Masters and PhD Theses

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Ipv6– network security in polytechnic of Namibia network
(Namibia University of Science and Technology, 2007) Bere, Mercy
Increasing demand for IP addresses on the IPv4 address space made the introduction of a new addressing scheme with more addresses inevitable. IPv6 was designed to address the issue of small address space in IPv4. In addition to increasing the address space IPv6 is presumably supposed to increase the security of networks. However, does IPv6 really improve network security? Based on the IPv6 design, it can be argued that IPv6 does improve network security to some extent. IPv6 was designed in such a way that every IPv6 node should support Internet Protocol Security (IPSec), an Internet security standard for protecting communications over IP. The implementation of IPv6 networks is still in its infancy and thus many of its security aspects still need to be thoroughly reviewed and possibly contrasted with highly pertinent IPv4 security issues. Despite its firm security based design structure, research has established that IPv6 may also be susceptible to some of the common IPv4 networks attacks, such port scan attacks, man-in-the-middle attacks and denial of service attacks, as well as to other attacks that are IPv6 specific such as misuse of ICMPv6 and fragmentation attacks. Therefore it can be argued that IPv6 networks are also susceptible to network attacks. However to what extend is IPv6 susceptible? In order to research this, a live IPv4 network was tested for network security and compared to a emulated IPv6 network. As will be discussed in this research, it was found out that both IPv4 and IPv6 networks are susceptible to many types of network attacks.
IT governance as requirements and status of implementation in Namibia.
(2008) Ndilula, Panduleni Edioshili
This study investigates barriers to a successful IT governance implementation. The paper is not purely theoretical but a practical means of looking at ways to increase IT governance efficiency as a guideline to serve as a best practice of IT for better competition in themarket. The implementation of IT governance within organizations in Namibia may help the organizations to successfully achieve their objectives and goals. Organizations will ensure that IT systems and business strategies are aligned, having a common framework between users and solution providers, and evaluate the degree of alignment. As a prerequisite, an organization will have to establish an efficient and effective IT governance implementation. The research examines whether the results of IT investments ensure that IT programs align with and directly support high-level organizational missions, goals, and objectives of the organizations in Namibia. It also highlights the importance of implementing IT governance and the responsibility of IT strategy alignment in an organization. The study further examines how alignment might be best achieved and sustained, and gives an overview of the awareness and of the implementation status of IT Governance in representative organizations in Namibia. The findings of this research if implemented appropriately, promote an efficient and effective IT governance implementation in organizations.
Namibian ECT Bill and computer breaches.
(2008) Kaniita, Werner Simaneka
This mini-thesis examines the impact and effectiveness of the Namibian ECT Bill, which is still to be passed in the Namibian parliament. The Namibia ECT Bill in its current format, will it be effective in an attempt to combat cybercrimes and computer breaches? Internet has taken over and plays a role in everybody‟s daily lives. People are connected to the internet from everywhere. They connect to cyberspace where there is access to the internet i.e. at their home, at their office, at the restaurant, at the airport, etc. Subsequently, people are conducting business online, forming online contracts via the internet. In other words e-commerce is a reality because of the information highway and internet. This mini-thesis has looked at the cyber crime cases that some countries have experienced where the law enforcement agency was seen to be useless or powerless. This was due inadequate cyber law or the cyber activities were not a crime at that point in time, in that particular country. Despite damages and losses suffered as a result of such cyber activities, suspect(s) remain free and never faced the law. Contractual issues over the internet have been explored during this research. There are questions that; for example, when the contract is concluded, what are the terms of contract and how the law is going be applied to the online contract. The mini-thesis examined concerns about the electronic signature and the Certification Authority. The provision for electronic signature in the Namibian ECT Bill has been compared against similar acts in countries that have similar legislation in place. Other issues of concern are that each country has defined its ECT Act differently from other countries. This differences have led to a situation where what is legal in one country, is illegal in another country. Page 7 of 109. The mini-thesis has also looked at issues of cyberspace jurisdiction. Many references have been highlighted as to what might be the possible solution to cyberspace jurisdiction. Some comparisons are highlighted in this mini-thesis, with an attempt to show the similarity and differences between the Namibian ECT Bill and other countries‟ ECT Acts. A few cybercrime cases have been covered in this mini-thesis. Some of the suspects appeared before the courts but could not be successfully prosecuted therefore, ending in acquit.
Evaluation of external expert knowledge acquisition and retention processes at the DiVice Chancellorate of Development Cooperation of the National Planning Commission – Namibia.
(2010) Kangombe, Anna Tusiloshenda
The DiVice Chancellorate of Development Cooperation in the National Planning Commission uses technical assistance to mobilise, coordinate and manage Official Development Aid (ODA) through the use of external experts in areas where such knowledge is not locally available. While there are no indications of a decrease in the need for external expert knowledge to the DiVice Chancellorate of Development Cooperation, donors are increasingly phasing out traditional grants which support technical assistance that funds external expert knowledge and replacing it with new forms of broader cooperation. Given the high costs of external expert knowledge, the DiVice Chancellorate of Development Cooperation will not be able to access it in the long run and this will have negative implications on the implementation of National Development Plans which amongst others, largely dependent on Official Development Aid. This research therefore obtained a blend of primary and secondary data to evaluate the effectiveness of the process currently used to acquire external expert knowledge at the DiVice Chancellorate of Development Cooperation to determine its ability to sustainably deal with the new status. The research adapted the business process improvement solution through the lean approach to define, analyse and improve the process. Amongst the major findings of the study is that, not only does the DiVice Chancellorate of Development Cooperation not have a consistent and documented process for acquiring external expert knowledge, they also do not have a knowledge transfer strategy in place to ensure that the expert knowledge is transferred to local staff. The study also found that the diVice Chancellorate lacks a systematic capacity needs assessment strategy to enable them to plan and prepare their involvement in the sourcing and retention of external expert knowledge considering the prevailing donor conditions. The study defined and proposed an improved process aimed at enabling the DiVice Chancellorate of Development Cooperation getting more involved with external expert knowledge acquisition to ensure that they receive high quality expert knowledge. The process will also ensure that the expert knowledge is received on time and there are mechanisms to retain that knowledge locally. The study also made specific recommendations for the DiVice Chancellorate of Development Cooperation to consider, for example: increased ownership and understanding of the process by the DiVice Chancellorate of Development Cooperation; improvements in the process measurements; change the current perception of external expert knowledge; establish and adopt a best practice approach; use alternative acquisition methods for expert knowledge; and communicate and adopt the proposed improved process. The organisation of the study is divided in seven Chapters. Chapter 1 gives the introduction, statement of the problem, significance of the study, research objectives, and research questions. The literature review and the methodology are discussed in Chapters 2 and 3 respectively. Chapter 4 contains the discussion of the process of acquiring external expert knowledge at the DiVice Chancellorate of Development Cooperation while Chapter 5 is the analysis of the findings and results. Summary and recommendations are contained in Chapter 6, followed by the conclusion in Chapter 7.
An exploratory study on strategic planning and the role of communication in the public service of Namibia with specific reference to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare.
(2011) Wandjiva, Jackson Tuhafeni
A strategic plan is a management tool that is used to transform organizational objectives into actions. Public Service managers have a responsibility to ensure that strategic plans are developed to stir the organization in the desired direction. However, crafting the best strategy is not the end in itself but the ultimate result will only be realized once the plan is successfully implemented, hence the need for effective communication during strategy formulation and implementation. The study focused on the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare (MGECW) and covered a cross section of senior managers, middle managers and junior employees. It involved exploring the impact of communication during strategy formulation and implementation, and investigating effective ways of communicating the formulation and implementation of strategic plans in the Public Service of Namibia. The study was qualitative in nature whereby in-depth interviews and focus group discussions were used as instruments, with senior, middle and lower level employees of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare in Windhoek. The DiVice Chancellorates that participated in the study from the MGECW are: DiVice Chancellorate of Child Welfare Services; DiVice Chancellorate of Gender Equality; DiVice Chancellorate of Integrated Early Childhood and Community Development and the DiVice Chancellorate of Administration and General Services. The study followed an interpretivism research philosophy as it believes that the world and reality are not objective and exterior to the researcher, but are socially constructed and given meaning to people. All twenty-eight targeted respondents took part in the research study either by means of in-depth interviews or focus group discussions. All the participants were selected using a simple random sampling technique from a pool of 478 full time employees to serve as a representative sample of the Public Sector. The researcher personally conducted the in-depth interviews and focus group discussions while taking down notes. The study finds that, effective communication is not taking place during strategic planning process, hence majority of the employees who participated in this study felt excluded in the whole process and contribute less toward the implementation of the plan. Moreover, the study reveals that only senior and middle level employees are involved in the strategic planning process while the juniors are left out due to a lack of proper x information dissemination. According to the respondents, employees serving in the AMC and MTI committees do not provide feedback to their fellow employees to enlighten them on the decisions and strategies made. It also became evident that, this exclusion led to juniors to have a negative attitude towards the strategic planning process and have a declining morale. Hence, the study recommends that effective communication should be emphasized during strategic planning process to ensure stakeholders buy-in through sensitization exercises, e.g. regular feedback, workshops and interactive supervisor-subordinate discussions.
An investigation into the effectiveness of management and leadership of primary, combined and secondary schools in terms of policy, planning and implementation in Eheke Circuit, Oshana Education Region in Namibia
(2011) Nangolo, Adda Benita
The Ministry of Education in Namibia has published the standards that identified twenty – nine aspects of the conditions of a school and its work and provide a way of quantifying the quality of each of these aspects. Seven key areas of the work of schools have been identified. Starting 2007, teams of evaluators begin a program of school evaluations. Grading has to be given to the work of the school on the seven key areas on a four – point scale. In each performance indicator illustrations are given in words of an excellent performance (level 4) on that part of the work of a school, and a performance that show more weaknesses than strengths (level 2). However, no school has been evaluated at level 4 grading in the aspect of management and leadership of schools in Eheke circuit . This qualitative research set to investigate the effectiveness of management and leadership of primary, combined and secondary schools in terms of policy, planning and implementation in Eheke circuit (Key Area 5, performance indicator 5.1). An investigation based on questions set as a guide in the form of an interview as a data collection instrument was undertaken with a sample population of principals, Heads of Departments, school board members and teachers to determine the effectiveness of management and leadership of schools in terms of policy, planning and implementation in Eheke Circuit. Findings revealed that schools were operating with less consideration of visions and missions that supposed to be well known by all and school board members were not fully involved in management and leadership activities of the schools. This led to lack of ownership development and poor implementation. It was evident from the findings that much need to be considered and done before grading schools is effected in Namibia starting with improving on the core aspects of management and leadership which are policy, planning and implementation of plans to establish effective management and leadership of schools for reaching the standard of the best practice and for the code of good practice.
A study of the impact of leadership and change management strategies on organisational culture: The case of Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC) Namibia
(2011) Nepembe, Winson
This research project sought to examine the linkages between leadership, culture and organisational effectiveness at Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC Namibia). The study's aim was to identify and investigate the factors that lead to any perceives or real challenges related to leadership, organisational culture and change. The study found that despite initial challenges faced by management and dissatisfaction raised with regard to the organisational change process, the majority of MTC who took part in the study are aware of the intentions of the change process as well as how it is intended to transform the organization to become responsive to competition and to its customer base through sound marketing and customer relations practices. The study also made recommendations on the inclusion of staff in the process, how the negative impact of the change process can be mitigated and how the company can harness the skills of staff to realize a better outcome in the long term. The recommended measures included training of staff and management on organisational change management, more power to be devolved to middle management to make them relevant to the change process and to gain more respect from subordinates.
Appraising performance management processes: A case of the DiVice Chancellorate of Customs and Excise, Ministry of Finance, Namibia.
(2011) Shafudah, Ericah B.
This study explores ways of enhancing performance management processes at the DiVice Chancellorate of Customs and Excise (DCE) within the Ministry of Finance (MoF) of the government of the Republic of Namibia. It investigates critical factors that accelerate employee performance and exposes some of the challenges that hinder the effective implementation of performance management processes in DCE. It is important to explore performance measurements and strategies that could be employed by DCE in order to improve the performance management process. This study adopted a hybrid approach; making use of both qualitative and quantitative methods. The multi-method research approach has been chosen taking into consideration two factors: the exploratory nature of the research area and how the DCE employees were deployed at various stations in the country as this makes it difficult for the researcher to physically conduct interviews at every station. Research techniques included one on one interviews and the use of questionnaire. Even though the study made use of both qualitative and quantitative methods and the corresponding techniques, the researcher did not apply hypothesis testing because of the exploratory nature of the topic. Despite inadequate tools to objectively measure staff performance, results showed the need for improvement on performance management processes in DCE. This study identified various critical factors to performance such as the alignment of DCE management plan to the MoF strategic plan; employee‟s attitude and competencies; clear rules, procedures and adequate office equipment. Results showed that appraisals of employees were not informed by neither their job descriptions nor by agreed performance measurements. The absence of an integrated performance management system constituted a major challenge to DCE. Furthermore, inadequate coaching and mentoring for employees below supervisors coupled with less involvement in the planning process constituted obstacles to effective performance in DCE. Most of respondents proposed, as a way forward, the development of a DCE strategic management plan and its corresponding performance management plan, with clear performance measurements.
Evaluating XYZ's performance management system implementation.
(2011) Gotore, Michael Mukichi
There has been considerable academic and business interest in the subject of performance measurement in recent years as evidenced by the many academic papers and articles on the subject in recent times. (Bourne M, Mills J, Wilcox M, Neely A and Platts K, 2000; 2003; Kaplan and Norton, 1992). According to Bourne et al., (2003a, Abstract) there is evidence that many an organisation‟s attempts to implement performance management systems (PMS) have not been successful. These authors found that one reason for the low success rate is a lack of guidance on implementation. This study was based on the implementation of a PMS by XYZ Corporation (Pty) Limited, which was centred on the balanced scorecard (BSC), giving specific focus to the change management processes applied. The study looked at whether technical knowledge of the BSC and PMS together with a change management process that fosters the participation of management and employees in goal setting can aid the successful implementation of a PMS. The researcher employed a combination of a qualitative case study and survey research and collected data through interviews, survey questionnaires and secondary data analysis. A sample of 65 out of 146 participants was identified for the survey and two (2) semi-structured interviews were conducted. The data gathered was reviewed against literature on the subject. Excel was used to analyse responses from questionnaires and group common outcomes. Initial attempts to introduce the PMS in XYZ yielded little progress. The researcher found that this initial attempt was technically flawed as there was no purpose, vision and strategy commonly shared and understood within XYZ. Progress was however evident after the company had concluded its strategic plan. Management participated in strategy formulation, goal setting and employees were involved in the design of individual performance agreements. Implementers however reported facing resistance v and low attendances at scheduled PMS training sessions. This resistance was partially overcome by linking reward and punishment to the PMS. Despite efforts by the company to foster participation, respondents still perceived the PMS as being imposed by management. The study found that there was a lack of commitment on the part of employees whilst senior management was committed to the successful implementation of the PMS. There were also perceptions that performance evaluations were not being done fairly and equitably. The company‟s PMS was identified as a source of stress. The researcher generated conclusions summarised above on the study based on the outcome of the information gathered and by reference to literature on PMS and managing change, made recommendations and suggestions that may assist in further development of study on this field as well as XYZ and other corporations in implementing and embedding the PMS. These propositions outline the various considerations that organisations can incorporate in performance management designs, implementation and processes in order to successfully roll out such a system with minimum business disruptions and maximum benefits.
Investigating the determinants of a rural community's income generating projects in the Kavango region from 2005 to 2010.
(2013) Sinimbo, Gabriel Pandureni
This empirical study is aimed at describing the success determinants of the rural Community Income Generating Project in the Kavango Region funded by the Kavango Regional Council and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare between 2005 and 2010. This descriptive non-experimental study collected and analyzed quantitative primary data both textual and numerical using a structured survey design. The annual Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) study authored by Xavier et al. (2012), which provides a broad array of data on societal attitudes, participation levels of individuals at different stages of the entrepreneurship process and the characteristics of entrepreneurs and their businesses enabled entrepreneurial comparisons within and across national and geographic regions with entrepreneurial determinants and factors at rural level particularly with regards to community income generating projects in Kavango region. There is empirical evidence that most of the beneficiaries funded through this programme are falling short in terms of basic but critical entrepreneurial competencies such as business attitudes, academic competencies, diversification of products and/or services, low commitment levels and entrepreneurial skills. The study further reveals that there are shortfalls in terms of the current trainings being provided and the inadequate support from the funding institutions in terms of continued coaching and mentoring. Key recommendations suggest introducing coaching and mentoring programmes and the introduction of minimum entrepreneurial requirements in the funding of community income generating projects.
Outsourcing third party logistics services usage in the Namibian manufacturing industry.
(2013) Iipinge, Indileni Set-Sam
The aim of the study is to give a comprehensive understanding of the Namibian manufacturers’ current status of using third party logistics (3PL) services in Namibia. An exploratory survey was conducted to investigate the extent use of 3PL services by Namibian manufacturers, the reasons for Namibian manufacturers using 3PL service, the reasons for Namibian manufacturers not using 3PL services, the level of satisfaction of Namibia manufacturing firms using 3PL services, the organizational impact of using 3PL services on the Namibian manufacturers and the future plans of current 3PL users in Namibia’s manufacturing industry. The findings of this study were collected through the use of an e-mail survey questionnaire. The respondents are logistics managers working for the Namibian manufacturing firms that are listed on the membership list including 140 members of the Namibian Manufacturers Association (NMA). The data was analysed by using Excel program. The current study found out that more than 50% of the Namibian manufacturers outsource 3PL services. Namibian anufacturing companies that outsource indicated that cost reduction was the main reason for outsourcing. Overall, the user manufacturers are satisfied with the 3PL provider’s level of performance. In addition, the use of 3PL services will moderately increase in the future. However, 3PL providers need to be aware of this prospective development in the outsourcing logistic industry to improve their performance and commit to the service level set forth. In general, the Namibian manufacturers believe that their business benefits largely from the use of 3PL services in many areas of their firms.
Research and development of a mobile Voice over IP application which is hosted by open source software running on inexpensive backend servers.
(2013) Muronga, Veiko
Voice over IP has been driven by the convergence of voice and data on a single transport medium. This means cheaper service usage fees for the user if the offering is costed properly. But for a service provider there is still an increase in expenditure, solely related to spending on infrastructure such as call servers, phones and gateways. This study is aimed at analysing a different strategy of deploying VoIP, by starting at a lower base, meaning hosting the VoIP application on inexpensive hardware and open source Software. Secondly, the study looks at how to extend the service to mobile subscriber by introducing a mobile VoIP (mVoIP) application. The study’s main goal is to introduce telecommunication services at the lowest cost possible while considering reduced complexity, optimisation, manageability and flexibility. Barriers to deploying VoIP such as reliability and quality of service are also addressed by the study. The mVoIP infrastructure is made out of the following main components: Mobile VoIP app, Wireless Access Point and VoIP Server. Each main component’s functionality and characteristic are carefully explored in order to understand its contribution to the solution and the study as a whole. The research also looks at other projects where similar approaches were used to deploy inexpensive VoIP services. Factors leading to acceptance or rejection of the technology have served as guidance to the study. During the design, the research compares different open source VoIP server software’s functionalities and features in order to make a selection of the software to use for the projects pilot network deployment. A development platform for the mobile application is also selected based on characteristics such as: the range of devices it runs on, the market share of the platform and the learning curve of the platform. The development of the application follows the six steps from the Eri Mobile’s “Mobile Development Process”: Concept Sketching, Research/Strategies, Wire-Framing, User Interface Design, Development and Testing. The test scenarios for the research are all lab-based, but it is highlighted that implementing the solution on broadband, 3G and 4G networks can improve the service drastically in the areas of network coverage, Quality of Service and Mobility
Assessing the Namibian government's policy on improving national food production: A case study of the agronomic sector.
(2013) Ekondo, Fanuel Eita
The third National Development Plan, extending from 2007-12, seeks amongst other things to boost agricultural production at household and national levels in order to increase food security and create opportunities for employment. Government has indicated that Green Scheme initiative is hampered by low incentives for engaging in agricultural product ion and processing, and by unfavourable responses to manufacturing by food processors, manifested by the apparent low level of investment in agriculture and the food-processing sector. We conducted a questionnaire-based study focusing on the operators of eight major irrigation projects in northern and southern Namibia to determine the challenges faced in the economic, political and legal environment , aimed at understanding the underlying constraints to large-scale food production under irrigation. The main objective of the study is to understand the effective mechanisms necessary to boost agricultural production through sound investments into the sector. Data was collected through semi - structured interview quest ions and answers recorded on the questionnaire sheet. Respondents indicated that no incentives for investing in agriculture and food product ion were provided. Private operators of agroirrigation projects bemoaned the unreasonable limited lease period (5-10 years) , making it difficult to recoup any large-scale investment. Technical problems included lack of expertise to operate and service recently acquired modern technologies. Respondents suggested the introduction of longer leases, enabl ing investors to recoup their costs and realize profits from their investments. Project operators called for the training of competent personnel to provide technical services and know-how on the projects as well as the acquisition of new technologies to replace the obsolete equipment current ly in use.
An empirical investigation into the factors affecting the performance of SMEs in the retail sector in Windhoek, Namibia
(2013) Amwele, Heikky Ndjundodhigu
In developing countries, Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) play a crucial role in fostering socio-economic development. They create employment opportunities, empower communities and make positive contributions towards the gross domestic product. The survival of SMEs is therefore crucial in alleviating poverty and achieving sustainable development. This research aims to investigate the factors that affect the performance of SMEs in the retail sector in Namibia. The research will begin by highlighting the environment in which the SMEs operate currently as well as the state of doing business in Namibia. It was identified that the economic environment in which the SMEs operates its neither good nor bad, and this was supported by the prior studies in Namibia on contrary. Various studies on the factors that adversely affect SMEs performance were reviewed and the theoretical framework was derived from the findings of the studies. Hypotheses were drawn from the theoretical frameworkand each hypothesis was tested separate from other factors. The quantitative and qualitative methods where applied in the gathering of data. A 5 Likert scale was used in the questionnaires whereby conclusion where drawn based on the mean results and the weighting ranking method.Out of the 14 attributions examined, the study found out that resources and finance, external environment, competitions and corruption are the most factors that adversely affect the performance of SMEs in the Namibian retail sector. Guidance was also given on what should be done in order to reduce the risk of failing among the SMEs and also to increase the survival chances of the small and medium enterprises in the market. The study also highlights on the rubrics that could be used to measure the performance of SMEs in the Namibian retail sector. It is up to the SMEs to employ the measurement tool which best fit their business. The rubric would then be employed to establish and isolate the factors that affect the performance of SMEs in the retail sector. The research concluded by giving suggestion on what should be done to improve the performance of SMEs in a dynamic business environment.
Strengthening of fisheries data collection and management in Namibia.
(2013) Uahengo, Toivo Pendapala
This study focused on marine fisheries data collection, management and utilization which diminished the ability of fisheries to be effectively managed and leading to under-reporting. The Delphi methodology was selected as the most appropriate means to achieve the goals and objectives of this study because it provided a way to solicit and gain consensus by experts on Namibian fisheries data collection and management. The major findings were mostly the low interest of stakeholders in the data collection and management processes. Second, the Fisheries Information Management System (FIMS) where data is stored after validation did not allow any data analysis and reconciliation process of figures, so that had to be done manually by using other program not compatible with FIMS such as Structured Query Language (SQL), Microsoft excel or access. The study recommended that an in-house training program needed to be arranged so that FIMS users would be able to appreciate the art of FIMS usage. Second, fishing companies as data primary producers would need to advance from manual data recording that would subsequently avail the data in timely manner or making the data easier to disseminate and analyze.
Evaluating the effectiveness of youth microfinance programmes in Namibia.
(2013) Schwartz, Calista
The 2012 Labour Force Survey (LFS) in Namibia reveals that unemployment among the youth stands at a staggering 42.8% compared to the overall unemployment rate of 27%which remains a challenge in itself in this country. Attempts to alleviate youth poverty worldwide caused by unemployment have been done through micro finance programmes that can help the youth to accumulate their own capital and invest in employment-generating activities. While there is sufficient evidence to prove the existence of several microfinance programmes, there is a lack of evidence of their effectiveness in improving youth’s livelihoods. Therefore the researcher seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of the Credit for Youth in Business (CYB) Programme and the Namibia Youth Credit Scheme (NYCS), finance programmes that have been set out to target youth between the ages of 18-35 years in Namibia. The researcher obtained primary information from 100 beneficiaries of CYB and NYCS through a questionnaire and from interviews conducted with programme stakeholders. The secondary information was further obtained through programme documents and literature review. Although there is significant impact on the livelihoods of youth as revealed by the study, micro financing programmes should look beyond micro-loans, training and extend their service delivery to areas such as market linkages, investments and insurance. They also ought to assist youth with feasibility studies, markets and business premises. Provision of these services will ensure that youth move from informal (micro enterprises) to formal enterprises. Considering the prevailing unemployment rate it is recommended to assess challenges, opportunities and possibilities for building synergies for transformation of the Credit for Youth in Business Programme and Namibia Youth Credit Scheme into one fund in order to provide a range of financial solutions and services that can support the full spectrum of youth owned enterprises.
Highlighting the importance of incorporating indigenous knowledge into new product development and commercial production processes through a study on the attitudes and preferences of mahangu flour consumers in Northern Namibia.
(2013) Denk, Steven William
Incorporating indigenous knowledge into new product development and by extension commercial production processes is critical for the successful commercialisation of traditional products. Traditionally, mahangu grain goes through a process referred to as the lactic acid fermentation process. The mahangu grain is exposed to a chemical reaction causing the taste, colour and texture of mahangu porridge to be altered. The results from the discrete choice experiment shows that mahangu consumers prefer the attributes emanating from the lactic acid fermentation process. However due to the lack of exposure to the lactic acid fermentation process, Meme Mahangu flour do not possess any of the attributes the choice data revealed to be the most preferred mahangu flour attributes. Attitudes were measured based on Fishbein’s multi-attribute model. The results showed a negative attitude towards Meme Mahangu. This could be attributed to the fact that the attributes preferred by mahangu consumers (i.e. light coloured porridge) are not present in Meme Mahangu. The results from the choice data collected from the discrete choice experiment shows that the most preferred mahangu flour attributes are those attributes emanating from the lactic acid fermentation process and that the least preferred mahangu flour attributes being those attributes present in mahangu flour that have not been fermented. A sour taste, light colour and soft texture are the attributes most preferred and those emanating from the lactic acid fermentation process. The colour of mahangu porridge has the highest relative importance (52%) with the maximum share of preference falling on light coloured mahangu porridge. Three main recommendations are proposed. These recommendations can significantly enhance the commercial value of mahangu flour and contribute to the improvement of the livelihood of small scale farmers in northern Namibia.
Towards appropriate user interface design preserving rural African communication practices: Listeners' roles in face to face communication.
(2013) Chivuno-Kuria, Shilumbe
This mini-thesis examines different socio-cultural norms and communication behaviours of indigenous communities. In spite of existing Information Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructural challenges, the software solutions that have been designed for rural communities have been a major concern. In this thesis, qualitative methodologies were used with deliberate sampling of two village populations to investigate verbal and non verbal behaviour. In order to design appropriate interfaces for Indigenous Knowledge Management systems required to capture, store and retrieve local information, the input from target community members, regardless of their levels of formal literacy education, has to be explored. The fact that in those communities, communication takes place primarily through oral transmission also has to be considered. Oral communication involves both narrators and listeners who engage in an interactive correspondence including verbal and non verbal communication during storytelling. Many researchers focus on narrators but in this thesis, we will concentrate on listeners’ contributions during interpersonal communications in rural communities. Non verbal communication such as gestures are prevalent in traditional oral African communities and these can offer rich information that can be infused in interface designs for human computer interaction. The aim of this mini-thesis is to identify general socio-cultural norms, communication behaviour such as non-verbal communication structures (gestures) including general verbal utterances of the rural Otjiherero speaking people to provide a basis for subsequent use in the design of local systems. The findings in this thesis were that gestures thought to be universal were specific to the rural members. It was also found that there were specific verbal and non verbal gestures that were observed. This Thesis recommends more research be done in the areas of the correlation between gesture and verbal communication.
The effects of equity and motivation on the work performance of support staff at NIP Ltd.
(2013) Nsinano, Aino-Sylvia Ruhupwa
The objectives of this research were to establish the link between perception of equity and work performance of the non-technical support staff of the NIP as well as to determine whether there is a link between work performance and motivation of the NIP non-technical support staff. Since the determination of fairness is based on individual feelings and perception data was collected through survey questionnaires and interviews to gain an in-depth understanding of issues which influence an individuals’ determination of fairness of equity. The study utilized a quantitative approach based on an interpretive theory, where data collected was analysed and communicated through correlations and interpreted to depict the norm or average of the group’s performance. The quantitative method was relevant for this study as the study aimed to establish the relationship between Equity of Treatment and Motivation as independent variables against Work Performance as the dependent variable. The study found a very strong correlation between equity of treatment and levels of work performance, as well as between the motivation and work performance. The study further found a direct link between the two independent variables, equity of treatment and motivation. It could thus be concluded that low levels of work performance can be attributed to feelings of lack of equitable treatment which resulted into feelings of dissatisfaction and de-motivation.
Corporate governance and the financial performance of locally listed companies on the Namibia stock exchange.
(2013) Masunda, Corlen
This study examined the relationship between Corporate Governance and Financial Performance of locally listed companies. The study was prompted by Institutional turbulences as a result of ad hoc policy and decision making processes and poor financial performance of locally listed companies. The study aimed at establishing the relationship between corporate governance, Board roles, contingency, board effectiveness and financial Performance of locally listed companies. A cross sectional and correlation study was conducted in the six locally listed companies. Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) was used and Spearman Correlation Coefficient and Multiple Regression Analysis to determine the magnitude of the relationship and prediction of financial performance respectively were applied. The findings revealed that corporate governance variables namely; board size, had a negative effect on financial performance while policy and decision making had a significant positive relationship with financial performance. Corporate Governance had a significant positive relationship with board roles, board roles had a significant positive relationship with board effectiveness, and contingency had a significant positive relationship with board roles and effectiveness.

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