Browsing by Author "Nani, G.V."

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    Integrating Entrepreneurship into the University Curriculum: Perceptions of 4th Year Students in One Public University in Zimbabwe
    (Taylor and Francis, 2018) Nani, G.V.
    This study was conducted to find out what the students’ views were regarding the right time to introduce Entrepreneurship into the university curriculum. The issue of when Entrepreneurship should be taught at university level has been a topic for debate amongst students, with some raising concerns that the course is not given adequate time to complete the entire entrepreneurial process. From a population of 477 students studying Entrepreneurship as a service course, 221 randomly selected fourth and final year students of one public university in Zimbabwe participated. The study employed a case survey approach which used semi-structured questionnaires to collect data. Thematic coding was used to analyse qualitative data. Findings were two-fold: that at the university under study, Entrepreneurship was introduced at fourth and final year level and that students felt that the course should be embedded into the curriculum earlier. Recommendations were that Entrepreneurship be taught from first year level to enable coverage of both the theoretical and practical components of the Entrepreneurship course. Alternatively, the study recommended that a specialised degree program be developed which would allow for the introduction of the Entrepreneurship course from first year university level.
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    THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: THE INITIATOR FOR DIGITAL INCLUSION OR EXCLUSION OF SMES IN THE BULAWAYO METROPOLITAN PROVINCE, ZIMBABWE
    (European Journal of Management and Marketing Studies, 2022) Nani, G.V.; Nani, G.V. and Maguraushe, K.
    The study examined whether the COVID-19 pandemic had created digital opportunities for Small to Medium Entrepreneurs (SMEs) in the Bulawayo Metropolitan Province, Zimbabwe or it had actually exposed their lack of digital acumen. The interpretivist paradigm, a qualitative descriptive approach and a case study design were adopted for this study. The research used semi-structured questionnaires to solicit data from 30 purposively selected small to medium entrepreneurs. Data were thematically analysed to discern meaning. The study revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic had led participants to embrace technology, as evidenced by their acquisition of technological gadgets. Furthermore, ownership of technological gadgets had facilitated working from home, in the comfort of their homes; reaching clients irrespective of boundaries; having easy access to information on business transactions; the ability to do business even during the pandemic; ordering and ease of payment of suppliers; convenience and flexibility in doing business and discovering business platforms they were not aware of. The study concluded that the COVID-19 pandemic was the initiator for the digital inclusion of SMEs in the Bulawayo Metropolitan Province, after the realisation that for their businesses to remain operational in this uncertain and disruptive environment, they had to embrace technology. The study recommended that workshops to train and equip SME owners with digital skills be conducted so that in the event of other pandemics, their businesses would remain afloat.
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    The Role of Intrapreneurship on the Growth of Iron and Steel Manufacturing Companies in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
    (2020-02) Madzikova, A.; Nani, G.V.
    This study sought to find out the role of intrapreneurship on the growth of iron and steel manufacturing companies in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. A post-positivist paradigm, a mixed method approach and a cross sectional design were adopted for the investigation. Three hundred and fifteen (315) middle management and supervisory staff drawn from twenty-two (22) iron and steel manufacturing companies in Bulawayo participated. Multiple stratified random sampling and heterogeneous purposive sampling were used to choose two hundred (200) respondents for the quantitative study and eight participants for the qualitative study respectively. Questionnaires and in-depth interviews were the data collecting instruments for quantitative and qualitative data respectively. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics and qualitative data was thematically analysed. Findings revealed that innovativeness, proactiveness, and risk taking were the key dimensions of intrapreneurship. Both quantitative and qualitative analyses showed the prominent measures of company growth in the iron and steel manufacturing companies as financial, employee numbers, productivity, and product range. Statistically intrapreneurship was found to be correlated to the growth of the iron and steel manufacturing companies. The study drew the following conclusions. Firstly, intrapreneurship is not a preferred strategy for driving growth in the iron and steel manufacturing companies in Bulawayo. Secondly, financial and product range were identified as the key measures of company growth. Thirdly, company support for intrapreneurship and individual’s intrapreneurial disposition were statistically linked to company growth. The study recommended that companies should motivate and support employees’ innovativeness, proactiveness, and risk taking through ideas, actions and work. Measurement of company growth should be expanded to include qualitative measures.
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    Towards a Profitable Pricing Strategy for Rural Women Indigenous Chicken Breeders: A Case of Rural Village in Zimbabwe
    (2020-08) Nani, G.V.; Ronney, C.
    Indigenous chickens contribute towards poverty reduction, income generation and economic empowerment of rural women. In this regard, employment of a profitable pricing strategy in selling the indigenous chickens becomes fundamental. This study sought to find out the pricing strategies used by rural women indigenous chicken breeders in one purposively selected village in Zimbabwe. An interpretivist paradigm, a qualitative approach and a case study design were employed to examine the issue under review. Seventeen rural women indigenous chicken breeders were key informants. Data collected using semi structured questionnaires and face to face interviews was analysed to discern themes. Results revealed that rural women indigenous chicken breeders did not apply any pricing strategies when selling their chickens. Prices were approximated based on mainly the weight of the chickens. The study concluded that rural women indigenous chicken breeders were ignorant of pricing strategies and factors to consider when determining, prices for their chickens. Further to that, ignorance of appropriate pricing strategies exposed rural women indigenous chicken breeders to exploitation and loss of revenue. In light of this, the study recommended that workshops be conducted by personnel with an accounting background, to train rural women indigenous chicken breeders on the factors to consider in determining profitable prices for their indigenous chickens. The contribution of this study lies in the development of a framework of factors which rural women indigenous chicken breeders could use as a reference point when determining prices for their indigenous chickens.
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    Trading Space Rivalry between Street Vendors and Shop-Based Traders in Bulawayo Metropolitan Province, Zimbabwe: A Conceptual Perspective for Co-Existence
    (2020-07-04) Nani, G.V.
    There has been a sharp increase in company closures in the Bulawayo Metropolitan Province, Zimbabwe, leaving people with no option but to turn to street vending to earn a living. The ever swelling number of street vendors on shop pavements and roadsides are subjecting formal shop owners to unfair competition as street vendors do not pay rentals and utility bills. That has caused rivalry for trading space between formal shop owners and street vendors. As a conceptual perspective, this study employed a non-empirical approach to evolve alternative ways of possible co-existence between street vendors and formal shop owners. The study concluded that street vending is a reality that cannot be ignored and, thus, recommended that co-existence of formal shop owners and street vendors should be harmonised so as to mitigate against the rivalry of trading space.