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An assessment of the factors causing food waste along the vegetable supply chain: a case of Soweto market in Lusaka.
(The University of Zambia, 2025) Tembo, Misael
Globally, 14% of the world's food valued at $400 billion per year continues to be wasted along the supply chain after it is harvested and before it reaches consumers. In Zambia, there has been an increase in vegetable production from 157,500 tons in 1972 to 445,625 tons in 2021. Soweto Market holds an average share of 74% to 87% of vegetables produced in Zambia. However, Soweto Market has been recording an increase in vegetable waste and there is a significant research gap particularly on the causes of food waste along the vegetable supply chain. As such the study aimed to assess the factors causing food waste along the vegetable supply chain at Soweto Market. The specific objectives were to establish the major types of food waste generated along the Soweto market vegetable supply chain; to determine the factors that cause food waste along the Soweto market vegetable supply chain; to evaluate the cause of these factors on food waste along the Soweto market vegetable supply chain; to propose measures that can be applied to mitigate food waste along the Soweto market vegetable supply chain. The study adopted a deductive research approach and employed a descriptive research design. Stratified Random Sampling was used to determine a sample size of 110 smallholder vegetable farmers who farm, package, transport, store, and sale for themselves. Structured questionnaires were used to collect primary data and were summarized by descriptive statistics. Inferential statistics provided an in-depth analysis of the hypothesises tests through regression analysis. The study used SPSS software version 25.0 to aid the data analysis. The findings indicated that the independent variables, except for packaging, showed high reliability and internal consistency, indicating their suitability for factor analysis. It was also found that processing linkage has a significant positive effect on food waste. The study recommends Supply chain stakeholders to focus on improving processing linkages and review regulations among others to reduce food waste. The study has a theoretical and industrial impact because it contributes towards the current literature on the reduction of food waste along the vegetables supply chain and provides practical guidance to sales managers and policy makers. KEYWORDS: Food waste, Vegetable supply chain, Regulations, Process linkage, Supply chain management
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Effects of customer retention strategies on organisational performance: the case of First National Bank Zambia.
(The University of Zambia, 2025) Shawa, Nelson
As the competitive environment of the banking industry becomes increasingly fierce, it is important for industry players to nurture and keep customers loyal who will contribute to their long-term growth and profitability. Customer retention is critical for sustaining organisational existence and profitability. Both practitioners and scholars have discovered that it is much cheaper to retain existing customers than investing on the potential customers. A decent customer retention level is believed to be a significant contributor towards improvement in the overall performance of the firm. Given the importance of customers as an organization’s primary revenue generator, understanding how customer retention affects business performance is expected to provide constructive implications for both academics and practitioners. Furthermore, Customer retention is an important aspect of organisational performance as cost reduces in servicing existing customers. This study intended to investigate how customer retention practices affect organisational performance in the banking sector with a particular focus on First National Bank Zambia. The study specifically, examined how customer service quality, Effective Pricing and customer communication affects organisational performance in the Zambian banking industry. The respondents were FNB customers across the entire branch network. A quantitative research design was adopted for this study due to its ability to be objective and produce generalizable results. A sample size of 150 customers was selected for the study using a questionnaire from the base of customers who consented to be contacted by the bank for marketing communications, using a simple random sampling method. The response rate was 91% (136 out of 150). A linear regression model was then developed from the data analysis to ascertain the impact of customer retention strategies on organisational performance. Findings of the study indicated that attributes of customer retention i.e., Effective pricing, customer service and customer communication individually and collectively had a positive and statistically significant effect organisational performance. The study recommends that Banks in Zambia should invest more in managing customer relationships as a way of retaining them and attracting them and also to implement robust customer value management programs to improve customer life time value. Customer retention will give them an advantage over their competitors and contribute to overall profitability. Keywords: Organizational performance, Customer retention strategies, Customer Retention, Profitability, Communication, Financial sector, Effective pricing, customer service, customer communication, First National Bank
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Effectiveness of strategies utilised by financial institutions in addressing the financing needs of women entrepreneurs: case study of in Lusaka district of Zambia.
(The University of Zambia, 2025) Chulu, Merit
By supporting women with access to finance, would create a transformative social and economic impact on women with their families and society at large. The empowering of women creates opportunities for the families because, they place a higher priority on spending on food, health, education of children and their family’s wellbeing. In Zambian women entrepreneurs own more than one-third of the country’s small businesses and more than 40% of its microenterprises. However, despite their pivotal role in the Zambian economy the lack of (or inadequate) access to tailor-made financial products and non-financial services offered by financial services providers is an important factor constraining women, particularly from low-income countries, from investing and earning more and ultimately having more resources at their disposal. This study investigates the financial strategic measures implemented by financial institutions in Lusaka Zambia to support the financial needs of women entrepreneurs. The study’s objectives specifically explored the availability of financial products, assess the level of literacy and comprehension of financial products available for women entrepreneurs. It also focuses on examining the factors associated with access to finance among women entrepreneurs. Therefore a mixed-methods approach was employed, with a quantitative survey conducted among 202 women entrepreneurs and qualitative insights gathered through thematic analysis of institutional strategies from 15 key informants that were done at ABSA Bank, Stanbic Bank and Unify financial institution. However the findings reveal significant gaps in the financial products offered to women entrepreneurs, with most respondents reporting limited access to tailored financial products. Furthermore, a large proportion of participants indicated that, they had limited awareness of targeted outreach programs designed for women entrepreneurs. However, the study also highlights systemic barriers, despite the growth of women-led enterprises in Zambia, access to tailored financial services remains a critical barrier including high collateral requirements and lack of financial literacy, which hinder access to financial services for women. The chi-square (χ2) test results established the following factors to be associated with access to finance among women education (p> 0.05), sensitization on financial education (p> 0.05), time period of loan debasement (p> 0.001), application for the loan (p> 0.001). Furthermore, recommendation among the participants in the study, 69.80% indicated that they would want to be provided with financial education to improve their business. About 11.39% indicated that they need access to finances with low interest rates to help boost their businesses. Among the participants 18.32% indicated that they would need value addition funds to improve their quality of the products. The study concludes that there is an urgent need for financial institutions to innovate products tailored to women entrepreneurs, increase the accessibility of financial services, and enhance awareness of available programs. Policy reforms that are inclusive in targeted interventions are recommended to address the systemic barriers and improve the financial access for women entrepreneurs in Lusaka. Furthermore, providing financial education services would help women entrepreneurs to improve their business and understand the market dynamics. Keywords: Women Entrepreneurs, Financial Literacy, Access to Finance, Financial Products, Business Growth
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Exploring the effect of entrepreneurial orientation on business performance of agriculture cooperatives: a case of solar milling plant cooperatives in Southern province of Zambia.
(The University of Zambia, 2025) Munyoro, Godfrey M.
The Solar Powered Milling Plants Project, a cornerstone of Zambia’s Presidential Milling Initiative, was introduced to boost the economy and improve rural livelihoods by providing sustainable milling solutions. Despite substantial support from the government, stakeholders, and donor agencies, the performance of agricultural cooperatives especially in Zambia’s Southern Province has remained suboptimal. With agriculture contributing only 2.74% to the country’s GDP and cooperatives accounting for 12% of agricultural GDP, there is a clear gap between potential and realized impact, raising concerns about the effectiveness of these cooperatives in meeting economic and social objectives. This study examined the influence of entrepreneurial orientation (EO) on the business performance of solar milling cooperatives in Southern Province, aiming to uncover strategies to enhance their success. The research employed an embedded mixed-methods design, primarily focusing on quantitative data while incorporating qualitative insights. Data were gathered from 364 cooperative members using survey tools and semi-structured interviews. Convenience and purposive sampling techniques ensured targeted participant engagement, with 308 respondents forming the final analysis group. Among these respondents, 70.5% were female and 25.3% were male, reflecting the significant role of women in cooperative operations. The study revealed that EO dimensions, including innovation, proactiveness, and risk-taking, had a measurable and positive effect on cooperative business performance. A strong positive correlation (p < 0.01) was identified between EO and performance, suggesting that entrepreneurial practices could drive significant improvements in cooperative outcomes. Further, the study examined the interplay between internal and external business environments and cooperative performance. The findings demonstrated a robust positive relationship between these environments and performance, with a correlation coefficient of 0.947. Combined, internal and external factors explained 89.7% (RSquare: 0.897) of the variance in business performance, underscoring their critical role. Internally, cooperatives faced challenges related to operational costs, leadership capabilities, and technical skills, while externally, government policies, market accessibility, and raw material availability emerged as key influencers. The thematic analysis also highlighted that cooperatives capable of organizing their grain supplies and engaging in commercial milling achieved better financial results than those relying on toll milling. This finding emphasized the need for skill development programs, particularly in entrepreneurship and equipment repair, to enhance operational efficiency. The study concluded that EO, alongside both internal and external environmental factors, plays a pivotal role in determining the success of solar milling cooperatives. Key recommendations included fostering innovation, promoting entrepreneurial training, and addressing external barriers such as market access and policy restrictions. By strategically leveraging EO dimensions and improving their internal and external operational frameworks, cooperatives can enhance their financial performance and sustainability. This research contributes valuable insights into improving the efficiency and resilience of agricultural cooperatives, aligning with Zambia’s broader goals of rural development, economic diversification, and food security. Key words: Entrepreneurial Orientation (EO), Agricultural Cooperatives, Business Performance, Internal Environment, External Environment.
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Effectiveness of employee performance appraisal process in international non-profit organizations in the agricultural sector: Lusaka, Zambia.
(The University of Zambia, 2025) Tembo, Elledy
The purpose of this research was to investigate the effectiveness of the employee performance appraisal process in non-profit organisations in the agricultural sector in Lusaka, Zambia. Despite the existence of an extensive body of literature on performance management systems in Zambia, very limited information was found on performance management systems on non-profit organisations as most studies conducted relate to performance management systems in the public sector in Zambia. This study aimed to contribute to the knowledge and data gaps in this area. The researcher targeted donor funded non-profit organisations in the agriculture sector within Lusaka district and these were provided for by the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services under the Registrar of Non-Governmental Organisations Department. The objectives of the study were to investigate the effectiveness of employee performance evaluation, to determine the effectiveness of the recognition and reward system on employee performance and to examine the effectiveness of employee feedback on employee performance. The problem identified with the international NGOs in the agricultural sector in Lusaka was high staff turnover attributed to the ineffective employee performance appraisal process which affects the organisation’s critical success factors. The global acceptable employee turnover rate is 10% (Australian HR Institute, 2019). Data from one sampled NGO revealed that the lowest turnover rate in the period under review was 13% in 2022, while the highest was 41% in 2021. On average the staff turnover in the period under review stood at 23% which is substantively above the acceptable rate. This study showed that this problem fluctuates year by year depending on the organization’s performance. Consequently, some funders pullout their resources due to poor organizational performance at large stemming from ineffective employee performance appraisal system. The ripple effect however, is high staff turnover as retention becomes impossible. This study utilized a descriptive research design and mixed-method research was used. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews and self- administered questionnaires. Analysis was conducted using SPSS software for quantitative data and for qualitative, thematic analysis was used to identify patterns, themes, and relationships within the data. The main findings of this study were that the outcome from the performance evaluations have an impact on an employee productivity. Unconstructive feedback highly demotivates employees and result into high turnover rate. Findings show that over 80% of the employees did not find the process satisfying due to poor feedback mechanisms. The results also revealed that over 70% of respondents found the rewards and recognition systems not inspiring due to lack of transparency and objectivity with the system. Based on the study findings, it is highly recommended that the INGOs management should implement strategies that guide their decision making in order to be consistent. These include; aligning employee’s goals and objectives to the organisational strategy, policy adherence, improved feedback mechanism, structured skills development, offer performance-based rewards. Not only will this promote staff retention, it will also enhance the overall organisational performance as well as impacting employee motivation, development, and organizational outcomes, including job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Key Words: Employee performance Appraisal, Feedback, Reward System, Agricultural Sector