According to the "South African B2C E-Commerce Report 2012", South Africa was already in 2011 the fifth largest country in Africa in terms of the number of Internet users. Today in 2014, there are approximately 12,5 million South African Internet users . Since several years, the E-Commerce sector is facing a boom in South Africa. However, not everybody seems to profit from or participate in this boom.
Economically and socially, South Africa is still deeply divided. The inequality within the population, the distance between rich and poor is extreme: The richest 20 percent of the population account for almost 70 percent of total income, the share of the poorest 20 percent is just under three percent. Almost a third (31.9%) of the population lives on the equivalent of less than 2 Dollars a day . Around seven million people are considered long-term unemployed with no job prospects, especially those living in informal settlements, the so-called „townships“.
The social and economic inequality is a big problem for the country of South Africa. E-Commerce has the potential to resolve this problem, as it is booming and companies plan to extend their businesses as well as their employee numbers. The idea is to train people from the townships in order to get them to work in the E-Commerce business. Interesting for this thesis are those E-Commerce companies with big storage halls, as they are the ones who might be in need of untrained employees of the townships. Jobs could be needed in basic positions such as picking and packing, quality control and customer services in big warehouses.
Supposed it would be actually possible to use training initiatives and programs in the form of cooperations of E-Commerce companies and township NGO´s, resulting in dimishing unemployment and leading to permitting more people participate in the boom of E-Commerce, the South African economy and its society as a whole would gain a tremendous benefit.
The research question in this master thesis is interlinking the existing economic boom of E-Commerce with the high unemployment rate in the townships: Does the fast-growing E-Commerce in South Africa have an effect on the high unemployment rate in the townships? In the quest for an answer to this question, attention is paid to two related questions as well: Do the lowest social classes feel an improvement in their living standards after being hired by an E-Commerce business?
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Important Facts about South Africa
- E-Commerce
- Definition of E-Commerce
- E-Commerce Landscape in South Africa
- E-Commerce Companies
- E-Commerce Companies for this Master Thesis
- Townships
- Definition of Townships
- History of South African Townships
- South African Townships Today
- Education & Unemployment in South Africa
- Education in South Africa
- Unemployment in South Africa
- Youth Unemployment
- Method: Qualitative Research
- Research Structure
- Semi-Structured Interviews
- Interview Partners
- Interview Questions
- Analysis of Data
- Results & Analysis
- Discussion
- Suggested Contributions from the State. A 3-Step-Plan.
- A Critical Look on the Methodological Approach
- Future Outlook
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
The thesis aims to explore the potential of e-commerce to reduce unemployment in South African townships. It examines the e-commerce landscape in South Africa, the socioeconomic realities of townships, and the challenges of education and unemployment within the country. The author analyzes data from qualitative research, specifically semi-structured interviews with individuals involved in e-commerce and township communities. The research focuses on the potential for collaboration between e-commerce companies and NGOs to create training programs that enable township residents to find employment in the growing e-commerce sector.
- The impact of e-commerce on unemployment in South African townships
- The socio-economic challenges faced by township residents
- The role of education and skills development in addressing unemployment
- Potential collaborations between e-commerce businesses and NGOs
- The effectiveness of training programs in providing employment opportunities
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The introduction establishes the context for the research, highlighting the socioeconomic inequalities in South Africa and the potential of e-commerce to address these issues. It introduces the research question concerning the impact of e-commerce on township unemployment.
Chapter 1, "Important Facts about South Africa," provides background information on the country's demographics, economy, and social realities. This includes data on income inequality, poverty rates, and the challenges of unemployment, particularly in townships.
Chapter 2, "E-Commerce," explores the definition and development of e-commerce in South Africa. It analyzes the growth of the e-commerce sector, identifies key players, and discusses the potential for employment opportunities within the industry.
Chapter 3, "Townships," delves into the definition, history, and current realities of townships in South Africa. It examines the social, economic, and infrastructure challenges faced by residents, highlighting the need for economic development and job creation within these communities.
Chapter 4, "Education & Unemployment in South Africa," analyzes the state of education and the prevalence of unemployment in South Africa. This chapter examines the relationship between education, skill development, and employment opportunities, particularly for youth and those living in townships.
Chapter 5, "Method: Qualitative Research," outlines the research methodology employed in the thesis. It describes the use of semi-structured interviews, the selection of interview partners, the development of interview questions, and the analysis of data collected.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
E-Commerce, South Africa, Townships, Unemployment, Education, Inequality, Qualitative Research, Training Programs, NGOs, Social Impact.
- Quote paper
- Felix Deubert (Author), 2014, Making a difference digitally. E-Commerce in South Africa, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/284115
