Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences
Prof E Loots, Dean
Telephone number: 012 420 2425
E-mail address: emsdean@up.ac.za
Message by the Dean
Research engagement and publications are integral to the Faculty's
vision to be an internationally recognised and locally relevant centre of
excellence. The Faculty conducts research primarily of an applied nature,
aligned with the needs of business, the public sector and the professions.
Academic staff research expertise spans a number of areas, ranging from
monetary economics and sustainable environments to industrial psychology
and marketing. It also hosts a number of centres and institutes that provide
leadership in their respective disciplines. During 2011, the Faculty had a
number of noteworthy research achievements that contributed to the
realisation of its vision.
Several academic staff members presented papers at international
conferences around the globe and the continent. Attendance
at these conferences not only showcases the expertise of the
Faculty, but also resulted in fruitful collaborative research
projects. The Department of Human Resource Management
hosted a USA Fulbright research scholar, Prof Jenny Hoobler,
of the University of Illinois at Chicago during the academic
year. Prof Hoobler is collaborating with Prof Stella Nkomo on a
research project on gender equity in South African corporations.
The African Tax Institute, in collaboration with the Lincoln
Institute of Land Policy based in the USA, hosted a workshop
in South Africa. Ten research fellows from Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya,
Mozambique, Sierra Leone and Zambia presented case studies on property taxes in 18 African countries. In 2011, the Albert Luthuli
Centre for Responsible Leadership embarked on two major research projects. The Leadership for Africa Research Project, funded by
the Uongozi Institute of Tanzania, will investigate change leadership in several African countries. Corporate governance is the focus
of a collaborative research project with the Harvard Business School that will examine the drivers and consequences of corporate
governance in South Africa over the past 20 years.
Prof Ernie Heath of the Department of Tourism Management, in collaboration with the George Washington University in the USA,
conducted research on the tourism potential of South Africa. Prof Yolanda Jordaan of the Department of Marketing Management
is collaborating with the University of Angers in France on a study of consumer attitudes and behaviour towards social network
advertising. The Investment and Trade Policy Centre has forged a productive collaborative relationship with the University of
Applied Sciences in Berlin, Germany.
Academic staff members also continue to receive recognition for outstanding research achievements. Dr Ruthira Naraidoo, an
associate professor in the Department of Economics, received the JJI Middleton Award from the Council of the Economic Society of
South Africa for the best first article published. Prof Rangan Gupta of the Department of Economics, who is ranked 46th on the list
of young economists in the world, became a founding member of the South African Young Academy of Science, launched in 2011.
The Faculty continues to provide leadership for discipline-based conferences and workshops. The School of Public Management and
Administration hosted the 4th International Conference on Public Administration, which included over 40 competitive papers on
the theme of leadership, governance and policy in the public sector. The Department of Economics and the South African Reserve
Bank jointly hosted a workshop on monetary economics and macroeconomic modelling. The development of a South African
Personality Inventory was the focus of a research workshop hosted by the Department of Human Resource Management, which
brought together scholars and postgraduate students from around South Africa.
One of the strategies for increasing research productivity is obtaining external funding. The Department of Human Resource
Management received a grant for its research project on the attraction, development and retention of academic talent for
sustainability in South African higher education institutions. This multi-year project, in collaboration with the Vrije University of
the Netherlands, is funded by the South African Netherlands Research Programme on Alternatives in Development (SANPAD).
The research output of the academic staff comprised 109 journal articles with an increasing percentage published in international
journals. The number of NRF-rated researchers in the Faculty was 15 in 2011. During the year, eight doctoral students and 118
master's degree students graduated in the Faculty. Nineteen members of staff obtained either a master's degree or a doctorate.
Several other staff members are currently enrolled for higher degrees.
The Faculty Research Committee initiated a number of interventions to support academic research engagement and productivity
throughout the year. These interventions included research skills enhancement workshops and seminars. Plans were finalised for
opening an Office for Research Support in 2012. The office will provide academic staff with a range of technical and informational
services to support staff research agendas.
Prof Elsabe Loots
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