Faculty of Management Sciences
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Item Review of the lockdown regulations’ impact on informal businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic(Durban University of Technology, 2023) Cele, Zamaswazi; Tshikovhi, NdivhuhoGlobally, the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown regulations caused enormous changes in all business sectors because many businesses were not allowed to operate. Only a few were regarded as essential businesses, such as pharmacies and grocery shops, and allowed to operate. Lockdown regulations negatively affected the South African informal sector. As a result, it is difficult to provide accurate statistics on the entrepreneurs affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. There are no official statistics from the informal sector. This paper aims to examine how the informal sector was affected by the lockdown down restrictions within South Africa. The paper adopts a systematic review methodology using Google Scholar and Web of Science or Scopes to search for articles on informal entrepreneurship, COVID-19, and South Africa to draw a conclusion from the analysed data. The findings indicated that most of the businesses in the informal sector were negatively affected, including workers because some of them lost their jobs and others did not receive their usual salaries due to limited working hours. There were disruptions in the supply chain and pricing of goods and services, and people could not have sustained their income during the lockdown in South Africa. In conclusion, the informal sector is one of the most vulnerable sectors that lacks access to appropriate risk management structures, and most people live on a hand to mouth basis. COVID-19 has negatively affected the informal sector, mainly through distribution and marketing systems.Item Driving sustainable growth for small and medium enterprises in emerging urban–rural economies(MDPI AG, 2023) Tshikovhi, Ndivhuho; More, Krantisagar; Cele, ZamaswaziRural economies are crucial for global development, with more than 80% of the world’s population living in rural areas and agriculture providing livelihoods for approximately 2.5 billion people worldwide. However, these economies are often vulnerable to various factors, including climate change, natural disasters, and a lack of progressive economic policies. The main aim of making rural economies more sustainable is to promote long-term economic development, protect the environment, and improve the quality of life in urban–rural communities. This paper explored certain strategies for enhancing rural economies to be more sustainable. The results show that smart growth has been rapidly growing in urban cities, while certain communities outside urban areas have been left behind. However, both urban and rural communities need economic growth and be adaptive to smart growth to serve their communities and adhere to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the new era of innovation. Thus, we argue that rural areas are a big part of emerging economies. As such, they cannot be left behind in any smart growth. In this study, we found that rural economies need training and up-skilling in order to improve their sustainability and efficiency targets. Through a systematic review, this paper looked at various ways rural communities can solve their challenges toward smart growth and the sustainability of their resources. As a result, we propose solutions for urban–rural communities to implement in daily activities in terms of policy and practice approaches.Item Millennial’s consumer behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic : perspectives from an emerging and a developed economy(Adonis & Abbey Publishers Ltd, 2022-11-10) Tshikovhi, Ndivhuho; Dobbelstein, Thomas; Moyo, SibusisoOne of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic was on shopping behaviour patterns due to lockdown restrictions and social distancing requirements. In this study, South African and German millennials (those born between 1980 and 2002) are analyzed to determine their buying behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic in the year 2020. We demonstrate the choices of purchases amongst African Journal of Business and Economic Research (AJBER) (Online) ISSN 1750-4562 (Print) ISSN 1750-4554 Indexed by SCOPUS, UGC CARE List, IBSS, EBSCO, ProQuest, ABDC, SAJE, COPERNICUS,ERIH PLUS, CABELL, Sabinet and J-Gate Vol. 17, (Issue 4), December 2022 Pp 283–309 Millennial’s consumer behaviour during the COVID-19 … 284 millennials between the two countries, that is, South Africa as an emerging and Germany as an advanced economy. This study shows how consumers' choice was influenced by the pandemic before, during, and after the first lockdown. Making use of an online survey (meaning accessing millennials with internet access in both countries), it was found from a data set of 949 millennials in Germany and 676 millennials in South Africa that millennial’s shopping behaviour varied for specific product categories before, during and after the lockdown. As a result, this study concluded by providing recommendations for retailers, policymakers and researchers taking into account a pandemic scenario.Item Supply chain performance and preferential procurement in Gauteng government departments(AOSIS, 2022-05-30) Tshikovhi, Ndivhuho; Sibanda, BeatahAbstract Background: In the previous two decades, preferential procurement and supply chain performance have gained popularity within academics following the introduction of the Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act No 05 of 2000 (PPPFA) which was aimed at providing opportunities in government supply chain contracts to previously disadvantaged groups. Despite PPPFA being a corrective measure, research has brought to light the abuse and manipulation in the implementation of this Act by government officials trusted with this function. The study aims to determine how supply chain performance is affected by preferential procurement within selected Gauteng government departments. Objectives: The objectives of the study were twofold: First to determine how supply chain performance is influenced by preferential procurement and the effect of management levels on the implementation of PPPFA, and secondly to determine the effect of the implementation of preferential procurement on supply chain performance within selected government departments. Method: Through a quantitative research approach, data were collected using close-ended questionnaires in the form of a five-point Likert scale and a stratified random sampling technique. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software was used to analyse data through descriptive and inferential statistics. Results and conclusion: The study revealed that preferential procurement had an impact on supply chain performance in the selected departments which could be pinned mainly to the gap between policies and implementation. Although preferential procurement was generally applied across the departments, it was noted that some officials within supply chain management had not fully understood the implementation requirements of the PPPFA.