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Independent retailers face many challenges that influence their growth and development. Independent retailers are small businesses facing competition from major retailers in South Africa (SA) that have penetrated the townships and rural areas. The purpose of the study was to investigate the challenges that influence the development of independent retailers in SA. A survey was conducted among small independent retailers in SA. The convenience sampling method was adopted for the study due to the inaccessibility of a database on independent retailers in SA. Existing literature was used to design a questionnaire, targeted at small independent retailers, to investigate the challenges that influence their business performance. The findings of the study revealed that finance and marketing are the major challenges influencing the operations of small, independent retailers. Business-related challenges are the least challenging aspects for small independent retailers in SA. Independent retailers need to manage their businesses appropriately in order to survive and sustain their businesses. Independent retailers buy products from wholesalers while a few of them buy directly from manufacturers.

Brand choice has historically played an important role in a wide range of industries, particularly in the private sector, where billions of Rands are invested to entice potential customers. Taking this into consideration, the purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of brand awareness and brand image on first-year student selection of a University of Technology in KwaZulu-Natal. The objectives of the study were to establish and identify the brand preference and image attributes that entice first-year students’ selection of a University of Technology (UoT). The study also examined the biographic variables of those students. To accomplish these objectives, an exploratory study using a quantitative research approach was conducted, in which questionnaires were administered to 500 first-year students at the selected Universities of Technology in KwaZulu-Natal. The study revealed that topics such as investments in brand awareness and brand image, safety and security, the caliber of staff, delays in academic programmes, student-lecturer relationships, and service delivery were identified as factors that influenced the participants' selection and willingness to recommend their institutions to potential students. Thus, the study recommends that UoTs should pay more attention to branding strategies as an agendum to ensuring institutional profitability and viability, relationship management, and human resource.  Finally, the findings of this study are limited to KwaZulu-Natal and should not be extrapolated outside this region.

Green marketing has evolved, although the market share of green products remains considerably low. Green products are part of comprehensive green marketing, and this sort of marketing has progressed to the point that practically every consumer is aware of it. The study focuses on the factors that influence the adoption and consumption patterns of green goods in the greater Durban area. The study used a quantitative, non-probability, and random sampling strategy to discover consumers' sentiments toward the purchase of green products. The data was collected through the use of questionnaires and analyzed using the SPSS.  The sample size was 384 customers from retail malls in selected Durban suburbs, representing a wide demographic and cultural background. The study's findings revealed that customers in the greater Durban area are aware of green products. Green products, on the other hand, are regarded as affluent due to their high pricing. This means that companies developing green products will have to look for ways to cut their pricing. The survey also reveals that when customers must pick between green and non-green items, pricing is a crucial factor. The study's findings are limited to the confines of the wider Durban area and cannot be extrapolated.

This study examines the effects of challenge-based and activity-based learning approaches on technical college students’ achievement, interest and retention in woodwork technology. A quasi-experimental research design was adopted. The study constituted a total number of 122 subjects, 63 for Challenge-based learning, while 59 were for activity-based learning. The study revealed that students who taught woodwork using the challenge-based learning instructional approach had a higher mean score than students taught using the activity-based learning teaching method in cognitive achievement tests, psychomotor achievement tests and tests for retention of learning.  Consequently, the research recommended that the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) should consider a review of the Woodwork work curriculum for Technical Colleges with a view to incorporating the challenge-based learning instructional approach into the teaching of the woodwork.                                                                                              

The study sought to determine challenges to food security among households of CBOs implementing agroforestry in Rongai Sub County in Nakuru and mitigation factors. The study was anchored on the systems theory and employed a mixed research methods design with simple random sampling used to get the CBOs from which the respondents were drawn. The target population was 630 members of all forty-seven (47) CBOs implementing agroforestry in the study area. The sample size was 245 respondents selected using the proportionate random sampling method. Questionnaires comprising of both open-ended and closed-ended questions were used to collect the data. From the study, the food produced by the households is insufficient and has to be supplemented by those outside the households. The food produced is of quality controlled by factors including farm management practices and capital availability for production. There is food inaccessibility as those produced are a source of income for the households yet insufficient. However, there is an improvement compared to previous years. The households’ food production is unstable as shown by variations in production and insufficiency of the food. Food security is challenged by the failure of all members of CBOs to take part in decision-making processes, reporting, roles, and responsibilities not being assigned appropriately. Mitigation factors are hardly employed by the CBOs to curb the challenges faced in implementing agroforestry. The study recommends building the capacity of CBOs implementing agroforestry in areas of resource mobilization, empowering them to harmonize governance processes, developing and implementing an M&E framework. It also recommends the development and implementation of sound policies that promote agroforestry expansion

This paper examines the effect of a company's innovation orientation culture on employee turnover among selected non-governmental organizations in Samburu, Kenya. A stratified random sampling technique was used to select 78 NGOs operating in Samburu County for the analysis, the study population comprised 11 senior management teams, 14 technical teams and 78 junior staff in 24 selected and active NGOs in Samburu. The analysis gathered both qualitative and quantitative data. A structured questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data and an interview guide was used to collect qualitative data. Thematic data analysis was used to interpret qualitative data, which included common terms, phrases, themes, and patterns. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics which includes frequencies, means, and standard deviation. Findings Results showed that innovation orientation is positively correlated with employee turnover (r=0.375, P=0.01). This supports Chow et al’s (2001) study which revealed that innovation orientation as part of an organization's culture has a significant effect on employee turnover. This study also discovered that an innovation orientation culture embedded in an NGO's ideology will help to reduce turnover because workers feel valued when their work is recognized for creativity and innovation.

The aim of this study was to determine millennial influence on organization change in the hospitality industry Naivasha sub-county, Kenya. The study was guided by the following specific objectives: determine the influence of millennial innovativeness on organization change. This study used innovation theory. The study will adopt a descriptive survey research design. The current study targets rated hotels in Naivasha. This study targeted 180 respondents the respondents were: 10 Managers, 40 departmental heads from the four departments in the hotels, 10 Millennial and 120 supervisors. Employees of these hotels will be the respondents in the study. Data was collected via a self –administered questionnaires and an interview guide. Validity and reliability were ensured by conducting a pilot test in Narok County. Analysis of data comprised descriptive statistics and regression analysis with the help of SPSS. Results indicate that organizational change in the hospitality industry was positively significantly associated with millennial Innovation change in the hospitality industry. From the findings, the researcher concluded that millennials are innovative and easily come up with new ideas further they are proficient in technology and techno-savvy.  .

This article delves into the analysis of informal commerce as a means of power created from the street vendor's perspective. This paper aims to evaluate the expressions of the itinerant executors of the practice of informal trade as a means of creating power. To do this, the conception of analysis, using the local practices referring to informal trade, were analyzed as a means of economic sustenance and in the same way, understood among selected groups as illegal. However independent of the local context and the established place. The thesis that follows is that the street trade has a functional character in the obtaining of power by groups; ideological promotion and not just an economic justification. The main findings and results of the research demonstrated that the decisions of the executors of the practice are permeated by a motivation for the illegal practice, which wanders between what is economically necessary and politically permissible. The situation that determines the functionality and applicability of informal trade acts, underestimates compliance with the existence of local trade policies and regulations of social life and instead, they are recognized as legitimate as they belong to groups of political control. Therefore, it contributes to the defense of the hypothesis, based on demonstrating that the practice of ambulance is presented as a valve for attention to unemployment, while it is tolerated as a means of opportunity to the creation of political power independent of the local or regional context.

The objective of the study is to analyse the influence of social protection on access to health care among elderly persons in informal settlements Nakuru Town, Kenya. The study was based on the Disengagement theory and utilized a descriptive research design to target individuals of 70 years and above, within the informal settlements in Nakuru Town, Kenya. Cluster and simple random sampling techniques were used to select 399 respondents from a target population of 248,785 elderly persons. Data was collected from the sample using a semi-structured questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistics, cross-tabulation with chi-square, and the thematic content analysis method. Quantitative analysis was aided by Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27 software. Results showed that the majority of the respondents (70.3%) had low access to health care services. Access to health care services is influenced by social protection programmes specifically cash transfers, government interventions in health care, and retirement benefits. Based on these findings, the study recommends that policymakers should create awareness regarding the existence of government interventions such as health insurance subsidy programme (HISP) and the importance of enrolling to retirement benefit schemes and saving for old age.

The current operational setup in Kenya’s Universities is a turbulent one and highly competitive market condition. To ensure survival and sustainability, public universities require to adopt and implement competitive strategies. Many scholars have investigated sustainability efforts by Universities in pursuit of performance, however, it is still not clear how sustainable strategies have the greatest influence on the performance of Public Universities.  Thus, the study set to establish the influence of sustainability strategies on the performance of Public Universities in Kenya. The study was anchored on resource-based theory. To achieve the objectives, the study was anchored on a pragmatic philosophy and mixed research design with a target population of 234 University top managers. Primary data was collected using a 5 point Likert-type questionnaire and an interview guide. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings revealed that sustainability strategies had a significantly statistical influence on the performance of public universities in Kenya. The regression analysis for composite results revealed that sustainability strategies (SS) alone account for 53% of the variation of performance of Public Universities (R2=0.53, (t=7.68, p<0.05). Regression analysis for individual results, cost reduction (CR) (R2 0.518, t=18.07 p, <0.05), collaboration (C) (R2=0.418, t=2.7 p, <0.05) and diversification (D) (R2=0.218, t=8.07 p, <0.05). This study concluded that implementation of sustainability strategies (cost reduction, diversification, and collaboration) are essential strategies Public Universities can use in their endeavor to improve their performance.

This study aims to determine the influence of corporate governance on performance of Public Universities in Kenya. The study was anchored on social network theory. To achieve the objective, the study was based on a pragmatic philosophy and mixed research design with a target population of 234 University top managers. Primary data was collected using a 5 point Likert type questionnaire and an interview guide. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings revealed that corporate governance had significantly statistical influence on performance of public universities in Kenya. This study concluded that adherence to good corporate governance practices are essential strategies Public Universities can use in their endeavour to improve on their performance. It is further recommended that University top managers should adhere to good corporate governance practices, specifically to management guidelines, allow for public participation and be transparent in their actions. Further, the results present important implications to University top managers, other corporate entities, policy makers, and stakeholders in the University education sector in Kenya and across the world.

This study examines the effects of knowledge, trust, enjoyment, risk, and culture on perceived ease of use, attitudes, perceived usefulness, and behavioral intention for choosing Jambi mobile banking services. Survey and verification methods were used with a sample of 400 units. Furthermore, this study used an accidental sampling method and analyzed data through Path Analysis. The findings of the study demonstrated that knowledge, enjoyment, and risk directly and significantly affect Indonesian customer attitudes, while a trust does not influence perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and behavioral intention. Moreover, risk and culture directly and significantly affect perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness.

The tourism sector is currently developing rapidly, thereby aiding in the significant boost of Indonesia's economy. Tourist villages are among the natural tourism product portfolios provided to tourists, which the government adequately develops to become a new and attractive alternative tourist destination. For the short term, this research examines the loyalty of tourist village destinations as a perspective destination quality, satisfaction, and intentions of practice in Kerinci Regency, Jambi Province. In the long term, it is expected to increase tourist village destinations' loyalty in Jambi Province. This research was carried out in three selected villages, namely Lempur, Pendung Talang Genting, and Jernih Jaya, Kerinci Regency, Jambi Province. The findings and discussion concluded that tourist satisfaction influences tourist destination loyalty and behavioral intention. Meanwhile, the perceptions of the quality of tourism destinations influence tourists' loyalty and urge to return to the village. Tourism satisfaction also affects the loyalty of tourist village destinations. However, its perception in terms of quality can influence tourist loyalty.

This paper addresses issues about how gamification can provide a breakthrough marketing strategy for Garuda Indonesia Loyalty Program. Garuda Indonesia is a well-known national airline in Indonesia. However, the survey found that the Garuda Indonesia loyalty program and does not attractive enough for consumers. Garuda Indonesia should maintain its loyalty program to attract more consumers. Moreover, the frequent flyer program is one way to differentiate the products offered by an airline from other competitors. Answering that phenomenon, Garuda Indonesia launched a mobile application that has several offers for consumers. However, Consumers still tend to choose other mobile applications. Garuda Indonesia’s marketer should encourage consumers to use the mobile application with the loyalty program inside the mobile application. The study suggests that Garuda Indonesia can add the gamification concept to the Garuda Indonesia Mobile application to increase loyalty to GarudaMiles users.

There is a high expectation that urban-rural linkage in general and the function of small towns, in particular, has a great role in livelihood diversification and poverty reduction in rural areas than sectoral development. However, the previous empirical studies give little attention to the function of small towns and the livelihood diversification of rural communities. We analyze the function of a small town and participating in non-farm economic activities from a rural farm household survey of 371 farmer household heads in Ethiopia. The data was analyzed using a logistic regression model and statistical description. The study found that rural households who have road access have likely participated in none-farm activities and it has positive and significant effects. Education and FHH has also a significant relationship with the function of a small town. Distance from the small town has a significant and positive impact on the non-farm economic activities of rural communities. Overall, benefits from the function of small towns such as the provision of road access, agricultural extension, financial credit services, administrative services, educational and health services are some of the provisions of a small town. Therefore, a comprehensive integrated urban-rural linkage strategy could empower rural farm smallholders to diversify their livelihoods through strengthening small town functions is mandatory. The role of small towns needs to be integrated into rural communities. Participate in livelihood diversification strategies and achieve sustainable development goals by 2030 at large. 

Corporate mergers are important for organizations to position themselves for growth and development. Stanbic Bank was formed as a result of a merger between CFC Bank and Stanbic Bank. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the merger has led to positive outcomes, but specific aspects of the merger that have contributed towards the organizational development of Stanbic Bank remain unclear. The study investigated the influence of Post-Merger Restructuring on the organizational development of Stanbic Bank Kenya. It was guided by efficiency theory and collected data from 27 branch managers and 9 senior sectional heads using a semi-structured questionnaire where a 75% response rate was achieved. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results showed that post-merger restructuring has a positive and statistically significant influence on organizational development at Stanbic Bank. The researcher concluded that post-merger restructuring had a positive influence on the organizational development of banks. The study recommends that banks should retrain their workforce, inculcate new culture, and redesign their operations in the post-merger period so as to realize the intended benefits.

The detrimental impact of childcare institutions (CCIs), or orphanages, is well known. Despite deinstitutionalisation strategies in Uganda, CCIs remain the predominant intervention method employed by Western actors responding to the needs of children there. Reforming this approach requires contextualised critical understandings of the children’s experiences and perspectives of their institutionalisation, to reduce the misidentification and misappropriation of children as orphans. Therefore, operationalising the theoretical lens of Bourdieu within critical hermeneutic analyses, this article draws upon the narratives of 30 children living within an orphanage in Kampala, to enhance critical understandings of their experiences, perspectives, and behaviours throughout transition from home to an orphanage, via the streets of Kampala, illuminating how and why they come to be living there. Guided by Ricœur’s critical hermeneutic approach, the study found that poverty drives children to the streets in search of economic opportunity and organisations perceived to offer access to basic services of which they are deprived, such as education. Education, as a form of cultural capital, is understood amongst participants as ensuring an elevated position within society, or a means of overcoming poverty. Within this transition from home to the orphanage, whilst on the streets, socially acquired dispositions and harmful stereotypes contribute to the manifestation of the ‘street kid’ construct, for which the children are marginalised, and experience physical and sexual abuse. Girls are most at risk, whereby gender inequality contributes to their exploitation and the normalisation of rape. However, for the children entry into a CCI from the streets means relinquishing agency and social capital that is integral to them, often.

Conflicts and wars in the contemporary world are often fought through the use of modern and sophisticated weapons. The forces using such modern weapons are often regarded as having an upper hand especially when their opponents possess what is regarded as inferior weaponry. However, modern weapons can be overpowered as evidenced in the Kamwina Nsapu conflict in the Kasai region of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The insurgency of Kamwina Nsapu militia in the Kasai Central Province sought to bring accountability to the modern political leadership and address bad governance practices. The case of the Kamwina Nsapu revealed the use of charms or fetishes (manga) to address the problem that had emerged in the Luba community. Different types of indigenous charms (manga) were used: trees and sticks were used as guns; slippers as telephones; and fruits as grenades. Militia were able to cut off heads of enemies from a distance with their bare hands and they teleported from one place to another at will. These activities were made possible by the use of charms (manga), such as the tshiota fire and nkwembe.

This paper aims to examine the nature of indigenous African political leadership among the Luba People of Kasai in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The study employed qualitative research that was rooted in phenomenology. The concentration of the study was on the Kasai Central Province. The target population was charm givers, militia, and political leaders were selected as the units of observation by the researcher. The political leaders comprised of local traditional chiefs of villages and modern leaders. A sample size of 40 participants was adequate to enable the researcher to obtain rich information and reach the saturation point. The targeted 40 participants were: 10 charm givers, 8 members of the provincial parliament, 4 provincial ministers, 13 traditional leaders, and 5 militia leaders.  The study used In-depth Interviews (IDIs), focus group discussions, and observations to collect data. The findings indicate indigenous traditional leadership among the Luba has various sources of power. These include the use of various symbols of Luba traditional leadership to perform duties on behalf of the community. The use of the manga is also in line with the customs and traditions of the Luba people and guides the leader on the right things to do while on the throne.

Burnout is a condition of mental, and physical fatigue of a worker caused by a person's professional life. Engagement is the attachment that exists in an employee to a job where the employee works. The relationship between burnout and engagement in a company significantly affects the employees' performance and the company's results. This study aims to digitally record burnout, and engagement that exists in a company in improving its product quality. Digital-based monitoring is one of the tools that can be used to monitor employee performance activities in a measured manner to produce information that companies can use in decision-making. The method used quantitative research method approach using LISREL. Results achieved several variables that affect burnout and engagement related to employee work at that company. Implications for companies with the existence of employee digital data minimize burnout and increase employee engagement in the company. This digital data can be used as accurate information in looking at the condition of employees in a company.