CUZ ePublications (Catholic University of Zimbabwe)
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LEVERAGING ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE POST THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN SELECTED HOTELS IN HARARE METROPOLITAN PROVINCE: PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES
Full text linkThe Covid-19 induced lockdown has had adverse effects on all businesses including the hotel industry. Consequently, most employees got retrenched, as hotels had to scale down their operations by closing some of their outlets, in order to combat its spread. In view of such a scenario, hotels could leverage on artificial intelligence (AI) in order to minimise human contact. The study adopted a purely qualitative approach using the phenomenological design. Ten managerial employees were purposively selected from three (3) different hotel groups. Due to travelling restrictions, data had to be collected using online interviews. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. It was established that under this new normal, AI could be leveraged on to enhance business operations. Some of the benefits to be harnessed from AI included enhanced cognitive support in decision making, reduction in operational costs, automation of repetitive low value addition tasks, and quality people analytics. Although AI threatens some jobs, the study found out that it has the potential to create new jobs requiring new skills. Since AI has the potential to produce more benefits, there is need for employee involvement and transparency in its implementation. It is also recommended that hotel management prepare their employees for the new normal through socialisation and capacity building programs to ensure that all stakeholders would benefit from AI
Restorative discipline practices: an action research project in three Harare primary schools
Full text linkTraditionally, Zimbabwe’s teachers have used punitive measures to maintain discipline within schools. However, the global movement against human rights violations associated with corporal punishment caused the country’s Ministry of Education to advocate non-punitive approaches but provided little by way of detail or support. In three primary schools in Harare, teachers were trained in two restorative justice alternatives - peacemaking circles and peer mediation – which they used with 9 to 10-year-old learners between March and October 2016. On average, the learners had bi-weekly opportunities through the circles to tell their peers and teachers what they were experiencing and feeling, and peer mediators had an opportunity to mediate in conflicts affecting their age mates. Outcomes were assessed using interviews with teachers before and after the intervention, and thematic content analysis was employed to analyse the data. In terms of outcomes, peacemaking circles enabled teachers to get to know their students and to respond pre-emptively to potential problems, while peer mediation led to a fall in the number and intensity of playground conflicts. The study shows that such restorative practices can be a promising way of addressing school discipline issue
Enhancing Industrialisation and Modernisation in Universities in Zimbabwe
Full text linkThis paper outlines cardinal facets of industrialisation and modernisation which the Government of Zimbabwe launched as a higher education strategy for national development through institutions of higher learning. The paper recommends several strategies universities in Zimbabwe can use to advance industrialisation and modernisation. One of the key strategies is that universities should embrace other stakeholders that include schools and colleges as well as the private sector. As part of this process, local universities are also expected to modernise themselves by providing quality and relevant education
Critical analysis of the freedom of thought, conscience, and religion as instituted in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Full text linkThe Universal Declaration of Human Rights is the first instrument of the resort to address human rights and entitlements comprehensively. Other human rights instruments later adopted, cited it as a precedent. This paper uses an Interpretive Phenomenology Analysis (IPA); it is an approach to qualitative research with an idiographic focus and aims to offer insights into how a given person, in each context, makes sense of a given phenomenon. It has its theoretical origins in phenomenology and hermeneutics, and key ideas from Edmund Husserl, Martin Heidegger, and Maurice Merleau-Ponty. For the purposes of this paper, only literature sources were used to substantiate the argument. A key conclusion of this paper is that religious intolerance forms the basis of much other intolerance which could lead to human rights abuses, ideological polarization, lawlessness, homophobia, bigotry, tribalism, and hate speec
Rethinking Sacramentology in the post-Covid 19 era: Contestations around the virtual Eucharist.
No full textNever in the history of the Christian faith, has there been a universal occurrence in the form of a pandemic capable of preventing all Christians throughout the world from celebrating the Easter mystery in the traditional way as has been experienced with the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the years, the Easter festivities have been used to celebrate the epitome of hope under the most desperate situations signifying the triumph of life over death. The abolishment of the 2020 Easter gatherings all over the world by the respective governments and churches, including Sunday/sabbath services and the Eucharistic celebration put to question the traditional personal contact characteristic of sacramental celebrations esp ecially the sacrament of the Eucharist. This article interrogates the call by all Churches to suspend 2020 communal Easter celebrations in preference for live-streaming broadcastings. It interprets the April 2020 Easter experience as an invitation to reflect on new ways of theologizing sacraments in the post-COVID-19 eras without substituting the fundamental tenets that characterize the sacrament of the Eucharist. The article seeks to demonstrate that live streaming of the Eucharist celebration cannot be equated to the real-time community celebration of the eucharist
Afrocentricity, Ndebele proverbs, and Deviant youth behaviour in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
No full textSome Zimbabwean elders have referred to Zimbabwean youth as “the lost generation”. This characterization of the youths arises out of the growing concern over some of the young people’s anti-social behaviour in some cities where the youths engage in drug-taking and unprotected group sex. Using the naturalistic and empowerment evaluation research design and Asante’s Afrocentric theoretical framework, in tandem, the main argument of this article is that in order for the youth to mature into adults that will contribute positively towards the advancement of society, they need to be guided and counselled right from infancy. Some Ndebele proverbs such as “Isigogo sigoqwa sisemanzi” (A skin/hide is pliable when it has just been removed from an animal; once it is allowed to dry, it stiffens) encapsulate this process of inculcating moral principles to children while they are still young and pliable. Since this article employs the evaluation research design, it cannot offer quantifiable outcomes. However, the guidance inculcated by the elders isexpected to foster improvement and self-determination in the youth.The article recommends collaboration between the elders and the youth which may bring the latter back to the path of civility
Effective Leadership as a catalyst for enhancing employee retention in SMEs in Zimbabwe
Full text linkMost managers agree that employees are the greatest asset that any organisation may have. However, retaining them is one of the toughest challenges experienced by these managers. While Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are fundamental to the sustainable growth and development of developing economies, they have witnessed high levels of employee turnover which has paralysed operations and negatively affected viability. The paper argues that effective leadership acts as a catalyst for enhancing employee retention in Zimbabwean SMEs. Guided by the positivism research philosophy and the deductive approach, the study adopted a quantitative research design where a survey strategy was used to collect primary data from 197 participants from Bulawayo’s Central Business Area (CBA) who had been chosen using proportional stratified sampling. The study found that having and communicating a clear vision, effective communication, employee development, fairness, transparency, and accountability were related and positively contributed to employee retention. The study concluded that effective leadership is a catalyst for enhancing employee retention in SMEs in Zimbabwe. Leaders were recommended to communicate in a timely manner and provide feedback in a humane way. They should also ensure that organisational processes such as performance appraisal, disciplinary and grievance handling procedures are not only fair but are seen to be fai
The role of leadership in adopting the Fourth industrial era technologies in developing economies
Full text linkThe study explored the role of leadership in adopting the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies in emerging technologies. This was prompted by the fact that in emerging economies, the adoption of 4IR is at infancy stage and not visible across the globe. The fourth industrial revolution has the capacity of providing opportunities to emerging economies. However, there are challenges embedded in new technologies which might limit the possibilities to operate in an 4IR era. This implies that benefiting from new technologies will not be automatic, but with competent leadership, emerging economies can take advantage of digitalisation to fast track their growth and development. The study utilised a semi-systematic literature review approach. A qualitative/ narrative approach was utilised to establish themes. A thematic inductive method was used to analyse the data. The clusters of data pertaining to the subjects of inquiry served as the basis for the creation of themes. The findings of the study revealed that the role of leadership in the adoption of 4IR technologies is crucial and multifaceted. The key aspects of their roles are as follows: vision and strategy; change management; resource allocation; collaboration and partnerships; risk management and governance; stakeholder engagement as well as continuous learning and innovation. In addition, it is recommended that key stakeholders need to support leadership to become better 4IR-aligned leaders in emerging economies. That is, leadership upskilling and re-skilling in emerging economies requires an effective governmental, and institutional framework
Reigniting the principle of Ubuntu/Unhu in the aftermath of Cyclone Idai in Chimanimani, Zimbabwe in light of the Sustainable Development Goals
Full text linkIn March 2019, Cyclone Idai struck Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. This paper foregrounds the extraordinary level of national solidarity exhibited by the Zimbabwean people in response to the humanitarian crisis caused by this cyclone. Drawing insights from the African ethic of Ubuntu/unhu, the paper chronicles the roles of various stakeholders who played a role in responding to the impact of Cyclone Idai. Clearly, Zimbabwe has faced natural disasters since the beginning of this millennium, for instance, Cyclone Eline in the year 2000, Cyclone Japhet in the year 2003, the Tokwe-Mukosi floods of 2014 and Cyclone Dineo in 2017. In the aftermath of these disasters, there have not been comprehensive studies exploring the role of humanitarian agents and other stakeholders foregrounding the aspect of solidarity which is an integral factor in helping affected communities to cope with their losses. Hence, this paper seeks to address this gap using the survivors of Cyclone Idai in Chimanimani as a case study to foreground how their resilience and tenacity is anchored upon the bonds of solidarity exhibited by various stakeholders. Drawing lessons from past natural disasters in Zimbabwe, particularly on the experiences of the Chimanimani communities affected by Cyclone Idai, the paper proffers practical insights on how various stakeholders can collaborate to mitigate further loss of lives and devastation of infrastructure if similar natural disasters befall Zimbabwe in future. In line with the four pillars of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) i.e. people, planet, peace and prosperity (the four Ps), this study explores how the interventions by the various stakeholders responding to the plight of the Chimanimani community affected by Cyclone Idai are conforming to the long-term goals of establishing sustainable communities. Insights from the three development frameworks; the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework (SLF), the Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) framework and the People Centred Development (PCD) framework will help to assess the impact of solidarity initiatives put into place by the stakeholders responding to Cyclone Idai and other natural disasters that have befallen the Zimbabwean populace since the year 2000 and come up with propositions on how to utilize the locally available resources as a more durable measure in addressing the needs of the affected communities
Interrogating feminisms, victimhood and patriarchy: A stiwanist reading of The Purple Violet of Oshaantu (Andreas, 2001)
Full text linkThe main purpose of this article is to apply a feminist literary theory (stiwanism) to a text (The Purple Violet of Oshaantu) in order to understand the meaning of this text, and in the process advance feminist criticism. The article argues that while feminism’s primary objective is for women and girls to have the same rights and opportunities as men and boys, some feminisms, for example lesbianism and raunchism, are so radical that they obscure the fight against patriarchy. However, stiwanism, a moderate brand of African feminism, has tenets that forcefully challenge patriarchy. The study shows that lesbians reject men altogether, and raunchists, whose modus operandi is demonstrating in skimpy and erotic clothing, bare breasts, and exposed buttocks, alienate themselves from broader society. Stiwanists, on the other hand are not antimale, and their agenda is social transformation including women in Africa. The article concludes by demonstrating that “feminism” in not a dirty word, and recommends the propagation of literature that foregrounds gender issues