National Research Database of Zimbabwe
Not a member yet
5897 research outputs found
Sort by
Healing in ancient Israelite religion and Shona traditional religion: a comparative analysis
No full textHealth was an important concern in Ancient Israelite Religion; it is also a major concern in Shona Traditional Religion. This is seen in how the Ancient Israelites preserved health by observing the Mosaic Law and the sanitary code. In Shona Traditional Religion, health is preserved from conception up to adulthood. These two religions share much in common on how they perceive the causes of ill health as a punishment from disobedience. In both religions, there are important religious practitioners who play a significant role in safeguarding the health of people. The study explores why some people undermine the traditional medicine. It argues that this attitude is mainly because of Christian missionaries who undermined the Shona health delivery system. The Shona people are encouraged by the researcher to use traditional medicine which is cheaper and affordable. The Shona people are also exhorted to appreciate traditional medicine because healing was there even before the colonialists came
Social Darwinist ideology, racism and conflict in selected hollywood films about Africa
No full textThe study focused on the Social Darwinist ideology, racism and conflict in selected Hollywood films about Africa looking at the case study of Tears of the Sun, Hotel Rwanda and Blood Diamond. The aim of the study was to interrogate the interaction of Social Darwinist ideology, race and conflict in selected Hollywood films about Africa with sub-objectives of establishing perceptions, determining conflict interpretations, assessing racial perspectives, identifying filmic techniques used and evaluating the effects of the techniques by Hollywood films.
To carry out the study the researcher used the Reception theory to do a qualitative study which proved to be very useful because a detailed picture was built up about why people act in certain ways and their feelings about these actions. However, people are rigid and this made it difficult to assess, demonstrate and maintain the study. The theory was useful in that a viewer’s identity helps them to decode film text according to their identity. Results revealed that Hollywood filmmakers falsely depict African conflict and make it look like it is silly and unnecessary and Africans as either blood thirst savages or helpless wide-eyed children who cannot tell their own stories of solve their own conflict. In doing this wrong information about African conflict is passed and blacks are portrayed as an inferior race to the whites and here the Social Darwinist Ideology is imposed. The filmic techniques used were music, facial expressions, proxemics, dialogue, juxtaposition, camera angles, casting, symbolism and body language. Main recommendations are that African filmmakers should reproduce these films and offer an African perspective. All films that contain racist words should be banned. African filmmakers should also produce films where African conflict is solved amicably. Western filmmakers should present whites and blacks equally in their films. Areas for further study are class stratification and gender and conflict
The influence of digital products on company performance: the case of Manica Post
No full textThe aim of the research was to evaluate the influence of digital products on company performance with reference to the case of Manica Post. The purpose of the research was to examine the effects of online news on cannibalization of print media at Manica post, establishing customer perceptions on digitalization of Manica Post news posted online, determining whether Facebook page marketing influences customer preferences as well as examining the effects of websites on increase in web traffic of Manica Post electronic news. Digitalization is the integration of digital technologies into everyday life by the digitization of everything that can be digitized. Many scholars agree that online news are supposed to be a complementary to print newspapers hence online news has not phased out print media. Major characteristics of websites are content, appearance, functionality and usability. Facebook is a social portal with companies and firms that create profiles to disseminate information about products. Exploratory research was used in this study and the target population was customers and employees. Non probability sampling technique was used and under this the convenience sampling method was used. A sample of 100 was used for customers and 16 for employees. The major findings drawn from the research are online news will not phase out print media sales any time soon but rather sales will drop steadily as most of the younger generation prefers to read news online and will not buy newspapers. Customers perceive companies that have gone digital as being innovative. Facebook page marketing affects customer preference of news. Websites have a positive effect on web traffic provided the content and coverage of the news satisfies customers. Majority of the respondents agree that content draws traffic to the website. Results show that it is mostly the content that customer want when they visit a company’s website hence companies should offer that. Conclusions were drawn from the research and they show that the younger ages prefer to read news online with the older age preferring print news to online news, online news is only there to compliment newspapers and will not result in phasing out of newspapers but rather sales will decline steadily over the next years. Majority of the customer perceive digitalized businesses as being innovative. Facebook page marketing motivates customers to buy newspapers and website content is an important factor in drawing web traffic. Recommendations given include Manica post finding ways in which it can benefit financially from news posted on online sources such as websites, adverts, price reduction, improve coverage and reduce biasness
Effectiveness of growth strategies adopted by microfinance institutions (MFIS) on financial performance: A case of MFIs IN Midlands Province.
No full textStudies on performance of microfinance institutions (MFIs) has attracted a great deal of attention as they are registering a significant growth in the financial landscape. However most of these studies had focused much on social performance and best credit management practices and regrettably ignored the financial aspects. This is because predominantly, the main objective of MFIs was social mission focusing on poverty alleviation and financial inclusion, however the 21st century signifies a drift from social mission to profit maximization hence the call to consider financial aspects. Growth strategies are key performance drivers yet little attention has been given to their influences. MFIs are engaging in market expansion overdrive giving birth to intense and unhealthy competition that is not bringing positive results to both the institutions and stakeholders. Against this backdrop, the sustainability of these institutions is threatened hence this study examined the effectiveness of growth strategies adopted by microfinance institutions on profitability in Midlands province. Return on Assets (ROA) and Return on Equity (ROE) were used as profitability measures while number of branches was used to determine growth strategies adopted. Literature put forward by different scholars regarding the influence of growth strategies on organization’s performance was critically reviewed. The study applied descriptive research design to identify growth strategies adopted by MFIs in their pursuit for growth and correlational research design to examine the effectiveness of each growth strategy on profitability through the use of simple linear regression. Stratified random sampling technique was employed to adequately incorporate views from different angles since research subjects were drawn from different stratas (senior management and branch managers). Sample size of 79% of the target population was obtained from a list of appropriate sample sizes that are good enough to produce credible findings calculated by Krejcie and Morgan (1970). The study used both questionnaires and personal interviews to collect relevant data to ensure that validity and reliability was achieved. Findings from the study revealed that MFIs chose to go it alone by opting for organic growth with most of them pursuing market development growth strategy. Market growth strategy proved to be ineffective on profit enhancement in microfinance context, rather it causes intense and unhealthy competition hurting both parties (Institutions and stakeholders). Results from the study revealed that there is a relationship between age of MFI and the growth strategy pursued, where most young aged MFIs are investing much in market growth while the old horses appreciate market penetration growth strategy. The results also indicated that product growth strategy is an effective path of growing that yields more returns whilst market penetration proved to have insignificant impact on profitability. In light of study findings, it is therefore recommended that MFIs should consider inorganic growth strategies such as mergers to do away with disruptive competition. Furthermore, MFIs are also recommended to embrace product development growth strategy to realize significant financial growth associated with high degree of operational efficiency and sustainability. In addition, young aged MFIs are recommended not to over invest in growing the market but rather on creating a strong bond with their clients by investing in developing a variety of products
The implications of Tokwe-Mukosi dam on people’s welfare: the case of Chingwizi transit camp (2014-2016)
No full textThe construction of Tokwe-Mukosi Dam in Chivi area resulted in the displacement of thousands of families from their home area to the Chingwizi Transit Camp in Mwenezi District. The idea of the dam construction started in 1998 but faced a lot of drawbacks due to financial strains the country had. In 2014 Chivi area received a lot of rainfall exceeding the average amount the area receives. This saw the area experiencing floods and thousands of families being displaced. The evacuation of the victims was however not done on time which saw many losing their belongings and the situation was worsened by the government’s failure to compensate the victims on their loss. This created miserable lives for the displaced and made them rely on donations to make ends meet in the camp. In the camp there were a plethora of problems faced by the victims varying from shelter, food and clothing shortages to outbreak of diseases, poor educational standards and medical attention. The clinics and schools were far from the holding tents making it difficult for many to reach for them resulting in school dropouts and relying on traditional medication. There were also the problems of sanitation in the camp as there were few toilets which saw the majority opting for the bush. The few toilets were always dirty making it uncomfortable to use them. Donations on women sanitary towels have been hit by corruption and most women have resorted to tree leaves, rags and newspapers which are unhygienic and unhealthy. Traditional means have been applied by the victims to cater for problems and many parents have resorted to marrying their daughters to some well-to-do members in the nearby sugarcane communities. There is therefore need for the government to take consideration of the victims’ way of living making sure that they are well supplied with basic need in the camps where they would have been temporarily kept
Expansion of the definition of community of property in relation to the principle of stipulatio alteri: A case of widows of mine workers in Lesotho
No full textThis work was written by a legal practitioner who before the research was finding difficulty in defending the rights of the widows of mine workers in the courts of law in Lesotho against the application of the common law principle of stipulatio alteri in respect to the benefits of employment of a deceased husband who had nominated a person other than the wife on the employment contract. She found that the courts and lawyers in Lesotho consistently uphold the claims of nominees with little or no regard to the large body of national and international laws that regulate and seek to protect the rights of spouses to their matrimonial property both before and after the dissolution of the marriage. As a result she realised that court decisions are repeatedly leaving widows destitute and vulnerable to multiple forms of depravations due to potentially
stereotype influenced decisions of nomination of beneficiary. Alive to the provisions of various human rights instruments that advocate for the protection of widow’s inheritance rights to the estates of their husbands, she analysed the grounded realities of widows of mine workers in Lesotho. By using various methodologies that in connection with the women’s law methodology she realised that the dilemma faced by this women is a detrimental one which affects women including lawyers such as herself. This is
because of the sensitivity of the issue as it involves moneys received after the death of a
spouse. She realised that the difficulty from a personal perspective for a person to inquire or insist about such nomination and came to the conclusion that to achieve the wider protection where women are able to stand up for their rights, there is a need for wide spread campaigns aimed at eradicating the influence of stereotypes in the minds of women and men of all walks of life, the campaign should aim to empower women to be able to speak-up and for men to disregard the stereotypes. Further she noted that it is critical for the law enforcement agencies, particularly lawyers like herself to be equipped with in-depth understanding of international instruments to advance the widow’s rights. Also the courts should be judicially active and gender sensitive in advancing women’s rights as the Human Rights Watch puts it; when a woman’s property rights are violated, the consequence is not just that she loses assets. The repercussions reverberate throughout women’s lives often resulting in poverty, inhumane living conditions, and vulnerability to violence and disease for women and their dependents.,NORA
Criminalization of HIV non disclosure, exposure and transmission: Is it the solution to the protection of women against violence in Zimbabwe
No full textThis research seeks to interrogate whether section 79 of the Criminal Law codification and Reform Act, that is on wilful transmission of HIV protects women against infections and violence. The main focus was on the attitudes towards sexuality by various women as well as the problems of prosecuting such cases. I used methodologies which includes the women’s law approach, the human rights approach, actors and structures as well as the sex and gender analysis. Each methodology assisted me to explore the real challenges in using the law to prevent new infections on HIV as well as protecting women against such. The women’s law approach was useful in getting to know what the women really wanted and how they thought this law could help them. The actors and structures helped me to interrogate deep into what these key informants thought about the law and how they were dealing with the problems they encountered in dealing with such cases. An example is on prosecutors who bring the cases before the court. They face various challenges in trying to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that an accused person actually infected the complainant with the virus and if he did, it was deliberate. I also interrogated the law on the doctor patient relationship and how the laws should be aligned so that the prosecutors know what to o when the doctor is the one with the
evidence and is supposed to testify, yet because of the doctor client privilege the same law does not allow them to testify, disclosing what they would have discussed with their patients. I also discussed the right to know one’s status against the right to private, and sought to strike a balance between the two competing rights.,NORA
Climate change adaptability: the economic efficacy of investing in irrigation in Chivi Rural District, Zimbabwe:paper presented at a conference held on the 14th-16th July 2015, Elephant Hills Resort, Victoria Fallls, Zimbabwe
No full textTheme: 1st International Research Conference On Driving Socio-Economic Development Through Value Addition And Sustainable Use Of Resources,In Zimbabwe, food insecurity is linked to factors ranging from climate-change, low capitalisation of the agriculture sectorand weak landholding rights. In the country,irrigation is generally regarded as a sustainable climate change adaptability strategy especially for semi-arid regions. While there is consensus on the notion that irrigation is the solution to social development ills at community level (World Bank 2008), there is no consensus on economic benefits of investing in small irrigation in dry areas. The study collected data from 30 farmers drawn from two communal irrigation schemes (CRD1 and CRD2) in Chivi District. Scheme CRD1 is located in an area that receives 400ml - 450mlof rainfall per year while CRD2 receives >300ml of rainfall per year. The District has a population of 166 049 people of which 111 944 are females (ZimStat 2012). The study established that farmers in the District know the effects of climate change on food security but they (farmers) differed on what causes climate change.This suggests that dealing with climate change requires a multi-faceted approach. By using the Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) and the Net Present Value (NPV) tests, the study established that irrigation has the highest economic return on investment made in CRD1 compared to the returns on investment in CRD2. The study concluded that irrigation does not always bring about positive economic returns on investment
The effects of development projects on “marginal†communities: the case of Murowa diamond mine, 1997 - 2016
No full textRelocations and resettlements are largely caused by development induced projects such as mines and dams. These projects lead to substantial movement of people from their traditional lands, twisting or changing their history. Many researchers like Colson claimed that these massive resettlements lead to the destitution and impoverishment of the affected people for the next 40 years as they will be trying to improve their lost tradition, social way of life and their inheritance as a whole. Murowa diamond mine is a mine located in Zvishavane. The mine started operating in 2004. During the displacement of the Murowa community, people were given compensation depending on the property one owns. However one should not dismiss the fact that socially the Murowa people were not considered.it proved that the government was most concerned about ‘development’ not the worries of the people. My argument is that the government disadvantaged the Mazvihwa community. So it should revise its policies and make sure that after being displaced one should be left advantaged be it socially, politically or economically. The essential argument of the paper figures around the effects of the diamond mine to the community and how were they handled. In trying to figure out the situation and also coming up with the findings this paper used oral interviews and it also used a qualitative approach. In the final analysis the paper concluded that the displacement in Murowa did more harm than good considering the fact that the Murowa community group was deprived of their right
The Effect of Paclobutrazol Application Time and Variety on Growth, Yield, and Quality of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)
No full textAn experiment was set up to investigate the effect of time of paclobutrazol application and variety on growth, yield, and quality of potato in a greenhouse at 34∘C (±3) and 21∘C (±3) day and night temperatures, respectively, with 60% relative humidity. The experiment was set up as a 2 × 4 factorial design in a CRD with 3 replications. The first factor was potato variety and the levels were BP1 and Diamond. The second factor was paclobutrazol application time and the levels were 28 (Days After Planting) DAP, 35 DAP, and 42 DAP and no paclobutrazol applied (control). Early application of paclobutrazol reduced stem length, number of
tubers per plant, and sugar content of potato; furthermore, it increased starch content and yield compared to late application and no paclobutrazol treatments. Early application of paclobutrazol at 28 DAP is recommended in high temperature zones as it increased the yield by 108% and quality of potato