Abstract
This study investigates the impact of international trade on employment in the broiler industry of South Africa from 1996 to 2017. The study is among the few to: (i) use a combination of firm case studies and quantitative methods; (ii) simultaneously analyse the effect of both international trade and other factors on employment; and (iii) use a database prior and post 2000, which marks the period in which South Africa entered into major trade treaties such as the Trade, Development and Cooperation Agreement (TDCA), the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) trade protocol and the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). Using case studies and the Instrumental Variable (IV) model, this study finds that international trade, especially imports, have a negative effect on employment in the broiler industry of South Africa, while exports are positively related to employment creation. Productivity shows to be negatively significant to employment in the broiler industry of South Africa. A statistically significant negative relationship exists between productivity and employment in the broiler industry of South Africa.
M.Phil. (Industrial Policy)