Policy Research in International Services and Manufacturing (PRISM) is a research and policy unit located within the School of Economics. PRISM provides a lens to focus research and policy work broadly on issues of globalization, trade and industrialization. It is home to a number of related research activities, projects and programmes focused around the following issues: globalisation; global value chains; industrialisation; industrial policy; international trade; foreign investment; the defence industry; governance and economic policy; commodities and resource based industrialisation; infrastructure development; knowledge intensive services and innovation; employment intensive growth; international competitiveness of firms and clusters; China's economic impact on Africa; regulatory frameworks for trade, services and sectors; the distributional gains of industrial growth; the green economy. Another feature of PRISM's work is its applied focus, responding to economic policy questions issues in South Africa, the rest of Africa and beyond.
In Memory of Professor David Kaplan
Dave Kaplan passed away on the 26th of December in Paris after a long battle with leukaemia. He was a central player in PRISM, assisting in founding the unit in 2006 and remaining an active member even after he retired from the university. He was instrumental in many of our careers and was a strong advocate for PRISM as a unit that produced high quality policy relevant research. He initiated and shaped several projects by PRISM members, most recently through his long engagement with the National Advisory Council on Innovation. Dave was an inspiration with his enthusiasm for ideas, his critical perspectives and insights on the formulation of policy, his openness and eagerness to engage on the economic and policy challenges in South Africa, and his wealth of experience. More importantly, he was a close friend to many of us in the academic and policy community. He is sorely missed.
Two close colleagues and friends of Dave – Raphie Kaplinsky and Mike Morris - have written a wonderful obituary. Also included are a few tributes from some of us within PRISM recognising the role Dave played in our lives.
A short in-person event is being planned by the PRISM, DPRU and the School for the 11 March.
Latest News/Highlights
Report links regional inflation to poor councils, admin pricing - based on work by David Fadiran
SA exports at risk as US tariff hiatus nears end - Jing Chien and Lawrence Edwards
Trump's Tariffs: A reckless gamble with global trade - Lawrence Edwards
Trade and Industrial Policy for South Africa's Future - Lawrence Edwards
SA must prepare for an uncertain and unpredictable global trading environment - Jing Chien and Lawrence Edwards
Avoid white elephants while supporting green hydrogen - Sören Scholvin, Anthony Black and Glen Robbins
The case for a bold export strategy in SA - Lawrence Edwards, Matthew Stern and Jing Chien
Getting South Africa's Exports back on Track - Lawrence Edwards, Jing Chien and Matthew Stern
More needs to be done to achieve the Paris climate goals - by Harald Winkler
A temporary rebate on chicken import duties will be an important pro-poor step - by Lawrence Edwards and Jing Chien
