Raynold Runganga

My doctoral research examines the effects of Chinese import competition on labour market adjustments, with a particular focus on the role of labour market rigidities, and firms' coping mechanisms in influencing the adjustment process. The central premise is that China’s growth as the world’s manufacturing powerhouse has been accompanied by detrimental effects on labour markets in both advanced and emerging economies.

A key contribution of this research, in the context of South Africa, is that it jointly examines underexplored dimensions of labour market adjustments - including formal and informal employment, job duration, and job tenure, while also exploring the role of labour market rigidities, and firm coping mechanisms in influencing this adjustment process.