https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/79 2026-04-09T21:47:04Z https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/4049 Title: Challenges and survival strategies of employees under precarious employment within the Agricultural and Hospitality Industries in Zimbabwe : the case of Border Timbers Limited and Chimanimani Hotel Authors: Sauti, Christian Abstract: The purpose of the study was to investigate the challenges faced and survival strategies used by employees under precarious employment at BTL and CH representing the agricultural and hospitality industries in Zimbabwe respectively. Out of 1666 total population at BTL and 68 employees at CH, the sample size of 20 participants was chosen from each organisation through quota, convenience and purposive sampling. Qualitative research approach and the multiple case study research design was adopted to deconstruct deeply into the research phenomenon. The research was conceptually guided by the Employment Strain Model by Lewchuk, Clark, de Wolff, and King (2003) and it focused on both primary and secondary sources of data. Data was collected through open-ended questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions, and thematic analysis was used in analysing the data. Major inferences from the research revealed that seasonal, fixed term, casual, part-time work, graduate trainee/student attaches, and permanent contracts were prominent forms of work whose conditions punctuates precarious employment in the hospitality and agricultural industries in Zimbabwe. The participants expressed that they suffer heightened employment insecurity, sexual harassment, poor occupational health and safety, limited social protection and limited workplace representation on fundamental rights at work. Sexual harassment has been found most ubiquitous at CH whereas limited access to training and development was more experienced at BTL. From the study, it was identified that moonlighting, fiddling and sabotaging, surviving by God’ grace, ‘kukiya-kiya’, pilferage, drug abuse, farming and gold panning and workplace romance were survival strategies used to mitigate the challenges of precarious employment conditions. However, farming and illegal gold mining, hardworking and drug abuse were dominantly used at BTL while workplace romance was a common coping strategy for workers at CH. It was found that the employers were not adhering to the dictates of Labour Act [Chapter 28:01] and its amendments, SI15 of 2006, NSSA Act, ILO’s Decent Work Agenda and its conventions in addressing the challenges faced by employees under precarious working conditions in the agricultural and hospitality industries in Zimbabwe. The participants stated that there is not any specific legislation to deal with indecent work conditions in Zimbabwe hence the frameworks are considered managerial templates to fuel modern day slavery. From the foregoing, recommendations were made for the industries to develop precarious employment policies to govern the working conditions for the precariates, to adhere to the existing legal frameworks on precarious work and for the HR function to advise workers and management that the precariates should be treated equitably and enjoy workplace representation and protection against unfair labour practices. 2019-01-01T00:00:00Z Sauti, Christian https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/3565 Title: The effects of job security on employee performance: a case study of First Banking Corporation (FBC Bank Limited). Authors: Kutesera, Loreen Abstract: The purpose of the study was to assess the effects of job security on employee performance at First Banking Corporation Limited (FBC Bank Ltd). This was in light of the underperforming Zimbabwean economy and the subsequent tremors in the banking sector. Tremors such as the liquidity crisis which has led to the promotion of the use of ‘plastic money’, mobile and ebanking, and the dwindling clientele for the banks have led to banks revise the nature of work and adopt survival strategies to cut costs. The research was aimed at assessing the effects of job security on employee performance in such an environment. All respondents who were selected were on permanent contracts. Contractual employees were excluded from the study as already they have no job security. The researcher applied qualitative research methodology and a case study approach was adopted. The population for the study was 390. The sample size was 40 respondents who were selected using the purposive and convenience sampling techniques. The sample was made up of 5 managerial and 35 non-managerial staff. The response rate was 37 out of 40 i.e. 93%... The research findings are presented in the form of tables, themes and narratives and extracts from the interviews. Overall findings of the research concurred with literature that economic downturn had a formidable effect on job security among other factors, as it resulted in job insecurity since organisation were forced by the macro-environment to cut costs by resorting to new forms of employment. Job security was found to be the prominent factor affecting employee performance at FBC Bank Ltd, as employees were demotivated by low levels of security which they felt was a breach to the psychological contract. Research findings also showed that low levels of job security were also a reason for employee mobility within the banking sector. The study found out that the performance of the Zimbabwean economy posed the greatest challenge to ensuring job security in FBC Bank Ltd. The researcher concluded that high levels of jobs security had a positive effect on employee performance whereas low levels had a negative effect on employee performance. The researcher recommended that the organisation builds a relationship based on trust with employees by effectively communicating its position and future plans so as to allay employee fears. The researcher recommended that future research needs to be carried out to assess the effects of technological advancements and the new forms of banking on the job security of bank employees in Zimbabwe. 2018-01-01T00:00:00Z Kutesera, Loreen https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/2182 Title: The effectiveness of conciliation and arbitration as an alternate dispute resolution mechanism in the ferro – alloy industry: a case of Zimasco and Zimbabwe Alloys International. Authors: Watadza, Christopher Abstract: The research evaluates the effectiveness of conciliation and arbitration as an alternate dispute resolution mechanism in the Ferro – Alloy Industry. A case of ZIMASCO and Zimbabwe Alloys International, 2 major players in the industry, were examined in a descriptive research design. Backing the research is the concept of legal pluralism which then defined conciliation and arbitration as alternative dispute resolution systems. A sample size of 35 comprising of Management and Trade Union representatives, general employees and Labour Officers participated through interviews, semi – structured and unstructured questionnaires with the response rate of 100%. The research established that conciliation and arbitration’s strength as mechanism for dispute resolution lies on their accessibility, flexibility, cost effective and less adversarial nature and has contributed towards the effective resolution of disputes in some instances. However the research uncovered that despite the aforementioned strengths of conciliation and arbitration, the current legal framework was not providing a conducive and enabling regulatory environment to ensure an effective dispute resolution mechanism. The gaps in terms of time limits, the absence of explicit guidelines on conciliation, lack of finality to arbitral awards were identified as major drawbacks of the current legal structure. The State department, the Ministry of Labour, is the vehicle for an effective dispute resolution mechanism. The research identified that the department was inadequately resourced to enable speedy and prompt resolution of disputes. Due to the centrality and inevitability of disputes at workplace, the research recommended that government should amend the current legal framework to align it to International Labour Organisations provisions on conciliation and arbitration to ensure an effective resolution to disputes. 2015-01-01T00:00:00Z Watadza, Christopher