Windhoek
The maiden copy of The International University of Management (IUM)’s scholarly research publication, titled Namibia Journal of Managerial Sciences (Volume 1 Number 1), dated June 2015, covers a spectrum of topics that are enticing to a social scientist who wants to appreciate the progress that African scholars have made in critiquing their own society, from the African point of view.
A first for Namibia, the glossy cover is not only eye-friendly but it is professionally designed and edited to make a profound statement to Namibians and international academics that it has arrived in the research market place to stay. A journal of this standard does not have boundaries both in content and space. It is a flagship that will make Namibian academics proud to become exporters of knowledge about Africa and their own country. It is challenging the orthodoxy that African-based universities cannot generate and harness knowledge, who have been perceived as only ordinary transmitters of knowledge imported from Europe and the United States of America (USA).
The contributors to the maiden copy are prominent scholars from different institutions who ensured that it is thematically coherent and consistent in filling the gap experienced in impact research by giving birth to a journal mainly focusing on Managerial Sciences.
The first article written by Dr. David R. Namwandi (IUM) critically examines why SADC members sometimes fail to integrate the protocols they sign into their national policies. Dr Namwandi being an educationist scrutinises the challenges that have prevented the Southern African Development Community Protocol on Education and Training (SADC-PET) to be implemented. He concludes that lack of attention to the protocol’s objectives has led to poor coordination by member states
Theophilus T.Tshukudu: University of Botswana’s second article is a must-read piece of writing, especially for policy makers in the public service. While many people are made to believe that Botswana has made tremendous strides in economic planning, the author laments the poor performance of Botswana Public Service (BPS) in the area of service delivery resulting from the high labour turnout. It asserts that the poor performance has led to a decline in economic growth from an average GDP of 8 per cent to an average of 7.1 per cent between 1990 and 2003. The article offers a number of solutions needed to improve public service performance in Botswana.
Professor Earl Taylor of IUM interrogates how to transform Namibia’s Human Resource to embrace innovation and entrepreneurial culture. He argues that one should have the creative urge (energy) to be fully functional and entrepreneurial in the working environment. This is a highly intellectual paper that is challenging to human resource practitioners and those engaged in education, training and business services.
Gerson Tjihenuna of IUM takes a Marxist approach to deconstruct the impact of globalisation on labour and poverty reduction. His writing is reminiscent of that of Herbert Schiller in the early 1970s whose research exposed the exploitative role of the transnational corporations (TNCs) in developing countries. He asserts that the main drivers of globalisation are the Multi-National Corporations (MNC) while the main enablers are the World Bank, the IMF and the World Trade Organisations.
The article by Rauna Mwetulundila of IUM analysis the device and use of rhetoric and humour in Dudley Vial’s cartoons in the Friday edition of The Namibian newspaper. The study reveals that Dudley’s political cartoons employ ethos (employed by Aristotle’s rhetorical proof of persuasion) when the characters who are chastised and cheered at are individuals of high profile in society; people whom the readers are looking at and people who are deemed to have goodwill for the nation at heart. The NJMS editorial was spot-on in selecting this interesting article for its maiden publication.
Prof Rehabeam K. Auala, Erki Haipinge, Fredrika B. Uahengo, Julia Chaka, and Jogbeth Kaita; all of them from Unam, tackle the issue of democratic and participative approaches in managing change in education in Namibia concluding that the remedy is for those affected by the change process to participate fully in the decision making, planning, designing and implementation of the change process in order to win the hearts and minds of the stakeholders.
Prof Peter Clement of IUM helps to spice the journal with a Caribbean perspective by critically analysing consumer problems in St. Lucia. In view of the fact that Namibian consumers are not protected by any tangible legislation, apart from the voluntaristic consumer association that are toothless, this article presents alternatives and options that Namibians can learn from.
Terhemba Wuam of Ibrahim B. Babangida University, Lapai, Nigeria, studied the question of economic production in post-colonial Tivland (Benue State, Nigeria) for the period spanning 1960 until 2000. It is an appraisal of the nature of economic changes that have taken place with specific focus on the decline of export agricultural production. Contrary to the decline in export agriculture, the local (informal) markets emerged to meet the expanding production levels in the agricultural sector. But with the discovery of oil and rapid rate of industrialisation, the economy expanded and became modernised.
Manfred Janik and Lilita Marques of Unam examined the impact of work relationships and certain job factors on the work engagement of primary school educators in Namibia. The study postulates that positive working relationship and organizational recognition and support enhance an educator’s work engagement and organizational commitment. This will prevent a high employment turnover in the education sector in the long run.
The editorial board of this exciting research journal is already calling papers for the second edition. This call is directed at anyone who wants to get their work published and recognised in this international journal. Closing date for articles : 15 October 2015.
Submit your article by email in Word to the Editor at : editor.njms@ium.edu.na by the stipulated closing date or earlier.