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The aim of the study is to explore the impact of brand awareness, brand loyalty and brand attitude on purchase intention in online shopping. The study was quantitative in nature adopting the survey method. Due to the absence of a sampling frame, convenience sampling, a form of non-probability sampling was utilised a total of 253 responses well collected from Braamfontein, a busy business district in Johannesburg, South Africa. In order to test the proposed hypotheses, a unique conceptual model was developed in which brand awareness, brand loyalty, and brand attitude acted as predictors while purchase intention served as the outcome. Data analysis was conducted in SPSS 27 where descriptive statistics were produced as well as regression analysis to test the proposed hypothesis. Findings suggested that customers perceived brand attitude to have the strongest impact on purchase intention while the weakest predictor of purchase intention was brand awareness as far as online purchasing was concerned. Managerial implications emerged from the study and suggestions for further research were proposed.

Trade facilitation is widely touted in the literature as a means to increase trade, capital inflows, and economic growth as a result of lower transaction costs; however, its implementation and efficacy pose challenges, especially for developing nations. Despite controversies and differing perspectives on these challenges, some of which were published prior to February 22, 2017, when the Trade Facilitation Agreement went into effect, there is no meta-analysis that evaluates the validity of these challenges. This qualitative meta-analysis is a systematic review of qualitative research examining the difficulties and obstacles developing countries face in instituting trade facilitation reforms. This document lays the groundwork for resolving general trade facilitation implementation challenges in Southern Africa, and in particular Zimbabwe. Significant obstacles to the successful implementation of trade facilitation initiatives include limited financial resources, infrastructural inadequacy, and inadequate institutional architecture. Requisite human capital inadequacy is one of the primary impediments to the successful implementation of the trade facilitation reform process. The elimination of these obstacles would unquestionably boost innovation in trade and commerce, as well as the region's trade legitimacy. Trade liberalization, improvement of legal inter-regional trade, and active participation by merchants in global value chains could be advantageous to governments in developing countries through trade facilitation.

The study examined the role of leadership in the performance of the National Social Security Authority (NSSA) in Zimbabwe. The study employed mixed methods research, which triangulated qualitative and quantitative techniques. Respondents for the questionnaires were selected using simple random sampling. Participants for interviews were purposively selected. Written records were also used to collect data. Data from questionnaires were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS), and qualitative data were analyzed using thematic and content analysis. The study established leadership as a crucial component for NSSA’s satisfactory performance, with investment activities, service delivery, and corporate social responsibility used to gauge NSSA’s performance. The study recommended the intricate interaction of the leadership and the employees and the creation of a robust corporate governance framework to do away with political prying and enhance efficiency and effectiveness in the running of NSSA.

The Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment No. 20 of 2013 recognises local authorities as key actors in local and national development, thus capacitating them to engage in international and regional relations so as to assist in matters of municipality management and service delivery. In this vein, such relations should promote growth through investments, innovation and information exchanges among others. The study examines the utility of MICs in promoting sound management and the enhancement of service delivery at the Harare Metropolitan City. The study used a qualitative research design where participants were purposively selected to provide data. Data was gathered using interviews and an extensive review of written documents. Data was analysed using thematic and content analysis techniques. The study established that MICs are a reliable tool to promote sustainable development in areas of human capacity development, information technology, and knowledge sharing among others. Additionally, MICs also promote effective and efficient service provision in Harare Metropolitan City.  The study recommends the restructuring and fortification of the MICs’ legal and financial frameworks as well as the provision of central government support so that Harare Metropolitan City can autonomously venture into partnerships and be productive without any central government interference.

This study investigates the contribution of the Southern African Development Community's (SADC) Rules of Origin (RoO) to the growth and survival of manufacturing industries in Zimbabwe. The study adopted a qualitative approach and used purposive sampling to select the interviewees. Data obtained from interviews and through documentary review was thematically analysed. The study found that several critical challenges are hindering the effective utilisation of RoO. Foremost among these is a pervasive lack of knowledge and understanding of RoO requirements across all sectors of the Zimbabwean economy. This knowledge gap is compounded by cumbersome administrative and accounting requirements necessary to meet origin criteria, creating significant compliance burdens for manufacturers. Additionally, the poor economic performance of Zimbabwe has negatively impacted the ability of industries to leverage the benefits of SADC RoO, further impeding their competitiveness within the SADC Free Trade Area (FTA). The study recommended comprehensive awareness and training programmes to educate stakeholders on RoO, simplification of administrative processes to reduce compliance costs, and broader economic reforms to improve the overall business environment. Furthermore, it advocates for the establishment of support services to assist industries in navigating RoO requirements, and the enhancement of regional cooperation to facilitate smoother trade flows. .

This study examines the impact of environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices on corporate financial performance in Zimbabwe's mining sector using a case study of Zimplats Holdings Limited. The main aim was to determine whether and to what extent ESG practices contribute to financial outcomes at the firm level. The objective of the study was to examine the overall ESG and financial performance relationship, to analyse the effects of individual ESG dimensions on financial performance, and to assess the moderating role of firm-specific factors on ESG practices. Informed by the stakeholder theory, the resource-based view, and legitimacy theory, a quantitative approach was adopted, using secondary data extracted from Zimplats' Integrated Annual Reports (2023–2025) through a structured data extraction template aligned with GRI standards. Key findings reveal a positive but lagged ESG and financial performance relationship. Governance emerged as the most stable and financially material ESG pillar, while environmental and social investments showed transitional efficiency deterioration before expected long-term gains. Firm-specific factors such as asset expansion, capital structure, production volume, and multinational ownership, significantly moderated the timing and magnitude of financial returns, compressing short-term profitability indicators such as return on assets (ROA) and return on equity (ROE). The study contributes firm-level empirical evidence on unlisted Zimbabwean mining firms, extending ESG theory to emerging market contexts. Recommendations include targeting governance enhancements for immediate financial returns, allowing longer investment horizons for environmental and social initiatives, and maintaining conservative capital structures to sustain ESG investment during earnings volatility.

The reduction in rural marginalization of infrastructure in Africa has been achieved through the wide diffusion of the so-called fiscal deviation. According to New Institutional Economics, the provision of public resourcing at the local level is more economic since it meets the geographic specificity of infrastructure provisions. However, when intergovernmental fiscal transfers are towards rural road provision, it is majorly because of several structural impediments, that the corrected road will not be realized. This systematic review of literature with regards to devolution and infra-structure provision has laid emphasis on going beyond overly simplistic input-output models to explore the multiple filters regulating decentralized public works. The focus here is on institutional capacity as a crucial explanatory factor and the way deficits in technical engineering, equipment maintenance, and procurement governance conspire to undermine the potency of devolved funding. Moreover, the study discusses the moderating effects in the face of instability in the broader economy, illustrating how hyper-inflation and currency depreciation can deplete real infrastructure funds purchasing power and result in the erosion of the contractor attrition as observed. Finally, the review has identified systemic barriers, such as climate vulnerability and ministerial red-tape friction. The synthesis of empirical literature from 2010 to 2024 suggests that fiscal decentralisation without a built institutional capacity and insulated mechanisms against macroeconomic turbulence cannot deliver in the long run.

Decent work has become an impetus behind business success and a critical factor for boosting job satisfaction and for alleviating deviant behaviour in the workplace. This study sought to examine the consequences of decent work perception on employee job satisfaction and workplace deviance among casual workers in Zimbabwe transport industry. The study adopted a qualitative research approach embedded in interpretivism paradigm and multiple case-study design. The findings revealed that casual employees experience indecent work characterized by unfair remuneration, job insecurity, and limited employee representation and limited time to rest which affects their overall satisfaction with work. Job dissatisfaction was also found to positively influence negative workplace deviance. An important implication of this study is the need for bus operator companies to understand the value of fostering decent work if they are to have satisfied employees who would be loyal to the organisation and contribute meaningfully to the organisation’s bottom-line. The study is expected to contribute to empirical evidence on the consequences of decent work on job satisfaction and workplace deviance and provide recommendations to human resource practitioners on the essence of addressing workplace deviance and boosting employee job satisfaction through upholding decent work standards in the workplace.

This paper aims to explore how service quality mediates the relationship between emotional intelligence and non-financial performance in Zimbabwe's tourism centres.  The study further examines the relationship between emotional intelligence and non-financial performance of tourism centres in Zimbabwe. Furthermore, the paper investigates the relationship between service quality and non-financial performance of tourism centres in Zimbabwe. Using a positivist paradigm, quantitative methods, and a sample of 549 respondents, data were collected via self-administered questionnaires and analysed with SPSS 29 and Amos 24 software. Main findings of the study demonstrate that  (i) emotional intelligence significantly enhance non-financial performance of tourism centres in Zimbabwe (ii) service quality has a statistical significance impact, but it negatively correlates with non-financial performance of tourism centres and finally (iii) service quality does not mediates the relationship between emotional intelligence and non-financial performance of tourism centres in Zimbabwe relationship. These findings imply that managers should prioritise emotional intelligence directly rather than relying on service quality improvements alone. Policy recommendations include enhancing human capital, encouraging financial institutions to support tourism ventures, and integrating emotional intelligence and service quality into training curricula to foster better performance across Zimbabwe’s tourism sector.

Transformational leadership has been touted by several scholars as the real deal in necessitating organisational change. The approach encourages, inspires and motivates followers to be innovative and create change that necessitates growth and shapes organisational success. While several studies have confirmed that leadership plays a crucial role in effective change management, very few have gone further to identify the specific leadership style(s) necessary for effective change management. As such, the study sought to assess the influence of transformational leadership on organisational change in the mining industry with specific reference to ABC Mine in Zimbabwe. Guided by the interpretivism research philosophy and the inductive approach, the study adopted a qualitative research design where primary data was collected through semi structured interviews from 26 participants chosen through purposive sampling. The study found that transformational leaders act as key influencers in driving organisational change by fostering trust, inclusivity, and collaboration. It was also found that transformational leaders effectively address and mitigate employee resistance to change by fostering open communication and psychological safety. The study concluded that transformational leadership is effective and necessary in managing organisational change. The study also concluded that employee engagement and involvement, personalised employee relations and continuous training are key practices necessary for facilitating organisational change implementation.