Business Management

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Browsing Business Management by Author "Ncube, B."

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    Competitive Intelligence: Conceptualising its evolving useas a strategic marketing management tool in Zimbabwe
    (International Journal of Advanced Multidisciplinary Research, 2022) Ncube, B.; Ndlovu, M.J.
    Live Competitive intelligence (CI) as practiced today has developed into an applied professional business discipline and has evolved to become a worldwide strategic business management tool. The current descriptive survey study sought to investigate the evolving use of CI in Zimbabwe as a strategic marketing management tool. The study took into account that the application and practice of CI by firms in Zimbabwe is a matter of choice as it is not a product of any legislation and therefore there are no legal penalties imposed on those firms which do not apply any one of its principles. The study deliberately chose to focus on the manufacturing firms. A sample of sixty marketing managers was chosen from a population of two hundred and fifty (250) manufacturing firms who are members of the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI). The sample was selected using stratified random sampling. Data was collected through the application of a self-administered questionnaire supplemented by the use of both structured and unstructured interview schedules. These data collection instruments were designed such that they generate both qualitative and quantitative data. The major finding of the study was that marketing managers in the manufacturing firms of Zimbabwe have a clear understanding of the strategic importance of CI to both firms and marketing departments. In addition the study observed that firms generally do not allocate adequate resources to intelligence gathering with the majority allocating far less than the world wide recommended minimum of USD300000 CI budget per annum. The study also revealed that the country general lacked appropriately trained CI professionals. It was therefore recommended that firms should create stand alone, well funded and staffed by qualified personnel CI departments which will continuously gather intelligence for use in strategic marketing management processes.
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    Service delivery challenges faced by Zimbabwean local Authorizes: A revisit of the impact of the 2013 ministerial directive
    (International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Growth Evaluation, 2022-10-10) Ncube, B.; Ncube, S.B.; Ndlovu, M.J.; Charumbira, J.; Hleza, S.
    This study was located within an interpretive paradigm and it adopted a mixed method approach which utilized both quantitative and qualitative approaches. In the study, the researchers tackled the unprecedented ministerial directive which was issued in the year 2013 to all local authorities in Zimbabwe to write off debts in respect of rentals, unit tax, development levies, licenses and refuse charges owed by individual ratepayers including water and rates charges arrears which had accrued to all residential properties over the period February 2009 to June 30, 2013. It appears the ministerial directive was the first of its kind in over a century old history of local governance in Zimbabwe. It is the unique nature of the directive which has motivated the researchers to study its impact on service delivery and lessons thereof for the future. Thus this study set out to explore the impact of this unprecedented directive on the abilities of local authorities to continue offering quality services to residents. The study was basically a case study of the City of Victoria Falls (CVF) in the interest of time. The study used a sample of one hundred (100) CVF ratepayers selected using stratified random sampling. In addition all the fifteen (15) managers of the municipality were used in the study. The primary instrument used to collect data was the self-administered questionnaire supplemented by the structured and unstructured interview guides. The research adopted a mixed method approach which utilizes both quantitative and qualitative approach. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics. Analysis of qualitative data involved a special set of interpretive practices and narrative techniques. The evidence from this study suggests that the major beneficiaries of the directive were ratepayers and Zanu PF as an election contestant. The study identified local authorities as major losers as they were adversely affected financially by the directive. The impact has been felt over a period of almost ten (10) years. In addition the study showed that the directive created huge debts for local authorities leading to their failure to meet their financial obligations in a period of almost ten (10) years which include failure to offer quality services. The study advanced a view that for local authorities to avoid being victims of such political directives in future they should intensify their revenue collection efforts which include offering prepaid services.