Social Protection, Economic Growth and Social Change: Goals, Issues and Trajectories in China, India, Brazil and South Africa, edited by JamesMidgley and DavidPiachaud. 2013. Cheltenham, U.K. and Northampton, Massachusetts: Edward Elgar. 283 + xiii. ISBN

The informal sector is an integral part of several sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries and plays a key role in the economic growth of these countries. This article used a comparative systematic review to explore the factors that act as drivers to informality in South Africa (SA) and Nigeria, the challenges that impede the growth dynamics of the informal sector, the dominant subsectors, and policy initiatives targeting informal sector providers. A systematic search of Google Scholar, Scopus, ResearchGate was performed together with secondary data collated from grey literature. Using Boolean string search protocols facilitated the elucidation of research questions (RQs) raised in this study. An inclusion and exclusion criteria became necessary for rigour, comprehensiveness and limitation of publication bias. The data collated from thirty-one (31) primary studies (17 for SA and 14 for Nigeria) revealed that unemployment, income disparity among citizens, excessive tax burdens, excessive bureaucratic hurdles from government, inflationary tendencies, poor corruption control, GDP per capita, and lack of social protection survival tendencies all act as drivers to the informal sector in SA and Nigeria. Several challenges are given for both economies and policy incentives that might help sustain and improve the informal sector in these two countries.

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STRATEGY OF LIBERALIZATION AND PROBLEMS OF STATE REGULATION OF AZERBAIJAN ECONOMY

Экономическая наука современной России ◽

10.33293/1609-1442-2019-3(86)-139-151 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 86 (3) ◽

pp. 139-151

Author(s):

G. Z. Yuzbashieva ◽

A. M. Mustafayev ◽

R. A. Imanov

Keyword(s):

Economic Growth ◽

Social Protection ◽

State Intervention ◽

Economic Transformation ◽

State Regulation ◽

Economic Relations ◽

The Public ◽

Private And Public ◽

Sectoral Development ◽

Market Relations

The indicators that determine the change in the macroeconomic situation in the economy of Azerbaijan in 2010–2017, as well as the conditions for increasing the effectiveness of state intervention in solving economic problems are analyzed. It is noted that it is not the size of the public sector that becomes important, but its qualitative component (management and redistribution of resources and revenues, coordination of government intervention in economic relations). The main reasons limiting economic growth are identified, and the mechanisms for overcoming them are disclosed, since economic growth is of particular importance in the transformational period of state development. It substantiates the assertion that the forms and methods of state regulation should be the result of a reasonable combination of the private and public sectors of the economy to more effectively achieve the goal of economic development of the country and increase the welfare of the population. To this end, it is advisable to limit the actions of market forces and find a rational ratio of market and government measures that stimulate economic growth and development.It is shown that in the near future the development of the economy of Azerbaijan should be focused on the transition to the integration of various models of economic transformation; at the same time, “attraction of investments” should be carried out by methods of stimulating consumption, and the concept of a socially oriented economy, which the state also implements, should prevail, thereby ensuring social protection of the population and at the same time developing market relations. Disproportions in regional and sectoral development are also noted, which are the result of an ineffective distribution of goods produced, inadequate investment in human capital, a low level of coordination and stimulation of economic growth and development.

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Assessing social sustainability in the gig economy

10.31235/osf.io/5gych ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Muralidharan Loganathan

Keyword(s):

Economic Growth ◽

Social Protection ◽

Social Sustainability ◽

Decent Work ◽

Sustainable Development Goal ◽

Development Goal ◽

Country Level ◽

Gig Economy ◽

The World ◽

Sustainable Economic Growth

Sustainable Development Goal 8 to “Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all” necessitates country level measures across the world. We take forward a comparative analysis of India’s SDG 8 indicator list with both the UN and ILO measurements. We note inadequate measurements on social-protection and rights for non-standard forms of employment including gig work, that are intermediated by ICT platforms. From our analysis we identify some levers to broaden the current indicator measurements to include these non-standard workers as well, to improve social sustainability.

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Economic behavior of households and their welfare: models and forms of interaction

Socio-Economic Problems of the Modern Period of Ukraine ◽

10.36818/2071-4653-2020-5-1 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 3-8

Author(s):

Maryana Bil ◽

Olha Mulska

Keyword(s):

Economic Growth ◽

Social Protection ◽

Well Being ◽

Central Place ◽

Economic Behavior ◽

Human Potential ◽

Modern Theory ◽

Economic Behaviour ◽

Theoretical Approaches ◽

The Impact

The article defines the content of welfare as a measure of socially oriented efficiency of economic growth, which reflects the appropriate level of providing the population with material and spiritual goods with the formation of favourable conditions for human development and capitalization of human potential in a competitive mobile space. The modern theory of welfare testifies to the deepening of scientific discussions on the transformation of economic welfare into mobile and inclusive, as well as the opposition of competitive and social protection welfare policy. Another milestone in the evolution of welfare theory is the individualization of its provision. Conditions of competition and mobility increase the importance of households in providing their well-being with further reflection on the processes of economic growth of the community, region, and state. This gives grounds to actualize the issues of household welfare research and strengthening economic growth based on behavioural economics. The needs, interests, motives, and incentives determine the economic behaviour of households. At higher levels, it defines an economic culture that is closely linked to the national mentality. In this regard, the main models of economic and social behaviour of households – socialization, adaptation, integration, values, regulation, and the definition of financial development strategies are outlined. Theoretical approaches to the explanation of economic behaviour are generalized, namely religious-ethical, psychological, substantive theories, theories of motivations and acquired needs, process theories, theories of justice, and others. Based on the ideas of foreign scientists, the main determinants of the economic policy of households are proposed. Political, stabilizing, and economic determinants are distinguished in the group of general determinants. In the group of determinants directly related to households, the financial, demographic, cultural, social, empirical, and psychological are suggested. The author’s emphasis is placed on the importance of the impact of financial determinants of the households’ economic behaviour, the central place among which is occupied by savings.

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Conclusion

10.1093/oso/9780190697518.003.0005 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Roberts Cynthia ◽

Leslie Armijo ◽

Saori Katada

Keyword(s):

Economic Growth ◽

South Africa ◽

Bargaining Power ◽

Global Finance ◽

Middle Income ◽

Outside Options ◽

Power Shift ◽

Global Power ◽

Common Interests ◽

Sustainable Economic Growth

The chapter analyzes the prospects for continued BRICS collective financial statecraft. Contrary to initial expectations, the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) have hung together by identifying common aversions and pursuing common interests within the existing international order. Their future depends not only on their bargaining power, but also on their ability to overcome domestic impediments to the sustainable economic growth that provides the basis for their international positions. To continue successfully with collective financial statecraft, the members must tackle the so-called middle-income trap, as well as their preferences for informal rules originating from their own institutional weaknesses or regime preferences. This study shows that, in the context of a global power shift, the BRICS club has operated to protect the member countries’ respective policy autonomy, while also advancing their joint voice in global governance. Recently, the BRICS have made concrete institutional gains, giving them expanded outside options to achieve specific objectives in global finance.

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Effects of COVID-19 on the economy and mental health of young people in South Africa: opportunities for strengthening social protection programmes by integrating mental health

South African Journal of Psychology ◽

10.1177/00812463211015348 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 51 (2) ◽

pp. 199-204

Author(s):

Alejandra Álvarez-Iglesias ◽

Emily Garman ◽

Crick Lund

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

South Africa ◽

Young People ◽

Child Support ◽

Social Protection ◽

Psychological Impact ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

Protection Measures ◽

Employment Education

The majority of COVID-19 cases in sub-Saharan Africa are found in South Africa, where one third of young people are not in employment, education or training. As the world continues to fight the COVID-19 virus spread, an increasing volume of studies are analysing and trying to predict the consequences of the pandemic on the economy and on physical and mental health. This article describes the economic and psychological impact of COVID-19 in South Africa’s youth specifically, the efforts made to tackle these issues, and the opportunities to integrate mental health into the country’s social protection measures, such as the Child Support Grant.

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