Causes of Poor Service Delivery and the Feasibility of Outsourcing to Improve Services in Local Authorities

 This theoretical paper was undertaken to ascertain the causes of poor service delivery and to establish if outsourcing of public service delivery could be used to improve local Authority services. It interrogated and critiqued documents on what other researchers in their different contexts had established in view of the feasibility of outsourcing as a strategy to improve service delivery. It emerged in this study that political interference, lack of citizen participation. lack of funds and corruption were the main causes of poor service delivery in local authorities. Therefore, outsourcing was seen to bring quality and affordable services for the public while costs savings and emergence of hidden costs were the financial implications unveiled for the local authorities (LAs). Social costs, accountability for public service delivery and quality shading were cited to be the outsourcing challenges.  It also emerged in this study that outsourcing can increase service quality and provide affordable services for the public. Taking into account the information that was accumulated and examined, the researchers came to the conclusion that the current services being offered by local authorities are very poor and this is attributed to many causes such as political interference, lack of citizen participation, lack of funds and corruption. The study therefore, concludes that outsourcing could be a feasible option to use to improve service delivery by local authorities.&nbsp

The Effectiveness of Enterprise Risk Management and Internal Audit Function on Quality of Financial Reporting in Universities

This study examined the impact of enterprise risk management (ERM) and internal audit function (IAF) on the financial reporting quality (FRQ) of state universities in Zimbabwe. Utilizing a dataset of 250 respondents from across nine (9) state universities, the researchers examined the effectiveness of ERM and the IAF on the quality of financial reporting in state universities. The researchers employed the contingency theory and studied each university separately to report on items that are specific to each and then also establish a commonality in the definition of parameters to be used in setting up the benchmark against which future performance may be measured. The findings were that there is a strong and significant relationship between ERM and the FRQ and also that there is a positive relationship between the internal audit function and FRQ. Quality internal audit results improved corporate governance systems. The results also underscore the significance and need for central government to establish and monitor a system of good ERM processes that minimize corporate governance breaches and enhance integrity and independence in financial reporting in state universities

The Impact of Labour Force Reduction on the Financial Performance of Manufacturing Companies

This study attempts to corroborate the impact of labour force reduction on financial performance of manufacturing companies in a developing country. Despite the on-going use of labour force reduction, literature and research on this approach continues to yield mixed results. This desktop research was therefore conducted with the aim of determining the impact of employing labour force reduction initiatives on financial performance of manufacturing companies. The study reviews the results and findings of empirical and qualitative literature on labour force reduction by previous scholars for a period of 6 years ranging from 2012 to 2017. The phenomenon of labour force reduction has facilitated the research and studies on the area in the past six years, with researchers reaching different conclusions on the practise’s effect on organisations. This has prompted the researchers of this study to critically study labour force reduction methods, factors affecting their success, employees’ reaction to the strategy, the practise effect on productivity and the relationship between labour force reduction and organisation performance.&nbsp

The persistence of gender inequality in Zimbabwe: factors that impede the advancement of women into leadership positions in primary schools

We investigated and analysed the factors that women teachers consider asbarriers to their advancement to headship positions in Zimbabwean primary schools. Specifically, we sought to identify the factors perceived by women school heads to be causes of persistent under-representation of women in school headship positions. Data were collected through structured face-to-face interviews and focus group discussions with 13 experienced women school heads. The findings revealed that although the majority of the women teachers in the study sample were qualified for promotion to school headship positions, they had not attempted to apply for them. The majority of the women teachers in the study sample were adequately qualified for promotion to school headship positions. Indeed, a large number of them either had a university degree or were pursuing degree studies and also had extensive experience. But most of themhad not attempted to apply for school headship and hence were still classteachers. Gender stereotypes were shown to be one of the major causes ofpersistent under-representation of women in primary school headship. Theinfluence of gender role stereotypes was found to manifest in the form of low self esteem; lack of confidence; women’s perception that their role in the family overrides all other roles; and lack of support from the home and the workplace

Challenges Faced by Students with Hearing Impairment in Bulawayo Urban Regular Schools

There is a risk of students with hearing impairment being excluded from the teaching and learning that goes on, unless measures are taken to make sure they are fully included. This prompted this desktop study on problems associated with the inclusion of hearing impaired students in secondary schools. The study established that besides communication problems, students experienced feelings of anger, frustration and isolation depending on the dictates of the environment. Literature revealed that learning is a process that happens under observable and ideal conditions to the extent that situations in which students are placed deliberately or otherwise had great effects on them. The review of literature focused on the problem and its context. It also emerged that there was an opportunity for teachers and other stakeholders to reflect on their school and classroom practices with hearing impaired students and adopt effective strategies of managing them in inclusive secondary schools. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n9p44

Women training to coach a male sport : managing gendered identities and masculinist discourses

Despite increasing female participation in English football (aka soccer), the sport remains rooted in the values and discursive practices of orthodox masculinity. This is exemplified by the English Football Association (FA), which has been criticized for its ineffective responses to addressing the inclusion and progression of women as players and workers within the organization. Female membership in male-dominated organizations is not readily achieved, given the dominance of masculinist discourses and the risks of overtly challenging these. In this study, we explored the discursive management of gendered and/or footballing identities from interviews with participants in an English regional FA’s women-only football coach education program. All of the participants described the peripheral positioning of women in English football. Analysis identified evidence of both collaboration with and resistance to the dominant masculinist discourses in the accounts of their experiences in football, while also reproducing the most valued footballing identities and knowledge as male. We connect this to the complexities of negotiating and managing gendered identities for women in male-dominated organizations. All of the participants described the value and benefits of women-only coach education and the majority noted they would prefer women-only coach education in future