Browsing by Author "Mlambo, Chipo"
Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
Results Per Page
Sort Options
- ItemOpen AccessBusiness modelling for inclusive financial services: How to enhance access to financial services for marginalised youth(2015) Musarurwa, Hillary Jephat; Mlambo, ChipoThe aim of this research was to develop a business model that will enhance the access to financial services by marginalised youth. In order to develop such a relevant business model it was necessary to understand the needs and challenges being faced by targeted clients in using and accessing formal financial services. Accessing such services will help them build assets in the long term, smooth cashflow and make savings as they transition from childhood to adulthood. Currently there are a number of barriers compounding financial exclusion and thus increasing the inequality gap. The study applied design thinking and systems thinking tools to undertake business model innovation and come out with a plausible alternative financial services model for youth and immigrants in Zimbabwe and South Africa respectively. Qualitative and quantitative research methods were applied to unpack the financial services needs of youth and how they are currently accessing service. An ethnographic approach as well as snowballing were applied in order to get to the respondents. Covert observations were done at a construction site in a bid to collect the immigrants' silent narrative of how they got to South Africa and are surviving from day to day. The research discovered that Zimbabwean youth residing in Zimbabwe and those who have migrated to South Africa are financially excluded yet they need financial services. It also discovered that there are business models being applied globally and in South Africa that are aimed at closing the financial exclusion gap. The study concluded that it is possible to have a business model that aims at serving youth, more so immigrants in South Africa, and provide them with low cost products that have a social impact on their livelihoods
- ItemOpen AccessEarly-stage venture capital in South Africa: Challenges and prospects(2013) Jones, Morgan; Mlambo, ChipoThe aim of this paper is to assess which factors impact the development of early-stage venture capital in South Africa. Factors identified for other markets and countries are explored and their relative importance in South Africa determined from the perspective of market participants. These include venture capital and private equity fund managers, government institutions, intermediaries and university research coordinators. The study used both an online survey, to capture a broad representation of opinion, and interviews, for in-depth responses. There was broad consensus among respondents with regards to the key factors requiring attention, which include the lack of funds targeted at early-stage investments, the lack of specialised fund managers, and the low entrepreneurial skillsets in the country. Through a detailed analysis of the responses, certain measures are proposed that can enhance the development of early-stage venture capital in South Africa such as engaging more with angel investors and improving the cooperation between the different market players in the sector.
- ItemOpen AccessThe evolution and dynamics of stocks on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange and their implications for equity investment management(2015) Chimanga, Artwell Shingirai; Mlambo, Chipo[No subject] This thesis explores the dynamics of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange returns to understand how they impact stock prices. The introductory chapter renders a brief overview of financial markets in general and the Johannesburg Securities Exchange (JSE) in particular. The second chapter employs the fractal analysis technique, a method for estimating the Hurst exponent, to examine the JSE indices. The results suggest that the JSE is fractal in nature, implying a long-term predictability property. The results also indicate a logical system of variation of the Hurst exponent by firm size, market characteristics and sector grouping. The third chapter investigates the economic and political events that affect different market sectors and how they are implicated in the structural dynamics of the JSE. It provides some insights into the degree of sensitivity of different market sectors to positive and negative news. The findings demonstrate transient episodes of nonlinearity that can be attributed to economic events and the state of the market. Chapter 4 looks at the evolution of risk measurement and the distribution of returns on the JSE. There is evidence of fat tails and that the Student t-distribution is a better fit for the JSE returns than the Normal distribution. The Gaussian based Value-at-Risk model also proved to be an ineffective risk measurement tool under high market volatility. In Chapter 5 simulations are used to investigate how different agent interactions affect market dynamics. The results show that it is possible for traders to switch between trading strategies and this evolutionary switching of strategies is dependent on the state of the market. Chapter 6 shows the extent to which endogeneity affects price formation. To explore this relationship, the Poisson Hawkes model, which combines exogenous influences with self-excited dynamics, is employed. Evidence suggests that the level of endogeneity has been increasing rapidly over the past decade. This implies that there is an increasing influence of internal dynamics on price formation. The findings also demonstrate that market crashes are caused by endogenous dynamics and exogenous shocks merely act as catalysts. Chapter 7 presents the hybrid adaptive intelligent model for financial time series prediction. Given evidence of non-linearity, heterogeneous agents and the fractal nature of the JSE market, neural networks, fuzzy logic and fractal theory are combined, to obtain a hybrid adaptive intelligent model. The proposed system outperformed traditional models.
- ItemOpen AccessIs public debt boosting economic growth in SADC?(2014) Sogoni, Zanele; Mlambo, ChipoThe World Bank estimates that Africa's inadequate infrastructure decreases productivity by around 40 per cent every year and reduces national economic growth by 2 per cent annually. Such disadvantages hinder private sector investment, which is a key driver of job and wealth creation. Financing the development of infrastructure in an appropriate manner has been a leading topic in the continents development agenda. In order to remedy the infrastructure deficit problem, more and more African countries are increasing their public debts by borrowing in the international markets to finance their infrastructure deficits in the hope that it will ultimately spur economic growth and attract more investment. SSA's access to the international markets has grown significantly, facilitated by easing global financial conditions. By end March 2014, 13 countries had issued international sovereign bonds, for reasons that include infrastructure building. The sub-Saharan Africa's region's access to international markets has come under much attention lately as debt levels are rising with fears that they may reach the unsustainable pre –HIPC levels. For example, Zambia's total debt burden stood at an unsustainably high USD5.4 billion in 2005 – equivalent to 74% of the country's GDP and almost 208% of its foreign exchange earnings (IHS Global Insights, 2014). The attainment of debt relief under the IMF and World Bank's Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI) in early 2006 dramatically decreased the country's debt holdings to less than 25% of GDP. However, in the third quarter of 2012, the government issued its first Eurobond and raised debt capital of USD 750 million. This was followed by a USD 1 billion Eurobond issue in the second quarter of 2014 (IHS Global Insights, 2014) with the stated intention of using the funds for infrastructural development and maintenance. However, according to the latest IMF statement on Zambia released on 6 June 2014, Zambia's macroeconomic situation, though potentially promising, is in trouble and needs urgent fixing. It appears that the government of Zambia wants an IMF funding arrangement, possibly a bailout (Zambian Economist, 2014). In the face of mounting evidence that access to the international capital markets and rising public debt are more likely to have enhanced vulnerability than growth, this paper examines the determinants of economic growth in a panel of 15 countries. It examines the impact of external debt, total public debt and infrastructure expenditure on economic growth in the southern African region over a period of 10 years (between 2004 and 2014). The findings suggest an inverse relationship between external debt and total public debt against economic growth. The findings also suggest that there is a positive relationship between infrastructure development and economic growth amongst the countries in the southern Africa region. These relationships were found to be insignificant, suggesting that other factors outside of the variables of infrastructure expenditure, external debt and total public debt are influencing economic growth (or slowdown) in the region. The paper also examines the current debt situation in the 15 countries and policy considerations are also presented.
- ItemOpen AccessA review of factors affecting the attractiveness of Angola to private equity (PE) investments(AOSIS, 2014) Mlambo, Chipo; Estefania, JoverAngola's attractiveness to PE investors and the potential to increase PE investments in the country are explored. Primary data were collected using a survey of 18 PE funds that invest or have considered investing in Angola, followed by 10 expert interviews to gain deeper insight into the country's institutional and economic environment, and its potential for PE investments. It is found that most PE funds are attracted to Angola by its rapid economic growth and high potential returns. The country is also vastly under supplied, and many key economic sectors are fast developing, presenting exciting opportunities for investors. Nevertheless, PE in Angola remains limited, mainly owing to the difficulty of doing business in Angola, and owing particularly to the unfavourable regulatory environment. There is no regulation or process when it comes to the registration of PE funds in Angola, and any new regulation that applies to foreign investments is marred by unnecessary red tape, making it difficult for the investment to enter the market. Only two funds are authorised to operate in Angola: Fundo de Investimento Privado de Angola (FIPA), and BESA Activ. Streamlining regulation is critical to increasing PE flows to Angola in order to advance the country's economic and social objectives