Gender discrepancy in economic participation: the case of young women in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Given the patriarchal nature of the African society, females are often secondary. In patriarchal societies, men are viewed as forbearers of knowledge and hence dominate other considerations. A direct consequence therefore is structural discrimination of women, and small businesses are owned and managed by men. Youth unemployment is notably high in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and especially among females. Notably too, one critical factor that drives entrepreneurship start-ups is self-employment, often induced by unemployment. In patriarchal societies, not only are there few opportunities for women but also women face more constraints than their male counterparts. Inspired by the gap in the literature, this study utilizes the descriptive literature review approach to understand the problems, faced by young women when starting a business in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo. Understanding this theoretical premise and from the perspective of the explored population is important given the criticality of entrepreneurship to economic growth (including unemployment and poverty reduction). In addition, this study would contribute to strategic policy change for achieving productive entrepreneurship. Finally, this study flags research directions for steering necessary research towards productive entrepreneurship goals.

Processes of reforming the educational policy of Ukraine and the countries of the European Union: a comparative analysis

A comparative comprehensive analysis of the socio-pedagogical problem field of modernization of the educational system of Ukraine and the EU in the context of administrative reform and taking into account economic needs and the establishment of universal democratic values has been conducted. A comparative pedagogical study of the theoretical, organizational, methodological and regulatory principles of reforming the educational system of Ukraine, which is currently acquiring national features and integrated into the world educational space, has been carried out. Conceptual principles of reforming the educational system of Ukraine as a basis for improving the quality of life of citizens from the standpoint of an innovative educational project in the context and professional psychological and pedagogical aspects of training in the field of educational policy have been theoretically substantiated. The provision is that education, like other institutions of public life, requires operational and strategic management actions, aimed at its modernization and renewal. A conceptual integral dynamic model of reforming educational policy in Ukraine with substantiation of methodological approaches and theoretical positions has been developed on the basis of comparative pedagogical research. A necessity of expansion and qualitative improvement of the network of preschool educational institutions has been proved. There are trends that Ukrainian secondary education will eventually become on a par with the world standards of secondary school. A need to create and coordinate a strong system of out-of-school education in Ukraine has been justified, as the mass unemployment of children and youth in out-of-school time entails huge negative consequences. Peculiarities of reforming the system of training of working professions and vocational education in Ukraine have been specified. A strategic issue is the state policy on teacher training. Ukrainian origins of the phenomenon of pedagogical skill as a fundamental basis of the theory and practice of educational policy to improve the quality of teaching and learning in EU countries have been revealed. A necessity of development of a target program of professional and pedagogical selection and preparation of experts in the field of educational policy for Ukraine and an algorithm of estimation of its efficiency on the basis of the comparative analysis has been proved. The content of the concept of "educational policy" has been clarified, knowledge of the regulatory framework for reforming educational policy in the EU has been deepened.

A kingdom with many internal facets: power, politics and instability in a post-colonial state. Ramifications for public stability

Lesotho offers an exciting case study for the analysis of the interface between power, politics and instability. Since gaining its independence from Britain in 1966, Lesotho has over the last five decades been plagued by persistent political instability that has paved way for the breakdown of the rule of law, gross human rights violations, underdevelopment and insecurity where at times the security sector like the Lesotho Defence Force has taken over several key institutions in the country. Political instability in the tiny kingdom has been a daunting agenda for all concerned actors, including political parties, civil society, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and other continental stakeholders. While the security sector of any state is of importance, it becomes problematic if it becomes involved in a state’s political affairs. The repercussions of such trajectories of governance have been quite profound for democratic stability and security. Using a qualitative methodology, supplemented by secondary data, this article seeks to unearth Lesotho’s political instability, the role of its security forces and continental actors in its continuous internal governance crisis post the colonial era. The article rightfully shows that The power, possessed by both the military and police, has made them have a robust role in state affairs rather than institutions, mandated to safeguard Lesotho’s citizens. The legitimacy of the security sector underpins restructuring, transparent and accessible security sectors enhance healthy civil-military relations. Restructuring a state’s security and political dynamic reforms is not an easy task, it requires a state managerial and dedication prowess and assistance from different role players and therefore an ample amount of time and effort is invested in the coordination of this process.

Post-apartheid South Africa’s exacerbated inequality and the Covid-19 pandemic: intersectionality and the politics of power

Over the past fifteen years there has been an increase in the number of protest movements globally. In recent years and amid the global pandemic there have been hundreds of protests and demonstrations in South Africa. Consequently, in comparison to other parts of the globe, such protest action in South Africa is high. As a result, stable governance in the region has been impacted. Notably, during the resistance years in defiance of the apartheid regime, citizens in South Africa expressed their social discontent against exclusion and marginalisation through identities as radical and intersectional – this was also articulated in the recent protests that occurred in KwaZulu-Natal and parts of Johannesburg in July 2021. This highlights the relevance of intersectionality within this region. Intersectionality can be seen to refer to the inequalities that exist beyond femininities and masculinities. Intersectional theory explores aspects of discrimination, oppression, exploitation and inequality across identity, gender, race, ethnicity and class. This study uses a qualitative research approach to conceptually analyse intersectional theory. Thereafter the study discusses the relevance of intersectional theory in a post-apartheid context by illustrating intersectionality through the unrest and protests that occurred, following the jailing of former president Jacob Zuma. The findings of the study suggest the need to unpack the legacies of African elitism and social relations, while implementing intersectional reform that promotes greater inclusivity of citizens in the state.

The effects of employee voice, perceived leadership integrity, and work-related curiosity on counterproductive meeting behaviors

This study assesses the effects of employee voice, perceived leadership integrity, and work-related curiosity on counterproductive meeting behaviors within Nigeria’s work organizations. The study’s sample was taken from nine work organizations in Lagos and Oyo States of Nigeria. The nine work organizations were selected from Nigeria’s financial, manufacturing, and service industries. These work organizations are Guarantee Trust Bank Plc, First City Monument Bank Plc, Full Range Microfinance Bank Limited, Seven-up Bottling Company Plc, Isoglass Industries Nigeria Limited, Atlantic Textile Company, Pixels Digital Services Limited, Pacesetters transport Services Limited, and IBFC Alliance Limited. Nevertheless, this paper has applied a cross-sectional survey approach, of which the present researcher randomly disseminated the survey forms (questionnaires). However, out of 450 questionnaires, 432 were fit for research and analyzed with statistical packages for social sciences (SPSS vs. 27). The current results established significant joint and independent negative effects of employee voice, perceived leadership integrity, and work-related curiosity on counterproductive meeting behaviors within Nigeria’s work organizations. The management of work organizations ensures adequate and consistent encouragement of employee voice by allowing employee expressions, suggestions, making the employee feel important, and rendering listening ears. They should also train and inspire leaders who stimulate and exemplify leadership integrity. Furthermore, the management of work organizations should inspire employee curiosity as it relates to their work.

Courting innovative diplomacy for health safety and security amidst the Covid-19 pandemic; the case of South Africa

Notwithstanding its level of socio-economic development, health failure is a threat to any country. Globally, the Covid-19 pandemic is believed to be the greatest threat to the existentiality of humanity since the end of World War II. The level of global interconnectivity also made it the most destructive to human existence. The accelerating growth of the pandemic in South Africa has devastated effects on its economy and cuttingly intensified prior socio-economic challenges and inadvertently, presented South Africa with an unseen and formidable enemy that does not know the differences between South African Black, Coloured, Indian or White. The study used a qualitative research approach, underpinned by the rationality for South Africa, to embrace innovative diplomacy as a means to an end for its health safety and security amidst the covid-19 pandemic. The paper argued that South Africa must innovatively engage the acceptable global mechanisms and other health security measures with focus on its commitment to the goals of its national interests, while strengthening the efficiency of its health initiatives through better-quality governance where both local and international investors are allowed to participate actively in state socio-economic activities that respond to the safety and health security of the emotionalized publics. Thus, in a globalised system of innovation, South Africa needs to see the innovation environment as a steady pipeline of its domestic ability to control the negative effect of Covid-19 on its national health security. The paper concludes that South Africa must begin to invest, modify, and localise the biotechnology industry, and thus serving as a source of employment for the teaming unemployed South Africans.

The influence of brand image on the selection and preference of universities of technology

The research focuses on the factors that influence student brand preferences for Universities of Technology in KwaZulu-Natal. Brand preference is a marketing indicator that reflects a brand's market position. This indicator reveals whether consumers prefer one brand in the same category over another. Developing brand preference as a long-term strategy assists in the development of brand equity, which builds a brand's popularity and market domination in comparison to competitors. The primary goals of this research were to: investigate the most influential factors, influencing student brand choices; and identify traits that students in KwaZulu-Natal consider to be critical in the choosing of a University of Technology (UoT). The study also aimed to recommend strategies to improve service delivery in Universities of Technology. An exploratory study was carried out using a quantitative research approach, wherein questionnaires were administered to 500 DUT and MUT first-year students at the KwaZulu-Natal Universities of Technology and analysed using statistical packages for social sciences (SPSS). The study found that factors, such as investments in brand awareness and brand image, and service delivery influenced participants' choice and willingness to recommend their institutions to potential students. As a result, the report proposes that UoTs prioritize branding efforts as a means of guaranteeing institutional profitability, viability, and customer relationship management.

Social injustice in learning of the second language among immigrant children in Finland: conventional narratives and perceptions

This is a comparative ethnographic research, comparing the primary school level migrant learners’ performance in the learning of the national language of the host countries in Finland and Tanzania. A response from nine teachers, drawn from Tanzanian International Schools, attended by expats’ children, was collected through structured interviews. Additionally, two In-Depth Interviews, targeting Tanzanian Swahili teachers at the international schools, was conducted using the narration approach. The study uses MAXQDA to comparatively analyze the findings of fourteen research articles on immigrant pupils’ learning challenges of the Finnish language as a second language in Finland, and gathered information from this study’s survey is used to analyze the use of Kiswahili as a second language in Tanzania. The research focuses on a comparative analysis of the learning and use of official languages of the host countries as second languages, used in facilitating learning among primary school learners. In Finland, the official language analyzed is Finnish, whereas in Tanzania, the official language analyzed is Kiswahili. The International schools in Tanzania offer Kiswahili lessons to all learners in primary school as guided by national education policy, whereas all public and international schools in Finland offer Finnish lessons for all learners under the education policy. The responses in both Finland and Tanzania are deconstructed qualitatively to illuminate the similarities and differences between European migrant learners and African migrant learners using a second language for learning, and to further deconstruct the nuanced epistemological injustice against minorities. The theories in this research are derived using the grounded theory approach.

Improving the efficiency of cash collection operations with the help of modern information technologies

Despite the steady spread of non-cash payment technologies, especially now in the pandemic, cash remains the most common method of payment in all countries. The availability of cash in banking institutions, cash centers, ATMs, various self-service devices is provided by the units of collection and transportation of currency values. Collection of funds and transportation of currency values ​​is an integral part of the cash circulation of any banking system, which consists in the collection, delivery and movement of cash by vehicles, from enterprises, institutions, organizations of various forms of ownership to banking institutions and vice versa. The cost of conducting cash collection, supporting cash registers, branches, and loading ATMs constitues a significant part of all operating expenses of banks and collection companies. Due to the high level of risk of attacks on the teams of collectors, the main task is to maintain an appropriate level of security to protect life and health of collectors, which requires significant financial costs. Business owners find a way out in the introduction of new innovative banking products and information technologies. The article examines the processes of cash collection operations by classical and electronic methods as well as modern innovative technologies for cash collection, cash processing, and protection of valuables. The results of scientific research show that the reduction of operating costs for cash collection increases the level of security, and optimization of cash processing is possible only with the active implementation and use of modern information technology and automated software. The article proves the need to improve the mechanism of state regulatory policy in the market of cash collection services in Ukraine, in particular, to amend the regulatory legal acts of the regulator, which is represented by the National Bank of Ukraine, in terms of refining and detailing legal norms that establish and determine the procedure operations on cash collection in electronic form and periodicity of collection units employees training.

The changing landscape of the spaza retail outlet amongst black South Africans

The Spaza retail outlet is predominately found in South Africa’s black populated areas or townships. It also has a historical significance to it because, during the apartheid years, black people were not allowed to move freely by the white minority rule. This study is qualitative research where the author carried out an extensive literature review to look first, at the background, characteristics, challenges, and future directions that affect the Spaza micro businesses in South Africa. The research aims to first highlight the importance of micro-businesses. Second, to highlight the need for South Africa’s government initiatives to support small businesses for sustainable growth of the economy and to explore whether this support is far-reaching enough to protect the Spaza retail shops. The authors rely on Karl Marx's theory of class struggle as the theory informing the study. Some of the findings are: Spaza owners need to be more trained in business management, entrepreneurial skills, advertisement, social networking and marketing research, accounting and bookkeeping, technology, and innovation concerning promoting their businesses. The Spaza's annual revenue stream for the South Africa government currently stands at 5.2 % of the GDP.