Honest Muyasani

The essay will introduce the two concepts of `sustainable development` and `green economy` and further discuss the meaning of `green economy` as perceived by different global authors. Although some people argue that the `green economy` practices of growth are not different from sustainable development and rejected by many stakeholders as a reformation of business as usual discourse (Brust et al., 2014), the concept is significant to help countries sustain natural resources while improving the well-being of man and promoting social equity.  The essay will further explain how the concept of `green economy` can contribute to human well-being in Zambia and outline some of Zambia’s challenges of deforestation in the light of the existing policy and the unregulated use of natural resources (UNDP, 2011).

This paper examines the impact of proximate domestic sourcing on productivity, exports and technological upgrading in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in electric-electronics, textiles-garments, automotives and wood products industries in Malaysia. The results show that the intensity of backward subcontracting in the domestic economy was important in domestic and export intra-industry purchases. The significant technological variables were that less-integrated firms showed higher intensities than more-integrated firms. Econometric results show that technological intensity is positively correlated with productivity and export-orientation; this infers that technology matters in economic performance. The Probit estimations confirm that domestic supplies matter in labour productivity and export-intensities, but not in technological intensities. Low export-intensities need not discourage technological upgrading if inward-oriented firms operate as subcontractors supplying exporters. Governments should be encouraged to examine the nexus between suppliers, buyers and economic performance to stimulate national inter-firm production synergies to increase competitiveness by domestic firms.

iv) Abstract

The purpose of this study was to document past and present stakeholders’ experiences concerning the Village Bank programme, which is a pilot microcredit facility being implemented by the Ministry of Community Development, with the intention of empowering women through income generation activities. The results show that participation in microfinance services women can gain the ability to make strategic choices concerning their lives and set-up their own businesses. The study used post-positivist qualitative approach using a self-administered questionnaires and focus group discussions with a view to gather information from individuals as well as from groups in order for women to share views and also to gather collective information of the programme in the three Sub centres. The study interviewed 30 beneficiaries and conducted 3 focus group discussions. The research findings indicate that that Village Bank programme played a significant role in empowering women economically and socially through income generation, asset creation, improved nutrition, better education support for children, and involved in household decision making among other indicators. However, several challenges were highlighted during the interviews and Focus group discussions which included low capital financing and poor monitoring of the programme by the Department of Community Development. The women also complained that disbursement of loan delay from one disbursement to the next giving out making them wait for sometimes more than six months beyond the scheduled time limit.