Browsing by Author "Jere, Mlenga Golden"
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- ItemOpen AccessAdvertising to low-income consumers: portrayals of women in Drum magazine advertisements 1981-2010(2011) Jere, Mlenga Golden; Burgess, Steven MichaelThis research examines the portrayal of women as message sources in advertisements appearing in Drum magazine 1981-2010, an important time period that captures South Africa's transition from Apartheid rule to a time when the equality of women has been recognised more formally.
- ItemOpen AccessBusiness incubators in Zambia: A study of the impact on small business enterprises(2017) Kasase, William K; Jere, Mlenga GoldenThis study tested the impact of Business Incubators (BI) in stimulating the growth of small to medium businesses in a Southern African country, Zambia. The study explores the existence, awareness, beliefs and experience in a sub Saharan context, identifying the key impact factors. The study was aimed at understanding whether the operation of business incubators would result in stimulating small to medium business enterprises the same way it does in the west. To achieve this, the study reviewed the existing literature on the subject matter and analysed the collected data using a questionnaire was analysed. The collected data was analysed using SSPS. The results of the analysis revealed that 64% of the respondents had heard about Business Incubators. This was done through a scientific research by a well selected set of interview questionnaires, from a sample size of 300 small to medium businesses. Only 19% confirmed receiving business assistance from a support initiative. 95% of the total respondents confirmed that a business incubator program would impact the growth of their businesses in many areas. The study further found that there were a few challenges with access to a Business Incubator. Prominent amount them was the restricted access to SMEs located in the cities. Secondly, the respondents bemoaned that the application procedure was complicated and needed to be simplified and translated into local languages. The research makes the conclusion that Business Incubators have a positive impact on the growth of small businesses in Zambia, based on the empirical evidence obtained during the study. The study revealed 32% of incubated businesses had reduced their operation costs. Contrary to available research, entrepreneurs who had received support from Business Incubators employed fewer employees than those that did not. The study therefore, questioned how business incubators increased the probability of the long term survival of the enterprise.
- ItemOpen AccessDetermining factors that influence financial inclusion among SMEs: the case of Harare Metropolitan(2017) Noor, Hanifa; Jere, Mlenga GoldenZimbabwe has been experiencing unprecedented levels of unemployment and high poverty. Against this backdrop, the growth of small- to- medium enterprises (SMEs) has been seen as a practical measure to help Zimbabwe's ailing economy address the complex macroeconomic challenges. However SMEs only receive 5% of total loans despite contributing 50% to GDP. This led to high levels of financial exclusion among the owners of SMEs, as banks cite credit risk as major challenge. Empirical evidence highlighted that 60% of the SMEs were financially excluded. This study explored the factors that influence financial inclusion of SMEs in Zimbabwe. This study analysed demand-side, supply-side and infrastructural constraints that inhibit financial inclusion. Demand-side factors of high transaction costs, financial illiteracy, and lack of confidence in the financial system and low levels of education resonated as issues among SMEs. On the supply side and infrastructural challenges: lack of widely accessible branches, information asymmetry, irrelevant financial products and service and high risk levels were the main deterrents within the financial sector. The population for the study was the Zimbabwean banking sector that comprised of 10 financial institutions and 50 SMEs that had been in operation from 2010 to 2015. The study collected primary data using semi-structured numerically coded questions and used descriptive statistical measure such as mean and standard deviation to analyse data. The results indicated that all demand-side, supply side and infrastructural factors were significantly related to the financial inclusion of SMEs. Evidence that their lack of confidence in the banking sector and prohibitive requirements including high bank charges were some of the key determinants negatively impacting financial inclusion. The smaller operators cited low incomes and the unavailability of savings as another deterrent. Evidence from financial institutions revealed absence of credit history, low-income levels, inadequate infrastructure, weak consumer protection regulations, and limited information on SME operations were inhibiting factors to financial exclusion. Based on the findings, the study recommended that government introduce financial education and introduce a policy that mandates financial institutions to provide relevant products and services to SMEs as an incentive to poverty reduction and economic development.
- ItemOpen AccessThe impact of agriculture finance on small and medium agribusiness in Zambia: the case of Zambia National Farmers' Union - Lima Credit Scheme(2017) Muyangwa, Nambwenga; Jere, Mlenga GoldenThe aim of the study is to assess the Impact of Agricultural Finance on Small and Medium Agribusiness in Zambia focusing on Lima Credit Scheme of the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) in sampled districts. Survey questionnaires were administered to 120 farmers selected from 8 districts. Two focus group discussions were held and key informants drawn from ZNFU, Zambia National Commercial Bank and representatives of the Agribusiness chamber and Insurance companies were interviewed. The study hypothesis that the LCS intervention has had no favourable impact on beneficiary farmers and Agro-Businesses in Zambia was proved to be null. To the contrary, the findings indicate that LCS had favourable impact on beneficiary farmers and Agro-Businesses in Zambia. Thus, the study findings show that to a greater extent the scheme had positive impact that include; increased knowledge among Lima Credit scheme beneficiaries through trainings in various topics such as financial literacy and crop husbandry, increased economic wellbeing of the LCS beneficiaries, more households procuring oxen drawn agricultural implements, higher production levels of maize and soy-bean, greater participation in the market by SSFs, increased income, among others. In addition to the descriptive analysis, the factor analysis too showed that the first factor access to production inputs based benefits suggests that in this component farmers accrued benefits from LCS which include access to market information, increase in area planted, increase in volumes sold and incomes. The second factor improved income based benefits suggests that respondents in this component acknowledges that as a result of increased incomes, they have recorded improved access to health, able to reinvest in other businesses, increase yield per hectare, able to pay loans on time, able to acquire agriculture Assets-Ox drawn, access to commodity markets and improved access to education. Unique to the scheme is the insurance cover on the loan amount that mitigates defaults resulting from natural cause such as drought and floods. The study concludes that Lima Credit Scheme had favourable impact on beneficiary farmers and Agro-Businesses in Zambia.