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Periodical article | Leiden University catalogue | WorldCat |
Title: | Understanding unemployment in Botswana |
Author: | Siphambe, Happy Kufigwa |
Year: | 2003 |
Periodical: | South African Journal of Economics |
Volume: | 71 |
Issue: | 3 |
Pages: | 480-495 |
Language: | English |
Geographic term: | Botswana |
Subjects: | unemployment employment |
External link: | https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1813-6982.2003.tb00082.x/pdf |
Abstract: | The impressive performance that Botswana has achieved since gaining independence in 1966 is one of the few success stories of economic development in sub-Saharan Africa. Unemployment is however one of the most serious problems that the country is facing. This paper explores the issues of unemployment and employment in Botswana's economy. It looks at both the supply and demand side of the labour market. The supply side analysis uses the original 1995/1996 Labour Force Survey data to understand the unemployed. Part of the process involves specifying a probit function to determine the factors determining unemployment. The probit analysis shows that women are more likely to be unemployed than men. This could be a result of previous occupational segregation that leaves women with fewer job opportunities in the 'women's' jobs. The paper also shows that education, training and age significantly determine the probability of being employed. The unemployed are more likely to be the youth, those with little or no education and those with no training. Given that unemployment exists side by side with vacant posts, questions arise concerning the appropriateness of the education system. The paper also looks at the demand for labour by various key sectors, viz. agriculture, construction, wholesale and retail, and manufacturing. Bibliogr., notes, ref. [ASC Leiden abstract] |