http://localhost:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/69 2026-10-23T11:30:48Z http://localhost:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/5046 Title: An Evaluation of the Implementation of the Devolution Policy in Manicaland Province, Zimbabwe Authors: Samutereko, Edmond Z Abstract: This study examines the implementation of Zimbabwe’s devolution policy in Manicaland Province, focusing on progress, challenges, and success factors across key sectors such as infrastructure, education, health, and local governance. Anchored in the New Public Management (NPM) theory and Falleti’s Sequential Theory of Decentralisation, the research employed a qualitative case study design to explore how decentralised governance structures function in practice. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 participants comprising provincial officials, local Councillors, civil society representatives, and community leaders complemented by document analysis of policy and project reports. Two focus group discussions were conducted of 9 and 7 people of Mutare and Makoni respectively. The findings revealed that devolution has enhanced service delivery and local development, particularly through initiatives such as the Manicaland Community Resilience Project (MCRP) and the Local Government Capacity Building Project (LGCBP), which improved administrative efficiency, community participation, and project sustainability. However, persistent constraints such as delayed fiscal transfers, political interference, weak institutional capacity, and corruption continue to undermine implementation effectiveness. The study also identified that community engagement and collaborative governance mechanisms significantly contribute to policy success by fostering transparency, accountability, and citizen empowerment. It concludes that while devolution has laid the foundation for inclusive governance and local empowerment, its transformative potential remains unrealised without consistent funding, strengthened local capacity, and institutional accountability. The research recommends enhancing fiscal decentralisation, institutionalising participatory frameworks, and promoting partnerships between government, civil society, and international development actors to ensure sustainable devolution outcomes. 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z http://localhost:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/5045 Title: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Labour Dispute Resolution Mechanisms in Zimbabwe's National Employment Councils Post the Labour Amendment Act No. 5 of 2015 Authors: Mambo, Rose Abstract: This study evaluated the effectiveness of dispute resolution mechanisms in Zimbabwe’s National Employment Councils (NECs) following the promulgation of the Labour Amendment Act Number 5 of 2015. Effectiveness was assessed using the timeliness of dispute resolution, the fairness of outcomes, the accessibility of the mechanisms, the enforceability of decisions, and stakeholder satisfaction. The amendment had aimed to harmonise national labour laws with the Constitution of Zimbabwe and promote fair labour practices. Nonetheless, its implementation led to procedural complexities, delays, and concerns about impartiality in the justice delivery system, particularly regarding the neutrality of Designated Agents (DAs). The study aimed to achieve the following: (i) to evaluate the effectiveness and fairness of NEC dispute resolution processes under the amended legal framework; (ii) to examine stakeholder perceptions of neutrality, accessibility, and enforcement within the NEC system; and (iii) to develop a practical, justice-oriented model for improving labour dispute resolution in Zimbabwe. It adopted a qualitative approach grounded in a dual case study design focusing on the NECs for the Welfare and Educational Institutions and the Energy Sector. A purposive sample of 39 respondents, drawn from employers’ associations, the Employers’ Confederation of Zimbabwe (EMCOZ), trade unions, the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare (MPSL&SW), Designated Agents, the Labour Court, the Zimbabwe Federation of Trade Unions (ZFTU), the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) and legal practitioners, participated in face-to-face interviews, alongside an extensive review of relevant literature and secondary data. Rawls’ theory of justice and the pluralist labour theory provided the theoretical framework, offering a lens through which the principles of fairness, impartiality, and equity in dispute resolution amid competing interests were evaluated. Data were thematically analysed using NVivo 13 software. The findings revealed systemic challenges in the aftermath of the amendment, including procedural inefficiency, high litigation costs, weak enforcement mechanisms, and limited stakeholder collaboration. These weaknesses notably undermined stakeholder confidence and the attainment of social justice within industrial relations. The study developed a conceptual model in response, advocating for a fair, transparent, and collaborative dispute resolution system that integrates technology, strengthens institutional capacity, and improves accountability among NEC actors. It contributes to the body of knowledge by empirically operationalising Rawlsian justice and the pluralist labour theory within Zimbabwe’s labour dispute resolution framework, demonstrating how principles of fairness and equity can be translated into measurable indicators of effectiveness, and by proposing a pragmatic, evidence-based model for reforming dispute resolution processes in NECs. The model integrates theoretical insights with practical reforms, providing policymakers and practitioners with a framework to enhance fairness, efficiency, and social justice in Zimbabwe’s industrial relations landscape and beyond. 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z http://localhost:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/5044 Title: Online Shopping Adoption in Retail Fast Moving Consumer Goods Sector for Sales Growth - Case of Ok Zimbabwe Limited Authors: Whande, Rangarirai Elizabeth Abstract: The study aimed to evaluate the influence of online shopping and sales growth at OK Zimbabwe Limited. The study was inspired by the shifting consumer behaviour as consumers patronise informal retail markets contributing to a marked decline in patronage of formal retail chain stores, reducing their market share. The study objectives were to be shaped by its unified theory of acceptance and usage of technology framing to evaluate the performance expectancy of online shopping, effort expectancy of online shopping, social influence and facilitating conditions of online shopping on the sales growth of OK Zimbabwe Limited. A positivist philosophy and an explanatory research design guided the study. A sample of 377 was collected from a cross section of OK Zimbabwe Limited using the customer count approach. Descriptive and a multi-regression analytical approach was done using SPSS 25. The research results suggested that the performance expectancy of online shopping, effort expectancy of online shopping, social influence and facilitating conditions of online shopping were statistical insignificant to influence sales growth in the retail sector. These sentiments arise from the customer inclination towards the brick-and-mortar retail model as opposed to the online shopping usage, as such the sales growth of OK Zimbabwe Limited is unlikely to improve based on the exclusive reliance on the online shopping. Therefore, study concluded that online shopping towards OK Zimbabwe Limited is shaped by online trust, returns policy, cybersecurity risks and competitor offerings. It was recommended that to leverage celebrity endorsement, reinforce the returns policy and provide assurance of cybersecurity risks research objective enhance the contribution of online shopping to sales growths. 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z http://localhost:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/5043 Title: Adoption of Big Data Analytics for Zimpapers Television Network Broadcast Programming Authors: Tsuro, Takudzwa Michael Abstract: The aim of the study was to assess the level of BDA adoption in the Zimpapers Television Network, to determine the factors influencing BDA adoption levels, and to provide suggestions on how to improve and expedite the BDA integration in the programming activities of ZTN. An explanatory convergent mixed-methods design was used in the study to evaluate the extent to which BDA was adopted in ZTN, with a sample size of 50 respondents selected through a targeted sampling frame of all ZTN employees, using a structured questionnaire and a semi-structured interview schedule to gather both quantitative and qualitative data. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the qualitative findings, with Braun & Clarke’s six-step thematic analysis framework being used to analyze the qualitative findings from key informant interviews with 12 respondents. The findings showed that 62% of the respondents identified the BDA activities in ZTN as being in the Data Processing & Management Information Systems stage of the six stages in the technology maturity continuum. The ZTN was classified as a Late Majority adopter, characterized by partial departmental adoption owing to structural unpreparedness. The main enabling factors were Top Management Support (mean = 3.74), Competitive Pressure (mean = 3.68), and Perceived Usefulness (mean = 3.66), whereas the most significant barriers were Facilitating Conditions (mean = 2.58), Training and Capacity Building (mean = 2.60), and ICT Infrastructure Reliability (mean = 2.72). The operational challenges facing ZTN were a lack of adequate ICT infrastructure (78%), skills gaps (72%), high costs of implementation (68%), and poor data quality (56%), which collectively formed a compound structural barrier that characterized the intent-capability gap for ZTN. The research recommends a phased approach to a structural investment plan by ZTN in the areas of ICT infrastructure, multi-level capacity building, formalization of data governance, establishment of a dedicated analytics unit, and the integration of BDA into performance management systems. A further recommendation is the development of a broadcasting data analytics governance framework by the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe and the introduction of fiscal incentives by the relevant government agencies. 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z