BUSE Institutional Repository

This repository serves as a digital archive for preserving and providing access to the scholalry and creative works produced by the BUSE community. It includes:

Journal articles, conference papers and other publications by the BUSE faculty, researchers and students
Thesis' and Dissertations completed by BUSE graduate students

The reposiotry aims to showcase the intellectual output of BUSE, increase the visibility and impact of our community's scholarship and preserve these works for long term access and use.To contribute your work or learn more, please contact the repository team using of the following contact details:

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Now showing 1 - 5 of 9

Recent Submissions

Corporate entrepreneurship strategies and business performance in the Zimbabwean agricultural value chain. a case of Irvine’s Chickens Zimbabwe (2015-2021)
(BUSE, 2022-06) Jani, Angellah
Due to prevailing market competition, resourceful organisations have adopted corporate entrepreneurship to expedite their operational processes with onward effect upon the overall performance. The viability challenges faced by Irvine’s Zimbabwe and the absence of empirical data on the role of corporate entrepreneurship on company performance in the Zimbabwean agricultural value chain motivated the current study. The study therefore administered questionnaires and interviews to various company level respondents to gather primary data backed up by secondary data sources from corporate records. This study mixed aspects of both qualitative and quantitative research in order to gather detailed triangulated data on the topic under investigation. The population selected based on non- probability convenient sampling constituted 330 employee respondents from the organisation. SPSS V23 was used for data analysis and the results indicated that CE has positive ramifications upon firm financial performance, firm capacity utilisation, its operational efficiency and competitive advantage. In view of this, the study recommended Irvine’s to expand its corporate entrepreneurship program to the rest of the country to expand reach while collaborating with government on stakeholder capacity building to improve product quality. Future researchers were in turn urged to expand their population through incorporating other organisations in the poultry value chain that had not been part of the current study.
An assessment of product branding on business performance: the case of manufacturing SMEs in Magaba, Mbare
(BUSE, 2022-12-21) Chingombe, Prisca
The study sought to understand the impact of product branding on business performances for manufacturing SMEs operating at the Magaba Home industrial area, in Mbare, Harare. Literature was reviewed to get a deeper understanding of other research that has been done in the past and identify existing gaps to fill using the current study. From the review of the literature, it emerged that branding is largely associated with large corporations. The study was executed using a qualitative research approach and it employed a case study research design. A semi-structured interview guide was developed and used to guide the face-to-face interview processes. Responses from the interviews were audio recorded using a tape recorder before being transcribed into MS word for analysis. The study was underpinned by the Customer-Based Brand Equity (CBBE) theory. Participants were purposively sampled. The sample consists of 15 manufacturing SMEs from Magaba in Mbare. The estimated population of SMEs in Magaba is plus or minus 1000. Descriptive statistical analysis was done using excel, to give a descriptive picture of the social-demographic characteristics of the participants. The interview transcripts were analyzed for content using Atlas/ti. Ethical considerations were observed, through but not limited to seeking participants’ consent prior to conducting the interviews, explaining the study purposes as well as the use of private space for conducting interviews. Findings indicated that branding of products is not being done by the manufacturing SMEs in Magaba. Lack of financing and knowledge on how to brand came out as key prohibitors to brand establishment. Based on the findings of the study, it was concluded that financial institutions should avail financial options for SMEs to access the finances needed. There must be workshops and seminars where manufacturing SMEs are taught about the importance of branding their products and related issues.
The Impact of digital transformation on the operational performance of ZB Bank
(BUSE, 2022-12-19) Tekeshe, Gladys
The study investigates how digital transformation impacts the operational performance of ZB bank in Zimbabwe. This study adopts the purposive method and simple random sampling to select 370 non-managerial ZB bank employees. A self- structured questionnaire was implemented as the main data collection instrument. According to the study results, it was noted that there was a significant and positive relationship between the digital transformation process and ZB bank performance with a Pearson correlation coefficient of r = 0.114* and probability p< 0.05. In addition to this, the results show a positive significant relationship between product innovation and performance of ZB bank in Zimbabwe with a Person correlation coefficient of r = 0.186 and probability p< 0.001. The research recommends adequate and correct implementation of the digital transformation process in order to achieve a significant positive relationship on the operational performance of ZB bank in Zimbabwe, holding all other things constant.
Exploring the effects of automation on workforce job security in mining sector: a case of Kuvimba group of mines
(BUSE, 2023-12-11) Gundidza, Mercy Tsitsi
The study sought to explore the effects of automation on workforce job security in mining sector: a case of Kuvimba group of mines. The objectives were to determine the extent to which Kuvimba mining company implement automation in mining processes, to establish the impacts of automation of mining processes on workforce job security in mining Industry, to explore the perceptions of the workers, management and other stakeholders on the impacts of automation on workforce job security and to establish strategies that can be implemented to mitigate job losses due to automation of the mining processes. The study adopted pragmatism, philosophy. The study population consisted of employees from three mines namely, Trojan Nickel mine, Freda Rebecca mine and Shamva gold mine. A total sample 61 respondents were used. Survey questionnaire and interview guide were used as research tools. Data was captured coded and analysed using SPSS. Results indicated that the mining companies have implemented digitalisation across all mining processes. Vehicles are tracked, the mines detect mineral using machinery, off lading and loading is also done automatically through the use of conveyor belts and automated trucks. It was observed that Kuvimba mines have operational procedures for using automated machinery. The results showed that automation of the mining processes affected job security. There are risks of losing jobs due to automation of mining processes; automation reduced the number of workers at the mine. It was noted that automated machinery replaced human resources. Presence of a moderate positive linear relationship between automation and workforce Job security was observed. Multiple regression model was statistically significant (p<0.05) in forecasting the impact of automation on workforce job security. The study also observed that automation of mining processes improves health and safety of employees and to some extend does affect workforce job security. However, some participants opined that automation had increased the number professional and technical employees but reduced the large number of unskilled workforces through retrenchment. The interviews also revealed that, the mines preferred fixed time unskilled contract workers whose contracts can be terminated. Automation affected job security of employees despite perceived benefits such as improved productivity, efficiency and health and safety. It was suggested that employees need re-skilling and up skilling and there is also need to channel resources towards training as compared to outsourcing resources for equipment operation. The study also recommends that mining organizations must provide training for workers on automation this can be done through, educational grants or incentives to motivate workers to advance their knowledge in the field of automation. The mining sector should consider alternative means of employment to secure jobs for unskilled labour. Future studies should be carried out in other sectors of the economy; to fully understand the impact of automation on employee job security.
Impact assessment of rural schools’ income generating projects on entrepreneurship education
(BUSE, 2022-12) Chifamba, Molly
The purpose of this research study was to assess the impact of rural schools’ income generating projects on entrepreneurship education in Makonde district, Mashonaland West province, Zimbabwe. Based on the Exposure theory of Entrepreneurship, the researcher used a quantitative method of research design using questionnaires as the main data collection method to collect quantitative data from 65 respondents from District Schools Inspectors, Headmasters, Teachers and two sets of School Leavers in Makonde Rural . Hypothesis testing was done using the paired samples statistical method which aggregates the paired differences to come up with the mean denoted by d Testing was done at 5% significance level to find out if the school income generating projects have an impact on entrepreneurship education in rural schools in Makonde District using results from the score sheets on questionnaires.Since |T0| > tα / 2(n-1) i.e. 58.596 > 2.101, The researcher rejects H0 and conclude at 95% confidence level that there is a significant statistical relationship between school income generating projects and Entrepreneurship Education in Rural Schools.The researcher found that most schools are struggling to carry out income generating projects. Capital, infrastructure and financial literacy are among the chief problems encountered by schools in caring out income generating projects, Record keeping is also a problem leading to schools keeping only the very basic books of accounts just to maintain a debtor and creditors’ list but most books that help in the continuity of the project the returning customers’ record are not kept. It was established that school leavers exposed to income generating projects at school are a bit more likely to keep business records although they proved to have less records their records are very different for those of their schools. It was also established that the problems of fostering entrepreneurship education to learners are amplified by lack of resources especially capital and infrastructure as well as the marketing problems and the human capital when it comes to financial literacy. If these challenges are addressed the learner can benefit more from income generatingprojects in schools when it comes to entrepreneurship education.