University Botswana Journals
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The relationship between employee personal branding and customers’ perceived service quality: An empirical investigation of the insurance sector in Botswana
Get PDFThis study examines the effects of personal branding on perceived service quality. The study seeks to find out if personal branding can be used as a means to improve service quality especially focusing on the insurance sector in Gaborone, Botswana. Using a convenience sample of 75 respondents, the study found that different personal branding dimensions significantly influenced different dimensions of service quality. Communication was found to significantly influence all the service quality dimensions (responsiveness, reliability and tangibles). Behaviour and Self-esteem were found to positively influence responsiveness while Appearance was found to have a significant influence on reliability. The study confirms the importance of personal branding as one of the crucial elements in improving service quality by organisations.  
The influence of the Makgadikgadi fence and the re-flowing of the Boteti River on the temporal distribution of human/lion conflict
Get PDFIncidents of conflict between humans and lions are influenced by a number of factors, some of which are barriers such as fences and rivers. Conflict between carnivores and farmers led the Botswana government to construct a fence along the Boteti River between the years 2004 and 2005 to separate wildlife inside the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park (MPNP) from farmers. Although the fence became porous over time, the reflowing of the Boteti River in 2009 provided a further barrier. The main objective of this study was to assess the influence of the fence and the reflowing of the Boteti River on the temporal distribution of lion predation upon livestock along the Boteti River region. We also determined the level of livestock predation by lions when compared to other carnivores. In order to answer our questions, Problem Animal Control (PAC) reports for the years 2000–2012 from the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) were studied. These data were subdivided into three time periods: Before Fence (BF) - when the fence was not yet constructed; After Fence (AF) - when the fence was erected but the river was not flowing; and River Flowing (RF) - when the fence was porous but the river was flowing. We found that lions were responsible for the majority of the reported incidents on livestock predation. There were fewer reported kills during AF period than during the other two periods, and that large livestock was the most affected. The erection of an electrified fence was found to be a more effective method of reducing the numbers of livestock animals killed by lions than the barrier created by the river flowing. We concluded that the continuous maintenance of the fence is necessary to ensure that it forms an effective barrier between livestock and predators. 
Ethiopia: When does population become an economic asset?
Get PDFThe population of Ethiopia has a demonstrable potential to create a demographic window of opportunity (DWO) within which demographic dividend could be harnessed. Nevertheless, the current understanding of the possible durations of DWOs appears inadequate. This article aims to fill this gap by working out the DWOs through population projections based on rapid, slower and constant fertility decline scenarios. The 2007 Population and Housing Census data were used to construct projections. Considering favourable conditions behind changes in the age structure of the population where the pre-dominance of age group 15–64 is the key, the article established two periods (2028–2062 and 2037–2073) during which the DWOs open and close in Ethiopia related to rapid and slower fertility decline scenarios, respectively, showing that rapid fertility decline allows Ethiopia to create the DWOs earlier than slower fertility decline. It concludes that these two periods denote potential conditions to turn the population into an economic asset, although the realization of such potential depends upon the preparation and implementation of relevant policies and strategies ahead of time
ROLE OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS IN THE PRODUCTION OF QUALITY TEACHERS IN OPEN AND DISTANCE EDUCATION
Get PDFOpen and Distance Education is an effective way of educating people of all categories and professions in the society as the delivery system is quite different from conventional on-campus teaching. It is also a substitute for the conventional classroom teaching as it involves different types of media which include printed materials, like text books, newspapers, radio, cassette, television, computer-based communication, and telephone among others. In this age of information super-highway, it is impossible to challenge the possibility that effective and quality education can be offered through adequate design and usage of instructional materials for the production of quality teachers. In recent times improving teachers’ quality has assumed a central strategy for improving a nation’s ability to compete in the global knowledge, economy, ensuring the quality of the workforce, and meeting rising social expectation related to diversity and equality (Teachers College Record, 2012). It is in this context that this paper, using the existing literatures as bases, examines and discusses the role of instructional strategies that could be implemented in the development of instructional materials for teaching and learning in open and distance education for the production of quality teachers
RE-IMAGINING ZIMBABWEAN NATIONHOOD THROUGH FESTIVAL THEATRE: ALLEGATIONS (2009) IN CONTEXT.
Get PDFThis paper interrogates Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA) as a temporal centre of identity construction which helps in re-envisioning indices of the Zimbabwean nationhood in post-independence. The paper argues that HIFA, as a cultural contact zone, facilitates identity construction and assists in re-envisaging Zimbabwean imagined identities (Anderson, 1991). It also argues that HIFA presents a platform that opens, negotiates and resists normative identity narratives of ‘Zimbabweaness’ through affording the production of plays that challenge the racial binaries and exclusive definitions of those who belong within and/or without the boundaries of Zimbabwe. Through the analytic frames of post-nationalistic concepts of multiculturalism and globalisation, this paper questions these major indices used to frame Zimbabwean nationhood, using texts of intervention at HIFA. In this light, the paper is interested in exploring how the boundaries of Zimbabweaness are constructed and explored at HIFA through Patience Tawengwa’s play, Allegations (2009)
Accountability for Acts of Torture by Counter Terrorism Law Enforcement Officials in Uganda
Get PDFThe paper discusses the challenge of countering terrorism by law enforcement agencies in Uganda while at the same time ensuring full recognition and protection of rights of suspects such as freedom from torture, inhuman and degrading treatment. The paper notes that agencies responsible for combatting terrorism in Uganda have been known to execute their duties and responsibilities sometimes in complete disdain of the prohibition under Uganda’s Constitution and other laws of all forms of torture and cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment of suspects or offenders. The paper suggests strategies for turning this around. They include incorporating in the legislative framework accountability measures for law enforcement agencies; countering terrorism only through units properly established under laws incorporating accountability measures; and improved training and education of law enforcement agencies on human rights likely to be violated in counter terrorism activities
Access to grid electricity in Botswana: Implications for energy transition in the Okavango Delta
Get PDFThis paper discusses access to grid electricity in Botswana, particularly in the Okavango Delta, in order to advance knowledge on access to energy and the adoption of renewable energy technologies (RETs). The objectives of the study were to identify and assess the challenges of national and local electricity distribution, assess rural electrification initiatives, and determine the implications for energy transition to renewable energy sources. This is a cross-sectional study that used secondary data from literature sources and primary data derived from in-depth interviews with stakeholder representatives. Findings indicate that universal access to electrical energy in Botswana cannot be achieved solely through grid systems. Solar energy has the potential to provide electricity in remote areas. However, its development and adoption have neither been supported through subsidies nor placed at the centre of planning to achieve universal access to electricity in Botswana. Improved access to grid electricity has inadvertently reduced the importance of RETs, slowed down their development and even reversed initial gains in their adoption. Coupled with lack of enforcement policy for adoption, there is slow progress in the uptake of RETs in all sectors, including in the tourism sector in the Okavango Delta. There is need for policy, legislative and economic instruments, to support RETs adoption in all sectors of the economy in Botswana
STUDENTS’ RATING OF INSTRUCTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS OF ACCOUNTING TEACHERS
Get PDFThe purpose of the study was to assess the instructional effectiveness of senior high school accounting teachers through the rating of students. It employed the descriptive survey design to study a population of 662 senior high school accounting students from the Techiman Municipality in the Bono East Region of Ghana. A sample of 310 senior high school students was drawn by proportionate stratified random sampling. Questionnaire was administered with a return rate of 99%. Data obtained was analysed using frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviations and independent samples t-test. It was found that, generally, students rated accounting teachers’ instructions as effective and that gender of the students did not make any difference in the rating of teachers’ instructional effectiveness. Even though students perceived their teachers as effective in promoting intellectual quality, and creating quality learning environment, they were unsure about teachers’ ability in making accounting lessons significant. However, since students rated their teachers as effective then factors other than teachers’ instructional engagements in the classroom could explain the reasons for students’ poor academic performance in the subject
FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE POST MARITAL COUNSELLING PARTICIPATION
Get PDFDespite Post Marital Counselling (PMC) effectiveness, most couples seek marital help very late when their problems have worsened. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to explore factors that influence couples participation in PMC. The study sample consisted of married couples and service providers. Purposive and snowball sampling was used to select 25 participants who took part in the interviews and focus group discussions. Braun and Clarke’s (2006) thematic data analysis was utilized to analyze the data. The findings indicated that unwillingness to attend PMC, lack of awareness, and prohibitive fees were some of the factors that influence PMC nonparticipation. Implications and professional considerations for professional practice are outlined in order to further assist in exploring the factors that influence to couples’ nonattendance of PMC intervention. 
FOLKTALES IN A CULTURAL CONTEXT: THE ROLE OF FOLKTALES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF BAKGALAGARI CHILDREN
Get PDFFolktales are a type of folk literary genre. They are old and enduring culture-saturated stories which have been passed down from generation to generation by word; and serve as conveyors of these traditions, customs and values of people to future generations. They are typically narrative in form, with songs frequently interspersed in the narrative. Although they are conventionally relayed in a recreational setting, like other folklore genres, folktales have a fascinating combination of both aesthetic pleasure and education. Their richness in cultural content and social importance make them a most interesting and inspiring subject of study. As with many other African societies, in pre-literate periods, education of younger generations of Bakgalagari[1] was largely informal, fluid and unstructured, and was conducted through oral literary genres such as folktales. This study is an in-depth study of three folktales of Bakgalagari people. As with many other aspects of this ethnic group, there appears to be no study conducted on any Shekgalagari folktale to date, and their importance in this culture appears to be on the verge of extinction. The study examines the tales to extract the various lessons and skills derived from them. These are studied in the light of their role in the education and development of Bakgalagari children. The study attempts to drive home the point that from time immemorial, folktales made an important contribution to a child's education among the Bakgalagari people.
[1] Bakgalagari are Bantu people of the Sotho-Tswana extraction, and are classified as Western Sotho-
Tswana (Chebanne, 2003). They are found in Botswana and Namibia only, and they speak Shekgalagari language (Monaka, 2018).