Local authorities are widely regarded as catalysts accelerating localised processes of economic development in industrialised countries but in low-income countries they are perceived as dysfunctional, inefficient and ineffective in meeting and addressing societal demands. This perception is not, however, grounded in empirical reality. As such, utilising the case of the metropolis of Chegutu a survey was designed to empirically explicate the economic processes supporting its economic development. The findings are useful to policy-makers, local government authorities and management scholars. The study's unique contribution lies in its examination of the processes of local economic development in a low-income country.
Ascani A, Crescenzi R and Iammarino S (2012) Regional Economic Development: A Review. WP1/03 Search Working Paper. European Commission: Europe Research Area FP7 Project. Available at: www.ledna.org/sites/ledna.org/files/regional_development_a_review.pdf (accessed 12 November 2014).
2.
BellamyCPerriG (2009) Principles of Research Design: A Guide to Methodology in Social Science, London: Sage Publications Inc.
3.
BlairJPFichtenbaumRHSwaneyJA (1984) The market for jobs locational decisions and the competition for economic development. Urban Affairs Review20(1): 64–77.
4.
BlakelyEJ (1994) Planning Local Economic Development: Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
5.
BrandC (1991) Will decentralization enhance local participation? In: HelmsingAHJMutizwa-MangizaNDGasperDR (eds) Limits to Decentralization in Zimbabwe., Harare: University of Zimbabwe, 1991, pp. 79–96.
6.
BrymanABeckerSSempikJ (2008) Quality criteria for quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods research: A view from social policy. International Journal of Social Research Methodology11(4): 261–276.
7.
BunkerR (1983) Urban Consolidation: The Experience of Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, AIUS Publication No. 111. Canberra: Australian Institute of Urban Studies.
8.
BurgerJ (1997) A strategic development management orientation for local authorities. Development Southern Africa14: 79–96.
9.
ChakaipaS (2010) Local government institutions and elections. In: de VisserJSteytlerNMachingautaN (eds) Local Government Reform in Zimbabwe: A Policy Dialogue, State, Peace and Human Security Studies, Zimbabwe: Community Law Centre.
10.
Chambers R and Conway G (1992) Sustainable rural livelihoods: Practical concepts for the 21st century. IDS Discussion Paper 296. Brighton: Institute of Development Studies.
11.
ChatizaK (2010) Can local government steer socio-economic transformation in Zimbabwe? In: Visser deJSteytlerNMachingautaN (eds) Local Government Reform in Zimbabwe: A Policy Dialogue., Bellville (South Africa): Community Law Centre (University of Cape Town).
12.
Chegutu Municipality (1998) Chegutu master plan: Background report of study. Chegutu Town House. Unpublished Report.
13.
Council Financial Report (2013) Chegutu Town Council. Unpublished report.
14.
Council Minutes (2013) Chegutu Town House, Unpublished documentation.
15.
CubaEGLincolnYS (1994) Competing paradigms in qualitative research. In: DenzinNKLincolnYS (eds) Handbook of Qualitative Research, 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, pp. 407–508.
16.
DattaloP (2010) Ethical dilemmas in sampling. Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics7(1): 12–23.
17.
Department for International Development (DFID) (1999) Sustainable Livelihoods Guidance Sheets, London: DFID.
18.
Denkler JL (2009) Community based natural resource management: Power, isolation, and development in rural Botswana. Doctoral dissertation, University of Florida.
GrantBDolleryB (2010) Place-shaping by local government in developing countries: Lessons for the developed world. International Journal of Public Administration33: 251–261.
24.
GrayDE (2013) Doing Research in the Real World, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
25.
HammarA (2003) The making and Unma(s) king of local government in Zimbabwe. In: HammarARaftopoulosBJensenS (eds) Zimbabwe's Unfinished Business: Rethinking Land, State and Nation in the Context of Crisis, Harare: Weaver Press, pp. 119–154.
26.
HaqueMS (1997) Local government in developing nations: Re-examining the question of accountability. Regional Development Dialogue18(2): iii–xxiii.
27.
HelmsingAHJ (2003) Local economic development: New generations of actors, policies and instruments for Africa. Public Administration and Development23(1): 67–76.
MolotchHViacriS (1988) Three ways to build the development process in the United States, Japan and Italy. Urban Affairs Quarterly24: 188–214.
35.
MudzongaEChigwadaT (2009) A Case Study of Zimbabwe's Food Security. Agriculture: Future Scenarios for Southern Africa, Trade Knowledge Network, International Institute for Sustainable Development (11SG), Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Available at: http://www.iisd.org/tkn/pdf/ag_scenarios_south_africa_zimbabwe.pdf (accessed 15 February 2015).
36.
NelE (2001) Local economic development: A review and assessment of its current status in South Africa. Urban Studies38(7): 1003–1024.
37.
NooiPS (2008) Decentralisation or recentralisation? Trends in local government in Malaysia. Commonwealth Journal of Local Government1: 126–132.
38.
PallangyoWReesCJ (2010) Local government reform programs and human resource capacity building in Africa: Evidence from local government authorities (LGAs) in Tanzania. International Journal of Public Administration33(12–13): 728–739.
39.
Parliament Research Department (2011) Chegutu East Constituency Profile, the Clerk of Parliament, the Parliament of Zimbabwe.
40.
PunchKF (2013) Introduction to Social Research: Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
41.
Republic of Zimbabwe (1996) Rural District Councils Act Chapter 29: 13, Harare: Government Printers.
42.
Republic of Zimbabwe (1996) Urban Councils Act Chapter 29: 15, Harare: Government Printers.
43.
RobsonC (2002) Real World Research, 2nd ed. Oxford: Blackwell.
44.
ShahA (2006) Local Governance in Developing Countries. Public Sector Governance and Accountability Series, Washington, DC: World Bank.
45.
Tamukamoyo H (2009) Survival in a collapsing economy: A case study of informal trading at a Zimbabwean flea market. Unpublished PhD Thesis, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Department of Sociology.
46.
WekweteKH (1991) Decentralised planning in Zimbabwe: A review of provincial, urban and district development planning in post-independence Zimbabwe. In: HelmsingAMutiza-MangizaNGasperD (eds) Limits to Decentralisation in Zimbabwe, The Hague: ISS.
47.
Wekwete KH (2014) Local government and local economic development in Southern Africa. Draft for discussion at the Southern African Regional Conference, Creating opportunity for developmental local government through regional engagement on Local Economic Development, Lilongwe, Malawi, Paper prepared for the Commonwealth Local Government.
48.
WolmanHSpitzleyD (1996) The politics of local economic development. Economic Development Quarterly10(2): 115–150.
49.
World Bank (2008a) Realizing Rights Through Social Guarantees: An Analysis of New Approaches to Social Policy in Latin America and South Africa, Washington, DC: World Bank.
50.
World Bank (2008b) Increasing Social Inclusion through Social Guarantees: A Policy Note, Washington, DC: World Bank.
