bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Challenges Impeding Regional Integration in Southern Africa
Authors: Mlambo Victor H , Mlambo Daniel N
Published: January 2020

Regional integration through the establishment of regional groupings has been taunted as a gateway to regional development and growth, the coming together of countries to share and contribute to knowledge, policy development, peace and security, trade and educational development is undoubtedly seen as the key to the development of Southern Africa. However, regional integration in Southern Africa has been hampered by numerous challenges which have derailed the quest of regional countries to deepen integration and cooperation. By strictly analyzing relevant literature related to regional integration in Southern Africa, it became evident that the region is engulfed with serious challenges that are hindering the quest for deeper integration, and often this is further compounded by internal economic challenges that membersâ€™ states are faced with. The study uncovered the fact that regional integration has been difficult to entrench as member states are confronted with numerous internal challenges which are diverting their need to focus on regional matters. Consequently, regional integration is under threat in Southern Africa as many countries are not effectively prioritizing the development of policies aimed at aiding its entrenchment, mainly because of the significance of the challenges that they are facing and this will further affect membersâ€™ states regarding socioeconomic development. The study underscored the importance for regional governments to cooperate on issues of common threats and urgently develop and institute policies/mechanisms that would ensure the entrenchment of regional integration and more importantly its sustainability.
Factors Affecting the Business Performance of Small Businesses in Sekhukhune
Authors: Garg Ajay K , Phaahla Phillip NT
Published: January 2020

This study identifies the factors that affect the business performance of Small, Micro and Medium Enterprises (SMMEs) in the Sekhukhune District of the Limpopo Province in South Africa. The study collected data from a randomly selected sample of 200 SMMEs and used WARP PLS software to analyse data. The results indicated that five factors, namely â€œfinanceâ€, â€œcharacteristics of entrepreneursâ€, â€œlocation of businessâ€, â€œgovernment supportâ€, as well as â€œproducts and servicesâ€ were positively related to business performance. In contrast to other studies, this study found that ownersâ€™ personal funds and their proper management played a key role in the performance of businesses. This has a major implication for government support agencies that provide funding opportunities.
Farmers' Preference for Soil and Water Conservation Practices in Nigeria: Analytic Hierarchic Process Approach
Authors: Olawuyi Seyi Olalekan
Published: January 2020

Enhancing agricultural production through sustainable soil/land and water conservation practices are vital to the sustenance of the human race as entrenched in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2, 12 and 15 respectively. Smallholder farmers are faced with myriads of soil and water-related issues in production which make them vulnerable to land degradation and low productivity. This calls for policies to enhance sustainable food production; hence, the need for this study which highlighted the influencing dynamics governing the preference and use of SWC practices alternatives in Nigeria with particular reference to Osun State. Multi-stage sampling technique was adopted in this study to select the representative sample of 240 respondents. Data collected through primary source include information on selected farmersâ€™ socioeconomic attributes, institutional and farm level characteristics as well as the SWC practices prevalent in the study area. The SWC practices highlighted in this study include: Soil Management/Amendment Practices (SAP), Agronomic Practices (AP) and Cultivation Practices (CP). The data collected were analyzed with crosstabulation analysis, AHP technique and the logit regression model. The results from AHP revealed that Agronomic Practices (AP) is the most preferred and used SWC practice option in the study area while marginal effects of the logit regression revealed that age, gender, years of formal education, membership of local level institutions, access to extension services and frequency of extension visit as well as farmersâ€™ perception on the impact of extension visit are significant influencing dynamics governing the rural farmersâ€™ preference and use of SWC practices alternatives in the study area. Hence, concerted efforts should be geared towards developing pro-farmers policies in line with these influencing dynamics.
Labour Dynamics in Climate and Techno Reliant Small Scale Maize Production
Authors: Kambanje Ardinesh , Ngarava Saul , Mushunje Abyssinia , Taruvinga Amon
Published: January 2020

Adoption of improved technology tends to recalibrate labour use in agricultural production. The study examined how the adoption of various maize varieties impacted labour use in smallholder production. The study utilised a structured pre-coded questionnaire-based survey of 487 smallholder maize farmers in South Africa. The purposive sample was obtained from Ingquza Hill and Port St Johnâ€™s Local Municipalities in the Eastern Cape Province. A multinomial regression model and Monte Carlo Simulation were utilised to analyse the data. Statistical Package for Social Scientist (SPSS) version 23 as well as Excel were the statistical tools utilised. Through multinomial regression analysis, the study found that weeding labour was the most significantly affected by a change in maize variety. It was observed that as maize variety transcends in use from Landrace to GMO, improved OPV and conventional hybrid, ploughing and weeding hours tend to decrease. The harvesting, storage and shelling hours tend to increase. Utilising the Monte Carlo Simulation, the study also found an increased impact of maize variety utilisation on harvesting as well as on shelling and storage labour hours.  The study recommends that varieties be promoted taking cognizance of the labour dynamics to tier maximize suitability and labour-based productivity, reducing tedious labour use in ploughing and weeding, whilst promoting employment in harvesting, shelling and storage.
Owners' Characteristics and the Financial Bootstrapping Strategies Used by Rural Small Businesses in South Africa
Authors: Nchabeleng Maurice , Fatoki Olawale , Oni Olabanji
Published: January 2020

The purpose of this study was to examine if there are significant differences in the financial bootstrapping strategies of rural small businesses on the basis of owners' demographic characteristics (level of education and gender). The research followed a quantitative research method with descriptive research design. A sample of 104 rural small businesses participated in the survey. Data was collected through the use of self-administered questionnaires in a survey. The participants in the study were rural small business owners in Fetakgomo Municipality located in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. The study utilised the convenience and snowball sampling techniques to select the study participants. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, factor analysis and the T-test. The Cronbach alpha was used to measure reliability. The results of the T-test showed significant differences between gender and level of education and the financial bootstrapping methods used by rural small businesses. Recommendations are made to improve the awareness of bootstrapping by small business owners.
Conflicts Intervention and Peace-Building Mechanisms in the West Africa Sub-Region
Authors: Enaifoghe Andrew Osehi
Published: January 2020

Conflict prevail when there is the absence of peace. African countries probably get the worst representation globally with the exception of Syria when it comes to conflicts and violence in the continent. Seemingly, every story emanating from the continent project one atrocity or another. Despite the shouldering of the larger share of the worldâ€™s conflict, Africa has relatively become more peaceful as well, however in Nigeria, the Boko Haram insurgence in the north is another epicentre. This paper centres on the intervention besides collaborative determination of ECOWAS â€“ AU in mediating peace, and the peacebuilding mechanisms in resolving states conflicts, and to strengthen democracy in West Africa, with the case of CÃ´te dâ€™Ivoire. The organizationsâ€™ efforts in the Ivorian case reflect discourses and the dynamics of the operations of an effective regional organization, and the international community in addressing conflicts. The collaborative theory was embraced to put things inappropriate perception. Findings show that the implementation of the Contrivance and the Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance by ECOWAS were better prepared to meet challenges related to peace and security in the region. This paper concludes and recommends that organisations who mediate peace in any conflict zone must first understand the cause of the conflict, thereafter timely intervene, and take common positions in applying different mechanisms to prevent, manage and resolve conflicts. It is recommended that to prevent violence and human rights abuses in crisis situations, the organisations of ECOWAS and AU, and particularly SADC should improve interventions procedure.
An Investigation of the Dynamic Effect of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and Interest Rates on GDP in South Africa
Authors: Habanabakize Thomas , Meyer Daniel F
Published: January 2020

Economic growth in South Africa has been in the â€œdoldrumsâ€ for the past decade. If well managed, foreign direct investment (FDI) and repo rate (interest rate) could have a positive impact and assist in rapid economic growth so urgently needed in South Africa. FDI has been a driving force for growth in many developing economies. Not enough has been done to attract FDI in South Africa. The country has enormous ability and capacity to attract FDI inflows and to have the advantages from it. A quantitative research approach was used to analyse the association amongst the variables which include FDI, GDP and repo rate in the South African economy. The South African Reserve Bank database was used and the period analysed is from 2000 to 2016. Statistical and econometric methods such as correlation analysis, unit root tests, ARDL Bounds test for cointegration, an error correction model (ECM), and the Granger causality tests were used. Subsequently, after the econometric model was estimated, findings indicated the existence of a long-run relationship between the three variables. While, a significant positive relationship exists between FDI and GDP, a negative long-run relationship was found between GDP and repo rate and interestingly a nonsignificant relationship between repo rate and FDI. In the short run, the positive effect of FDI on GDP is minimal whilst a significant and positive relationship exists between GDP and repo rate. The results did also show some limitations in the results, with regards to FDI and repo rate that there is no significant relationship between the variables, meaning that repo rate does not have an impact on FDIs. Although some long-run evidence was found of FDI playing a role in economic growth in South Africa, such impact is limited. Also very interesting is that the repo rate and FDI do not have a statistically significant relationship. This could be due to the rising risks associated with investments in the country. In conclusion, there are many variables which could have a positive impact on the attraction of FDIs and such factors will be explored further in future studies.
Determinants of Climate Change Awareness among Rural Farming Households in South Africa
Authors: Samuel Oduniyi Oluwaseun , Micheal Antwi , Nkonki-Mandleni Busisiwe
Published: January 2020

Climate change and rural livelihood capitals remain the major inextricable dimensions of sustainability in this twenty-first century globally. It is known to be an important challenge facing food security status among African countries. Additionally, it is an indisputable fact that climate change and agriculture are intertwined. In view of this, climate change awareness needs to be strengthened in the rural farming households. The study was carried out in Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality, in the North West Province of South Africa to determine awareness of climate change. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select three hundred and forty-six (346) farmers who were interviewed from the study area. Data were analyzed using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). The binary logistic regression model was employed to analyse the factors driving climate change awareness. The study established that majority of the rural farmers in the study area aware of climate change, in which farm size, education, who owns the farm, information received on climate change, source of climate change information, climate change information through extension services, channel of information received on climate change and support received on climate change are statistically significant (p<0.05) determinants of climate change awareness in the study area.
Modelling Real Private Consumption Expenditure in South Africa to Test the Absolute Income Hypothesis
Authors: K.G. Bokana , W.N.S. Kabongo
Published: January 2020

This paper explores, the hotly debated topic among economists and policymakers, whether fiscal and monetary policies impact on households by examining the relevance of the absolute income hypothesis in explaining private consumption expenditure and its relationship with household disposable income in South Africa. Worldwide, private consumption expenditure remains a big puzzle for leading consumption function theories. Friedmanâ€™s permanent income hypothesis posits that private consumption expenditure is not affected by how much consumers earn on a daily basis, but by what they expect to earn during their lifetime. Friedmanâ€™s permanent income hypothesis is at odds with Keynesâ€™s absolute income hypothesis, that private consumption expenditure is affected by fiscal stimulus policies, which are effective for increasing economic activity and employment. Subscribing to the former underrates the potential power of fiscal stimulus policies and other monetary or trade policies that boost short-term income. The overarching objective of this paper is to ascertain whether patterns of private consumption expenditure in South Africa are determined by Friedman or Keynesâ€™s theory. The paper specified econometric equations with quarterly seasonally adjusted data from the South African Reserve Bank for the sample period 1984 to 2015 and estimated them with cointegration techniques consisting of the Engle-Granger two-step approach. The importance of the paper and its scientific novelty are that it is more realistic since it specified models that take into account the reaction time of the dependent variable when the independent variable changes by imposing lags on the variables. The empirical results indicate that in South Africa, when household disposable income changes over time, private consumption expenditure depends more on a householdâ€™s previous disposable income than its current disposable income. The main empirical finding is that the absolute income hypothesis is not appropriate in explaining private consumption expenditure in this country. Even when the interest rate was included in a modified absolute income hypothesis, the overall estimates were not robust. Hence, estimates of the short- and long-run regression models were not consistent with the absolute income hypothesis. This is in line with arguments put forward in some extant studies using this model, that the fiscal stimulus policies might not generate the desired increased economic activity and employment. If households use money from the fiscal stimulus policies to bail themselves out of existing debts rather than consume additional goods and services which, would be the catalyzer to increase Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
High-Quality Input Choice under Uncertainty and Ambiguity: An Exploratory Study of Costa Rica's Coffee Sector
Authors: Najera Joselyne , Arzadun Paula , Navarro Monica , Solis Martin
Published: January 2020

The purpose of the present study was to analyze the effect of multiple variables on the decision to invest in high versus regular-quality coffee production inputs. Thereby, a laboratory experiment was conducted with one hundred twenty-three undergraduate students, and posterior logistic regressions with random intercept were executed to analyze the collected data. The results showed that when there is a difference in the investment cost between a coffee of higher quality and a coffee of lower quality (regular), there is a slight increase in the odds ratio of investment in quality coffee, when going from an uncertainty condition of income to one with certainty in income of a higher quality coffee. On the other hand, when the cost is equal for both types of coffee, there is a strong increase in the odds ratio when going from an uncertainty condition to one with certainty. In addition, it was found that both the possibility of loss if there is an investment in a higher quality coffee and the ambiguity in the probability of facing a favorable business climate, reduce the odds ratio of investing in higher-quality coffee.
An Empirical Analysis of Exchange Rate Pass-Through to Prices in South Africa (2002-2016)
Authors: Maduku Harris , Kaseeram Irrshad
Published: January 2020

South Africa is currently running inflation targeting monetary policy since the year 2000 solely to achieve price stability. However, the persistent depreciation of the rand is making keeping inflation within the stipulated band very cumbersome. The objective of this paper is to find the duration taken by price indices to respond to exchange rate fluctuations. A Recursive VAR was used to investigate exchange rate passthrough (ERPT) to tradable prices in South Africa. Using monthly data, we find producer prices contributing highly to inflation with an average of 22% of fluctuations passed to prices. Large and persistent ERPT, especially on import and producer prices accompanied by high wage demands and a depreciating currency, are worrying factors for South Africa. Policy makers are advised to consider targeting the exchange rate if inflation is to be kept under control
The Role of International Academic Professionals in the Development of Entrepreneurial Universities in South Africa: Government Funded Universities Perspective
Authors: Mutanda Mary , Lekhanya Lawrence Mpele , Moyo Sibusiso
Published: January 2020

There is a wide belief and acceptance from leading government and business experts that small enterprises and entrepreneurship are the key components to unemployment and poverty alleviation in any country. Unfortunately, high unemployment levels, low entrepreneurial activity and high small business failure rate have become the main characteristics of the South African economy. Post-school education is partially blamed for the dropping levels of entrepreneurial activities in the country. South Africaâ€™s tertiary education system continues to focus on producing job-seekers instead of job creators. This problem has forced South African Universities to explore more on their potential of becoming more entrepreneurial, but lack of academics in the field of entrepreneurship has been found to be a hindrance to success in this agenda. To avert this obstacle, it is reiterated that internationalisation is key to any university entrepreneurship strategy, and therefore universities are encouraged to internationalise through attracting international entrepreneurial staff. The purpose of this literature review paper is twofold. The first part explores the role played by international academic professionals in the establishment of entrepreneurial universities in South Africa, while the second aims at evaluating the state of entrepreneurship development in higher education and the potential of South African universities becoming more entrepreneurial. The study employs both quantitative and qualitative research techniques (mixed method). The study reveals that South African universities should internationalise if they are to succeed in the entrepreneurial strategy. In addition, it is found that foreign academics have the required skills and bring in the diverse expertise needed for the establishment of entrepreneurial universities. Moreover, the presence of international academics has enhanced entrepreneurship mindset of local staff and students. It is recommended that universities should establish entrepreneurial institutes which are affiliated to them in order to drive this initiative and that the establishment of entrepreneurial universities is the way to go in South Africa if the country is to beat poverty and unemployment.
Stakeholder Engagement as a Core Management Function: Analysing the Business Value of Stakeholder Engagement for Nigerian Business Organizations
Authors: Isike Christopher , Ajeh Alice
Published: January 2020

This article examines the importance of adopting credible stakeholder engagement (SE) as a core management function, with particular reference to Nigerian business organizations. It used content analysis method to specifically examine the role of SE in business organizations; determine the utility of credible SE as a core management function rather than as an add-on; and trace measurable links between SE and business value (profit) with reference to selected multinational companies operating in Nigeriaâ€™s Niger Delta region. The article situated its arguments within the Stakeholder Model of Business Value Creation, which it used as a conceptual analytical framework to justify why business organizations in the region should dedicate more attention and resources to quality SE for sustainable profitability. As the findings show, business organizations in the Niger Delta tend to treat SE as an add-on rather than as a core management function. Therefore, given the business value that effective SE adds to an organization, a paradigm shift is required. Business organizations in Nigeria should elevate SE to core management level with the requisite budget to make it fully functional.
The Influence of Brand Trust, Brand Familiarity and Brand Experience on Brand Attachment: A Case of Consumers in the Gauteng Province of South Africa
Authors: E Chinomona , ET Maziriri
Published: January 2020

In todayâ€™s post-modern era, brands significantly play an important role in consumer behaviour. This paper aimed at examining how brand trust, brand familiarity and brand experience have an influence on brand attachment using a sample of consumers within the Gauteng Province of South Africa. A quantitative method using Smart PLS was employed to test the relationships among the three hypotheses. A structured questionnaire consisting of validated scales for brand trust, brand familiarity, brand experience and brand attachment was administered to a sample of 181 consumers within the Gauteng province of South Africa. The results of this study showed that brand trust, brand familiarity and brand experience positively influences brand attachment in a significant and direct way. The results of this empirical study provided fruitful implications toacademicians, practitioners as well as policy makers from the perspective of academicians.This study makes a significant contribution to the brand management literature by systematically examiningthe influence of brand trust, brand familiarity and brand experience on brand attachment. On the practitionersâ€™ side, this study therefore submits thatbrand managers for companies in the Gauteng province ought to concentrate on strategies that enhance brand experience because it is likely to yield the desired brand attachment when compared to other research constructs. The results which have been obtained from this study may also be used to generate new policies and revision of the existing policies. Precisely,policies or strategies which exist in numerous organizationsare there in order to make consumers remain attached to certain brands.Moreover, this study vastly add new knowledge to the present body of brand management literature in Africa - a context that is neglected by some academicians in developing countries.
Generation Y-Turnover: A Complementary Fit Perspective
Authors: Queiri Abdelbaset , Madbouly Araby
Published: January 2020

Generation Y becomes the main pillar of workforce around the world. This generation enters the workplace with different values and characteristics from their counterparts of other generational workforces. In Malaysia, generation Y employees are well known of their high job mobility. Human resource managers are in dilemma of how to retain this new workforce? This paper serves the purpose to respond to such queries by investigating the factors contributing to Generation Y employeesâ€™ Turnover from a complementary fit perspective. This study was conducted in Malaysian Business Process Outsourcing Sector (PBO). The total sample was comprised of 318 respondents belong to generation Y employees. The data was analysed in Amos using two steps approach. Extrinsic, freedom and demand abilities fit were the predictors of Generation Y employeesâ€™ intention to quit in Malaysian BPO sector.Using cross sectional method limits our understanding to whether the predictors of turnover intention were due to career effects or generational effects. This study provides empirical evidences to Malaysian HR Managers to what makes generation Y employees leave the organization. This is a better surrogate of the existed anecdotal information. Furthermore, this study informs HR Managers that stereotyping the findings from Western context may be treated with caution.
The Dynamics of Foreign Direct Investment in BRICS Countries
Authors: Tsaurai Kunofiwa
Published: January 2020

Recent studies which investigated the determinants of foreign direct investment (FDI) in BRICS include Hsin-Hong and Shou-Ronne (2012), Nandi (2012), Jadhav (2012), Darzini and Amirmojahedi (2013), Nischith (2013), Ho et al. (2013), Kaur et al. (2013) and Priya and Archana (2014). The findings from these studies shows lack of consensus and confirm that a list of agreeable determinants of FDI in BRICS countries is still an unsettled matter. This paper was therefore initiated in order to contribute to the debate on the discourse on FDI determinants in BRICS countries.This paper deviates from earlier similar studies in five ways: (1) uses most recent data, (2) is the first to investigate whether a combination of financial development, trade openness, human capital, economic growth and inflation influence FDI in BRICS countries, (3) uses different proxies of the variables that affect FDI, (4) employed both fixed effects and pooled ordinary least squares (OLS) approaches and (5) used a stacked data approach.The results of the study showed that economic growth, trade openness and exchange rate stability positively impacted on FDI, financial development positively influenced FDI under fixed effects, FDI was positively influenced by human capital development using the pooled OLS and inflation negatively affected FDI in line with literature. Taking into account these findings, this study urges BRICS to implement policies that increase financial sector efficiency and economic growth, maintain stable exchange rates, keep inflation rates at lower levels, enhance trade openness and human capital development in order to increase FDI inflows.
The Role of E-Banking on the Switching Behaviour of Retail Clients of Commercial Banks in Polokwane, South Africa
Authors: Masocha Reginald , Matiza Tafadzwa
Published: January 2020

This study focused on investigating the role of E-banking on the switching behaviour of retail bank clients in Polokwane, South Africa. Recently, studies have shown that people are switching banks more often than in the past. Circumstances that are beyond control cause people to switch. This has become a challenge in the banking industry as many banks lose their clients. However, newly developed technologies have brought many changes in the operation of banks. The new E-banking services have enabled bank clients to have access to their bank account for 24 hours without visiting the physical branch. A sample of 98 respondents was surveyed in Polokwane, South Africa using the convenience sampling technique. The cronbach alpha test was used to ascertain reliability of the findings. The findings reveal that demographic characteristics have much impact on the switching behaviour of commercial bank clients and acceptance of e-banking services. Switching factors such as bank charges, low interest rates on savings, promotion activities, location and switching costs were the major reasons for bank customers to switch banks.
Determinants of Venture Capital Supply in Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Oni Olabanji
Published: January 2020

The purpose of this paper is to determine the variables that influence venture capital supply in Sub-Sahara Africa. The study developed econometric models and examined a 10-year period (2006 to 2015) pertaining to eight (8) Sub-Sahara African countries namely: Botswana, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Nigeria, South Africa and Uganda. The empirical model includes six determinants (initial public offering, market capitalisation, unemployment rate, foreign direct investment inflow, inflation rate and trade openness). Secondary data was utilised for the study. The primary sources of data were the World Bank Development indicators and Preqin data base. All the statistical analyses in the study were performed using E-views version 8. Panel data models of pooled, fixed and random effects were employed. The results suggest that there is a significant positive relationship between initial public offering, market capitalisation and venture capital supply. Second, there is no significant relationship between unemployment rate, foreign direct investment inflows, trade openness and venture capital supply. Based on the empirical findings, this study recommends that Sub-Sahara African governments should attempt to develop their economies by improving infrastructure and corporate governance. There is also a need for African countries to develop the equity market.
Food Inflation and Passenger Vehicle Purchases in South Africa: Cointegration, Short Run Dynamics and Causality
Authors: Tshiakambila Eric Kateta , Chisasa Joseph
Published: January 2020

Food inflation in South Africa has been observed to be a major source of underlying inflationary pressures in the economy due to its persistence beyond that of other commodities. In this regard, this study investigated whether an increase in the prices of food products has a significant effect on passenger vehicle purchases in South Africa. The Phillip-Perron (PP) test, showed vehicle purchases to be stationary in level while food inflation was stationary in the first difference. Using secondary time series data, the Johansen cointegration test revealed that the variables in the vehicle purchase function were cointegrated in the long run. The vector error correction model showed a long-run relationship, albeit insignificant, between food inflation and vehicle purchases. There was no evidence of a short run relationship between the two variables. The Granger causality test revealed no causal effect between the variables, regardless of the direction of the test. The study concluded that an increase in the prices of food products will not play a considerable role in consumersâ€™ vehicle purchase decisions in South Africa. These results have policy implications for the motor and related industries.
The Effect of Job Satisfaction on the Organisational Commitment of Administrators
Authors: Thabane L J , Radebe P Q , Dhurup M.
Published: January 2020

Administrators are an important human resource in Higher Education because they perform various duties that are critical to the daily operations of universities. In light of this, organisational commitment and job satisfaction of administrators are essential for the efficiency and effectiveness of universities. Notwithstanding the critical relevance and necessity of organisational commitment and job satisfaction, there is evidence of paucity of research on these areas among administrative staff in the South African higher education sector. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between organisational commitment and overall job satisfaction on the organisational commitment of administrators at a university in Gauteng. To achieve the aforementioned objective, a quantitative survey approach was used to examine the relationship between overall job satisfaction and organisational commitment. The selfadministered structured questionnaires were issued to 383 administrative staff members. Descriptive statistics was utilised to assess the levels of both organisational commitment and job satisfaction, results of which revealed that administrators were satisfied with and committed to the university. Spearmanâ€™s rho correlation analysis showed that there was a strong correlation between affective commitment and job satisfaction; and moderate correlations between job satisfaction and moral imperative. Similar strong correlation was observed between indebted obligation and job satisfaction. Conversely, a weak correlation occurred between job satisfaction and continuance commitment. Regression coefficients indicated that job satisfaction contributed positively to the prediction of affective commitment, moral imperative, indebted obligation and continuance commitment. Based on these findings, the recommendations and future research opportunities were suggested.
Perceptions of the National Credit Regulator on the usefulness of the debt counselling process in South Africa
Authors: Masilo K. H.
Published: January 2020

The South African National Credit Regulator is responsible for the regulation of credit industry, registration and training of debt counsellors, enforcement and monitoring compliance of the provisions of the National Credit Act. The aim of this paper is therefore to analyse the perceptions of the National Credit Regulator on the usefulness of debt counselling process in South Africa. A qualitative approach, which was exploratory in nature, was adopted for this study. Ten employees from the National Credit Regulatorâ€™s office were interviewed. There was no evidence that debt counsellors were managing the debt counselling service effectively. It was also observed that the debt counsellors received insufficient support from the National Credit Regulator.  The paper recommends that the National Credit Regulator should adequately support the debt counsellors so that they can effectively manage debt counselling service and ultimately assist the overindebted consumers. Debt counsellors training curriculum should also be outcomes- based approach with exposure to business management.
Fostering Entrepreneurship Education among Women and Girls in South Africa: Destroying the Gendered and Encultured Patriachies
Authors: M Tirivangasi H
Published: January 2020

Gender inequality has been in existence in as much as the humans themselves. The South African women and girls like many other societies around the world are also suffering from the lack of opportunities whilst men still receive favorable treatment. The government of South Africa engaged in the promotion of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) as part of empowerment projects for the Black people since the attainment of democratic rule in 1994. Entrepreneurship continues to play an integral role in the South African economy as well as the economies of many developing countries around the world. The creation of new Small and Medium businesses activities contributes to economic growth, job creation, better livelihood of people involved and the communities which surround them. However, there has been a lack of women participation in entrepreneurship businesses in South Africa. Women continue to shy away from starting SMEs. Research reveals that an approximately 6, 2 percent of South African adult women were involved in SMEs in 2015. This is an appalling situation if South Africa is going to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDG, goal number five encourages States to â€˜Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girlsâ€™. The aim of this paper is to identify challenges faced by female entrepreneurs in South Africa, which makes their survival difficult within a patriarchal society.The empirical analysis is based largely on data from information available from sources such as journals, dissertations, thesis, books, conference reports, internet sources, and policy briefs relating to women and entrepreneurship.
The Relationship between Oil Price Volatility and Macroeconomic Variables in Nigeria: A Vector Autoregressive (VAR) Approach
Authors: Okoli Tochukwu Timothy , Tewari Devi Datt , Rhodaoluwafisayomi Ajibola
Published: January 2020

Nigeria as an oil exporting mono-economy is susceptible to fluctuations in the world oil prices. About 97 percent of the governmentâ€™s revenues are gotten from proceeds from oil export. The study attempts to assess the behaviors of macroeconomic variables in the face of oil price volatility in Nigeria. The empirical evidences reveal that macroeconomic variables were susceptibility to volatility in Oil Price. The theoretical framework is based on the Mundel-Flaming model and adopts the variance decomposition and impulse response functions to explain the dynamic properties of the VAR methodology. The impulse response results reveal that a one standard deviation in oil price will trigger a significant change in RGDP, GEXP, INFLATION and IMPORT both in the short and long run, and IR and EXR significantly only in the short run. Finally, the variance decomposition of RGDP, GEXP and EXR reveals that the variability in them were significantly explained by oil price volatility and other tests ran reveals a consistent result. Therefore, volatility in oil price has direct impact on real GDP, Government expenditure, inflation, interest rate, exchange rate and import. The researchers therefore recommend diversification of the economy to other sectors, financial prudence, sound fiscal policy and the lowering of interest rate to stimulate domestic investment.
Further nonlinear version of inequalities and their applications
Authors: Khan Zareen
Published: January 2020

In this article, some new generalized nonlinear versions are established for
integral and discrete analogues of inequalities, with advanced arguments
that provide explicit bounds on unknown functions. The estimation given here
can be used as a handy and powerful tool in the study of some classes of sum
difference and integral equations. Some applications are also discussed here
in order to illustrate the usefulness of our results.
Complement of the generalized total graph of Zn
Authors: Tamizh Chelvam , Balamurugan M.
Published: January 2020

Let R be a commutative ring with identity and H be a nonempty proper
multiplicative prime subset of R. The generalized total graph of R is the
(undirected) simple graph ?GTH(R) with all elements of R as the vertex set
and two distinct vertices x and y are adjacent if and only if x + y ? H. The
complement of the generalized total graph ?GTH(R) of R is the (undirected)
simple graphwith vertex set R and two distinct vertices x and y are adjacent
if and only if x + y < H. In this paper, we investigate certain domination
properties of ?GTH(R). In particular, we obtain the domination number,
independence number and a characterization for -sets in ?GTP(Zn) where P is a
prime ideal of Zn. Further, we discuss properties like Eulerian,
Hamiltonian, planarity, and toroidality of GTP(Zn).
Results on L-functions of certain differential polynomials sharing one finite value
Authors: Li Xiao-Min , Liu Fang , Yi Hong-Xun
Published: January 2020

We study a uniqueness question of meromorphic functions whose certain
nonlinear differential polynomials share a finite nonzero value. The results
in this paper extend the corresponding results from Steuding [14, p.152],
Li[9] and Fang [1]. The studied question is concerning a question posed by
Fang in 2009.
Connections between Hv-S-act, GHS-act and S-act
Authors: Shaheen Salma , Shabir Muhammad
Published: January 2020

The largest class of hyperstructures is the one which satisfies the weak
properties and they are called Hv-structures. In this paper, the concept of
Hv-S-act is introduced and some of their properties are investigated. The
present paper establishes a possible connection between S-act, GHS-act and
Hv-S-act. It is shown that the quotient of GHS-act with any equivalence
relation is Hv-S-act. The main tool to study all hyperstructures is the
fundamental relations. The study of fundamental relations in Hv-S-act
reveals some interesting results. Specifically, these relations connect weak
hyperactions with the corresponding classical actions.
The Moore-Penrose inverse in rings with involution
Authors: Xu Sanzhang , Chen Jianlong
Published: January 2020

Let R be a unital ring with involution. In this paper, we first show that for
an element a 2 R, a is Moore-Penrose invertible if and only if a is
well-supported if and only if a is co-supported. Moreover, several new
necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of the Moore-Penrose
inverse of an element in a ring R are obtained. In addition, the formulae of
the Moore-Penrose inverse of an element in a ring are presented.
Wave front sets with respect to Banach spaces of ultradistributions. Characterisation via the short-time fourier transform
Authors: Dimovski Pavel , Prangoski Bojan
Published: January 2020

We define ultradistributional wave front sets with respect to
translation-modulation invariant Banach spaces of ultradistributions having
solid Fourier image. The main result is their characterisation by the
short-time Fourier transform.
A fixed point problem under a finite number of equality constraints on b-Banach spaces
Authors: Bota Monica-Felicia , Karapınar Erdal
Published: January 2020

In this manuscript, we investigate a fixed point problem under a finite
number of equality constraints involving a well-known Ciric type mappings
in the context of b-metric space. We obtain sufficient conditions for the
existence of solutions of such problems. We also express some immediate
consequences of our main results.
Numerical solution of linear stochastic Volterra integral equations via new basis functions
Authors: Cheraghi Tofigh , Khodabin Morteza , Ezzati Reza
Published: January 2020

In this article, we use a new method based on orthogonal basis functions for
the numerical solution of stochastic Volterra integral equations of the
second kind (SVIE). By using this method, a SVIE can be reduced to a linear
system of algebraic equations. Finally, to show the efficiency of the proposed
method, we give two numerical examples.
Affine spheres with prescribed Blaschke metric
Authors: Opozda Barbara
Published: January 2020

It is proved that the equality ?ln |k-?| = 6k, where k is the Gaussian
curvature of a metric tensor 1 on a 2-dimensional manifold is a sufficient and
necessary condition for local realizability of the metric as the Blaschke
metric of some affine sphere. Consequently, the set of all improper local affine
spheres with nowhere-vanishing Pick invariant can be parametrized by
harmonic functions.
Review of the investigations of pulverized coal combustion processes in large power plants in laboratory for thermal engineering and energy: Part B
Authors: Stefanovic Predrag , Cvetinovic Dejan , Markovic Zoran , Eric Milic , Oka Simeon , Repic Branislav
Published: January 2020

Paper presents short review of research problems, applied methods for solving
problems and main results obtained by the researchers in Laboratory for
Thermal Engineering and Energy (LTE) of the "Vinca" Institute of Nuclear
Sciences, Belgrade, Serbia dealing with pulverized coal combustion processes
and technologies for reduction of pollutions problems at thermal power
plants in a period since 2000. The presented results were published in
numerous studies realized for different users, Ph. D., Masters, and
Specialist thesis, in international and domestic scientific journals and
monographs, presented at numerous international and domestic scientific
conferences, etc. Presented research projects and results of applied
research projects realized at pulverized coal combustion thermal power
plants clearly show that LTE team was involved in key activities of
rehabilitation and modernization, including implementation of best
available technologies for pollution reduction at thermal power plants, in
the region of South East Europe.
Vory: den ryska supermaffian
Authors: Lennhag Mi
Published: January 2020

Abstract in English: Review of Vory: den ryska supermaffianMi Lennhag reviews Vory: den ryska supermaffian (The Vory: Russia’s Super Mafia) by Mark Galeotti (translated by Manne Svensson). The book examines organized crime in the Soviet Union and in post-Soviet Russia. Historical, political and cultural contexts help explaining the Russian mafia and the phenomenon vory. Galeotti pictures a Russian society where politics and organized crime remain closely linked.
Peran Brand Trust dalam Pengaruh Kredibilitas Selebgram Endorser dan Perceived Value terhadap Brand Loyalty Pada Produk Kosmetik Di Semarang
Authors: Erianti Devi , Athanasius Sentot Suciarto
Published: January 2020

Loyalitas Merek merupakan penentu kesuksesan pemasaran jangka panjang. Penelitian ini bertujuan mengetahui pengaruh Kredibilitas Selebgram Endorser dan persepsi nilai (Perceived Value) terhadap loyalitas merek (Brand Loylaty) melalui kepercayaan terhadap merek (Brand Trust). Populasi pengguna produk kosmetik pada sebuah perguruan tinggi diambil sampel 100 responden secara purposive sampling. Adapun kriteria pemilihan sampel dalam penelitian ini adalah responden yang memiliki akun instagram dan aktif di sosial media Instagram, menggunakan produk-produk make up wajah Maybelline, dan mengikuti atau menjadi follower akun Rachel Goddard (@rachgoddard) di Instagram. Data dikumpulkan melalui kuesioner dan dianalisis dengan analisis jalur. Semua indikator variabel terbukti valid dan reliabel. Didapatkan hasil bahwa masing-masing variabel Kredibilitas selebgram endorser, perceived value dan brand trust secara parsial berpengaruh secara positif dan signifikan terhadap loyalitas merek. Selain itu terdapat hasil bahwa brand trust mempunyai pengaruh tidak langsung lebih besar dibandingkan pengaruh langsung terhadap brand loyalty. Dari hasil penelitian ini disarankan agar perusahaan perlu mencari selebgram yang dipercaya oleh konsumen untuk promosi produknya dan tetap menjaga nilai produk di mata konsumennya.
Promoción personal y familiar a través de la onomástica: la Galeria tribus en el Conventus Cluniensis
Authors: Gómez Martín Gabriel
Published: January 2020

en el presente artículo se estudia la onomástica de las inscripciones que cuentan con menciones a la Galeria tribus en el marco geográfico del convento jurídico Cluniense. El objetivo de dicho análisis es extraer conclusiones sobre las transformaciones y permanencias en las denominaciones personales de individuos que accedieron a la ciudadanía romana, aunque también de otros miembros de sus grupos familiares, en el ámbito de los municipios preflavios de la Meseta Norte. Además, se estudian las menciones a ciudadanos romanos con origo Cluniensis, Termestinus o Uxamensis que han sido localizadas en otros lugares de Hispania y del Imperio como resultado de la emigración o de los movimientos de las unidades militares
Sociología del poder: relaciones institucionales en el Sector público y con actores sociales
Authors: García Vaquero Martín
Published: January 2020

Esta obra consolida la Sociología del poder en España y tiene puentes con el resto de Iberoamérica. Proporciona una fácil y rápida consulta de las claves sobre el poder y las relaciones institucionales en los sistemas democráticos, permitiendo poner algo de orden –y cierta solemnidad- en nuestras aceleradas, volubles e informales sociedades líquidas, de riesgo, etc.