Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences
Prof C Koornhof, Dean
Telephone number: 012 420 2425
Fax number: 012 362 5142
E-mail address: carolina.koornhof@up.ac.za
Preface by the Dean
The main focus of the Research Management Plan, approved in 2001, is to foster a research culture and to build research capacity by engaging more young academics and postgraduate students in research. During 2002 - 2003 the Faculty implemented recommendations of the plan. In order to accelerate this process Prof Petrus Brynard was appointed as research co-ordinator recently.
Four different focus areas for research and capacity building have been identified: econometric training and analysis, public economics, international trade and econometric development.
Research Output and Capacity
A major focus is to empower staff members and postgraduate students to do quality research: new staff members are encouraged to attend the Research Introduction Programme presented by the Division of Research Support ; a mentorship programme in the Faculty encourages less experienced staff members to complete research projects and articles with more experienced researchers; senior staff members in the Faculty are encouraged to lecture and participate in research projects at other universities. An objective for 2004 will be to improve the capacity of staff to supervise postgraduate students through attendance of appropriate training courses.
Due to the increased emphasis on research and the resolutions of the Research Management Plan, the Faculty’s research output has increased significantly over the past three years.
Strategic Partnerships
To achieve its research aims, the Faculty applies strategic partnerships. Successful partnerships exist, among others, in the fields of economics, tourism, public administration, management and aviation management:
- a cross-cultural study on attitudes towards female pilots, a collaboration of the Department of Human Resources Management with Atlantic Coast Airlines and the universities of Western Sydney and Tromso;
- the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) entered into by the Investment and Trade Policy Centre (ITPC) of the Department of Economics with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) that introduced a joint fellowship programme to build research capacity and competence at the University, in order to unlock the full potential of students – and to define the roles of the DTI and the University as catalysts for training historically disadvantaged researchers;
- project of the Department of Tourism Management to establish scientifically justifiable and culturally sensitive ways to refine and expand tourism-based community development through community participation and activities in Maputaland. The project has been launched in partnership with the Centre for Recreation and Tourism at the University of Zululand. With the available funds in the first phase three students are able to do research for their Masters’ dissertations;
- a research co-operation agreement between the School of Public Management and Administration (SPMA) and Michigan University. As part of this agreement SPMA has been included in the COTELCO network.
In 2003 the Department of Financial Management signed a subscription agreement with McGregor BFA to provide the Department with data from the JSE Securities Exchange, SAFEX, and the various trading instruments: their online database was used in training students in investment management, by doctoral and masters students and for publications by lecturers.
National and international collaboration and networking amongst academics contributes to the stature of a university and a faculty, and improve the quality and quantity of research.
Institutes and Bureaus
The Institutes and Bureaus support the pursuit of excellence in research:
- the Investment and Trade Policy Centre (ITPC) was established to focus on research in the field of international trade and investment. The centre works closely with the United Nations and other pertinent institutions like the WTO, in research and tuition in trade negotiations;
- the Bureau for Economic Policy and Analysis (BEPA) acts as the research arm of the Department of Economics.
Conclusion
The cornerstone of the South African economy is its knowledge, skills, innovation, development and enterprise. Its most valuable assets are the knowledge and the creative skills of its people. Through its research the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences contributes to the development of these assets by creating new knowledge, and stimulating ideas and innovation.
Prof C Koornhof
Dean
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