Welcome to ERSA

Research Briefs

Substitution between fixed and mobile data amidst high levels of poverty and inequality by Ryan Hawthrone and Lukasz Grzybowski

Mobile broadband is the main means of connecting to the internet in developing countries, where fixed-line coverage is typically limited or non-existent. As a result, governments in developing countries are seeking means by which mobile broadband penetration might be increased.

Benefits of regulation vs. competition where inequality is high: The case of mobile telephony in South Africa by Ryan Hawthrone and Lukasz Grzybowski
South Africa is the most unequal country in the world, with a Gini coefficient of 0.63 in 2015 according to World Bank statistics. This is a consequence of apartheid-era racial discrimination policies (Leibbrandt et al., 2010).
Aggregate and sectoral public-private remuneration patterns in South Africa by Andreas Wörgötter and Sihle Nomdebevana
This paper investigates the aggregate and sectoral public-private remuneration pattern in South Africa since the introduction of an inflation-targeting framework in 2000.

Latest Publications

Narrowing the ‘digital divide’: the role of complementarities between fixed and mobile data in South Africa by Ryan Hawthrone and Lukasz Grzybowksi

We study substitution between fixed and mobile broadband services in South Africa using survey data on 134,000 individuals between 2009 and 2014. In our discrete-choice model, individuals choose fixed or mobile and data services in a framework that allows them to be substitutes or complements.

The effectiveness of counter-cyclical loan-to-value regulations: generic versus sector-specific rules by Guangling Liu and Thabang Molise
This paper considers the implications of the counter-cyclical loan-to-value (CcLTV) regulation in a setting where different types of borrowers from distinct sectors of the credit market co-exist.
Benefits of regulation vs competition where inequality is high: The case of mobile telephony in South Africa by Ryan Hawthrone and Lukasz Grzybowksi
We test for the distributional effects of regulation and entry in the mobile telecommunications sector in a highly unequal country, South Africa.
The role of the rand as a shock absorber by Luchelle Soobyah and Daan Steenkamp
This paper investigates the impact of rand shocks on industry output and various other South African macroeconomic variables. We use a factor augmented model, which has the key advantage of providing a rich narrative about the disaggregated impacts of exchange rate shocks.
Productivity estimates for South Africa from CES production functions by Daan Steenkamp
This paper provides estimates of the elasticity of substitution and total factor productivity (TFP) for South Africa. Estimates are based on constant elasticity of substitution (CES) production functions.

Workshops

Macroeconomic and Financial Modelling for Economic Policy
Tuesday, November 26, 2019 to Wednesday, November 27, 2019
Workshop location: University of Pretoria, Research Hub - EMS Building
The 7th Annual Monetary Economics workshop will be dedicated to the contribution of macroeconomic and financial modelling to the formulation of economic policy.
CALL FOR PAPERS: Representivity, Diversity, and Gender in Economics in South Africa
Saturday, February 1, 2020 to Thursday, February 27, 2020
Workshop location: TBC, South Africa
South Africa has had its fair share of issues with regards to the participation and contribution of various groups in society. These issues cut across various social cleavages such as race and gender.

Latest Journal Publications

Realized correlations, betas and volatility spillover in the commodity market: What has changed? by Matteo Bonato
Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S104244311830009X?via%3Dihub)
This papers adopts the recently proposed realized Beta GARCH model of Hansen et al. (J. Appl. Econ.
Factors influencing people’s perceptions towards conservation of transboundary wildlife resources. The case of the Great-Limpopo Trans-frontier Conservation Area by Herbert Ntuli, Sverker C. Jagers, Edwin Muchapondwa, Amanda Linell, Martin SjÖstedt
Biodiversity and Conservation (https://www.springerprofessional.de/factors-influencing-local-communities-percep...)

Local people’s perceptions of protected areas greatly determine the success of conservation efforts in Southern Africa as these perceptions affect people’s attitudes and behaviour in respect to conservation.

The J–Curve Phenomenon: Evidence from Commodity Trade Between South Africa and the United States by Hammed Amusa and David Fadiran
J.Stud.Econ.Econometrics,2019,43 (1) (https://journals.co.za/content/journal/10520/EJC-1665285ea7)

Previous studies on the J–curve phenomenon for South Africa have been carried out using either aggregate trade data between South Africa and the rest of the world or between South Africa and her major trading partners.

The household effects of very large electricity tariff hikes in Zambia by Mashekwa Maboshe, Akabondo Kabechani and Grieve Chelwa
Energy Policy 126 (2019) 108-117 (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421518306967?via%3Dihub)

This paper simulates the real household expenditure effects of electricity price increases in Zambia. First, we find that electricity subsidies are highly regressive.

Teacher Pay and Educational Outcomes: Evidence from the Rural Hardship Allowance in Zambia by Grieve Chelwa, Miquel Pellicer, Mashekwa Maboshe
South African Journal of Economics (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/saje.12227)

This paper studies the effect of unconditional teacher salary increases on teacher and student outcomes. To study the issue, we evaluate the rural hardship allowance in Zambia, which corresponds to a salary increase of 20%.