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The purpose of the study is to establish the effect of transport management practices on the performance of diamond mining companies. The study population was comprised of four authorized diamond mining companies in Zimbabwe. The sample size was comprised of 92 respondents drawn from logistics, procurement, and finance departments. Respondents were selected using stratified random sampling techniques. Data was collected using a structured 5-point Likert scale questionnaire. Regression analysis was used to test the relationship between study variables. The study found that vehicle scheduling, route planning, vehicle tracking, and fuel management positively influence the performance of diamond mining companies. This implies that the continued use of inefficient transport management practices has resulted in high transport costs, an increase in greenhouse gas emissions, and lower productivity. The study, therefore, recommended that diamond mining firms adopt contemporary transport technologies and implement safety measures such as regular vehicle maintenance, driver safety checks, and driver training. Furthermore, the study contributes to the existing body of literature on transport management and performance.

This study examined the relationship between physical distribution practices and supply performance in beverage manufacturing firms in Harare, Zimbabwe. This study also explored the moderating role of organizational resilience in this relationship. This study used a quantitative approach, employing a structured questionnaire administered to 113 employees in the beverage manufacturing industry. The data were analyzed via multiple and hierarchical regression techniques to test both direct and moderating associations. The findings indicate that route optimization, order fulfillment lead time, packaging, and return management are positively associated with supply chain performance. In addition, organizational resilience significantly moderated the relationships among route optimization, return management, packaging, and order fulfillment lead time. The originality of this study lies in its empirical demonstration of organisational resilience as a factor that moderates the association within the physical distribution–performance nexus, an area that remains underexplored in the Global South, particularly in Zimbabwe. Integrating organizational resilience into this relationship provides a novel theoretical lens for understanding how resilience is associated with supply chain performance under disruption-prone conditions. This study recommends beverage manufacturing firms to institutionalize resilience-building through scenario planning tools, comprehensive risk assessments, and proactive risk response frameworks to improve their preparedness for volatile environments.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of institutional dynamics on road accidents and whether this relationship is moderated by information and communication technology (ICT).Design/methodology/approachThe study adopted a quantitative approach with 133 respondents. Research hypotheses were tested in AMOS version 21. In addition, moderated regression analysis was used to test the moderating role of ICT on the relationship between institutional dynamics and road accidents.FindingsThe results show that vehicle maintenance, policy enforcement, safety culture, driver training and driver management positively influence road accidents. Moreover, the study established that ICT moderates the relationship between institutional dynamics and road accidents.Practical implicationsThe results of this study serve as a practical guideline for policymakers in the road haulage sector. Managers may gain insights on how to design effective interventions to reduce road accidents.Originality/valueThis research contributes to the existing body of knowledge by exploring previously unexplored moderating paths in the relationship between institutional dynamics and road accidents. By highlighting the moderating role of ICT, the study sheds new light on the institutional dynamics that influence road accidents in the context of road haulage companies.

Building and maintaining brand loyalty is crucial for every organisation in such competitive business environment and organisations in the hospitality industry are not spared. Hotels have made many efforts on branding to gain brand loyalty from their customers and recently they have carried their efforts to social media to survive in online environment as well. The growth in social media marketing is attributed to the increase in social networking users, internet users, mobile phone users and digital content consumption. Therefore, the aim of this study was to establish the effect of social media marketing on brand loyalty in the hospitality industry in Zimbabwe, with age as a moderator. Data was gathered from 223 hotel customers using a structured questionnaire with Likert-type questions. The findings show that social media marketing positively influences brand loyalty in emerging market. Also, the study findings show that age moderate the effect of social media marketing on brand loyalty. The study contributes to studies that proved a significant relationship between social media marketing and brand loyalty by including the moderating role of age. Thus, hospitality organisations are advised to utilise social media marketing in order to improve brand loyalty. In addition, they must consider the moderating role of age when formulating social media marketing strategies to enhance brand loyalty.Social media marketing contributes a crucial role in the success of firms in the hospitality industry. This study examines effect of social media marketing on brand loyalty within the hospitality industry in Zimbabwe and the moderating role of age. The study specifically tests the effect of social media, media sharing networks and consumer review networks on brand loyalty. The study established that social media marketing positively influences brand loyalty in emerging market. Also, the study established that age moderates the relationship between social media marketing and brand loyalty. Thus, hospitality organisations are encouraged to utilise social media marketing in order to improve brand loyalty. Also, they are advised to consider age when formulating strategies to enhance brand loyalty.

Globally, SMEs contribute immensely to economic growth and development in both developed and developing countries. This necessitate the need for funding for SMEs for them to contribute meaningfully and sustainably to economic growth and development. Nevertheless, SMEs funding remain a challenge in most countries especially developing ones. Therefore, this study aimed to establish the effect of debt financing (short-term debt, long-term debt, and trade credit) on the financial performance of SMEs in Zimbabwe. Financing SMEs has been a challenge for many SMEs worldwide. Notwithstanding that SMEs contribute immensely to the growth of an economy, SMEs remain underfunded especially in developing economies. Their contributions include poverty reduction, increased job opportunities, competitiveness, and productivity in the industrial sector. This study adopted a positivism philosophy and a cross sectional survey design. Quantitative data were gathered from 210 SMEs using a structured questionnaire with Likert-type responses. The findings show that debt financing (short-term debt, long-term debt, and trade credit) positively influences the financial performance in emerging markets. This study contributes to studies that prove a significant relationship between debt financing and financial performance in sectors other than SMEs. Thus, SMEs are advised to use debt financing to improve their financial performance.

PurposeThis study examines the moderating role of information sharing on the effect of lead-time management on the performance of firms in the Zimbabwean motor industry.Design/methodology/approachData were collected using Likert-based structured questionnaires from a sample of 105 employees in Zimbabwe. In addition, Pearson Correlation, Linear Regression and Moderation Regression analysis were employed to test the relationship between study variables.FindingsThe study found that fixed lead time, preprocessing lead time, processing lead time and postprocessing lead time significantly influence the performance of firms in the motor industry. The results also demonstrate that information sharing moderates the effect of lead-time management on firm performance in the motor industry.Practical implicationsFirms in the motor industry should establish long-term relationships with their suppliers and implement effective communication channels for timely and frequent information exchange regarding production schedules, inventory levels, quality standards and potential disruptions.Originality/valueThe current study aims to contribute to the scientific discourse on lead-time management, information sharing and performance in the motor industry. Furthermore, it extends knowledge on the performance of the motor industry in the African region.

The paper examined the effect of tax policies on tax compliance and the moderating role of gender. A positivist research philosophy and quantitative research strategy were adopted. A cross-sectional survey design was used to collect data from 220 SMEs owners and representatives using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. SMEs owners and representatives were selected by randomly intercepting them at break time and lunch time during SMEs conferences and workshops in Harare, Zimbabwe. Structural equation modelling was used to test research hypotheses. The study established that low tax penalties, low tax rates and fairness and equity of a tax system positively influence tax compliance. Furthermore, the study established that gender moderates the effect of low tax penalties, low tax rates and fairness and equity of a tax system on tax compliance. Results imply that reasonable tax penalty and tax rates accompanied by a fair and equity tax system play an imperative role in increasing tax compliance and revenue for the nation. Also, the results imply that gender plays a moderating role in influencing tax compliance. Policymakers should consider low tax rates, low penalties and fairness and equity in the tax system to improve tax compliance by SMEs. Also, policymakers should consider ways to ensure that all taxpayers are tax compliant, despite their gender. The tax authorities may use deterrence letters or letters of demand to ensure males are compliant.

Resource and supplier relationship management continues to play a critical role in the efficiency of the supply chain and its competitive positioning. The current study sought to establish how the paint manufacturing industry's performance is influenced by resource allocation (finance, human, physical, and information resources) and supplier relationship management (systematic collaboration, activities programs, and review meetings) and their ultimate contribution to organizational performance. The objectives of this study were to establish the effect of resource allocation on supplier relationship management and determine how supplier relationship management influences the performance of the paint manufacturing industry. Using a simple random sampling method, data were collected from 116 employees involved in the procurement process from 30 paint manufacturing firms in Harare. A questionnaire with Likert-type questions was distributed electronically to collect the data. This study established that there is a high inadequacy of resources to support the supplier relationship management system. A greater percentage of organizations (77.5%) employ procurement staff with the necessary qualifications and experience to manage the buyer-supplier relationship. The study further revealed that some organizations (98%) within the paint manufacturing industry do not have websites for supplier interaction due to limited financial resources, thereby impacting their supplier information resources. This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by providing new insights into the need for sufficient resource-supplier relationship management, as it greatly contributes to the performance of the paint manufacturing sector.

This study examines the effect of supply chain risk factors on the performance of SMEs in the manufacturing sector of Harare and Zimbabwe. This study also explores the moderating role of technological capabilities in this relationship. A cross-sectional survey of 530 SME owners and managers was conducted via a structured questionnaire. Structural equation modeling (SEM) and moderated regression analysis were used to test the research hypotheses. The study revealed that financial constraints, the availability of skilled labor, information security, and supplier reliability positively influence both financial and operational performance. The results also revealed that technological capability moderates the effects of supply chain risk factors on firm performance. This study recommends that SMEs adopt artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data analytics to manage risk effectively. The key contribution of this study lies in its thorough analysis of diverse risk factors, identification of their positive influence on both financial and operational performance, and novel insight into the moderating role of technological capabilities.

This study investigates the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve operational performance in Zimbabwean road haulage enterprises, with a focus on driver training as a moderator. As the logistics industry faces new difficulties, AI technologies have great promise for increasing efficiency and decision making. However, the usefulness of these technologies is determined by the skill levels of the drivers using them. This study demonstrated how extensive driver training improves the capacity to comprehend AI-generated insights, resulting in better route management, lower operating costs, and increased safety. This study examines how AI affects key performance variables such as cost savings, productivity, customer happiness, and environmental sustainability, using real data from road haulage companies. Key findings demonstrate how AI is transforming decision-making, improving operational effectiveness, and optimizing routes. The research highlights several noteworthy obstacles in addition to their obvious advantages, such as budgetary limitations, difficulty in obtaining pertinent data, and the need for more regionalized AI solutions. The findings, which are based on case studies and performance data from diverse enterprises, indicate that (i) organizations that invest in both AI and driver training benefit from a synergistic impact, resulting in higher operational outcomes, (ii) there is need to combine technical improvements with human experience to achieve maximum performance in Zimbabwe's competitive road-haulage market and finally (iii) this study offers helpful recommendations for successfully integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into haulage processes, along with insights into best practices and alternative approaches to overcome current obstacles. This study emphasizes the importance of context-specific solutions in emerging regions, enhancing the expanding corpus of knowledge on AI applications, particularly in logistics.