Explore publications.

The study aimed at evaluating financial record keeping on financial performance of SMEs in Kinigi Sector. The study was guided by three specific objectives. A descriptive design with a population of 447 and sample size of 211 SMEs was adopted. The study has a pilot study which have been carried and shown a reliable type of instrument which was used to collect information relating to the research objectives. The results of objective one has a low mean showing that there is little or simply insufficiency in ensuring that transactions of the business are not updated accordingly to reflect the activities done in the business. Results of objective two and three as well show a low level suggesting a very low attempt in ensuring record keeping updates and accuracy and it has been seen that it affects the SMEs financial performance. The study studied the relationship by Pearson correlation which have shown a perfect relationship on self-sub variables in the study but also showing a medium significance between financial record updates, record storage, record accuracy and financial performance. The study concluded reminding positive relationship between the study independent variable parameters of financial record keeping together with the dependent variable for selected small scale and medium enterprises in Kinigi Sector; this have shown that a change in the practices of record keeping affect the financial performance of small scale and medium enterprises in Kinigi Sector. The study has made recommendations in relation to the objectives where small and medium enterprises have been recommended to carry out the financial record keeping to ensure that there is proper performance and as well the government policy makers to enhance the courage of record keeping to encourage financial performance in Kinigi Sector.

Effective communication is critical for project success, but challenges such as unclear goals, inadequate audience identification, poorly designed communication channels, and insufficient documentation have hindered project outcomes. Drawing from global and regional perspectives, this study emphasizes the role of communication in enhancing transparency, stakeholder alignment, and project sustainability. This study examines the influence of communication strategies of goals, audience identification, channels and documentation on performance of water supply projects in Musanze District, Rwanda. This study uses the theories of Communication and Diffusion of Innovations Theory. The study employs a descriptive survey and correlational research design with a target population of 416 respondents, resulting in a sample size of 204 respondents. Data was collected through questionnaires, interviews, and documentation review. A pilot study was conducted with 20 respondents and the instruments' validity was confirmed with a Content Validity Index (CVI) of 0.76, while reliability was confirmed with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.79. Findings for four hypotheses reveal that; Communication Goals (P=0.000 < 0.05); Audience Identification (P=0.000 < 0.05); communication channels (P=0.000 < 0.05) and; Communication Documentation (P=0.000 < 0.05) does not significantly influence project performance were rejected, this confirm that Communication Documentation has a significant positive influence on project performance. Means that communication goals, audience identification, communication channels, and documentation all significantly contribute to the success of water supply projects. The study identifies key areas for improvement, including clearer communication goals, more inclusive stakeholder engagement, better accessibility of communication channels, and more systematic documentation practices. Based on these findings, recommendations are made for better budget planning, stakeholder engagement, and enhanced communication practices to improve the sustainability and success of future water supply projects in Musanze District and similar contexts. Further research should explore sustainable maintenance models, the impact of capacity-building programs, and the role of communication in budget management to improve stakeholder collaboration and long-term project viability.

This research explores the nexus of oral communication, masculinity, and gender-based violence (GBV) in Congolese households the City of Bukavu. It was conducted between October and December 2023. It used a qualitative approach with 30 in-depth interviews with Congolese married men the researchers chose randomly, and whose ages ranged between 35 and 67. The research applied thematic analysis to identify major themes. Results indicate that Congolese men in Bukavu appreciate when family members value their masculinity. Monopolizing the speech gives them the feeling they are listened to, which mirrors power and respect. Interrupting a man’s oral communication conveys disdain of his masculine power, which can push him to resort to GBV. This attitude originates from gender roles and beliefs that patriarchy has preset for men, obliging women to remain silent and submissive. Gender differences in spoken communication led to either competition or connection, and affiliation or action. The study applied the theories of family violence and masculinity. Family violence entails how communication styles can influence each partner’s behaviours. The man’s abusive communication in the household can manipulate his wife's feelings to prompt emotional abuse. Masculinity encompasses hegemonic masculinity that dominates all other masculinities. Masculinity sets a boundary of what it means to be a man by giving him power and control over women and other men. This elucidates how men have full speech while women are passive. Once gender dissimilarities and masculinity couple with voiced negative communication, they fuel male GBV in Congolese households. To overcome this issue, constructive masculinity can promote healthy communication by encouraging men to value women and communicate freely by respecting freedom of expression in large or reduced locales.

The chance of survival of businesses in Rwanda is underprivileged and 82% of them close at an early stage, which negatively affects manufacturing companies, particularly Family-Owned Manufacturing Companies (FOMCs). Although there are other reasons why many FOMCs do not succeed in the next generation, a lack of pro-activeness has surfaced as a critical factor. Thus, the study aimed to assess the effect of pro-activeness on the survival of family-owned manufacturing companies in Kigali City, Rwanda. The study was conducted in Kigali City, from 2017 to 2023; Cochran’s formula was employed to determine a sample size of 384 senior employees picked at random from 77 FOMCs. This study employed Self-administered questionnaires and a quantitative approach. Multiple linear regression analysis was utilized to find out the relationship among variables. IBM (International Business Machines Corporation) SPSS (Software Package for Social Sciences) was employed to analyze data. The findings of this study indicated that pro-activeness had a substantial influence on the survival of family-owned manufacturing companies. The study offers a cogent explanation of the relationship between the longevity of family-owned manufacturing companies and pro-activeness. The study also offers important insights into the smooth and effective execution of pro-activeness for the survival and continuity of family-owned manufacturing enterprises. Moreover, the study findings indicated that combining pro-activeness and training the successors boost the productivity of family-owned companies and make them more competitive in the market, which leads to the long-term survival of FOMFs. The FOMFs that use pro-activeness in their operations survive longer than the ones without it.  

The study investigates the relationship between masculinities, narcissism, and gender-based violence (GBV) among Congolese male refugees in Durban, South Africa. The research uses a qualitative approach and 25 in-depth interviews to identify major themes. Results show that Congolese male refugees reinforce their masculinities through narcissistic behaviors, which contribute to GBV. Societal stakeholders in Durban should be involved in addressing GBV prevention initiatives to hinder men's narcissistic attitudes and beliefs. Recognizing a partner's depth can help reduce GBV by recognizing the positive attention they expect from them.

In an attempt to understand the complexity of teen parents and associated consequences, the present study was conducted. It examines the connection between teen parents and family well-being in five selected Districts of Rwanda. Data were collected from 226 respondents randomly selected. Respondents included 176 teen mothers, 30 parents of teen mothers and 20 local leaders. Data were collected through questionnaires and interviews. Quantitative data were presented in percentages while content analysis was used for qualitative data. The results revealed that teen mothers are exposed to various social and economic problems. Rejected and depressed, 61.4% of pregnant teens thought about abortion and were restricted by lack of financial means while 9% thought about suicide which affects the physical and mental health of both teens and their children. Furthermore, 80.4% of teen mothers were not given the opportunity to resume their studies after delivering which amplifies their poverty exposure and their children as well. Parents/guardians need to be supportive through good communication so as to know what their children are going through and advise them accordingly. Moreover, they should bear with them in case a pregnancy occurs so that they may not feel depressed and think of abortion or suicide. They should not chase them from home since it increases their exposure to repeated pregnancies. There is a need of sensitizing the community about strategies that can reduce teen mothers’ rates as well as appropriate action in case teens get impregnated.

This study examines the extent to which family environment influences children’s behavior and how an evening of parents serves as a platform for rehabilitating the family environment, preventing and decreasing street children's number. This descriptive study intends to create awareness of the prevention and reintegration of street children. Researchers purposively selected 58 respondents: 40 street children, 12 parents, and 6 local leaders. Data were collected through interviews, storytelling, and focus group discussions and qualitatively analyzed using content analysis. Results revealed domestic violence, identity crisis, born from sex workers, children abuse, poor parenting, and poverty to be factors contributing to street children as emphasized by 100% of children, 87% of local leaders, and 67% of parents. Street children can only be controlled if major stressors that push them to develop self-reliance are socially and economically addressed. It was revealed that the Evening of Parents is a platform of family transformation to successfully prevent and rehabilitate street children focusing on parents’ responsibilities towards children’s wellbeing and better future.

Despite the theoretical foundation that links Transformational leadership (TFL) with innovation behavior, previous studies have overlooked on Transformational leadership and innovation behavior at the individual level relationship but paid less attention to how transformational leadership qualities of top leaders would advance innovative work behavior within the organizational setting. To date, the impact of Transformational leadership at a top executive level on employee’s innovative work behavior (IWB) within an organizational setting has not been dealt with in-depth. However, using transformational leadership theory, this study uncovers the pivotal role of innovation culture (IC) and managerial innovation (MI) in the relationship between CEO transformational leadership and employee’s innovation behavior in SMEs. A cross-sectional design with a total of 434 employees from 24 SMEs operating from Rwanda was analyzed using structural equation modeling to evaluate the relationship between the variables developed in the study. The findings of this study support our hypothesized model.