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1
Leakey, Liambela Muyunda, and Mubiana Mubiana. "Consumer contracts under the Zambian Law: Does the legislation Provide Adequate Consumer Protection." International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science 06, no. 04 (2022): 179–96. http://dx.doi.org/10.47772/ijriss.2022.6413.
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Owing to the shift of the Zambian economy from a countrywide manipulative economic system to a free market economy, there has been neediness for the government to efficiently regulate the economic system to promote honest opposition and client safety. To achieve this, need the authorities enacted the Competition and Fair-Trading Act of 1994 which geared toward regulating anti-competitive practices and customer exploitations within the marketplace. Following some of the changes that have taken area within the Zambian financial system, Parliament enacted the Competition and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 which incorporates diverse revolutionary provisions which might be supposed to address modem financial demands inside the Zambian economic system. This paper focuses on establishing whether Consumer contracts under the Zambian Law if it Provides adequate Consumer Protection by evaluating its effectiveness within the selling and law of sincere competition, patron safety and financial increase in Zambia. It verifies whether the Competition and Consumer Protection Act has effectively and efficiently addressed winning social and financial desires of Zambia’s monetary expedient. The findings were that Competition and Consumer Protection Act become enacted with numerous progressive provisions which were probably presupposed to cope with modem monetary conditions in Zambia. Through those upgrades, the Competition and Consumer Protection Act has quite addressed triumphing monetary desires in the Zambian economic operations. However, despite enhancing the Law, the legislation has not Provided Adequate Consumer Protection as evident by the increasing number of cases being recorded in Zambia regarding consumer protection.
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Nesmashnyi, Alexander Dmitrievich, and Yulia Aleksandrovna Nikitina. "Local Hegemony: China’s Special Economic Zones in Mauritius and Zambia." Vestnik RUDN. International Relations 20, no. 1 (December 15, 2020): 97–114. http://dx.doi.org/10.22363/2313-0660-2020-20-1-97-114.
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Chinese Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in Africa are part of the Belt and Road Initiative. They account for a fledgling research area in International Relations, with not much research on the topic. The authors regard traditional approaches in research of SEZs as incapable of grasping the difference between domestic (designed by the state on its own territory) and foreign (designed by a foreign state) SEZs. The concept of territoriality, though applicable only to foreign SEZs, has little to offer in terms of generating new knowledge. The research paper endeavours to offer new theoretical and conceptual frameworks for the study of foreign SEZs. The research is based on concepts of hegemony by different schools of thought, including Hegemonic Stability Theory, the three types of hegemony by Yan Xuetong and Neo-Gramscianism. The authors introduce the concept of “local hegemony”. The authors also highlight the fact that most foreign SEZs emerge in territories of limited statehood (or create them). In order to prove vitality of the concept, comparative research of China’s SEZs in Mauritius and Zambia is conducted. The authors point out relatively poor institutional development of Zambia and the existence of stable democratic institutions in Mauritius. The success of the Chinese SEZ in Zambia is also partially attributed to copper mining. Deriving from economic and institutional empirical data the authors try to detect success conditions of SEZs and analyze the related spillover effects that contribute to the development of African nations. The reasons behind the failure of the Chinese SEZ in Mauritius are traced. Authors conclude that the concept of local hegemony is suitable for studying foreign SEZs and suggest that zones of local hegemony could be sustainable and effective in terms of development.
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Sinkala, Daniel. "Factors Associated with Distribution of Pre-Eclampsia and Eclampsia Among Rural and Urban Women in Child Bearing Age – A Case of Mbala General Hospital, Northern Province, Zambia." TEXILA INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH 9, no. 3 (September 30, 2021): 81–91. http://dx.doi.org/10.21522/tijph.2013.09.03.art008.
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Preeclampsia and eclampsia cases continue to rise in northern Zambia as people search for babies and continuity of clans’ survival. Due to the competitive nature of cultural demands/ myths on pregnancy and maternal socio-demographic factors (low-age, low socio-economic status, and poor health-seeking behaviour), women in rural prefer unprofessional primary health care services that are presumably affordable to them thereby, delaying in seeking for professional healthcare services. High levels of poverty in resource-limited areas have put many female adolescents at risk of falling pregnant. Thus, this study probed on the interaction between these maternal socio-demographic factors and disease distribution in both rural and urban areas with respect to various pregnancy outcomes. The study used retrospective quantitative methods in eliciting information from data sources (women, registers) in Mbala, Mpulungu, Senga, and Mungwi districts covering 3-year period (2017-2019). In all, 202 female respondents from Northern Zambia were interviewed through self-administered questionnaires. Thereafter, data were analysed using a statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS v16). Findings indicate severe; socio-economic status and low maternal age affect pre-eclampsia disease distribution coupled with adverse pregnancy outcomes more in rural than urban areas. The better the socio-demographic conditions, the lower the disease distribution with good pregnancy outcomes. However, worsening maternal socio-demographic conditions may increase the incidence of pre-eclampsia among pregnant women of northern Zambia. The study recommended interventions tarred towards public health programmes such as social behaviour change and communication (SBCC) towards adolescent women and socio-economic empowerment of pregnant women in resource-limited areas. Keywords: Average ANC timing, Preeclampsia, Residency, Socio-economic, Teenage pregnancy.
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Colson, Elizabeth. "The Father as Witch." Africa 70, no. 3 (August 2000): 333–58. http://dx.doi.org/10.3366/afr.2000.70.3.333.
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AbstractIn the 1990s the feared witch among Tonga-speakers of Gwembe Valley, Zambia, is often the father, whose adult children accuse him of using witchcraft to gain power over the child's life force to use in his enterprises. Suspicions of the father arise from changing family dynamics associated with restricted economic opportunities and a changing agricultural system involving cash cropping where family labour is of vital importance. Witchcraft fears, as elsewhere in Zambia, have become more salient as worsening economic conditions have led to general malaise and the loosening of restraints on public accusation. Feeling victimised and vulnerable in a world where transport minimises distance has led to witches being endowed with the power to operate without regard to distance. Nevertheless witchfinding deflects hostility from national political figures to elders in the neighbourhood, especially fathers, who are continuous sources of immediate frustration and are also vulnerable to local action.
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Tembo, Moffat, and Erastus Misheng’u Mwanaumo. "Constraints in Implementing Decentralisation in Zambia." International Journal of Scientific Research and Management 10, no. 06 (June 18, 2022): 32–43. http://dx.doi.org/10.18535/ijsrm/v10i6.ps01.
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Purpose: Against a backdrop of Zambia’s continued weak economic conditions and with many local authorities, experiencing declining local revenues and financial performance, this paper presents a synthesis of the local government turnaround findings. It aims to identify the constraints to decentralization and recovery strategies based on the evidence provided by pragmatic research.
Design/methodology/approach: The questionnaire survey was carried out over a period of two weeks from sixth to 20 May 2019. 120 questionnaires were distributed via online to all 120 respondents using purposive and critical case sampling. The questionnaire was created and deployed using free online software (kobotoolbox) to the 120 critical case and purposively selected respondents. Out of 120 respondents 103 responded creating a survey response rate of above 85%.
Findings: The research found that the major constraints in implementing decentralisation included; Continued delay to release decentralised functions by central government; lack of political will from central government; failure to implement the agreed decentralised structure by central government; failure to relinquish some revenue streams to local authorities; governments unclear policy guidance on decentralization; lack of a standardised system as well as a monitoring mechanism; and failure to generate adequate own revenue by local authorities.
Research implications: This research assumes a significant role in formulation of policy for local government tier and could provide a basis for further research in this area as well as designing policies for an improved local government fiscal system.
Practical implications: this study adds pragmatic perspectives towards resolving revenue problems faced by Zambia’s local authorities.
Originality/value: This paper compiles facts and offers practitioners an evidence-based view through investigating Zambia’s local government economic structure, analyzing forces underlying them and examining their consequential cultural interplay.
Keywords: Decentralisation; Local Authority; Local Revenue
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VonDoepp, Peter. "Resisting Democratic Backsliding: Malawi’s Experience in Comparative Perspective." African Studies Review 63, no. 4 (December 23, 2019): 858–82. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/asr.2019.62.
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AbstractWhy does collective resistance to democratic backsliding emerge in some contexts and not others? The experience of Malawi in 2011–2012 offers an opportunity to explore this question. In the face of attacks on democratic rights and institutions, large-scale popular and civil society mobilization challenged the government’s authoritarian tendencies. Drawing on collective action theories and comparing Malawi’s experience to that of Zambia, VonDoepp argues that Malawi’s resistance arose in an environment that was favorable to its emergence. Economic conditions had generated grievances against government, polarization remained modest, and civil society organizations benefitted from credibility and the presence of allies that facilitated activism.
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Mulubale, Sanny, Katongo Bwalya, and Janet Mundando. "Identity, Citizenship and the Teaching Profession: Theoretical Insights in the Study of Zambian Teachers Living with Human Immune–deficiency Virus (HIV)." Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal 9, no. 3 (March 8, 2022): 1–16. http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.93.11924.
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This article discusses HIV positive teachers’ medicalisation in the Zambian context. It makes a theoretical appraisal of the dynamics of health in this HIV treatment era, viewing the era as leaving the AIDS pandemic between two streams: a disappearing tragedy and a treatable illness with latent psychological, social and economic effects [1]. Teacher training, teachers’ economic status, their use of effective pedagogy and many other factors have been chronicled extensively by various scholars across disciplines in research on education in developing countries. However, teachers’ experiences of illness and health conditions, as key actors in implementing the development agenda of many countries in Africa, have received very limited attention. The HIV/AIDS burden in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is higher than available resources to deal with the pandemic effectively [2] while the number of people living with the virus and on ART in SSA countries, such as Zambia, remains high [3]. The above proposition in this paper is supported by three fundamental concepts which can be surmised as: governmentality and identity. These two concepts – when effectively synthesised – offer new ways of understanding the medical solutions, normalcy, and their limits in the everyday living of teachers who are on ART. Based on this theoretical analysis and its relation to existing empirical data, the central argument in the paper is that teachers’ daily lives seem to be filled with the socio-political and economic consequences of HIV medicalisation and that these consequences seem to shape and limit how teachers manage and make sense of their acquired ‘therapeutic citizenship’ status.
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Murungu, Ronnie James, Olutayo Bankole-Bolawole, Collins Otieno, and Charles Mwangi. "Policy Brief on Inclusion of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Zambia`s Nationally Determined Contributions." Sustainable Development Research 4, no. 1 (June 30, 2022): p37. http://dx.doi.org/10.30560/sdr.v4n1p37.
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The Paris Agreement aims to reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, thus contributing to sustainable development goals through building climate-resilient communities and industries. Water is the primary medium through which climate change influences the earth’s ecosystem and thus the livelihood and well-being of societies. Extreme weather conditions impact many sectors such as health, tourism, agriculture, and industry where water plays a key role. The climate effect is first and foremost through water systems as highlighted by the World Economic Forum (2016) Global Risks Report. Hence the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) sector plays a pivotal role in addressing climate change.
In the last decade, Zambia has experienced the impacts of climate change in the form of extreme weather conditions and rising temperatures. In light of this, the Zambian government developed NDCs in accordance with the Paris agreement that aims to reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and develop sustainable climate-resilient communities and industries. The impacts of climate change are felt through its influence on water. WASH is not only affected by climate change, but also a contributing factor to GHG emissions. Therefore, the WASH sector should play a pivotal role in contributing to the climate change targets.
There are gaps among state and non-state actors and with affected communities in acknowledging the critical role of WASH in making real the NDC that need bridging. These include awareness and knowledge of WASH in contributing to NDC; the need to go beyond water to include sanitation and hygiene elements in the NDCs as holistic approach; inclusive participation of civil society and other non-state actors in addressing the gaps; integration of sectors and programmes in the NDCs; and enhanced governance and accountability mechanisms.
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Bellin, Eva. "Contingent Democrats: Industrialists, Labor, and Democratization in Late-Developing Countries." World Politics 52, no. 2 (January 2000): 175–205. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0043887100002598.
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Many classic works of political economy have identified capital and labor as the champions of democratization during the first wave of transition. By contrast, this article argues for the contingent nature of capital and labor's support for democracy, especially in the context of late development. The article offers a theory of democratic contingency, proposing that a few variables, namely, state dependence, aristocratic privilege, and social fear account for much of the variation found in class support for democratization both across and within cases. Conditions associated with late development make capital and labor especially prone to diffidence about democratization. But such diffidence is subject to change, especially under the impact of international economic integration, poverty-reducing social welfare policies, and economic growth that is widely shared. Case material from Korea, Indonesia, Mexico, Zambia, Brazil, Tunisia and other countries is offered as evidence.
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Mwanza, Aaron D., Pei Wen Hao, and Mike H. White. "A Selection of Possible Pitfalls on the Usage of Empirical Models in the Rational Seal Design Method of South Africa." Advanced Materials Research 450-451 (January 2012): 1336–39. http://dx.doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.450-451.1336.
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A large portion of surfaced roads in Zambia have asphalt as part of their pavement structure. Most of these surfaces and to some extent base layers are in a deplorable state. This situation, coupled with unfavorable economic conditions, leaves highway authorities with a huge backlog on highways sustainability. The past practice of “worst-first” is still a common principle other than maintaining pavements earlier in their service life to reduce life cycle costs. In order to include pavement preservation as a pavement network strategy, road surface sealing is adopted. This paper is focused on a selection of possible pitfalls on the usage of empirical models in the rational flexible road surfacing seal design of South Africa, which is commonly used in Zambia. The aggregates, fillers (dust) and bitumen used in surface seal coats vary to a large extent and with the availability of good quality natural materials becoming less, the challenges in providing good quality seal coats are increasing. Since the emphasis is based on failures rather than successes, few answers are provided on the number of questions that usually arise from seal coat design and the aim is to create awareness on some possible pitfalls for using the rational seal design method. The paper emphasizes on design aspects that are not addressed in the Interim guidelines for the design and construction of seal coats in South Africa (Technical Recommendations for Highways (TRH3, 2007)). A few case studies from recent projects in Zambia are also included and evaluated.
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Mwamba, Jonathan Simbeya. "Analysis of Space Manipulation in an Informal Urban Settlement: The Case of Ng’ombe in Lusaka, Zambia." International Journal of Social Science Studies 8, no. 6 (October 9, 2020): 41. http://dx.doi.org/10.11114/ijsss.v8i6.4971.
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Urban informality remains a consistent challenge and matter of debate by planners and policymakers in the urbanising cities of sub-Saharan Africa. A common manifestation of urban informality in African cities is the sprawling informal settlements that constitute the only available housing option for the majority of the urban poor. The analysis of informal urban settlement’s environmental composition, physical modelling and socio-economic and policy analysis have been areas of recent study. However there is limited literature on how the urban poor communities in Zambia manipulate their social, spatial and economic environments to meet their needs. This article seeks to broaden the knowledge base on the way informal urban settlement communities manipulate their urban space. The built environment provides the setting for human interaction and the explanatory theory of Environment-Behaviour Relations provides a suitable analytical framework for the identification of useful parameters for developing future settlement interventions. The study employs a case study method of research to analyse the informal urban settlement settings. Ng’ombe, a peri-urban informal settlement in Lusaka, Zambia is the case study location for this research. Analysis of social, spatial and economic environment at neighbourhood level provides vital information about the informal urban settlement conditions. The study in particular addresses the question of how the social-spatial circumstances of the informal urban population in the developing world influence and defines their built environment. The study shows that systems of settings and system of activities in Ng’ombe offer a suitable analytical framework for studying the settlement characteristics that can guide in formulating strategies for settlement regularisation. Residents devise means of adapting and manipulating their informal urban space to suit their immediate needs and they also devise livelihood coping strategies in the midst of their informal settings. The paper likewise contributes to the growing body of knowledge in urban informality.
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Mutinta, Mutinta, Mundia Muya, and Balimu Mwiya. "An Integrated Green Building Assessment Tool for Low-Cost Housing Development in Zambia." Sustainability in Environment 6, no. 3 (June 18, 2021): p1. http://dx.doi.org/10.22158/se.v6n3p1.
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Green building rating tools developed to assess the impact of buildings on the environment may not have all the appropriate methods and criteria for different environmental, economic, social and cultural conditions in the world. Assessment tools should be developed to meet minimum green building standards and aspirations. The challenge in developing countries like Zambia is that there is limited access to green building rating tools and a lack of technology and resources to have local tools. Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used to select methods and criteria for assessing green low-cost housing in Zambia from literature review and interviews with building practitioners. The 11th Sustainable Development Goal was part of literature review and some strategies were adopted as part of the criteria for green building assessment. A sequential mixed-method design was used to collect and analyze data through interviews and an online AHP evaluation of preferred criteria and methods. The results from the study suggest that the most preferred method of green building assessment is a Local Based Assessment, with local strategies and materials. Energy, water, health and wellbeing were determined to be the most preferred criteria for green building assessment. The proposed criteria could be used for guiding designers and planners in housing projects and for reviewing current building bye-laws.
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Lahme, Anne Mutunda, Ruth Stern, and Diane Cooper. "Factors impacting on menstrual hygiene and their implications for health promotion." Global Health Promotion 25, no. 1 (July 5, 2016): 54–62. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1757975916648301.
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Background: In the lives of women, puberty is marked by the onset of menarche. From this stage onwards until menopause, reproductive health and menstrual hygiene are important aspects of women’s lives. In Zambia’s Western Province, the natural process of menstruation is a taboo and dealt with secretly. Information and knowledge about menstruation and menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls is inadequate. This paper explores the factors influencing the understanding, experiences and practices of menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls in Mongu District, Western Province of Zambia. Methods: An explorative study design was used by means of six focus group discussions conducted with 51 respondents, aged 13–20 years, from three secondary schools. Their age at menarche was 11–15. For data analysis thematic content analysis was used. Results: The paper shows that the girls suffer from poor menstrual hygiene, originating from lack of knowledge, culture and tradition, and socio-economic and environmental constraints, leading to inconveniences, humiliation and stress. This leads to reduced school attendance and poor academic performance, or even drop outs, and ultimately infringes upon the girls’ human rights. Conclusion: To address these shortcomings, a ‘super setting approach’ is recommended, in which a Health Promoting School could improve the girls’ individual and group needs, and a community setting which would address the broader socio-economic, cultural and environmental conditions. This would enable creating a supportive environment for the girls to manage their periods. To successfully utilize the approach, all stakeholders (parents, teachers, children, governments and communities) should cooperate to generate context-specific solutions for creating safe menstrual care, and better and dignified conditions for adolescent girls. Therefore, this calls for comprehensive, strident advocacy for policy changes at national level, and mediation and involvement at community level.
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Madden, M., M. Karidozo, W. Langbauer, F. Osborn, A. Presotto, and R. Parry. "GEOSPATIAL ASSESSMENT OF HUMAN-WILDLIFE-ENVIRONMENT INTERACTIONS FOR SPATIAL DECISION SUPPORT." International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences XLIII-B4-2021 (June 30, 2021): 281–85. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-xliii-b4-2021-281-2021.
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Abstract. Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC) is a global concern that requires geospatial data collection, analysis and geovisualization for decision support and mitigation. Bull African elephants, (Loxodonata africana), are often responsible for breaking fences, raiding crops and causing economic hardship in local communities in Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia. Methods for monitoring and understanding elephant movements are needed to mitigate conflict, find ways for coexistence and secure the future of Africa’s elephant populations. Researchers from academia and conservation organizations are partnering with decision makers and scientists of the Zimbabwe Department of National Park and Wild Life Management (PWMA) to track the movement of 15 bull elephants in the general area of Victoria Falls to analyse spatio-temporal patterns of elephant behaviour related to climatic factors, habitat conditions and changing land uses. Spatial decision support for local famers, resource managers and planners will assist in avoiding agricultural expansion and urban development that coincides with elephant corridors and access to water resources.
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Kim, Jung-Hoon, Kyungjin Lee, Ui Min Jerng, and Goya Choi. "Global Comparison of Stability Testing Parameters and Testing Methods for Finished Herbal Products." Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2019 (October 20, 2019): 1–14. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/7348929.
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Quality consistencies of drug products are essential to guarantee expected therapeutic activities, and achieving consistent qualities for herbal products is challenging because of their physicochemical complexities and inherent variabilities. Regulatory authorities worldwide have issued regulations or guidelines for stability testing parameters and testing procedures for herbal products stored in proposed conditions. These testing parameters and methods for finished herbal products are detailed in the guidelines and regulations issued by 5 global authorities and 15 countries, that is, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC), the European Medicines Agency (EMA), the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH), the World Health Organization (WHO), Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Egypt, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Kenya, Republic of Korea, the Philippines, Qatar, Switzerland, USA, and Zambia. Physical, chemical, and biological stability tests were compared between different dosage forms, and the testing conditions (temperature and relative humidity) used for long-term, accelerated, or intermediate testing were included in the guidelines and regulations. Comparisons of global regulations and guidelines addressing stability testing are fundamental for the international harmonization of herbal product quality assessments. This review aids understanding of the global situation regarding the testing of herbal product quality with respect to storages.
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Udelsmann Rodrigues, Cristina, Patience Mususa, Karen Büscher, and Jeroen Cuvelier. "Boomtown Urbanization and Rural-Urban Transformation in Mining and Conflict Regions in Angola, the DRC and Zambia." Sustainability 13, no. 4 (February 20, 2021): 2285. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su13042285.
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Starting from temporary settlements turning into permanent urban centers, this paper discusses the transformations taking place through the process of so-called ‘boomtown’ urbanization in Central and Southern Africa. Based on data collected in Angola, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, the paper identifies the different conditions for migration and settlement and the complex socio-economic, spatial, as well as political transformations produced by the fast growth and expansion of boomtowns. Different historical and contemporary processes shape boomtown urbanization in Africa, from colonial territorial governance to large- and small-scale mining or dynamics of violence and forced displacement. As centers of attraction, opportunities, diversified livelihoods and cultures for aspiring urbanities, boomtowns represent an interesting site from which to investigate rural-urban transformation in a context of resource extraction and conflict/post conflict governance. They equally represent potential catalyzing sites for growth, development and stability, hence deserving not only more academic but also policy attention. Based on the authors’ long-term field experience in the countries under study, the analysis draws on ethnographic fieldwork data collected through observations as well as interviews and focus group discussions with key actors involved in the everyday shaping of boomtown urbanism. The findings point to discernible patterns of boomtown consolidation across these adjacent countries, which are a result of combinations of types of migration, migrants’ agency and the governance structures, with clear implications for urban policy for both makeshift and consolidating towns.
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Tayali, Esnart Mwaba, and Kwesi Atta Sakyi. "The Health and Well-being of Low Paying Jobs in Southern Africa: Case Study of Security Guards in Zambia." Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal 7, no. 4 (April 28, 2020): 229–47. http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.74.8105.
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As concerns for employee well-being across all sectors increase, security guards in Southern Africa and the rest of Africa at large attract less attention in human resource management. Well-being is pivotal for positive psychological feeling of workers, and also conducive for economic growth. Employee well-being has positive effects on company performance, profitability and growth. Therefore, employee well-being is a cardinal factor across the globe. Security guards, like any other employees, deserve decent conditions of service, which promote their overall well-being. Youths who lack sufficient funds to pursue tertiary education in universities end up undertaking the most affordable short courses in order to see them through employment, as they are desperate for incomes to sustain themselves and families. The commonest affordable short courses in Southern Africa include those found in jobs such as security guards, carpentry, tailoring, and cookery. Amongst the most affordable short courses, youths prefer security guard training due to its high job market demand. The health, safety, and quality of the physical environment, as well as the low subsistence wages for Security guards leave much to be desired. The labour standards of security guards in Africa are unthinkable, unsatisfactory and atrocious. This study aims at introducing essential recommendations in order to improve the well-being of security guards in southern Africa. The paper adopted a qualitative research approach by gathering information from security guards working in five different security firms in Zambia.
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Iannella, Mattia, Walter De Simone, Francesco Cerasoli, Paola D’Alessandro, and Maurizio Biondi. "A Continental-Scale Connectivity Analysis to Predict Current and Future Colonization Trends of Biofuel Plant’s Pests for Sub-Saharan African Countries." Land 10, no. 11 (November 20, 2021): 1276. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/land10111276.
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Biofuel production in Sub-Saharan Africa is an important part of local low-income countries. Among many plant species, Jatropha curcas gained popularity in this area, as it can be grown even where crops of agricultural interest cannot. A natural African pest of J. curcas is the Aphthona cookei species group, for which future climatic suitability is predicted to favor areas of co-occurrence. In this research, we identify the possible climatic corridors in which the colonization of J. curcas crops may occur through a circuit theory-based landscape connectivity software at a country scale. Additionally, we use the standardized connectivity change index to predict possible variations in future scenarios. Starting from ecological niche models calibrated on current and 2050 conditions (two different RCP scenarios), we found several countries currently showing high connectivity. Ghana, Zambia and Ivory Coast host both high connectivity and a high number of J. curcas cultivations, which is also predicted to increase in the future. On the other side, Burundi and Rwanda reported a future increase of connectivity, possibly acting as “connectivity bridges” among neighboring countries. Considering the economic relevance of the topic analyzed, our spatially explicit predictions can support stakeholders and policymakers at a country scale in informed territorial management.
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Santoro, Licia, Francesco Putzolu, Nicola Mondillo, Maria Boni, and Richard Herrington. "Influence of Genetic Processes on Geochemistry of Fe-oxy-hydroxides in Supergene Zn Non-Sulfide Deposits." Minerals 10, no. 7 (July 1, 2020): 602. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/min10070602.
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In supergene Zn non-sulfide deposits, the Fe-oxy-hydroxides (FeO/OH) are mainly concentrated in the residual zones (gossan) on top of the oxidized ore bodies, although they can also be found throughout the whole weathering profile coexisting with the primary and secondary ore assemblages. Fe-oxy-hydroxides are rarely pure as they form in systems where a wide range of metals, most of them of economic importance (e.g., Zn, Pb, Co, REE, Sc, Ga, Ge, V, etc.), freely circulate and can be “captured” under specific conditions. Although their occurrence can be widespread, and they have a potential to scavenge and accumulate critical metals, FeO/OH are considered gangue phases during the existing processing routes of Zn non-sulfide ores. Moreover, very little is known about the role of the deposit type on the geochemistry of FeO/OH formed in a specific association. Therefore, this paper provides a comprehensive assessment of the trace element footprint of FeO/OH from a number of Zn non-sulfide deposits, in order to define parameters controlling the metals’ enrichment process in the mineral phase. To achieve this, we selected FeO/OH-bearing mineralized samples from four supergene Zn non-sulfide ores in diverse settings, namely Hakkari (Turkey), Jabali (Yemen), Cristal (Peru) and Kabwe (Zambia). The petrography of FeO/OH was investigated by means of scanning electron microscope energy dispersive analysis (SEM-EDS), while the trace element composition was assessed using laser ablation-ICP-MS (LA-ICP-MS). Statistical analyses performed on LA-ICP-MS data defined several interelement associations, which can be ascribed to the different nature of the studied deposits, the dominant ore-formation process and subsequent evolution of the deposits and the environmental conditions under which FeO/OH phases were formed. Based on our results, the main new inferences are: (A) Zinc, Si, Pb, Ga and Ge enrichment in FeO/OH is favored in ores where the direct replacement of sulfides is the dominant process and/or where the pyrite is abundant (e.g., Cristal and Hakkari). (B) When the dissolution of the host-rock is a key process during the supergene ore formation (i.e., Jabali), the buffering toward basic pH of the solutions favors the uptake in FeO/OH of elements leached from the host carbonate rock (i.e., Mn), whilst restricting the uptake of elements derived from the dissolution of sulfides (i.e., Zn, Pb, Ga and Ge), as well as silica. (C) The input of exotic phases can produce significant enrichment in “unconventional” metals in FeO/OH (i.e., Cr and Co at Kabwe; Y at Cristal) depending on whether the optimal pH-Eh conditions are attained. (D) In the Kabwe deposit, FeO/OH records heterogeneous geochemical conditions within the system: where locally basic conditions prevailed during the alteration process, the V and U concentration in FeO/OH is favored; yet conversely, more acidic weathering produced Zn- and Si-bearing FeO/OH.
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Lam, Terence Y. M., and Njavwa Siwingwa. "Risk management and contingency sum of construction projects." Journal of Financial Management of Property and Construction 22, no. 3 (November 6, 2017): 237–51. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/jfmpc-10-2016-0047.
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Purpose Most organisations do not have established guidelines for the estimation and management of contingency funds. The purpose of this paper is to identify the risk factors at the construction phase causing project cost overruns, and a reliable method for the estimation of contingency sum is established. Design/methodology/approach Combined qualitative–quantitative exploratory methods were used. Qualitative interviews were conducted with five expert practitioners working in a Public Works Department in Zambia to determine how contingency sum is estimated and to explore what risk factors should be considered. Quantitative regression used cost and risk data collected from 30 recently completed building and refurbishment projects. Findings The qualitative study indicated that the project budget overruns constitute a major issue. This finding is in line with the paired-samples t-test results which show that the difference between the total variations and the initial contingency sum tends to be significant. The regression analysis proved that the contingency sum was positively correlated to the estimated contract sum. The qualitative interview results and Pearson correlation analysis also showed that contingency sum and project complexity tend to have a significant correlation. The research also demonstrates that the type of works is not a direct significant factor. Research limitations/implications Because the projects used for the study were relatively short, duration of the project and economic factor of tax rate, exchange rate and inflation rate were not examined in the multiple regression analysis. Further studies should be conducted on longer projects to test out whether these risk factors are significant in influencing the project contingency. Practical implications The results demonstrate that the multiple regression method can be applied as a reliable tool to predict contingency sums. Accurate contingency sums and project budget estimates benefit construction clients and their project managers. Individual project conditions should be carefully examined when assessing the contingency. Originality/value This research establishes a reliable regression method for the assessment of the contingency for the pre-tender estimate which has significant impact on the project feasibility and cost control, using related risk factors involved in construction contingency and client’s contingency.
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Burke, William J., Thomas S. Jayne, and Nicholas J. Sitko. "Do Medium‐scale Farms Improve Market Access Conditions for Zambian Smallholders?" Journal of Agricultural Economics 71, no. 2 (August 29, 2019): 517–33. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1477-9552.12360.
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Stickler, M. Mercedes, Heather Huntington, Aleta Haflett, Silvia Petrova, and Ioana Bouvier. "Does de facto forest tenure affect forest condition? Community perceptions from Zambia." Forest Policy and Economics 85 (December 2017): 32–45. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2017.08.014.
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Kuntashula, Elias, and Eric Mungatana. "Estimating the causal effect of improved fallows on environmental services provision under farmers' field conditions in Chongwe, Zambia." Environment and Development Economics 20, no. 1 (February 13, 2014): 80–100. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1355770x14000011.
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AbstractThe provision of environmental services on-farm by the improved fallow (an agroforestry technology) has largely remained empirically untested in sub-Saharan Africa. Where effects of planting trees have been used to estimate the impacts on consumption of fuel wood from public land, actual estimates of the size of fuel wood consumption changes have been lacking. Using data from a survey of 324 households in the Chongwe district of Zambia, we tested the hypothesis that households embracing improved fallows use less fuel wood from public land since the technology provides wood as a by-product. Estimates from ordered probit and matching strategies showed that the technology had a significant causal effect of reducing the consumption of fuel wood from public land. Therefore, in addition to promoting it for soil fertility improvement, the extension messages should explicitly reflect the technology's potential to provide on-farm environmental quality.
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Bulawayo, Maio, Manenga Ndulo, and Justin Sichone. "Socioeconomic Determinants of Food Insecurity among Zambian Households: Evidence from a National Household Survey." Journal of Asian and African Studies 54, no. 6 (April 12, 2019): 800–818. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0021909619841655.
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Meal frequency is an important indicator of food security and nutritional status. Defining food insecurity as a household’s inability to consume at least three meals a day, this study uses a logit model to investigate the socioeconomic determinants of food insecurity among Zambian households. Primary data from the 2010 Living Conditions Monitoring Survey data set developed by the Central Statistical Office were used. The 2010 Living Conditions Monitoring Survey used a nationally representative sample of about 20,000 households. This study found that urban households, households with higher income, and households with younger, more educated and male heads were more likely to be food-secure. Therefore, there is need to accelerate investments in formal education, narrow the rural–urban socioeconomic divide, and reduce gender inequities through deliberate policies to increase women’s access to and control over economic resources such as land.
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Mueller, Valerie, Clark Gray, Sudhanshu Handa, and David Seidenfeld. "Do social protection programs foster short-term and long-term migration adaptation strategies?" Environment and Development Economics 25, no. 2 (August 1, 2019): 135–58. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1355770x19000214.
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AbstractWe examine how migration is influenced by temperature and precipitation variability, and the extent to which the receipt of a cash transfer affects the use of migration as an adaptation strategy. Climate data is merged with georeferenced panel data (2010–2014) on individual migration collected from the Zambian Child Grant Program (CGP) sites. We use the person-year dataset to identify the direct and heterogeneous causal effects of the CGP on mobility. Having access to cash transfers doubles the rate of male, short-distance moves during cool periods, irrespective of wealth. Receipt of cash transfers (among wealthier households) during extreme heat causes an additional retention of males. Cash transfers positively spur long-distance migration under normal climate conditions in the long term. They also facilitate short-distance responses to climate, but not long-distance responses that might be demanded by future climate change.
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Musambachime, M. C. "The University of Zambia's Institute for African Studies and Social Science Research in Central Africa, 1938-1988." History in Africa 20 (1993): 237–48. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/3171973.
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G. K. Gwassa states that research institutes in Africa constitute one critical factor of development in that they have to undertake the twin problems of research which involve the search for and the discovery of the process of social development. They also undertake purposeful functional research by (especially) studying and analyzing internal economic and social conditions in order to determine the characteristics, variables, and criteria for rational economic and political actions within a given country. These have become the functions of many social science research institutions in sub-Saharan Africa. The pioneer in all this is the University of Zambia's Institute for African Studies, the oldest social science-oriented research center in black Africa.The Institute was founded in 1938 as the Rhodes-Livingstone Institute for Social Research (RLISR). In its fifty years of existence the Institute has made contributions which have earned it an international reputation for its research work. The aim of this paper is to assess the contribution of the Institute to social science research in its first fifty years of existence. In undertaking this task, I propose to discuss the topic under three broad areas: foundation, aims, and objectives; publication and research; and problems encountered and their solution.
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Ngoma, Hambulo, Arild Angelsen, Thomas S. Jayne, and Antony Chapoto. "Understanding Adoption and Impacts of Conservation Agriculture in Eastern and Southern Africa: A Review." Frontiers in Agronomy 3 (June 22, 2021). http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fagro.2021.671690.
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Conservation Agriculture (CA) aims to concurrently promote agricultural productivity, local livelihoods, climate resilience and other environmental objectives. We review the emerging evidence base in Eastern and Southern Africa to address whether CA is climate smart and why adoption rates by smallholders remain generally very low. We first develop an adoption framework that can be used to assess when and where the different components of CA are expected to be adopted under different conditioning factors and consider options to make CA climate smart. Our results suggest that CA can contribute positively to productivity and adaptation/resilience objectives, although the degree of success varies considerably by farm, household and regional characteristics. Overall, we find that capital-intensive (mechanized) CA is more likely to be adopted in areas of economic dynamism where capital is cheap relative to labor. Labor-intensive CA practices are more likely to be adopted in regions of economic stagnation where capital is expensive, and labor is abundant and cheap. A subnational focus is needed to identify economic conditions of different regions and agro-ecological zones and to test hypotheses derived from the framework in this paper and to propose the most appropriate CA packages for promotion. Our findings suggest that labor using variants of CA such as planting basins are more likely to be adopted than are capital using mechanized options in densely populated parts of Malawi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe where labor is abundant, and presumably cheap, but capital is expensive. However, rising land scarcity (prices) and wages in the region present an opportunity for capital intensive, mechanized CA operations to be adopted if the cost of capital can be kept low and if there is a supportive environment for mechanization. We conclude that CA is climate smart and if adopted widely, it has the potential to help build resilience in smallholder farming systems. CA can be more climate smart, and its uptake can be enhanced by reframing, better targeting, adapting CA to location-specific economic and biophysical, and through greater and more effective public spending on agricultural research and development.
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Windapo, Abimbola. "Editorial." Journal of Construction Business and Management 4, no. 1 (April 27, 2020). http://dx.doi.org/10.15641/jcbm.4.1.888.
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On behalf of the editorial team of the Journal of Construction Business and Management, I warmly welcome you to the seventh issue. In line with the objectives of the journal, the issue presents scholarly discussions on theoretical and empirical challenges confronting best practices and policies in infrastructure and engineering projects. The intention is to understand what is obtainable in practice and whether it aligns with theory to work on the gaps. The topics in this issue covered ethics in construction, accounting in construction projects, socio-economic impacts of civil works, entrepreneurship in construction, finance of infrastructure projects and a framework on construction subcontracting policy. The issue contains six articles that were written by sixteen scholars based in Botswana, Nigeria, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The first paper by Akintola, Jagboro, Ojo and Odediran assesses effective mechanism for the enforcement of ethical standards to improve public confidence in construction professionals. The study reveals that personal reputation, promotion of civic right, and good citizenry were moderately significant as ethical standards. The study concludes that four major mechanisms that are effective in the enforcement of ethical standards in the construction industry in Nigeria are roles to be played by the stakeholders, individual, industry and legal instruments. The second paper by Rwelamila and Mogome investigates challenges of formally closing the final account of construction projects in Botswana local authorities. The results show that the process of final account closure was inefficient and marginally effective. The rationale for such inefficiency and ineffectiveness are contractors abandoning projects when they realize that the cost of rectifying the defects far exceeds the outstanding balance. Also, clients taking too long to agree and approve final accounts and loss of information when key personnel leave the project on the contractor's side before the final account is finalized. The study concludes that all adopted contract conditions be modified to address the challenges.
Alade’s paper assesses the environmental and socio-economic effects of the upgrade of Ojodu Berger road in Lagos, Nigeria and the mitigating measures of the adverse effects. The article reveals that poor environmental conditions happen at the pre-construction stage, which becomes escalated at the construction phase while noise pollution is the most significant environmental problem. At the construction phase, encroachment on pedestrian facilities has the most significant impact. Socio-economic impacts such as increased rental value, unemployment and displacement of businesses are also significant. Mitigating measures against adverse socio-economic impacts were neither effective nor ineffective, while some adverse effects were not mitigated. There is no evidence that an environmental impact assessment was carried out before the implementation of the project.
The fourth paper by Adu, Lamptey-Puddicombe and Opawole examines survival strategies for building construction management entrepreneurs and factors affecting the adoption of the survival strategies at the infancy stage. Results reveal that all the strategies considered are significant and the dominant ones are innovativeness, required skills, willingness to take risks, entrepreneurial attitudes and behaviours, entrepreneurial organization structure and strategies, and financial resource management. Dominant factors affecting the adoption of survival strategies of construction entrepreneurs are availability and access to finance, the poor state of infrastructure, poor managerial/executive capacity in implementing strategies, characteristics of entrepreneurs and failure to adapt to the changing business environment. Adu et al. conclude that regular training is essential for entrepreneurs to acquire the required skills for effective management of their enterprises.
The fifth paper by Tshehla and Mukudu investigates the critical success factors for assessing project finance for infrastructure development in Zimbabwe. The study grouped the identified factors into governmental, financing, project, special purpose vehicle, and politics and economies, which are extremely important as critical success factors for accessing finance and project financing. The paper concludes that there are critical factors for assessing project finance in Zimbabwe. The last article by Mambwe, Mwanaumo, Phiri and Chabota analyzes policies on the subcontracting practices of local contractors intending to develop a framework that can be used to build capacity within the construction sector in Zambia. The study establishes that critical deficiencies in implementing subcontracting policies are that subcontractors do not participate early in the procurement process and are introduced after the contract is awarded. It also emerged that no clear guidelines on the implementation of the policy are available. It is challenging to grow the capacity of local contractors using the existing subcontracting policy because main contractors are not interested in building the capabilities of local contractors due to lack of incentives.
Finally, I acknowledge all authors who submitted papers for consideration. I also value the contributions and unrelenting efforts of the JCBM editorial board members and panel of reviewers in ensuring that manuscripts are of high quality and keeping the journal on the path to attaining the expected standard and quality. We always welcome criticisms, feedbacks and suggestions from readers on how to improve the quality of the journal.
Abimbola Windapo PhD
Editor-in-chief
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Masindi, Nkhangweleni, and Paul Singh. "A Panel Data Analysis into the Impact of Regulations and Supervision on the African Banking Profitability and Risk Profile." Journal of Economics and Business 5, no. 2 (June 30, 2022). http://dx.doi.org/10.31014/aior.1992.05.02.410.
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This paper investigated the effect of banking regulations and supervision on the profitability and risk profile of banks in selected African countries over the period 2009 to 2019. The study focused on 33 banks operating across 9 African countries, namely South Africa, Uganda, Kenya, Tunisia, Egypt, Namibia, Zambia, Nigeria and Ghana, as representative of the continent. It includes data from some of the major economies in the continent such as South Africa, Nigeria and Egypt to ensure that regulatory and supervisory developments in the continent are analysed appropriately. The analyses of the various interrelations were done using dynamic panel data modelling, Cointegration, and error correlation modelling approaches using Eviews statistical software. The study uses an unbalanced panel of commercial banks in the selected countries to estimate the model with both the return on equity and the return on assets as proxies for profitability. Overall, evidence shows that a well-regulated, stable and supervised banking sector is critical in the sustainable economic growth of the prospective economies. The findings of the study, however, provide an interesting outcome, in contrast to other studies, highlighting that the coefficient of the capital adequacy ratio is negative and statistically not significant to the profitability. This reflects the weak financial conditions in most African countries. The negative and statistically insignificant capital adequacy ratio could also be a reflection of the unacceptable risk profile of banks in the continent. Besides the literature reflecting that adjustment in the inflation rate improves banks’ profitability, this study contrasts with this view, a further reflection of the uniqueness of the banks operating environment in the continent. This output cautions banks in Africa on the profile of risks that they should take as this could impact negatively on their profitability during periods of increasing inflation. This again offers important policy implications for regulators of banks and policymakers in Africa regarding the regulations and supervisory frameworks that relate to on boarding of clients and management of the loan portfolios.
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Paul, Laura A. "Heterogeneous and conditional returns from DT maize for farmers in Southern Africa." European Review of Agricultural Economics, September 15, 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/erae/jbab040.
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Abstract This paper assesses the relative advantage of drought-tolerant (DT) maize, conditional on drought severity, using an unbalanced panel of 4 years of on-farm yield trials and high-resolution precipitation data (10-day measurements at a 0.05° resolution) in Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Under rain-fed conditions, DT maize yield exceeds that of other varieties: 7 per cent higher yields on average and 15 per cent higher yields under moderate drought stress. While this contrasts with higher estimates measured in controlled trials, it nonetheless represents an economically significant advantage. This study further measures heterogeneity in the relative advantage conditional using conditional quantile analysis.
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St Leger Moss, Alexander, John Luiz, and Boyd Sarah. "First Capital Bank: The internationalisation of a Malawian bank into a regional player in Southern Africa." Case Writing Centre, University of Cape Town, Graduate School of Business, June 26, 2020, 1–14. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/caseuct-2020-000003.
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Subject area of the teaching case The subject area is international business and strategy. The case allows scope for the following areas: internationalisation, market strategy, emerging market multinational companies, and doing business in Africa. Student level The primary target audience for this teaching case is postgraduate business students such as Master of Business Administration (MBA), or postgraduate management programmes. The case is primarily designed for use in courses that cover strategy or international business. Brief overview of the teaching case This case centres on the international growth strategy of FMBcapital Holdings Group (FMB), the Malawian commercial banking firm. The case finds the founder and current group chairman, Hitesh Anadkat, in 2016, as he and the FMB board are about to decide on the next move in their Southern African strategy. Since opening the first FMB branch in Malawi and becoming the country's first commercial banker in 1995, Anadkat and his team have ridden a wave of financial deregulation across the region to successfully expand into neighbouring Botswana, Zambia, and Mozambique. Now, an opportunity to gain a foothold in Zimbabwe means the leaders must decide (1) whether they want to continue to grow the FMB footprint across the region, or focus on their integration and expansion efforts within existing markets; and (2) how they will realise this strategy. Expected learning outcomes International expansion – identifying the need to expand into new markets; identifying the combination of internal strengths and external conditions that make international expansion viable; and identifying and analysing each possible new market(s) and the decision-making process involved. Political, social and economic factors in Africa – understanding how these external institutional factors present constraints, risks and opportunities for internationalisation and hence shape strategy; understanding that these factors may vary significantly across countries on the continent (in spite of their geographic proximity) and in some cases, within a single country; and understanding that by selecting markets with extreme socially and politically volatile contexts, the risk of a worst-case scenario transpiring (in which institutional forces trump business strategy) is appreciable. Combination of resource- and institutional-based approaches – recognising that successful internationalisation requires capitalising upon both internal resources and institutional mastery. Choosing expansion strategies – assessing the type of new market entry (e.g. greenfield or acquisition of existing operations) and its adequacy for penetrating a new market. Using networks and local partners – to substitute and enhance the benefits that originally flow from a small (and sometime family-established) business, with an emphasis on acquisition of skills and networks in foreign countries. Regional integration – optimising business operations through a sharing or pooling of resources and improved capital flow between subsidiaries, in some instances by taking advantage of economies of scale (this extends to enhancing the reputation and awareness of a brand across a wider region). Family businesses – identifying the value that can be gained through establishing a family business with the support of many “close” stakeholders while also noting the limitation that exist as expansion and growth is required.
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Van Asseldonk, Marcel, Gideon Onumah, and Robert Lensink. "Credit-linked insurance bundles in Zambia: evidence from the aftermath of a shock." Agricultural Finance Review, December 13, 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/afr-05-2021-0067.
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Purpose This research seeks to assess the impact of a credit-linked insurance bundle in Zambia, in terms of the inputs used and the amount of maize subsequently produced and sold. Design/methodology/approach To estimate the impact of a credit-linked insurance bundle, this research relies on a natural field experiment. A cross-sectional survey, conducted among 409 households that enrolled in a credit-linked insurance program prior to a drought and adverse market conditions, revealed that 252 households dropped out of the program. Of these, 113 households left for an exogenous, involuntary reason (i.e. group loan was not repaid on time). Findings A comparison of households that used the program and those that dropped out reveals that smallholders who lost the credit-linked insurance bundle purchased less fertilizer (−36%), and this input restriction resulted in diminished harvests (−27%) and less quantity sold (−31%). Research limitations/implications Risk-exposed smallholders tend to be severely credit constrained, so they cannot invest in sufficient inputs to increase their yields. A credit-linked insurance scheme provides such risk-exposed smallholders, who lack or have only limited collateral, with commercial agricultural credit services and greater access to input. The current analysis cannot specifically attribute the impact of individual components of the bundle (i.e. credit, insurance and input supply), but the overall impact is substantial. The implication of this research is that policy initiatives which support a credit-linked insurance system should not only encourage upscaling but also resilience of the scheme. Practical implications Aligning government and public support programs with private initiatives suggests opportunities for greater benefits. Social implications African farmers are mainly smallholders, so they face inherent production risks. They also tend to be severely credit constrained, with few means to mitigate these risks, so they suffer from a limited capacity to invest in improved farm technology systems that might increase their productivity. Insured input bundles could help farmers to cope better with adverse risks and facilitate increase productivity. Originality/value This research design exploits the peculiarity of the data, including group liability and a strict time window for loan repayments to remain eligible in a forthcoming growing season. This impact assessment approach is rigorous in controlling for self-selection bias and thus offers opportunities to establish how households in each sub-sample (eligible or not) are (un)able to ride out a lean season, following a drought and adverse market conditions.
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KABENGELE, CHRISTIAN, and JAKOB ROESSLING. "EVALUATING THE EFFECT OF MOBILE MONEY ON FIRM PRODUCTIVITY IN AFRICA: A COMPARISON OF THE FORMAL AND INFORMAL SECTORS." Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship, July 1, 2022. http://dx.doi.org/10.1142/s1084946722500091.
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We explore the relationship between firms’ mobile money use and their productivity using a sample of 994 formal and 1,499 informal, predominantly micro-, small- and medium firms from Zambia, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Our findings reveal a positive and statistically significant relationship between mobile money use and labor productivity for informal firms. The effect also appears to be stronger for female-led than for male-led informal firms, suggesting that mobile money could be a valuable tool to promote gender equity in Africa’s informal sector. In contrast, for formal firms, the effect vanishes once all relevant controls are accounted for. Thus, for formal firms, mobile money may be insufficient to overcome the impediments of their business environments in Africa. Further, a complementary fsQCA reveals configurations of conditions that appear important for informal firms to truly benefit from the productivity enhancing potential of mobile money. The combination of founders’ education, firms’ location, their sector and their use of traditional bank accounts appear particularly crucial. The fsQCA findings give additional nuance to our regression results. Overall, our findings suggest that firms more exposed to transaction costs benefit more from mobile money.