Lupane State University

A model of authoritarianism on a group level of analysis based on Duckitt's concept of authoritarianism is presented. This conceptualization is called group authoritarianism (GA), which is defined as the belief about the appropriate relationship that should exist between groups and their individual members. The process model of group authoritarianism connects traditional authoritarianism theories with the Social Identity Approach. According to this model group‐authoritarianism reflects the situation‐specific activation of an authoritarian disposition in group contexts. Thus, group authoritarianism provides a perspective according to which personality characteristics and general psychological mechanisms described by Social‐Identity Theory (SIT) and Self‐Categorization Theory (SCT) interact in predicting intergroup hostility and intergroup discrimination. This article describes the development of a group authoritarianism scale as well as an experimental study that tests the main assumption of the group authoritarianism process model. The results confirm the reliability and validity of the group authoritarianism scales and the main hypothesis of the group authoritarianism model.

OBJECTIVES: To address the following issues regarding the use of prone position ventilation in patients with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS): a) response rate; b) magnitude and duration of improved oxygenation in responders during a 12-hr trial and the consequences of returning to the supine position; c) effects of the prone position on gas exchange and hemodynamics; d) consequences of oxygenation in nonresponders; and e) effects of repeated prone position trials. DESIGN: Prospective, nonrandomized interventional study. SETTING: Medical intensive care unit, university tertiary care center. PATIENTS: Nineteen consecutive, mechanically ventilated patients (age 45+/-20 yrs, mean+/-SD) with ARDS and severe hypoxemia, defined as PaO2/FiO2 of < or = 150 with FiO2 of > or = 0.6 persisting for < or =24 hrs, and a pulmonary artery occlusion pressure of <18 mm Hg. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were turned prone for 2 hrs. Nonresponders were returned supine, but responders were maintained prone for 12 hrs before being returned to the supine position. The procedure was repeated on a daily basis in all patients, until inclusion criteria were no longer met or the patients died. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Hemodynamic, blood gas, and gas exchange measurements were performed at the following time points: a) baseline supine; b) after 30 mins prone; and c) after 120 mins prone. Additional measurements for nonresponders were taken after 30 mins supine. For responders, additional measurements were taken after 12 hrs prone and 30 mins supine. Patients were considered responders if an increase in PaO2 of > or = 10 torr (> or =1.3 kPa), or increase in the PaO2/FiO2 ratio of >20 occurred within 120 mins. Eleven (57%) patients responded to the prone position. There was no difference in initial baseline parameters between responders and nonresponders. After 30 mins, the prone position in responders increased PaO2 and decreased calculated venous admixture (Qva/Qt). This improvement was the maximal obtained, and was maintained throughout the 12-hr prone period. After 12 hrs prone, mean FiO2 had been lowered from 0.85+/-0.16 to 0.66+/-0.18 (p < .05). Thirty minutes after the patients were returned supine, PaO2, PaO2/FiO2, and Qva/Qt were not different from 12-hr prone values, and were improved in comparison with baseline supine values. There was no worsening of gas exchange or hemodynamics in nonresponders. After the initial trial, a total of 28 additional episodes of prone position ventilation were performed in nine of the 19 patients. Of the 24 additional episodes in the responders, there was a response in 17 (71%) of 24 episodes. In the four additional episodes in nonresponders, there was a response in only one (25%) of four episodes. Response was accompanied by the same beneficial effects on gas exchange and Qva/Qt and absence of effect on hemodynamics as in the initial trial. There was no worsening in gas exchange or hemodynamics in nonresponder trials. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the data from this study, the prone position can improve oxygenation in severely hypoxemic ARDS patients without deleterious effects on hemodynamics. This beneficial effect does not immediately disappear on return to the supine position. In our patients, an absence of response to this technique was not accompanied by worsening hypoxemia or hemodynamic instability. Repeated daily trials in the prone position should be considered in the management of ARDS patients with severe hypoxemia.

Very well into the dawn of the fourth industrial revolution (industry 4.0), humankind can hardly distinguish between what is artificial and what is natural (e.g., man-made virus and natural virus). Thus, the level of discombobulation among people, companies, or countries is indeed unprecedented. The fact that industry 4.0 is explosively disrupting or retrofitting each and every industrial sector makes industry 4.0 the famous buzzword amongst researchers today. However, the insight of industry 4.0 disruption into the industrial sectors remains ill-defined in both academic and nonacademic literature. The present study aimed at identifying industry 4.0 neologisms, understanding the industry 4.0 disruption and illustrating the disruptive technology convergence in the major industrial sectors. A total of 99 neologisms of industry 4.0 were identified. Industry 4.0 disruption in the education industry (education 4.0), energy industry (energy 4.0), agriculture industry (agriculture 4.0), healthcare industry (healthcare 4.0), and logistics industry (logistics 4.0) was described. The convergence of 12 disruptive technologies including 3D printing, artificial intelligence, augmented reality, big data, blockchain, cloud computing, drones, Internet of Things, nanotechnology, robotics, simulation, and synthetic biology in agriculture, healthcare, and logistics industries was illustrated. The study divulged the need for extensive research to expand the application areas of the disruptive technologies in the industrial sectors.

Fungi are highly diverse organisms, which provide multiple ecosystem services. However, compared with charismatic animals and plants, the distribution patterns and conservation needs of fungi have been little explored. Here, we examined endemicity patterns, global change vulnerability and conservation priority areas for functional groups of soil fungi based on six global surveys using a high-resolution, long-read metabarcoding approach. We found that the endemicity of all fungi and most functional groups peaks in tropical habitats, including Amazonia, Yucatan, West-Central Africa, Sri Lanka, and New Caledonia, with a negligible island effect compared with plants and animals. We also found that fungi are predominantly vulnerable to drought, heat and land-cover change, particularly in dry tropical regions with high human population density. Fungal conservation areas of highest priority include herbaceous wetlands, tropical forests, and woodlands. We stress that more attention should be focused on the conservation of fungi, especially root symbiotic arbuscular mycorrhizal and ectomycorrhizal fungi in tropical regions as well as unicellular early-diverging groups and macrofungi in general. Given the low overlap between the endemicity of fungi and macroorganisms, but high conservation needs in both groups, detailed analyses on distribution and conservation requirements are warranted for other microorganisms and soil organisms.

The developing world has become the primary destination for used electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) exported by the developed world, making e-waste management critical. This paper aims to determine the state of e-waste management in Sub-Saharan Africa by critically reviewing the corpus on electronic waste (e-waste) management in the region. Even though many studies were conducted on e-waste management, very few are conducted on developing countries who are significant recipients of used EEE. We applied a systematic literature review (SLR) process on research articles retrieved from Web of Science, EBSCO Host and Sabinet databases. Using the keywords that included e-waste management or recycling or policy in Sub-Saharan Africa or Africa, we searched for articles from these databases. We analysed 25 papers selected from 151,558 papers initially retrieved to answer the research questions. The findings revealed that about 80% of research on e-waste management in the Sub-Saharan Africa region was undertaken in three countries: Ghana, Nigeria, and South Africa. The review of the selected articles revealed that lack of policy and limited recycling infrastructure were the main barriers to effective e-waste management. The SLR revealed that most countries in the region practice informal and rudimentary recycling methods. Based on the common barriers identified, our recommendations can provide insight to policymakers, contribute to theory, and offer opportunities for future research.

Increasing incidences of combined drought and heat stress poses a serious threat to production and productivity of crops in sub-Saharan Africa where 95% of crop production is rainfed. In this review we discuss the morphological and physiological effects of drought and heat stresses, with specific emphasis on their combined effects on sorghum, a hardy small grain crop of diverse uses and suitable for marginal areas of the semi-arid tropics. Resistance mechanisms to drought stress were reviewed to enhance understanding amongst crop scientists and botanists. The most important physiological processes in sorghum that is sensitive to drought and heat stresses include cell division, cell metabolism, photosynthesis, biosynthesis of bioactive and secondary metabolites, nutrient uptake and membrane stability. All of which affects germination, growth, reproduction and consequently controls crop yield. Various morphological and physiological traits enable sorghum to tolerate drought and heat stress through escaping, avoiding and tolerating their effects to sustain physiological and metabolic activities. A deep root system, thick leaf cuticle layers and leaf rolling enable drought avoidance, while physiological adjustments include osmotic adjustment and stomatal regulation. Drought tolerance mechanisms are mainly physiological adjustments such as antioxidative capacity, membrane stability, cooler canopies and a stay green trait that achieves photosynthetic capacity and transpiration efficiency. However, there is great genetic variability even within sorghum on the genotypic responses to drought and heat stress. Understanding of morphological and physiological effects of abiotic stresses, especially when combined and tolerance mechanisms of a specified important crop like sorghum, gives us better insight and a more holistic approach in understanding biological systems that affect its productivity that may enhance its management and improvement.

Abstract The study uses the job demands‐resources (JD‐R) theory to examine the effects of work‐related stress, life‐work balance support, and emotional intelligence on the organizational continuance commitment of workers in under‐resourced organizations. Quantitative cross‐sectional survey data were collected from 212 workers at selected independently owned schools in western Zimbabwe. Correlation and multiple‐regression analyses techniques were used to analyze the data. Positive significant relationships were found between all three independent variables (work‐related stress, work‐life balance support and emotional intelligence) and organizational continuance commitment. Hayes’ PROCESS analyses results demonstrated that emotional intelligence significantly moderated the effect of work‐related stress on organizational continuance commitment, and that of work‐life balance support and organizational continuance commitment. The results highlight the importance of factors including work‐related stress, work‐life balance support, and emotional intelligence in efforts to help inadequately resourced entities retain employees.

Purpose This paper assesses the inclusive leadership and employee engagement nexus in the hospitality industry, using psychological safety as a mediator. Design/methodology/approach The study conveniently sampled 247 employees from the hospitality industry in Zimbabwe. Data were collected using a self-administered structured questionnaire with the aid of trained research assistants. Descriptive and inferential statistics were generated using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23. Regression analysis was used. Findings The findings of this study indicate that the predictor variable (inclusive leadership) directly affects the outcome variable (employee engagement) in the presence of the mediator. In addition, these findings depict that the indirect coefficient was partially significant, which shows that psychological safety partially affects employee engagement in the presence of inclusive leadership. Research limitations/implications The study came up with essential conclusions on the link between inclusive leadership and employee engagement in the hospitality industry. However, there is a need to exercise caution when generalising the findings to a different setting. The results represent the opinions of a sample drawn from Zimbabwe, a developing country in Southern Africa. Future research can carry out a comparative study on the same variables in the context of developed and developing countries. Further, future research can execute a longitudinal analysis to better understand if inclusive leadership directly affects employee engagement in the presence of psychological safety. This would help hospitality management to employ relevant leadership strategies that enhance employee engagement. Practical implications This research has pertinent implications for both academics and human resource practitioners. The study results revealed that there is a direct effect on inclusive leadership and employee engagement. Practically, if leaders avail themselves to work with employees and discuss business operations and social issues affecting them, employees will be committed to exerting more energy towards their work and productivity will be improved. Moreover, it is understandable that mistakes always happen, but errors will be minimised and controlled in such an environment. The results also revealed that the connection between inclusive leadership on employee engagement is partly enhanced by the moderator. This may be taken as a good strategy that can be employed by human resources practitioners in the hospitality industry. Originality/value The study significantly contributes to researchers and practitioners because it develops strategies for enhancing employee engagement in the hospitality sector. In addition, there is scant research that explores the mediating relationship of psychological safety between inclusive leadership and employee engagement in developing countries, particularly in the hospitality sector.

Food insecurity and malnutrition, compounded by climate change, are seriously threatening the growing African population. Unpredictable precipitation patterns and droughts are contributing to declining crop productivity. Efforts to increase agricultural productivity include adoption of crops that are resistant to climate change and engaging in climate resilient agriculture. Currently, CRISPR-Cas9 (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats - associated protein) technology is being used in crop breeding practices to improve traits such as drought tolerance, nutrition and disease resistance. The aim of this review is to explore the use of CRISPR-Cas9 technology in developing climate resilient crops for mitigation of food insecurity and hunger and the attendant implications for small holder farmers in Africa. A comprehensive systematic search of peer reviewed articles in three bibliographic databases, PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar, was conducted to identify documents relevant to applications and implications of CRISPR-mediated genome editing in crop improvement in the African context. The literature shows that CRISPR-Cas technology has been harnessed to enhance the resilience and nutritional content of various crops, by combatting biotic and abiotic stresses. The adoption of CRISPR-assisted crop improvement in breeding strategies can help smallholder farmers in low-middle income countries of Africa to adapt to climate change without productivity loss. By harnessing this technology, smallholder farmers can benefit from growing climate resilient crops with improved yields and stress resistance thereby contributing to food security and sustainable agriculture on the continent.

The reality of climate change is now a well-accepted reality and there is emerging evidence that climate change poses a massive threat for development especially in poor countries. An understanding of the emerging trends of climate change and its effects in local ecologies is an important starting point in addressing the negative effects of climate change. This study sought to understand the impact of climate change on the livelihoods of local communities, focusing on Matobo District in Zimbabwe. The objective of the study was to understand how communities have been affected by climate change and how they are adapting to it as well as their perceptions about the gravity of the climate change phenomenon. The findings of the study were that the effects of climate change on livelihoods in the study area are alarming. Climate change has altered the physical geography of the area leading to a disappearance of flora and fauna and other natural habitat that constituted the livelihoods of the local people. Declining precipitation and rising temperatures are making farming increasingly more difficult, and thus aggravating food insecurity in the area. Urgent climate change programming steps must be taken to prevent a livelihoods catastrophe in semi arid regions in sub-Saharan Africa.

Focusing through the lens of the (COVID-19) lockdown which was enforced on the 30th of March 2020, it became apparent that students from rural resource-constrained educational institutions had to adapt to sustainable online learning platforms from traditional content delivery. WhatsApp a social networking app, but due to its low data consumption, it became a de-facto teaching and learning tool for Lupane State University (LSU) students in Zimbabwe. Prior studies have focused on the use of WhatsApp as an alternative lecture delivery platform but very few have evaluated its role as the sole platform for lecture delivery. With no government or institutional support for data acquisition, students failed to utilise other e-learning platforms that were in place due to exorbitant data costs. This study seeks to evaluate the success of WhatsApp mediated teaching and learning at LSU during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was a randomized evaluation of weekly lecture delivery through WhatsApp to LSU students. A questionnaire based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology’s main constructs was delivered to 200 students that were randomly selected. The results revealed that student’s attitudes, behavioral intention of using WhatsApp for learning as well as the platform’s usefulness were rated highly, implying high adoption. The positive perceptions suggest that it would be easy for the institution to formally integrate the platform to augment traditional lecture delivery or for use during an event that disrupts traditional face-to-face lecture delivery. Results revealed that WhatsApp can support 21st century learning through autonomous, collaborative and learner centred education.

The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic (SARS-COV-2) in December 2019 disrupted traditional forms of teaching and learning centred on face-to-face and in-class instruction. Governments enforced social distancing measures characterised by stay-at-home strategies and the closure of schools and other learning facilities. The government of Zimbabwe adopted radio broadcast as the primary tool for lesson delivery during the COVID-19. Contextually, Zimbabwe’s radio signals are only accessed by 29.1 percent of the entire population, with weak to no reception in some regions, especially those in the south. While radio access is low, mobile phone ownership per household is over 90 percent. In light of the contextual dynamics, the study examined available technologies to deliver educational content during the COVID-19 lockdown as the government declared radio broadcasts as the primary tool to support teaching and learning. The study utilised an adapted Technology Acceptance Model as the theoretical framework. Secondary school teachers from the southern region were drawn through random sampling to participate in the survey to gather their opinions and practices. The study results revealed that teachers preferred to use smartphones and computers/laptops for teaching rather than radio. The study identified barriers such as lack of infrastructure, cost of data, lack of connectivity, lack of access to computing devices, and the institution’s culture. The results could influence policymakers in adopting digital media for teaching, and this will equip learners with 21st-century skills. Continuous professional development of teachers should aim to improve their digital skills.

After the coronavirus outbreak, face-to-face teaching was interrupted partially or entirely, and several universities adopted a variety of remote-based learning approaches. Most institutions in the developing world were not ready for such an abrupt change. Access to appropriate devices that facilitate students’ effective learning in developing countries remains a challenge. This study evaluates university students’ perceptions regarding e-learning deployment during COVID-19 and the factors that affected usage. The quantitative study employed an adapted Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology model to guide the research process. The model has five exogenous and two endogenous variables. The survey research was administered to randomly selected undergraduate University students, with 314 completing the online questionnaire. The results show that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and the facilitating conditions positively influenced the students’ behavioural intentions to use Moodle. Thus, the students had a positive perception of online learning. Results indicate a significant loss of learning due to the unavailability of technology and the cost of data; nevertheless, students agreed that online learning represents the future of teaching and learning. The findings also show that subsidised access to resources and materials is critical for the effective adoption of e-learning. This study’s output provides valuable information to policymakers and researchers regarding students’ perceptions and the state of e-learning at institutions of higher learning.

Over the years, the Nigerian healthcare workforce, including doctors, nurses, and pharmacists have always been known to emigrate to developed countries to practice. However, the recent dramatic increase in this trend is worrisome. There has been a mass emigration of Nigerian healthcare workers to developed countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. While the push factors have been found to include the inadequate provision of personal protective equipment, low monthly hazard allowance, and inconsistent payment of COVID-19 inducement allowance on top of worsening insecurity, the pull factors are higher salaries as well as a safe and healthy working environment. We also discuss how healthcare workers can be retained in Nigeria through increment in remunerations and prompt payment of allowances, and how the brain drain can be turned into a brain gain via the use of electronic data collection tools for Nigerian health workers abroad, implementation of the Bhagwati's tax system, and establishment of a global skill partnership with developed countries.

This paper aims to understand why smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe are “resisting” to adopt small grains as a strategy for adapting to the negative effects of climate change. The uptake of small grains has been very low among smallholder farmers in climate change affected districts in Zimbabwe in spite of expert advice. The paper seeks to interrogate this “refusal” by smallholder farmers to adapt through small grains. Data were collected using fifty (50) in-depth semi-structured interviews and five (5) key informant interviews in Tsholotsho, Zimbabwe to understand why smallholder farmers are not shifting to small grains production en masse in response to climate change to address food insecurity gaps. The paper finds that there are a plethora of reasons leading to the non-adoption of small grains as a climate change adaptation strategy. The explanations vary. The paper thematically provided a critical overview and analysis of the attitude of smallholder farmers on small grains cultivation. The literature systematically selected, provided a wide coverage of the small grains production value chain. The narratives of farmers through interviews reveal their lived experiences and attitudes on small grains. This paper provides a new understanding of why small grains programming has not been successful in Zimbabwe over the years. The paper recommends that the government takes practical steps to enhance the uptake of small grains production through assisting farmers by training and funding projects of such nature for resilience building.

Community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) emphasises the role and benefits of local communities in order to promote a sustainable utilisation of natural resources. This study aims to identify and analyse the locally perceived benefits and challenges of CBNRM practices in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe. A specific focus is on Communal Area Management Programme for Indigenous Resources (CAMPFIRE), which has faced challenges due to changes in the political and economic environment in the country. The findings based on a household survey from three wards adjacent to Hwange National Park suggest that community members have negative perceptions on CAMPFIRE largely due to their non-involvement in the decision-making and management of the natural resources. The community members do expect to gain benefits from CAMPFIRE but they do not perceive and experience receiving any. Therefore, they consider facing mainly challenges from the Park, emanating from the current inefficiencies of CAMPFIRE.

Africa’s response to the outbreak of infectious diseases has come under scrutiny over the years and the outbreak of COVID-19 has exacerbated the situation. The rapid spread of this virus is causing mayhem and panic within the global domain questioning the readiness of public health systems to deal with a pandemic of this magnitude. This has undoubtedly catapulted the word “COVID-19” as a new buzzword. It is in this context that the paper uses desktop research to delve deeper into understanding South Africa and Zimbabwe’s responses to the outbreak of COVID-19. In doing so, the main impetus of the paper is to interrogate the public health system and socio-economic implications of this pandemic on both countries. As part of its findings, the paper noted that both countries are a tale of two paradoxes: one with a middle-income status and the other a low-income status; a key factor in determining the level and effectiveness response strategies to this alarming health crisis. However, despite these economic disparities and differential income status, this pandemic has revealed that both countries have similar deep-rooted problems in their already overburdened public health systems. Moreover, the situation is further catapulted and exacerbated by underlying socio-economic factors such as poverty, unemployment, inequality, slow economic development, inadequate water and sanitation, and food insecurity that have made dealing with this pandemic a huge challenge. The paper concludes that the response and attempts to tackle COVID-19 by South Africa and Zimbabwe heavily rely on their health capacity and favourable socio-economic conditions.

There is a growing realization in African countries for the need to enhance the production of xerophytic crops, including Watermelon, Citrullus lanatus L., in the face of climate change. The objective of this review is to explore challenges and opportunities in watermelon production in Africa. Watermelon is adaptable to most of tropical, and subtropical, Africa, due to its low water requirement and has the potential to be a commercial crop. However, minimal research has been applied to its breeding and production in the continent. Lack of improved varieties, poor production systems, perishable nature of the fruit, and lack of harvest and post-harvest preservation technology hamper large-scale production. Research, particularly in watermelon production practices and breeding, is needed if its true potential in Africa is to be realized.

Abstract Combustion was pivotal in the heat-mediated process of indigenous metalworking in precolonial Africa. For such combustion to be initiated, a consistent supply of air was essential and because bellows generated the air that precipitated the chemical reactions integral to smelting and forging, they were thus critical apparatus in these pursuits. Surprisingly, bellows have failed to attract much academic research when compared to other components of indigenous metalworking such as furnaces, slags and tuyères. Perhaps the excellent preservation of remnants of furnaces and slags, and the contrasting perishable nature of bellows, is largely responsible for this lack of interest. This paper deals with a 'forgotten' but essential aspect of indigenous metal working in sub-Saharan Africa – the bellows. It discusses their chronology, distribution, technical parameters and socio-cultural dimensions. It achieves this by melding multiple strands of evidence from archaeology and its cognate disciplines. La combustion était au centre du processus de la métallurgie traditionnelle en Afrique précoloniale. Elle se réalisait grâce à une alimentation conséquente en air entraînant des réactions chimiques durant les phases de réduction et de forgeage. Les soufflets assurant cette alimentation étaient donc les instruments essentiels de ce processus. Paradoxalement, ils n'ont pas suscité beaucoup d'études en comparaison avec les autres éléments constituants de la métallurgie traditionnelle (les fours, les scories et les tuyères). L'excellente conservation des fours et des scories, comparée à la nature périssable des soufflets, est en grande partie responsable de ce manque d'intérêt. Cet article traite d'un aspect « oublié », mais essentiel dans la compréhension de la métallurgie traditionnelle en l'Afrique Subsaharienne – les soufflets. Nous y discutons de leur chronologie, de leur distribution, de leurs paramètres techniques et de leurs dimensions socioculturelles grâce au croisement de données mises en évidence par l'archéologie et les disciplines apparentées. Keywords: bellowsnatural draughttuyèressmeltingforgingprecolonial Africa Acknowledgements Dr Caroline Robion translated the abstract into French. We extend our thanks to her. We also thank Simon Hall, David Killick, Tim Maggs, Duncan Miller, Peter Mitchell, Thilo Rehren, Vincent Serneels and two anonymous reviewers for sharing their ideas with us. Financial assistance from the National Research Foundation of South Africa is acknowledged with gratitude. Errors that remain should be however solely attributed to us.

The article explores the urban informality dilemma in Harare through the lens of a political economy theory. It examines the typologies of urban informality, the influence of political economy on urban informalities, and informs decision-making to address the urban informality dilemma. A qualitative approach was used where secondary data were collected through document analysis and primary data from interviews with 20 purposively selected key informants. Surveys and in-depth interviews were conducted with 585 individuals engaged in informal activities. It emerged that urban informality in Harare takes on different forms and aside from the economic crisis, politics played a role in the emergence and proliferation of urban informality. The article provides insight into, and raises awareness with regard to key areas of concern on how power influences decision-making relating to urban informality. Therefore, the article provides a basis for policy formulation and institutional reforms for effective measures to curb urban informality.