Professor Marianne Matthee
Professor Marianne Matthee is an associate professor and the International Trade Programme Leader in the School of Economics at North-West University (NWU). Matthee has always been a high achiever, obtaining a BCom Economics (cum laude), BCom (Hons) in International Trade (cum laude), MCom in International Trade (cum laude) and a PhD in International Trade between 2000 and 2007 — all from NWU.
Matthee is constantly looking for ways to enhance the international trade programme’s content and practical value in the eyes of students. Since she acquired this portfolio, student numbers in the subjects of international trade relations and international trade finance have grown exponentially.
In 2014, Matthee was elected as team leader in a multiphase research project involving the United Nations University’s World Institute for Development Economics Research, the national treasury, the South African Revenue Service, and selected academics. The aim of the project was to understand the drivers of (and constraints to) productivity and export involvement among South African firms. This is an area that has important policy implications, but has not been subjected to critical enquiry and, as a result, is poorly understood.
She has supervised six master’s students (five of them women) and one PhD student, and is currently co-supervising another three master’s and two PhD students.
Matthee’s publication record comprises 14 articles in international journals, four articles in national journals, two book chapters, six working papers and one policy brief. The articles published as a result of her PhD research (which examined the impact of domestic transport costs on export regions in South Africa) have appeared in respected journals such as the International Regional Science Review and the World Economy. She has also been a reviewer of articles for several quality journals.
Matthee has presented nine papers at international conferences and nine at national conferences and received a Y2-rating from the National Research Foundation in 2013.