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A review of the determinants of share prices.
No full textThe main purpose of the review was to qualitatively establish the determinants of share prices in Zimbabwe. The review was carried out in 2006 before the situation in Zimbabwe deteriorated to the level where it is at the moment. Approach: To gather the information that we wanted we used interviews and the archival method. We targeted the people in the various organisations/companies that are registered on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange (ZSE), stock exchange staff, stock broking firms, investment analysts and chief executives. Results: We concluded that there are economic, political and social factors that determine the stock prices in Zimbabwe. However, economic and political factors were established to be the dominant factors in the determination of stock prices. Conclusion: We concluded that if the stock exchange is to perform well the economic and political situation in the country has to be stable. In other words government has to take some deliberate steps to ensure that the economy of the country is well run and also that there is political stability
Perceptions on the impact of Chinese businesses in Namibia: A case study of the retail and construction sector in Windhoek.
No full textThere are conflicting perspectives on the increase of Chinese business in Africa and in particular in Namibia. This study hypothesized that in Namibia, local communities, political leaders, local business community and workers operate on distinct repertoires, i.e. local communities tend to regard Chinese traders as a most welcomed addition to the local market as providers of affordable goods and services. Government, which is a signatory of various bilateral agreements with the People's Republic of China, believes in economic liberalisation and attraction of foreign investment. The local business community on the other hand, feels the pinch of market threat by the influx of Chinese businesses in particular in the construction and the retail sector. There are claims of unfair competition by Chinese businesses, in particular with regard to state tenders. According to this view, Chinese businesses do not have to adhere to the same costly legal provisions as local or South African companies have to, due to political favouritism and alleged corruption benefiting the Chinese. Organised labour (trade unions) seems to be concerned by the frequent non-adherence of Chinese businesses to Namibian labour law and affirmative action legislation. There is also evidence that Chinese companies bring along their own low-skilled labour from China, thereby taking away work from Namibians. Namibian employees of Chinese companies are expected to compare their situation in terms of pay, working conditions (working hours, annual and compassionate leave, management style etc.), fringe benefits (medical aid, pensions) to their counterparts in other (Namibian and foreign) companies. The principal questions to which this study tries to find an answer are: (a) What are the characteristics and the consequences (positive and negative, short-term and long-term) of Chinese economic activity in Namibia's commercial and construction sector in particular? (b) What has been the local response to the increased Chinese presence? (c) What are the policy suggestions in order to, on the one hand, maximise the benefits to Namibia and, on the other hand, minimise the costs and negative impacts of the Chinese expansion into the Namibian society
Contradictory HIV/AIDS rhetoric(s) in Zimbabwe: An analysis of selected online media texts: Paper presented at the African Association of Rhetoric 2nd Biennial International Conference at the University of KwaZulu Natal, 1-3 July, 2009.
No full textPaper presented at the 2nd African Association of Rhetoric's Biennial International Conference at the University of KwaZulu Natal, 1-3 July 2009.This article employs text analysis within the framework of the arena model (Mazzoni, 1991, Anfara, 2006, http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs), to examine fourty one online media texts to reflect on the Zimbabwean HIV/AIDS intervention model and how it impacted on HIV/AIDS rhetoric used by government officials and online media. The article reveals that HIV/AIDS rhetoric was mainly used by politicians from the previous government of Zimbabwe as a face and face management strategy (Goffman (1955/1967)/ Tracy (1990) in Bull (2008) to paint a positive image of government and ZANU PF before relevant stakeholders like potential voters, donors, regional and international communities. The article demonstrates that the strategy of using HIV/ AIDS rhetoric for political grandstanding did not yield success owing to inherent flaws in the HIV/AIDS intervention model used and lack of commitment. The article further reveals that the Zimbabwean HIV/ AIDS model that rests heavily on a subsystem arena which oftentimes overlapped as a political party engineered leadership arena that excluded the much vital macro arena, is the architect of the contradictory HIV/AIDS rhetoric under discussion. I proceed to argue that despite the government officials’ use of all sorts of appeals, imagery, symbolism and endorsements in the public media and other platforms, the online media’s use of whistle blowing, thematisation, visuals and intertextuality, managed to send effective messages locally and abroad that dislodged misleading rhetoric produced by political agents and emitted by pro- government media. Findings in this study lend to the conclusion that the Zimbabwean HIV/AIDS intervention model rendered government officials HIV/AIDS rhetoric as nothing beyond plain face saving acts that unfortunately did not yield the interlocutors’ desired effect for the macro arena’s experiences were overwhelmingly parallel to messages churned by politicians. In the article, I analyse speeches by political agents, HIV/AIDS activists, and online media reports by UN officials, Human Rights Watch (July 2005), UNAIDS and WHO (2005). Lastly, articles on rape committed against girls and women particularly during the 2002 and March 2008 elections are also examined
Personal effectiveness and executive stress.
No full textPersonal effectiveness is defined as a distinct set of behavioural competencies (qualities, skills and attributes) that are associated with effective management behaviour or embedded within all work-related activities. It includes key behaviours required for a competent manager to perform. In order to achieve personal competency it is important for you as a manager to understand your own strengths and to maximise them as well as identify your own weaknesses and learn how to overcome them. Once you take responsibility of self-development, you are able to help others to develop themselves through reviews, daily interaction, informal feedback, advice and guidance. Being effective as an individual and organisation is no longer an option but a price for entry into the playing field of life. The greater the change the more challenges individuals face and therefore the more the demand for personal effectiveness
Namibia Business Innovation Centre: The innovation marketplace.
No full textPresentation on Namibia Business Innovation Centre by Dr. Tjama Tjivikua, Vice Chancellor, NUST
Is Larry Cuban right about the impact of computer technology on student learning?
No full textThis article seeks to offer some degree of classification of Larry Cuban’s view, about
the impact of computer Technology on student learning. Cuban is a Professor of
Education at the august Stanford University, where the lectures Methods of teaching social studies, history of School Reforms, Curriculum and Instruction Leadership. The context of Cuban’s work was resident in his research in schools and universities in the technology rich heart-land of Silicon Valley. It was the findings of his studies in these institutions, which inspired his views that computers are not making the anticipated in roads into assisting students learning, as was previously believed, his book in 2001 “Oversold and underused” under pins his discontent with the prevailing
views that computer technology is the answer to classroom learning problems.
Cuban’s conviction is supported by his research findings that both students and
teachers use computers for less at school than at home. In addition, he found out
those teachers who use computers as instructional tools do so infrequently and
unimaginatively.
It is hoped that this paper will contribute to the willingness of educators to be
inspired to integrate computer technology in their classrooms in meaningful and
fulfilled ways
The effects of 'pebble mulch' on acacia mellifera seedling responses to rain.
No full text"Pebble mulch" (a layer of quartz and schist pebbles that often forms an almost 100% cover on the slopes of the Highland Savannah in Namibia) influences the dynamics of this vegetation type. A controlled experiment to determine the effects of "pebble mulch" on seed germination and early seedling establishment of Acacia mellifera (ubsp. detinens) was conducted. A. mellifera forms dense thickets in the area. Seeds were germinated under four treatments: A: planted below soil (2 seed widths depth) without pebble cover; B: planted below soil (2 seed widths depth) with pebble cover; C: plated on top of soil underneath a 100% pebble cover; and D: planted on top of a 100% pebble cover. Emergence/germination in all cases was high (overall 82% s.d. 17.5%). Soil moisture was significantly higher in all "pebble mulch" treatments (B, C and D). Although initial establishment was poor in Treatment D (33%), survival thereafter of seedlings whose radicals reached the soil was very high (97%). Seedling survival and vigour were significantly higher in all "pebble-mulch" treatments. The implications of these results for bush encroachment on Highland Savannah rangelands are discussed
Applicability of the Small Business Franchise Prototype model to Namibia.
No full textFinal submission of paper to presented at a conference, 2008.Namibia has been witnessing an increase in the cases of business failures, job losses and job cuts. In 1970, the unemployment figure was about 20 000 and increased to about 223 000 (36.7%) in 2004. Also, Namibia’s unemployment rate increased between 2001 and 2004. As a result, the major challenges confronting Namibia include ensuring employment-creating growth, strengthening competitiveness and a smooth process of land reform. The small business franchise prototype model developed in this study addresses efficient and effective small enterprise creation and operation. Extensive literature search, review, analyses and modeling were used to develop the proposed small business model as a set of self-sufficient, lead-generating, client converting, and customer satisfying machines that work. This prototype model is achieved by designing systems to get the work done and training people to operate those systems to produce consistent results. Although the Government has put some structures in place to stimulate entrepreneurship development through training, finance, support and other incentives; research has shown that the failure rate hovers around 85 percent. Results show that the proposed business model has a success rate of more than 90 percent. The model can be used to assist unlicensed shebeen operators and rehabilitate former Ramatex workers
Overview of a variety of trials on agricultural applications of effective microorganisms (EM).
No full textEffective Microorganisms (EM) is a commercially available liquid containing a variety of lactic acid bacteria, yeasts and
phototrophic bacteria. These organisms create conditions which favour mutual support and enable them to outcompete
harmful pathogens, while producing useful substances such as vitamins, enzymes, hormones, amino acids and anti-oxidants that create a reducing environment. Various
EM agricultural application trials were run, mostly in partnership with farmers. The diverse applications included
the following: improving soil conditions for better plant growth, treating waste water, controlling pests and diseases,
improving animal growth, enhancing compost production and extending the shelf life of harvested crops. Generally
EM appears to give the best results in situations where the natural balance of microorganisms has been severely
disrupted or where agricultural inputs are in short supply. In situations where natural microorganism populations are reasonably intact, or where a balanced supply of inputs is available, the addition of EM does not seem to make a significant difference
Keynote address by Dr. Tjama Tjivikua, Vice Chancellor, NUST, at the Gender in Media Education Regional Conference, 29-30 March 2010, Johannesburg, South Africa.
No full textGender in Media Education Regional Conference (2010 Mar. 29-30 : Johannesburg, South Africa