https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/5011 Sun, 05 Apr 2026 21:05:03 GMT 2026-04-05T21:05:03Z https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/6899 Title: A multi-dimensional model for assessing e-government service gaps in the context of a developing country: a critical realist perspective Authors: Mahlangu, Gilbert Abstract: Literature reports that e-government services have been in use in developing countries for approximately two decades. Hence, consumers of government services would have expected some e-government maturity in the continuum, where e-services would have evolved to some degree. However, despite the deliberate efforts towards the design, development and deployment of e-government projects in developing countries, e-government service gaps still exist. Also, since the emergence of e-government in developing countries, several different measurement metrics in the form of models and frameworks have been utilised to evaluate e-government projects. Nevertheless, while e-government assessment typologies have developed over time, no measurement metrics exist to assess e-government service gaps according to the best knowledge of the researcher. Consequently, a failure to assess e-government service gaps makes it difficult to take well-founded improvement actions since these gaps are not obvious to the designers and implementers of e-government systems. Hence, the purpose of this study was in twofold: to investigate the factors enhancing e-government service gaps in the context of a developing country from multiple perspectives and develop a model for assessing e-government service gaps in the same context. To accomplish this purpose, the study performed an integrated literature review as well as construct analysis. Also, a conceptual model for assessing e-government service gaps was developed in Chapter Three. The study was grounded on the tenets and assumptions of the philosophy of critical realism. A sequential multi-methodology design was used to collect quantitative and qualitative data. Since the researcher aimed to understand the phenomenon from multiple perspectives, data was collected from three units: government employees; business; and citizens. A total of five hundred and fifty (550) questionnaire surveys were used to examine the factors enhancing e-government service gaps and evaluate dimensions for measuring service gaps while thirty (30) in-depth semi-structured interviews were used to gain a comprehensive understanding of factors enhancing e-government service gaps in a developing context, a purpose that could not be achieved through the use of structured questionnaire survey alone. The findings from questionnaires and interviews together with feedback from expert reviews were used to validate the conceptual model presented in Chapter Three. The deployment of e-government projects that provide comprehensive e-government services lies in the identification of e-government service gaps and addressing factors that enhance them. The study has revealed several factors that can explain why e-government service gaps exist in the context of a developing county. These include lack of requisite infrastructure; lack of interoperability; lack of access; lack of e-government funding; budget disparity; policy inconsistency; lack of the desire to support and coordinate e-government; design-reality gap; lack of user-involvement; and lack of developed IT human capacity. The factors identified in this study act as underlying mechanisms of successful implementation and utilisation of e-government in the developing context. For instance, electrical power outages and lack of ICT infrastructure make e-government a difficult goal to achieve. Besides, most of the factors appear to be greatly related to the socio-economic conditions prevailing in many developing countries. Therefore, until these factors are converted into enablers for providing comprehensive services, e-government service gaps will continue to exist in developing countries. Accordingly, the deployment of e-government services in developing countries with a focus on these underlying factors will to some extent reduce e-government service gaps and increase the utilisation of e-government services and user satisfaction. Also, the study envisaged that a multi-dimensional model for assessing e-government service gaps should comprise of four (4) constructs as follows: system functionality; service delivery; service gaps; and user satisfaction. This study provided novel contributions in a stratified fashion which was informed by the Three Worlds Framework as follows: (a) pragmatic world; (b) knowledge domain; and (c) philosophy of science. Some of the contributions include: enlightening the implementers and funders of e-government projects on factors that obstruct the successful implementation and utilisation of e-government services in the developing context; the model will allow for the identification of service gaps in a particular project that could be otherwise unnoticed during the design phase of e-government projects; thereby, contributing to the continuous improvement of e-government services; the findings provide theoretical knowledge to the body of literature concerning the factors that contribute to e-government service gaps; building on corpus literature on e-government assessment typologies, this study proffers a theoretical model for assessing e-government in the context of a developing country; the use of multi-methodology enabled consistency of reality in the study of e-government service gaps in the developing context; this study informs critical realists on the use of statistical inferences to explain the causal mechanisms of a given phenomenon based on regression analysis and in-depth interviews. In terms of further research, the study suggests that new insights on factors enhancing e-government service gaps could emerge if the research is undertaken again in more case studies; the study also suggests that future research in investigating e-government service gaps should include the marginalised communities. Wed, 01 Jan 2020 00:00:00 GMT https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/6899 2020-01-01T00:00:00Z Mahlangu, Gilbert https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/6733 Title: Piercing the glass ceiling: proposed personal brand equity framework for enhancing women career success Authors: Muposhi Asphat; Zulu Melissa; Mugwati Miriam; Matsikenyeri Oslie Abstract: Workplace gender inequality is a persistent challenge that constrains the realisation of sustainable development goal 5 in developing and developing countries. In Zimbabwe, a developing country in southern Africa, women remain under represented in senior management positions in stock exchange listed companies. This study examines the views of women in middle and senior management on the role of personal brand equity as a tool for enhancing career success. A structured questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data from 523 women in middle and senior management positions employed in Zimbabwe stock exchange listed companies. Covariance-based structural equation modelling was utilised to test posited hypotheses. For women in middle management, brand differentiation was found to have a significant positive influence on career success, whilst the influence of brand appeal and brand recognition was insignificant. For women in senior management, brand differentiation and brand recognition were found to have a significant positive influence on career success, whilst the influence of brand appeal was insignificant. Education level and industry type were found to influence career success for women in both middle and senior management. This study contributes to promote gender equality in management by extending the application of personal brand equity model to address the glass ceiling challenge. Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/6733 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z Muposhi Asphat Zulu Melissa Mugwati Miriam Matsikenyeri Oslie https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/6517 Title: (Dis)engaging with green hotels: behavioural reasoning, willingness to pay and patronage intention: a developing country perspective Authors: Asphat Muposhi; Kaitano Dube; Chengetai Nyakudya Abstract: The actual behaviour of supporting green practices in Zimbabwe's hospitality sector remains low although hotel guests are reporting high levels of environmental concern. This study employs the behavioural reasoning theory (BRT) to examine hotel guests' responses to green practices and relationship with green hotel patronage intention. Quantitative data were collected using a structured questionnaire from 418 hotel guests drawn from seven luxury hotels in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was applied to test the posited hypotheses. Functional value, economic value and hedonism emerged as the main factors that constrain hotel guests' willingness to pay for green hotels. Eudaimonism and perceived value fit were identified as enabling factors. The findings of this study provide input to policymakers and hoteliers who intend to develop guest-centred strategies to promote the adoption of green hotel practices. Wed, 04 Sep 2024 00:00:00 GMT https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/6517 2024-09-04T00:00:00Z Asphat Muposhi Kaitano Dube Chengetai Nyakudya https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/6516 Title: Influencing millennials to embrace sustainable fashion in an emerging market: a modified brand avoidance model perspective Authors: Asphat Muposhi; Tinashe Chuchu Abstract: Purpose – This study applies the modified brand avoidance model to examine factors that influence sustainable fashion avoidance behaviour among millennial shoppers in South Africa. Design/methodology/approach – A positivistic approach and a web-based online survey were employed to collect cross-sectional data from 423 millennial fashion shoppers. Standard multiple regression analysis was used to test proposed hypotheses. Findings – Unmet expectations, materialism and symbolic incongruence emerged as major predictors of millennials’ intention to avoid sustainable fashion. Sustainable fashion avoidance intention was found to have a positive effect on sustainable fashion avoidance behaviour. Research limitations/implications – This study relied on self-reported data collected from millennial shoppers. Future studies may improve the generalizability of this study’s results by conducting a comparative study with other cohorts such as baby boomers and Generation X who espouse different shopping values. Future studies may benefit from the use of longitudinal data in order to understand how millennial shoppers relate to sustainable fashion as it evolves. Practical implications – The results of this study suggest the importance of developing value propositions that align sustainable fashion with cultural, personality and symbolic cues valued by millennial shoppers. Consumer education on the benefits of sustainable fashion is recommended as a longterm behavioural change strategy. Social implications – The purchase behaviour of sustainable fashion should be encouraged as it enhances environmental sustainability including safeguarding the livelihoods of future generations. Originality/value – This study contributes to literature on sustainable fashion avoidance behaviour. This is one of the pioneering studies to empirically examine the influence of unmet expectations, symbolic incongruence and ideological incompatibility in the context of an emerging market, such as South Africa Tue, 02 Aug 2022 00:00:00 GMT https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/6516 2022-08-02T00:00:00Z Asphat Muposhi Tinashe Chuchu