Darline Augustine

Bio: Darline Augustine is an academic researcher from Stellenbosch University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Prosocial behavior & Entrepreneurship. The author has an hindex of 6, co-authored 9 publications receiving 258 citations. Previous affiliations of Darline Augustine include Baruch College & City University of New York.

Gender Equality in Employment in Africa: Empirical Analysis and Policy Implications

Abstract: Gender equality in employment is currently one of the greatest development challenges facing countries globally, including those in Africa. In 2011, the male employment-to-population ratio, globally, was estimated at about 72.7 per cent compared to the female employment-to-population ratio of only 47.9 per cent. For Africa as a whole, the male employment-to-population ratio was estimated at about 69.2 per cent compared to the female employment-to-population ratio of only 39.2 per cent. In addition to analysing the characteristics of gender equality in employment in Africa, this paper empirically studies the key drivers of gender equality in employment (proxied by the ratio of female employment rate to male employment rate for the age group 15–64 over the period, 1991 and 2009), using cross-sectional data. Our results suggest that for the all-Africa and sub-Saharan African samples, increased democracy (and its quadratic form), higher gross domestic investment, more primary education, and higher urban share of the population increase gender equality in employment while higher level of real GDP per capita, higher foreign direct investment, sex population ratio, and being a net oil-exporting country tend to lower it. However, North Africa is different. Apart from a negative and highly significant North African dummy in the overall results, the North African specific sample result indicates that while the quadratic element of real GDP per capita, higher gross domestic investment, higher urban share of the population, more secondary education, and being an oil-exporting country increase gender equality in employment, higher levels of real GDP per capita, more primary education, and sex population ratio tend to lower gender equality in employment in the sub-region. The policy implications and lessons of these results are discussed. These policies are directed at making the African labor market more inclusive and hence enhancing women's employment for the purpose of greater economic empowerment, household welfare and poverty reduction, in particular.

Entrepreneurship and Community: The Next Frontier of Entrepreneurship Inquiry

Abstract: In this article, the authors examine the existing literature addressing the relationship between entrepreneurship and the community and conclude that this is an important, yet relatively neglected, topic. The article begins by defining the terms “community,” “entrepreneurship,” and the nexus of the two: “community development.” It then proceeds to explore what the current literature tells us about the interaction between these elements, touching upon issues of individualism vs. community, social capital building, productive and unproductive interaction, community culture, leadership, community entrepreneurship, and family venturing, among others. The article concludes with a set of observations about the types of research needed to fill gaps in our understanding of this delicate and vital relationship.

Good Practice in Corporate Governance Transparency, Trust, and Performance in the Microfinance Industry

Abstract: This dissertation abstract and reflection essay presents the work of Dr. Darline Augustine. The dissertation examines variance in firm performance in the microfinance industry. The investigations u...

Political ties and firm performance: The effects of proself and prosocial engagement and institutional development

Abstract: Research Summary: We examine the value of political ties on firm performance in an emerging economy. Using social exchange theory, we posit that political connections propel firms to engage more in proself and prosocial activities, which mediate the relationship between political ties and firm performance. The institutional environment moderates the dual mediations such that as the institutional environment improves, the mediation effect through proself engagement weakens, whereas the mediation effect through prosocial engagement strengthens. We found support for these propositions by analyzing two samples of firms in China: A surveyed sample of 363 small- and medium-sized firms and data from 2,780 publicly listed firms from 1999 to 2014. Our findings shed light on the strategic value of political ties, coinciding with the development of institutional environments.

Gender diversity within the workforce in the microfinance industry in Africa: Economic performance and sustainability

Abstract: This study examines the relationship of gender diversity within the workforce and the sustainability of economic performance within the microfinance industry in Africa as compared to the rest of the world. Measuring economic performance helps to demonstrate whether resources are effectively utilized to achieve social performance objectives. We use ROA—the most common measure of profit for financial institutions—to capture financial performance, and OpEx—the most widely used indicator of efficiency—to capture operating efficiency. We measure gender diversity within the microfinance workforce at two hierarchical levels. Our analysis of a data set of 1,389 observations in 1,053 firms suggests that gender diversity enhances economic performance, especially in Africa. We propose that policymakers and practitioners consider these results to determine how to best deploy women within the microfinance workforce to deliver sustainable economic performance. Copyright © 2016 ASAC. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Resume Cette etude examine la relation entre la diversite des sexes au sein du personnel et la durabilite de la performance economique dans l'industrie de la microfinance en Afrique, par comparaison au reste du monde. La mesure de la performance economique permet de demontrer que les ressources sont efficacement utilisees pour atteindre les objectifs de la performance sociale. La ROA— la mesure la plus courante permettant d'evaluer le profit des institutions financieres — est utilisee pour cerner la performance financiere et l'OpEx— l'indicateur d'efficacite la plus repandue — est utilisee pour determiner l'efficacite operationnelle. L'etude montre que la mesure de la diversite des genres au sein du personnel de la microfinance s'opere a deux niveaux hierarchiques. L'analyse de 1389 observations provenant de 1053 firmes indique que la diversite des genres ameliore la performance economique, notamment en Afrique. L'article propose aux decideurs et aux gestionnaires de s'inspirer de nos resultats pour mieux deployer la gent feminin dans le personnel des microfinances afin d'atteindre des performances economiques durables. Copyright © 2016 ASAC. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Bowling alone: The collapse and revival of American community

Abstract: The present historical moment may seem a particularly inopportune time to review Bowling Alone, Robert Putnam's latest exploration of civic decline in America. After all, the outpouring of volunteerism, solidarity, patriotism, and self-sacrifice displayed by Americans in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks appears to fly in the face of Putnam's central argument: that \"social capital\" -defined as \"social networks and the norms of reciprocity and trustworthiness that arise from them\" (p. 19)'has declined to dangerously low levels in America over the last three decades. However, Putnam is not fazed in the least by the recent effusion of solidarity. Quite the contrary, he sees in it the potential to \"reverse what has been a 30to 40-year steady decline in most measures of connectedness or community.\"' As an example of how the current \"war on terrorism\" could generate a durable civic renewal, Putnam points to the burst in civic practices that occurred during and after World War II, which he says \"permanently marked\" the generation that lived through it and had a \"terrific effect on American public life over the last half-century.\" 3 If Americans can follow this example and channel their current civic

On making causal claims : A review and recommendations

Abstract: Social scientists often estimate models from correlational data, where the independent variable has not been exogenously manipulated; they also make implicit or explicit causal claims based on these models. When can these claims be made? We answer this question by first discussing design and estimation conditions under which model estimates can be interpreted, using the randomized experiment as the gold standard. We show how endogeneity – which includes omitted variables, omitted selection, simultaneity, common-method variance, and measurement error – renders estimates causally uninterpretable. Second, we present methods that allow researchers to test causal claims in situations where randomization is not possible or when causal interpretation could be confounded; these methods include fixed-effects panel, sample selection, instrumental variable, regression discontinuity, and difference-in-differences models. Third, we take stock of the methodological rigor with which causal claims are being made in a social sciences discipline by reviewing a representative sample of 110 articles on leadership published in the previous 10 years in top-tier journals. Our key finding is that researchers fail to address at least 66% and up to 90% of design and estimation conditions that make causal claims invalid. We conclude by offering 10 suggestions on how to improve non-experimental research.