BUSE Institutional Repository

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Access status: Open Access ,
Effectiveness of measures employed by financial institutions to combat cyber threats. A Survey of commercial banks in Harare CBD, Zimbabwe.
(BUSE, 2026-06) Duche, Lloyd Joseph
Cyber threats in Zimbabwe’s financial sector continue to threaten the stability, data security, and trust of digital banking systems in commercial banks. The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of cybersecurity measures in commercial banks located in Harare CBD. The objectives of the study were to identify the cybersecurity measures currently employed, to determine their effectiveness in combating cyber threats, to explore challenges encountered in implementing these measures, and to recommend strategies for improving cybersecurity effectiveness. The study adopted a pragmatist mixed methods research design, using a sample of 40 bank employees selected through questionnaires and interviews, with data analyzed using SPSS and thematic analysis. Findings revealed that commercial banks employ cybersecurity measures including firewalls, encryption, multi-factor authentication, intrusion detection systems, backups, and staff awareness training, while advanced systems such as Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) remain limited. The study further found that although preventive, detective, and recovery controls are implemented, their effectiveness is constrained by weak system integration and inconsistent application across institutions. Key challenges identified include weak regulatory enforcement, shortage of skilled personnel, outdated systems, financial constraints, and employee non-compliance with cybersecurity policies. It was concluded that the effectiveness of cybersecurity measures depends on the integration of technology, human capacity, and governance frameworks. It is recommended that commercial banks adopt integrated cybersecurity systems and strengthen continuous staff training to enhance cyber threat detection and response.
Access status: Open Access ,
An Analysis of the effect of procurement fraud on procurement performance of public sector institutions. A Case study of the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Zimbabwe.
(BUSE, 2026-06) Vhenge, Lazarus
Corruption is attracting a lot of attention around the world, and Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs is not an exception. The main and overall objective of the study was to assess the effects of procurement fraud on the performance of Zimbabwean public sector institutions, using the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs as a case study. Ministry officials have been seen engaging in fraudulent procurement activities, meeting their private gain at the expense of institutional efficiency and public trust. Many legitimate suppliers have been disadvantaged in tender processes, losing contracts to politically connected or favored bidders, while fraudulent invoicing and embezzlement have drained public resources. Procurement revenue and efficiency have been persistently compromised, with performance indicators showing significant decline due to rampant bribery, nepotism, favoritism, and extortion. This study seeks to establish the effects of procurement fraud on the Ministry of Justice, to identify various forms of procurement fraud, to investigate causes of procurement fraud, and to develop initiatives and reform measures to curb procurement fraud in Zimbabwe’s public institutions. The study uses a case study research design approach with a sample size of 120 participants. Interviews and questionnaires were used as research instruments to collect data from respondents. Questionnaires were hand distributed and self-administered. Forms of procurement fraud which include bribery, nepotism, embezzlement, fraudulent invoicing, favoritism, and extortion have negatively affected the performance of public institutions. Also, causes of procurement fraud in the Ministry include low salaries, greed and selfishness, lack of ethics, excessive bureaucracy, and lack of transparency. A conclusion reached was that procurement fraud negatively affected the performance of Zimbabwean public institutions as witnessed from decreased efficiency, inflated costs, double awarding of contracts, and poor service delivery. Therefore, the recommendations are that a code of conduct should be put in place, and penalties should be stiffer and non-discriminatory, whistleblowers should report cases of procurement fraud without fear, and civil society organizations should be allowed to access and question procurement information and decisions.
Access status: Open Access ,
An Assessment of e-procurement systems in public sector procurement: a case study of the Zimbabwe Public Service Commission.
(BUSE, 2026-06) Ndaona, Rufaro Abigail
This study provides a holistic assessment of the implementation and effectiveness of the electronic procurement (e-procurement) system within the Zimbabwe Public Service Commission (PSC). Driven by the Public Procurement Act of 2017, the shift to e procurement represents a cornerstone of Zimbabwe's public sector modernisation and governance reform agenda, aimed at enhancing efficiency, transparency, and accountability. Despite a robust policy framework, empirical evidence on the system's performance in key institutions like the PSC remains scarce. This research, therefore, sought to investigate the paradoxical outcomes of this digital transition. Guided by an integrated theoretical framework combining Transaction Cost Economics, Principal-Agent Theory, the Technology Acceptance Model, and Institutional Theory, the study adopted a descriptive, mixed-methods case study design. Data was gathered through surveys from 118 participants, including PSC procurement staff and registered suppliers, supplemented by 25 in-depth interviews with senior managers and regulators, and document analysis. The findings reveal a landscape of differentiated impacts. The e-procurement system has been highly successful in enhancing procedural transparency and strengthening accountability through an immutable digital audit trail. However, its effect on operational efficiency is critically hampered by technical bottlenecks, including system instability and a profound lack of interoperability with other government financial systems. Furthermore, the study uncovers a dualistic impact on supplier participation, 3 where the system enhances market access for large firms while erecting significant cost and complexity barriers for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). The research identifies a critical "implementation-performance gap," where policymakers perceive success in oversight, while end-users experience frustration due to technical and adaptive challenges. The study concludes that while the PSC has successfully modernised the facade of procurement, it has been less successful in modernising its underlying engine. The study contributes to knowledge by proposing a Dual-Aspect Model for understanding e procurement outcomes and offers evidence-based recommendations for policy, practice, and future research to bridge the gap between compliance and strategic capability in Zimbabwe's digital procurement journey.
Access status: Open Access ,
Exploring the root causes of salary payments delay at Shamva Mining Company.
(BUSE, 2026-06) Phiri, Faith
Looking into what causes pay delays at Shamva Mining meant digging beneath surface issues. One aim stood out: uncovering why workers did not receive wages on time. Beyond just identifying triggers, the work probed how outside forces shaped these holdups. Another angle involved judging how well current payroll mechanisms actually functioned. Theories such as Vroom’s Expectancy model offered lenses to interpret employee expectations. Equity ideas from Adams helped frame fairness concerns around timing of disbursements. Agency perspectives clarified gaps between management actions and worker outcomes. Financial principles added structure when assessing budget handling practices. A blend of numerical data and personal accounts formed the core evidence base. Focusing tightly on one company allowed depth through a single-case setup. Twelve employees took part in the study, with ninety-two completing surveys alongside fifteen selected for deeper discussion. From workers to managers, payroll staff to informed insiders- information came via fixed-format forms and open-ended talks. Analysis of numbers leaned on SPSS software, release twenty seven, while patterns in spoken responses emerged through repeated theme spotting. Delays in pay stemmed from shaky financial planning, inconsistent budgets, outdated payroll tools, unclear leadership choices, rising costs, unstable markets, bank-related hurdles, and shifting mineral values. Evidence showed the current method of paying salaries worked poorly, failed consistency checks, and left worker needs unmet. Although delayed salaries stemmed from multiple problems, their effect lowered staff motivation along with work output and overall business results. Financial missteps contributed heavily; because of this, better budget oversight became necessary alongside updated pay processing tools. A shift toward transparent messaging inside the organisation helped ease tensions over payments. Managing incoming funds more carefully reduced gaps in disbursement timing. Facing market pressures required steady adjustments rather than one-time fixes.
Access status: Open Access ,
The Effectiveness of natural language processing (NLP) in enhancing customer experience in fintech: a case study of commercial banks in Harare CBD.
(BUSE, 2026-06) Ncube, Menard
The aim of this study was to assess the impact of Natural Language Processing (NLP) on the Customer Experience (CX) in the FinTech industry in Harare CBD, with particular emphasis on commercial banks. The study aimed to explore the level of use of NLP technologies, analyze their effectiveness in improving customer experience, assess the impact of NLP based conversational systems on customer satisfaction, highlight the challenges in their implementation and suggest improvement strategies for financial institutions with the following objectives: to examine the level of utilization of NLP technologies, to evaluate their effectiveness in enhancing customer experience, to determine the influence of NLP based conversational systems on customer satisfaction, to highlight the challenges in their implementation, and to suggest improvement strategies for financial institutions. The mixed methods research was used. A total of 199 participants responded to the questionnaire out of the total target population of 218, representing 91.3% response rate. For qualitative data collection, a total of 13 out of 15 targeted subjects were interviewed and five out of five targeted subjects were held in focus group. Descriptive statistics, inferential analysis and thematic analysis were used to analyse the findings. The findings indicated that commercial banks are deploying NLP tools like chatbots, virtual assistants and automated response systems, with the extent of use varying by customer. The study also identified that NLP leads to better customer experience as it enables faster response times, convenience and availability, and reduces the need to rely on physical banking halls. However, responses are generic, support is limited in the local language, there is a concern regarding privacy, system downtime and poor customer education and poor escalation to human agents. The study found that the NLP can enhance the customer experience in banking as long as it is accurate, secure, inclusive, reliable, and with support from human assistance. The study suggested that commercial banks enhance the accuracy of the chatbots, integrate local languages, communicate privacy more effectively, educate customers, and establish feedback mechanisms for their NLP services.