The role of social cohesion in the implementation of a Local Economic Development (LED) programme : a case study for the Polokwane area

Abstract

The study seeks to establish whether social cohesion is a factor for the success or failure of an LED project. This process is important as there is a need to understand what are some of the factors that are integral to the functioning of LED projects to the extent of them (the LED projects) serving the intended purpose. There seems to be a general understanding that projects would naturally thrive albeit without proper understanding of the reasons thereof. This study seeks to provide for an understanding on the part of participants in projects as well as to the stakeholders that would support such projects of the probable factors that would lead to the success or failure of projects. This is very important as such factors need consistent consideration. The study focussed only on active participants of a LED projects within the geographical area of Polokwane over the period of the study. These projects were supported by the Polokwane Municipality as well as the Limpopo Department of Agriculture. Within this context the researcher argues that social cohesion is imperative for the success or failure of LED projects. It is also further argued that the projects‟ successes or failures are not solely in economic terms but also on the social bonds that hold together communities or members of projects that have a common goal or objective. A quantitative research method was used to gather data. A random sample of 85 respondents was interviewed by the researcher from both successful and failed projects. The data were analysed using the SPSS software with specific focus on Chi-square analysis. The study found that social cohesion is a factor for the success or failure of an LED project. Further it was established that factors such as education of the respondents play a role. It is observed from the findings that these factors are important for social cohesion to be a factor for success of LED projects. Further, it has been also observed there is an opportunity to compare the influence of education separately as a factor for success against the influence of incubation. However such could be an opportunity for further studies. It has been observed that this study contributes to the understanding of the importance of social cohesion in the implementation of LED projects both those that are stakeholder supported and those that are not. There are lessons to be learned about the importance of this factor over and above the economic practices of the LED processes. This study emphasises the importance of the human and societal elements to the implementation of LED projects that may be overlooked and/or assumed to have a role although not clearly defined. The study seeks to make provision for the fact that stakeholders involved in the implementation of LED projects need to incorporate and weigh the importance of social cohesion, education and incubation as integral components for the success of an LED project over and above invested material resources. These lessons may also be transferable to projects other than LEDs that seeks to understand the success or failure in their implementations.