003.pdf (721.2Kb) -
Siphambe, H.K. (University of Botswana, http://ub.bw, NaN, 2003)[more][less]
Abstract: This paper brings out the various theoretical measurements of poverty and looks at Botswana's performance in terms of these measures. In terms of income poverty, Botswana's poverty has been declining over time and predictions are that it will continue on the downward trend even though the reduction is not at an adequate pace to achieve the Vision 20I6 goal of zero poverty levels by 20I6. Until the advent of HIV/AIDS, Botswana was doing extremely well in terms of capability poverty as was shown by improving human development indices such as life expectancy, infant mortality, primary school enrollment and illiteracy rates. The health indices have however started to decline due to HIV/AIDS. Botswana has had a system that allows for equal participation of all individuals, even though in practice women and minority tribes are excluded from participation in decision-making processes. The paper also looks at the various poverty reduction programmes and argues that even though some of them have been successful in reducing poverty, there is a need to move away from welfare programmes that created a dependency syndrome of Batswana on government. Lessons learnt from the past programmes are useful for designing better future programmes for poverty reduction. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10311/993 Files in this item: 1
Siphambe_PBJAS_2003.pdf (470.3Kb) -
Setlhare, L. (John Wiley, www.wiley.com, NaN, 2004)[more][less]
Abstract: This paper examines how monetary policy was actually conducted in Botswana, by specifying and estimating a monetary reaction function for the Bank of Botswana (BoB). Basically, a monetary reaction function (MRF) for a central bank is an equation that is intended to establish the goals that have actually been influencing the actions of the central bank. A MRF would exist if the monetary authorities (or BoB in particular) have been purposeful and reasonably consistent in the policy-making process. Thus, a study of a MRF provides a test on whether the monetary policy-making process has been characterised by systematic (if it exists) or random (if it does not exist) changes in the policy instrument(s). URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10311/992 Files in this item: 1
Setlhare_SAJE_2004.pdf (983.8Kb) -
Siphambe, H.K. (Blackwell Publishing Ltd, www.blackwellpublishing.com, NaN, 2008)[more][less]
Abstract: Using the most recent Household Income and Expenditure Survey data (2002/2003), this paper presents current rates of return to education for Botswana. The results show that the rates of return have in general declined by one percentage point on average between the periods as shown in Table 2. If we, however, look at the averages for the different school cycles, the fall in the average rates is quite significant at about six percentage points between the periods. The biggest fall is for secondary education, especially upper secondary education, which fell by 28 percentage points between the periods. The rates of return to tertiary education, however, rose by more than 50 percentage points. Ignoring upper secondary, the pattern of rates of return has remained similar to the results of the study based on the 1993/1994 data. Rates are higher for tertiary education and lower for secondary than for primary education. This results are still consistent with rates of return generally rising with level of education. At policy level, the results continue to support sharing of costs between Government and beneficiaries or their parents especially at tertiary education level. Second, the results indicate the need for the country to continue to vigorously pursue job creation and reorient the education system from emphasis on white collar jobs. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10311/984 Files in this item: 1
Siphambe_SAJE_2008.pdf (599.9Kb)