Dr Saul Levin joined TIPS in April 2013 and was appointed Executive Director in December 2014.  He has a PhD in Development Studies from the University of Johannesburg, with his thesis on industrial financing. He has a Master’s and Honour’s Degree in Sociology as well as a BCom from the University of Witwatersrand.

Saul was previously a chief director in the Economic Development Department (EDD) with oversight of the Development Finance Institutions reporting to EDD, including the Industrial Development Corporation and the Small Enterprise Finance Agency. As part of his responsibilities he oversaw the merger of the small business finance entities and ran several projects to support small business development. He also worked as the chief of staff for Lindiwe Hendricks, heading her office while she was Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry and when she was Minister of Minerals and Energy. From 2001 to 2005 he worked as an economist in the office of the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry. Prior to that Levin spent almost five years working in the field of enterprise development, as a project manager for government agency Ntsika (now Small Enterprise Development Agency).

From 2009 to 2011 Levin was as a senior manager at Standard Bank, working as a Business Operations Manager in the Corporate Affairs unit.

Community mapping is a visual way of telling a community’s story. It is a powerful new tool to assist with participatory planning, as well as enabling a participatory approach to monitoring and evaluation. The TIPS GIS Mapping Team has assisted four Community Work Programme sites to pilot the mapping of the work they do. See www.tipsgis.com

The TIPS GIS Mapping Team provides a comprehensive mapping and GIS support service. We can successfully and accurately execute your GIS-related projects.

Our working model includes:

•       Quality solutions and services

•       Training and skills transfer

•       Setup – GIS design, planning and implementation

•       Project management

•       Database design and management

•       Data-processing and analysis

•       Spatial analysis and modelling

•       Monitoring and on-going support

•       Subscription based service for on-going support is available

CONTACT

For more information, please contact Rozale Sedwuth at rozale@tips.org.za

EXPERIENCE

Community mapping is a visual way of telling a community’s story. It is a powerful new tool to assist with participatory planning, as well as enabling a participatory approach to monitoring and evaluation.

The TIPS GIS Mapping Team has assisted four Community Work Programme (CWP) sites to pilot the geographical mapping of all the projects they manage as part of their work. 

See www.tipsgis.com

PEP general meetings are international events that gather hundreds of participants – development researchers, practitioners, lead experts and policy stakeholders - from around the world, who travel to learn and share knowledge on the most recent methodologies, concepts and findings in the analysis of policy issues related to poverty, economic and social development.

Strengthening research capacities in developing countries

These meetings are, for instance, the perfect occasion for PEP-affiliated resource people and international experts to provide hundreds of developing country researchers with intensive training in the use of the most updated analytical tools, concepts and methodological innovations fostered through the network's supported research and initiatives. 

Following training sessions, attending researchers are invited to present either new research proposals - or latest reports from their currently funded PEP research project - to fellow researchers and PEP evaluators.

To all attending participants, and especially developing country researchers, PEP meetings present a unique opportunity in terms of peer-review and international networking experience.

Bridging research to policy

PEP general meetings also usually feature a one- or two-day policy conference (or plenary sessions), to present and discuss the policy implications of PEP research and analytical approaches. These presentations are thematically focused in accordance with current or emerging development policy issues, and several relevant stakeholders (policymakers, international institution representatives, etc.) are invited to both attend and participate in. 

As they provide an opportunity for international participants of both academic and government affiliations to debate on the issues at hand, these conferences thus contribute to bridging the gap between research and policy when defining options to address poverty issues and promote development in the South.

For more information go to: http://www.pep-net.org/events/event/article/10th_pep_general_meeting_in_south_africa/

TIPS IS PROJECT MANAGING AND COORDINATING THE CONFERENCE FOR PEP

Natasha joined TIPS in February 2013 as a Project Coordinator. She holds a Diploma in Office Administration and Personal Assistant, a Diploma in Business Computing and has a certificate in Project Management. She has over 13 years’ experience in administration including project administration and coordination, logistics management, contract management, customer relations, staff supervision, office management and operations, and personal assistant duties at both local and international level. She has extensive experience in office operations and managing conferences at a national and international level.

Before joining TIPS she was employed at CIDA (Canadian High Commission Funded) and she was also with the City of Tshwane Municipality.

Natasha is currently studying towards a BTECH degree in Office Administration at UNISA.

CALL FOR PAPERS
3rd International Conference on International Trade and Investment
Special Conference Theme:
'Non-tariff measures, the new frontier of trade policy?'
4-6 September 2013, Mauritius
Organized by the University of Mauritius (UoM) and the WTO Chairs Programme (WCP)

Even though import tariffs have declined globally owing to the demands from the multilateral rounds negotiations and the proliferating preferential agreements, Non-Tariff Measures (NTMs) have risen significantly in recent years and have become a concern for competitiveness. While many of the NTMs have been designed to achieve legitimate goals such as protecting public health and the environment, they can impede trade via impaired competitiveness because they constrain the ability of firms to outsource key inputs, complicate day-to-day business and distract managerial attention. Firm surveys highlight private-sector demands for more transparency in the adoption and application of NTMs across countries. Furthermore, most studies on the impact of African and other regional initiatives have highlighted the negative dimensions of NTMs adopted by individual members to the various RTAs and which are significantly hampering any trade creating potential.

Kindly see attached for more info.

ANNOUNCEMENT

Introduction to Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) Modelling with GAMS Workshop

Trade and Industry Policy Strategies (TIPS)

13-18 May, 2013

Pretoria

Most economics curricula deal with macroeconomic tools for studying the economy as a whole and microeconomic tools for studying the behaviour of individual agents or markets. However, practical public and private sector economic analysts often need an economy-wide focus that combines the macroeconomics of the economy as a whole with structural detail that permits analysis of impacts at the sector or household level and of the consequences of interactions amongst them.

Economic modelling techniques that capture economy-wide impacts of policy changes are increasingly being used in academic, consulting, research and policy environments. Input-output (IO) and social accounting matrix (SAM) analysis are used on a regular basis to analyse the impact of policy-related and other changes on the economy. Computable general equilibrium (CGE) models build on these techniques to allow for a wide range of behavioural responses and interactions. Both these approaches have been extended to address broader concerns, such as the impact of policy on the environment or on energy requirements.

These techniques were once the preserve of a handful of leading theoreticians. The IT revolution has allowed them to become part of the practical economist's everyday toolkit. In 2001 Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS) started (co-)presenting introductory workshops to cater for the rising demand for these techniques. Since then it has held ten workshops on Economy-Wide Policy Impact Analysis. These have laid the foundation for participation in workshops introducing CGE modelling, of which TIPS has hosted eight. In addition, TIPS has conducted several advanced modelling workshops. These workshops have contributed to the development of a community of builders and users of economy-wide models in Southern Africa.

In May 2013 TIPS will be hosting a workshop on an introduction to GCE modelling using GAMS software. The workshop is designed and presented by academics and experts in the field of economy-wide policy modelling. It integrates theory, real world data, hands-on computer work and real world application. Participants are

• introduced to the micro, macro and trade theories that underlie typical CGE models;
• offered an overview and practical examples of Social Accounting Matrices (SAMs) and of parameter and elasticity estimation methods which typically provide the data on which CGEs are built;
• instructed in the necessary commands in GAMS, a programming language widely used in economy-wide policy modelling; and
• exposed to issues involved in using models for specific applications, such as the analysis of trade, public finance, regulation and environmental economics.

These components of the modeller's tool-kit are taught in an integrated and cumulative way. The theory is developed alongside the practical applications, which move from introductory exercises through to more advanced applications. The applications use materials developed by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and adapted by the workshop instructors to suit Southern African economies.

Participants will apply what they learn to a mini-project, which will be presented to the class at the end of the workshop. By that time, all participants will have sufficient competence to be able to continue developing their skills independently.

The workshop is targeted at those who wish to develop professional expertise in the area with the need to understand the potential and limitations of the use of these approaches. As such it should appeal to analysts in both the public and the private sectors, as well as to students and academics. The workshop is part of the development of a community of builders and users of economy-wide models in Southern Africa.

The workshop builds on previous TIPS Introduction to CGE events in which the GAMS software was not used directly (http://www.tips.org.za/event/fully-booked-introduction-economy-wide-modelling-policy-analysis) and their participants are encouraged to apply. However, no previous exposure to CGE modelling is required, although without it, applicants will be expected to have proven familiarity with SAMs and SAM based modelling through the attendance of previous workshops or courses and/or have a strong proven quantitative and numerical interest.

No pre-reading in CGE is required and all necessary materials will be provided for the course, but interested participants may wish to consult the following references as preliminary reading:

Lofgren, H; Harris, DL & Robinson, S, 2002, A Standard Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) Model in GAMS, Microcomputers in Policy Research 5, http://www.ifpri.org/publication/standard-computable-general-equilibrium-cge-model-gams-0

Lofgren, H, 2003, Exercises in general equilibrium modeling using GAMS and key to exercises in CGE modeling using GAMS, Microcomputers in Policy Research 4a, http://www.ifpri.org/publication/exercises-general-equilibrium-modeling-using-gams-and-key-exercises-cge-modeling-using-g

Fees and Applications

Workshop fees (including sandwich lunch): R12,000 (excluding VAT), US$2,000 for participants from Developed Countries). To ensure that the workshop is pitched at the correct level, we invite interested participants to complete the attached form and send it to denves@xtra.co.nz before 15 March 2013. Successful applicants will be invoiced upon successful registration and payment will be due by 12 April 2013, failing which reserved places will be offered to other applicants on a first come (receipt of payment), first served basis. A 10% discount is offered to more than two applications from a single institution. The organisers reserve the right to cancel the event if the minimum number of 15 participants is not reached by the payment due date of 12 April 2013. The maximum number of participants is 20.

Further information on registration, accommodation and required preparation can be obtained from the workshop conveners:

Dirk Ernst van Seventer                     or                     Rob Davies

denves@xtra.co.nz                                                 robdavieszim@gmail.com

Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS) is pleased to announce a short workshop on computable general equilibrium (CGE) modelling, to be held at the TIPS offices in Pretoria from 5-9 March 2012. It will be restricted to 16 participants.

• introduced to the micro, macro and trade theories that underlie typical CGE models;
• provided with an overview and practical examples of Social Accounting Matrices (SAMs) and of parameter and elasticity estimation methods which typically provide the data on which CGEs are built;
• led through various applications with special emphasis on the economic interpretation of results;
• exposed to issues involved in using models for specific applications such as the analysis of trade, public finance, regulation and environmental economics.

Business Report - 22 August 2012

Read more...

Abstract

Using data from two surveys evaluating South Africa's investment climate that were administered by the World Bank, I found evidence suggesting that there exists a relationship between perceptions of managers with regard to labour regulations and firm performance. Firms whose managers perceived labour regulations to be burdensome performed worse than other firms. They grew more slowly and were less likely to invest their profits in the establishment than other firms.
There is also evidence suggesting that where firms perceive labour regulations to be burdensome, they will substitute away from the conventional employment contract (regular or permanent contract) towards more atypical employment contracts (temporary or part-time contracts) which have a lower regulatory burden. There is evidence that also suggests firms are not limited in their ability to substitute towards this atypical employment despite limits imposed by South Africa's labour legislation. I found no evidence to suggest that firms who find labour regulations to be burdensome will choose to substitute away from labour towards capital.

About the Speaker

Dinga Fatman is an economist at TIPS. He joined TIPS in 2011 to provide research assistance in the industrial development pillar. He is in the process of completing his Master's degree in Economics at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. His Masters dissertation topic was entitled: “Labour Regulations and Firm Performance in South Africa”. Dinga's general research interests involve South Africa's investment climate issues.