An Application of Von Thunen Model of Location Theory in South Africa: An Unemployment Mitigation Tool
Keywords:
Location Theory; Von Thunen, Agriculture; Employment Growth; Local Economic Development
Abstract
The government in South Africa seeks to achieve an inclusive economic growth and eradicate socio-economic inequality. However, it has been almost 30 years since the transition to democracy in South Africa and unemployment rate is still high. There are a number of unemployment alleviation initiatives in place; however, such initiatives are seemingly not producing adequate jobs. The paper aims to apply von Thunen model of Location Theory as unemployment mitigation tool in South Africa. Von Thunen model is a land use theory that seeks to predict optimal location choice for agricultural farms. The paper adopted qualitative research approach and found that, assumptions in von Thunen’s model of Location Theory is not applicable in South Arica and the world as a whole. However, the paper argues that the four concentric rings in von Thunen model can contribute to job creation in South Africa.
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Attiah E., (2019). The role of manufacturing and service sector on economic growth. European Research studies Journal, 22(1):112-127.
Burdina, M. 2004. Impact of transportation on business location decisions in rural upper great plains. Accessed from https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/c246/038d34145cac5ec5985b85e326abf9990acf.pdf. on 25 April 2019.
Chiung-Wen, H and Hsing-Hsiung, C., (2003). The Taiwan Innovation System. In book: The international Handbook in Innovatio, 1st edition. Oxford: Pergamon.
Djwa, P.DK. (1958). An analysis of industrial location factors with particular reference to Indonesia. Masters of Business Administration. Faculty of Commerce and business Administration. University of British Columbia.
Friedrich,C.J.(1929). Alfred Weber Theory of the location of industries. The University of Chicago Press.
Gomez, G.M., and Helmsing, A.H.J. (2008). Selective Spatial Closure and Local Economic Development: What Do We Learn from the Argentine Local Currency Systems? World Development, Elsevier, 36(11): 2489-2511.
Greenhunt, M.L. (1956). Plant location in theory and practice. Chapel Hill:university of Carolina press.
Gendreau, F., (2010). The demographic challenges. Challnegs for African agriculture. World Bank: 9-33.
Heady, D., Bezemer, D., and Hazell, P.B., (2010). Agricultural employment trends in Asia and Africa: too fast or too slow? The World Bank Research Observer,25(10):57-89.
Hough, J., and Dooley, F. (1991). Transportation and rural economic development: A comparative analysis of important location factors, MPS Report No. 91-4, North Dakota State University, 1991.
Kilkenny, M. (1998). Economics of location, A selective survey. Department of Economics, Iowa State University, February 1998.check type of thesis.
Kniivila, M., (2007). Industrial development and economic growth: implication of poverty reduction and income inequality. Book: In industrial Development for the 21st century: sustainable development perspectives. New York :United Nations .
Krumn, R. and Strotmann, H. (2013). The impact of regional location factors on job creation, job destruction and employment growth in manufacturing.Jahrbuch fur regionalwissenschaft 33(2):23-48.
Kwon, S.J., Park, E., Ohmn , J.Y., and Yoo,K., (2015). Innovation activities and the creation of new employment: an empirical assessment of south Korea’s manufacturing industry. Social science information, 54(3):354-368.
Leigh, N.G. and Blakely E,J. (2013). Planning Local Economic Development: Theory and Practice.4th Ed. Los Angelas : Sage.
Manufacturing Indaba, (2018). Manufacturing sector proves to be job creation engine of South Africa.5TH Annual Manufacturing Indaba to highlight sector’s impact on job creation,19 – 20 June 2018, Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg , South Africa.
Masahsa, F.,Jacques-Francious, T., and Yves, Z., (1997). Firm location and job creation in cities. Journal of Urban Economics,41:337-357.
Mashabela CM, (2021). The effectiveness of Local Economic Development in improving local economies in South Africa: A case of Polokwane Local Municipality. Dissertation. University of Limpopo, South Africa.
Miller, E.W. (1977). Manufacturing. A study of industrial location. Pennsylvania State University.
Nyanga, T. (2013). Agriculture: the unseen employment creation tool in Mavingo district, Zimbabwe. Journal of sustainable Development in Africa, 15(5):18-27.
Ojo, N., and Iyoha, F.A.,(nd). Agricultural Education as a veritable tool for job creation. Journal of Teacher Perspective,.
Parr, J.B., and Reynolds-Feighan, A.R., (2000). Location Theory : analysis and applications guest editors’ introduction. Urban studies, 37(3):439 – 442.
Spinola, N.D., Spinola, C.D., Pereira, A.S. (2015). Business location: strategic factor for the development of regions? One approach on industrial location policy of Bahia. 55th Congress of the European Regional Science Association: "World Renaissance: Changing roles for people and places", 25-28 August 2015, Lisbon, Portugal, European Regional Science Association (ERSA), Louvain-la-Neuve.
Statistics South Africa, (2021). Quartely labour force survey.; Quarter 4: 2020. Statistics South Africa.
Tersoo,P., (2012). Agribusiness as a veritable tool for rural development. International Letters of Social And Humanistic Science,14:26-36.
Udofia, U.E., Eka,J.W., and Etim, G.J., (nd). Agricultural education for job creation and sustainable national development in Nigeria. Journal of Teacher Perspective.
United Nations Industrial Development Organisation, (2017). Industrial Development Report 2018. Demand for Manufacturing: Driving inclusive and sustainable industrial development. Viena :United Nations Industrial Development Organisation.
van Stel, A., and Suddle, K., (2008). The impact of new firm formation on regional development in the Netherlands. Small Bus Econ, 30:31-47.
Vitiello, D., and Wolf-Powers, L., (2014).Growing food grow cities? The potential of agriculture development in the urban united states. Oxford University press.
Von Thünen, J.H., (1826). Der Isolierte Staat in Beziehung auf Landwirtschaft und Nationalökonomie. Der Isolierte Staat, 1: 11-52. (English translation in: Von Thünen JH 1966. The Isolated State, Oxford: Pergammon Press).
Weber, A. (1929).Theory of location of industries. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
World Bank, (2021). South African overview: development, poverty. Worl Bank.
Published
2023-10-06
How to Cite
CM, M. (2023). An Application of Von Thunen Model of Location Theory in South Africa: An Unemployment Mitigation Tool. International Journal of Social Science Research and Review, 6(10), 218-226. https://doi.org/10.47814/ijssrr.v6i10.1664
Section
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