Development Agencies Research Articles

Route to nowhere: assessing the failure of the Ave Basin Industrial Heritage Route (Portugal)

ABSTRACT Implemented in the early 2000s by the Ave Basin Regional Development Agency (ADRAVE), the Ave Basin Industrial Heritage Route (IHR) was deactivated without fully establishing a lasting circuit to showcase the region’s industrial history. This paper aims to identify and critically analyse the contributing factors to the IHR’s inability to create a sustainable industrial heritage circuit. Drawing insights from industrial heritage tourism studies and examining academic papers produced by members of ADRAVE during the IHR implementation to publicise the route, as well as an urban intervention in one of its hubs (Sampaio, Ferreira & Co. Riba d’Ave), the study reveals missed opportunities and challenges in the IHR’s implementation, calling for a revaluation of strategies to effectively preserve and promote industrial heritage in Portugal. The analysis highlights the impact of dominant memory narratives shaped by local political and economic powers, hindering community engagement, and discouraging local involvement. The findings extend beyond Ave Basin, emphasising the importance of more inclusive approaches that involve local communities in heritage conservation initiatives.

Typhoid Fever and Non-typhoidal Salmonella Outbreaks: A Portrait of Regional Socioeconomic Inequalities in Brazil.

Typhoid fever occurs in an endemic form in Brazil and is a serious public health problem in some regions. In this scenario, further research is urgently needed to identify the associations between socioeconomic factors and typhoid fever, contributing to guiding policy decisions in the country. We aimed to investigate the influence of socioeconomic disparities on the prevalence of typhoid fever and non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) in Brazil. A search for data from 2010 to 2019 was carried out with the national health and human development agencies. As milk and derivatives are the fourth food incriminated in food outbreaks in Brazil, analyses for detecting Salmonella spp. in commercial dairy products allowed us to assess whether the outbreaks associated with these foods are due to inadequacies in sanitary control in dairy establishments or whether they are mainly home-based outbreaks. Predictive models validated by the bootstrapping method demonstrate an association of NTS prevalence reduction with improvements in the Sanitation Service Index (Rv ≥ -8 0.686; p ≤ 0.01) and Municipal Human Development Index - MHDI - (Rv = -0.789; p ≤ 0.02). In the North, typhoid fever prevalence had seasonal variability with the rainfall, while sanitation services (Rv ≥-0.684; p ≤ 0.04) and MHDI (Rv ≥-0.949; p ≤ 0.003) directly influenced Northeast and South Brazil. Thus, the unequal distribution of investments in the sanitation sector contributed to disparities in typhoid fever prevalence among Brazilian regions. The absence of Salmonella spp. in commercial samples ratified the collected data that the outbreaks of Salmonella spp. in the Brazilian population occur mainly at residences. These findings show that implementing public health education and increasing investments in sanitation in regions with poor service can control outbreaks of Salmonella spp. in Brazilian endemic areas.

MECHANISMS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIAL COOPERATION AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE OF THE REPUBLIC OF TATARSTAN AND THE POSSIBILITIES OF THEIR USE BY THE ENTITIES OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

In a turbulent economic macro-environment, to ensure sustainable development of the state and its regions, classical commodity exchange operations are being reformatted both through changing basic partners, changing the geography of markets and product lines, and through intensifying the launch of new multinational production projects that make it possible to compensate for the loss of part of foreign supplies in the format of import substitution , generate innovative solutions based on synergy that become domestic intellectual property. The Republic of Tatarstan is one of the supporting regions of the Russian Federation, a leader in many macroeconomic indicators, investment attractiveness and quality of life. Its developments in the field of international relations and trade are analyzed from the standpoint of efficiency, features of the work of infrastructure elements, such as special economic zones, foreign representative offices, business missions, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Investment Development Agency, and the Export Support Center. Conclusions are drawn about the intensification of all types of cooperation with the People's Republic of China, countries of the Muslim world and with various countries of the EAEU and the CIS, indicating the determining role of the economic structure of all partners, including the presence of preferential regimes of interaction. If increasing global trade turnover is clearly a positive process, then the selection of international industrial cooperation projects should be accompanied by in-depth business analysis of the complementarity of the goals and capabilities of the countries participating in industrial cooperation. Another important conclusion is the need to analyze the potential of Russian regions to identify opportunities for scaling the experience of Tatarstan - the presence of a foundation of industrial cooperation that is mutually beneficial for all parties and infrastructure that ensures the effectiveness of international cooperation. Differences between the Russian and regional economy as its meso-level may lead to an unsuccessful attempt to scale the best practices of the Republic of Tatarstan. In this regard, it is proposed to create a system for connecting part of the regions of the Russian Federation to the channels of international cooperation created in the Republic of Tatarstan to enhance interaction primarily with partners from the countries of the Islamic world.

Impact of capital Structure on Innovation and Performance of Small and Medium Enterprises in Nigeria: A study of the sector in the North Central States

The issue of capital structure of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and the impact of each component on the innovation and performance of the sector in Nigeria has been lingering. A number of studies have been done on financial leverage businesses but none on SMEs in Nigeria. The aim of this study therefore is to examine the impact of capital structure on innovation and performance of SMEs in Nigeria: A study of the sector in the North Central States of the country. Random sampling technique was adopted and data were sourced primarily from 480 respondents comprising owners and managers of 127 SMEs operating in Plateau, Nasarawa, and Kogi States in the Central Zone of the country. Responses to the questionnaire designed to reflect five points Likert scale were analysed using Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). Results indicated that Crowd Funding (CF) an external sources of finance has the most significant impact on the innovation and performance of these enterprises. The study recommended that while SMEs operators should develop a platform for exchange ideas on financing sources available to the sector, Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), the regulatory authority of the sector in the country should develop programmes to encourage innovative ability of the operations of enterprises.

Transformational learning and agency for professional identity development: first-year social work student retention and wellbeing

ABSTRACT Challenges relating to first-year student retention and learning outcomes are recognized as a multi-faceted issue in the tertiary education sector across many professional programs, including social work. Graduating students can find it difficult to establish themselves in the workplace. The researchers wanted to understand if fostering a sense of professional identity for social work students as part of the research experience might in and of itself enable retention because of improved opportunities for transformational learning, agency, and wellbeing as a student. The participatory action research project was designed around a community of practice of social work students facilitated by two recent graduates to undertake the collaborative design and creation of supportive educational resources. Student empowerment, connectedness, and wellbeing were improved by involvement in the collaborative professional task of doing research, with students reporting increased connection with the university and engagement in their learning. Implications for fostering professional identity development during social work education are explored.

Analysis of the website of hotels with sustainable tourism certificate: The case of Türkiye

The aim of the research is to examine the sustainability practices of hotels with sustainable tourism certificates. For this goal, between the dates of 06.01.2023 and 11.03.2023, a content analysis was conducted on the websites of 119 accommodation establishments that hold a Tourism Operation Certificate from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye, which are listed on the website of the Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency. As a result of the content analysis, a total of 4 main categories and 32 subcategories were identified, which are sustainable management, support for social and economic benefits of the local community, cultural heritage, and environmental policies. It was determined that the accommodation establishments with sustainable tourism certification are mainly located in Antalya (73), Istanbul (17), and Muğla (14). As a result of the research, it was determined that most of the hotels with sustainable tourism certification did not provide any information on their websites regarding being a sustainable hotel. In addition, it was found that the hotels' websites mostly emphasized equal opportunities for employees, involvement of staff in the implementation and development of sustainability policies, providing various training to personnel regarding their responsibilities, energy conservation, preservation of biodiversity and resources, water conservation, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and implementation of social service activities.

Long-term effects of ambient particulate matter on hypertension among royal Thai army officers: a retrospective cohort study

Recent research on the link between exposure to ambient particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter up to 2.5 microns (PM2.5) and hypertension risk has primarily concentrated on spatial variation (or between-individual comparisons). Research into temporal variations (or within-individual comparisons over time) has largely been neglected. This study sought to examine the spatial–temporal effects of long-term exposure to PM2.5 on hypertension risk among military personnel in Thailand. A retrospective cohort study was conducted, encompassing 40,984 Royal Thai Army officers from 400 army units stationed across 51 provinces in Thailand. Medical check-up data from 2018 to 2021 were analyzed alongside ambient PM2.5 data from 2015 to 2017, sourced from the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency. Two parameters, PM2.5-baseline and PM2.5-change, were introduced to assess the impact of spatial and temporal PM2.5 variations on hypertension incidence. Cox proportional hazard regression was used, with hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) serving as the measure of association. The association between PM2.5-baseline and hypertension incidence yielded hazard ratios in Quartiles 2 to 4 compared to Quartile 1 of: Q2 HR: 1.19, 95% CI: 1.10–1.28; Q3 HR: 1.10, 95% CI: 1.02–1.20; Q4 HR: 1.13, 95% CI: 1.05–1.22. Additionally, the PM2.5-change showed a J-shaped association with hypertension incidence. Our findings underscore the role of both temporal and spatial factors in hypertension development and highlight the necessity for comprehensive investigations into the causal relationship between PM2.5 exposure and hypertension risk. They also provide valuable insights for devising effective strategies to mitigate the adverse health impacts of PM2.5 pollution.

Effect of Capital Structure on Return on Assets of Kenya Tea Development Agency Tea Manufacturing Factories in Kericho and Bomet Counties, Kenya

Capital structure decision is the mix of debt and equity that a company uses to finance its business. This study aimed to investigate the effects of capital structure on KTDA tea processing factories' performance in Kericho and Bomet counties. This study was carried out because it was not clear how capital structure influences the financial performance of tea processing factories. Secondary data were used in the study where the performance measure of return on assets was used as the dependent variable and four capital structure measures (including short–term debt, long-term debt, total debt to total assets, and total debt to total equity) as an independent variable. The study sample was from all the nine tea factories in Region Five of KTDA that had been in operation for more than five years and hence the readiness of Annual Reports for the financial year 2008-2013. The study employed a panel fixed effect regression model to establish the effects of capital structure on the ROA for the tea processing factories. The results indicate that ROA is significantly and positively associated with long-term debt and total debt at 1% and 5%, respectively, while on the other hand, short-term debt shows a negative and significant relationship at 5%. The negative relation between short-term debt and the profitability of tea processing factories means that supplying finance through short-term debts does not lead to profitability. The study recommends that the tea processing factories must consider using an optimal capital structure since it will minimize the cost of capital and, hence, the cost of financing the tea processing operations.

Sanitation in a changing world: the need for a paradigm shift in the mindset of development agencies

ABSTRACT National and international agencies have struggled to address sanitation challenges for over a century without groundbreaking evidence of success. The context of sanitation management has changed over the last two centuries. In this changing world, the viewpoint calls for development agencies to move from a fixed-growth mindset towards a ‘benefit mindset’. Such a perspective is about purposefulness, adaptability and flexibility by developing context-specific approaches. In this respect, improvised community-led total sanitation (CLTS) could offer a way forward.

Promotion of military tourism as a tool of socioeconomic development of a region (on the example of Kyiv Oblast)


 
 
 The article provides evidences to support the notion that development of military tourism is a driver of socioeconomic growth of a region. In the present study, we used the gen- eral scientific and sophisticated scientific methods of research, including structural-functional analysis, statistical method, and comparative analysis. The study results were substantiated based on the data of the State Committee of Statistics of Ukraine, State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, State Agency of Tourism Development of Ukraine, Kyiv Oblast Center of the Development of Tourism, and materials from other scientific and official sources. We provided a definition of military tourism, which is proposed to be understood as a special kind of tourism in which the tourists can visit war-related historical sites and modern notable military objects; join the realities of the contemporary life in the military and familiarize themselves with the military experience; and participate in safe military events or historical reconstructions. We analyzed the reasons of decline in the tourist flows that occurred over the recent three years and presented the main ways of increasing them. We analyzed types of military tours offered by the Ukrainian tour guides on the domestic tourism market and studied the level of involvement of the respondents in military tourism in Ukraine. We demonstrated that military tourism is on offer in Ukraine, but against the backdrop of martial law, the internal tourism has specifics related to permits and restrictions that are in force during the war in relatively safe western and central regions of the country. Assessment of perspectives of military-tourism development in Ukraine using SWOT analysis revealed that it has many advantages, the main being the resources that can be used in creating a competitive tourism product, while the shortcomings include inaccessibility of the landmarks, absence of finances and investments, and high cost of the tours. For the socioeconomic development of Kyiv Oblast, we propose the Ukraine Undefeatable tour, having accounted for the abovementioned requirements to organizing tours in Ukraine in the conditions of martial law. The tour was developed based on the objects we selected in Kyiv Oblast. We confirmed that the development of military tourism is one of the most efficient drivers of socioeconomic growth of the region, Kyiv Oblast in particular, because it promotes increases in socioeconomic indicators of the region’s development.
 
 

Development of Human Resources Apparatus at the Personnel and Human Resources Development Agency (BKPSDM) of East Bolaang Mongondow Regency

This research aims to find out what efforts have been made in the Development of Human Resources of the Apparatus as well as obstacles that become obstacles in the implementation of Human Resources Development of the Apparatus at the Personnel and Human Resources Development Agency.This research uses descriptive qualitative methods, aimed at describing and describing existing phenomena, both natural and human engineering, which pay more attention to the characteristics, quality and interrelationships between activities. Collection techniques were carried out through observation, interviews and document review. Then the data is analyzed using data analysis steps carried out by reducing research data, displaying data, drawing conclusions and triangulating research data.The focus of this research is the implementation of apparatus human resource development, namely the implementation of technical education and training and the implementation of structural managerial education and training at the Staffing Agency and Human Resources Development of East Bolaang Mongondow Regency. Based on the results of the research conducted, it is concluded that the implementation of human resource development of the apparatus, namely the implementation of technical education and training and managerial structural education and training at the Staffing and Human Resources Development Agency (BKPSDM) of East Bolaang Mongondow Regency is not optimal with several obstacles.

РАБОТА АГЕНТСТВ ПО РАЗВИТИЮ И ЕЕ ЗНАЧЕНИЕ ВО ВРЕМЯ ПАНДЕМИИ COVID-19: ПРИМЕР АГЕНТСТВА ПО РАЗВИТИЮ SERHAT

The Development Agencies were established in 2006 in Türkiye to support regional development, with the budget transferred from the central government. The Development Agencies collaborate with public administrators, local governments, provincial administrations, universities, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector to adopt an effective governance model. The work of agencies in exceptional situations is also distinctive compared to other actors. It is crucial to evaluate the efforts of the Development Agencies in mitigating the social and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and draw conclusions about their effectiveness in the region. The impact of a pandemic outbreak on the Development Agencies has not yet been researched. This study aims to evaluate the work of the Serhat Development Agency and the effect of this new process on the local development of the region during the pandemic period, which continues its activities in the provinces of Agrı, Ardahan, Kars and Iğdır covering the TRA2 region of Türkiye. The study was conducted using the qualitative method. In-depth interviews were utilized during the field research in the agency between 19–29 October 2021 and 18–22 Jan uary 2023. The results obtained show that the pandemic process has reduced the interaction of the agency with its stakeholders and new projects have not been supported, which had a negative impact on the development of the region. Agriculture continued without any interr uption during the pandemic. Negative effects were seen in the tourism, food, and service sectors, but no additional efforts were made to remedy them.

Influence of Soft Power in shaping Diplomacy and Foreign Policy

This research delves into the evolving nature of power in international relations, focusing on the concept of soft power. Introduced by Joseph Nye in the 1990s, soft power is defined as the ability to influence others through attraction and persuasion rather than coercion or force. The study highlights how nations leverage cultural diplomacy, public opinion, and historical narratives to enhance their soft power and achieve foreign policy objectives. The article examines various methods through which soft power is projected, such as cultural exchanges, media influence, and the promotion of national values and ideals. It explores the role of non-state actors, including NGOs and multinational corporations, in shaping global perceptions and aligning foreign populations with a nation’s policies. Case studies of countries like China, Turkey, India, and the United States illustrate diverse approaches to employing soft power in international affairs. China’s strategic use of environmental diplomacy and Turkey’s deployment of the Turkish International Cooperation and Development Agency (TIKA) are highlighted as examples of how emerging powers utilize soft power to strengthen their global influence. The research also underscores the importance of integrating regional historical narratives and cultural elements into foreign policy to sustain diplomatic relations and promote national interests, with the depiction of the vibrant regional-historical narratives of India. By employing qualitative analysis, reviewing academic literature, policy documents, and specific national case studies to uncover patterns and strategies in the use of soft power, the findings reveal that effective soft power strategies are crucial for modern diplomacy, offering nations a means to project power and achieve foreign policy goals without resorting to military force. The article asserts that understanding and harnessing soft power is essential for navigating the complexities of global diplomacy in a multipolar world. By appealing the shared cultural values and fostering positive international relations, nations can enhance their global standing and influence through non-coercive means.

КОНКУРЕНТОСПРОМОЖНІСТЬ УКРАЇНИ НА СВІТОВОМУ РИНКУ ТУРИСТИЧНИХ ПОСЛУГ В СУЧАСНИХ УМОВАХ

The article examines the Ukrainian tourism market and the potential for growth, analyzes global market trends and factors affecting them. The purpose of the study is to analyze the current state of the Ukrainian tourism market, to identify, analyze and evaluate the factors, potential limitations and challenges of the Ukrainian tourism market. Based on statistical data, an analysis of the current state of tourist activity was carried out. The dynamics of tourist activity are determined by structuring methods. Proposals have been developed for the further development of the tourism industry in the post-war period and for the post-war recovery of tourism. It is established that the post-war and post-war development of the tourism sector of Ukraine requires further research to increase its competitiveness in the global tourism market. It has been established that memorial tourism in Ukraine will be actively developing in the near future. The State Agency for Tourism Development has already presented the Concept of memorialization of memorial sites in the Kyiv region. The ultimate goal of the Concept is to memorialize locations that will become new outposts of national memory, which will be visited by many tourists after the Ukrainian victory. New Concepts of memorialization as a commemoration of the victims of the war tragedy need to be developed for all affected regions of Ukraine, which will be the subject of further research. In order to implement the decisions of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) to provide specialized technical assistance to support Ukraine in its post-war reconstruction efforts, including restoration of tourism infrastructure, destination marketing, and capacity building of local tourism stakeholders, it is advisable for the Ukrainian side to work more actively in these areas. In the post-war recovery of the tourism business in Ukraine, it is necessary to rely on the support of national and international organizations, develop and create recovery strategies in the affected regions, include tourism development in strategic post-war recovery programs, involve international experts in the modernization of the country, study the experience of many countries where military operations took place, and develop tourism programs to places of military glory.

Associations between landscape fires and child morbidity in southern Mozambique: a time-series study

Epidemiological evidence linking exposure to landscape fires to child health remains scarce. We assessed the association between daily landscape fire smoke and child hospital visits and admissions in the Manhiça district, Mozambique, an area characterised by frequent forest and cropland fires. In this time-series analysis (2012-20), our primary metric for exposure to landscape fires was fire-originated PM2·5 from smoke dispersion hindcasts. We also assessed total and upwind fire exposure using daily satellite-derived fire density data. Daily numbers of hospital visits and admissions were extracted from an ongoing paediatric morbidity surveillance system (children aged ≤15 years). We applied quasi-Poisson regression models controlling for season, long-term trend, day of the week, temperature, and rainfall, and offsetting by annual population-time at risk to examine lag-specific association of fires on morbidity. A 10 μg/m3 increase in fire-originated PM2·5 was associated with a 6·12% (95% CI 0·37-12·21) increase in all-cause and a 12·43% (5·07-20·31) increase in respiratory-linked hospital visits on the following day. Positive associations were also observed for lag 0 and the cumulative lag of 0-1 days. Null associations were observed for hospital admissions. Landscape fires mostly occurred in forested areas; however, associations with child morbidity were stronger for cropland than for forest fires. Landscape fire smoke was associated with all-cause and respiratory-linked morbidity in children. Improved exposure assessment is needed to better quantify the contribution of landscape fire smoke to child health in regions with scarce air pollution monitoring. H2020 project EXHAUSTION, Academy of Finland, Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, Generalitat de Catalunya, and Government of Mozambique and Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and Development.

Strategic Role of Donor Agencies In Sustainable Socio-Economic Development of Africa; A Case of the Horn of Africa Gateway Development Project in Kenya

Strategic Role of Donor Agencies In Sustainable Socio-Economic Development of Africa; A Case of the Horn of Africa Gateway Development Project in Kenya

УДОСКОНАЛЕННЯ ДЕРЖАВНОГО УПРАВЛІННЯ СОЦІАЛЬНО-ЕКОНОМІЧНИМ РОЗВИТКОМ АГРОПРОДОВОЛЬЧОЇ СФЕРИ В УМОВАХ АКТИВІЗАЦІЇ ЗЕД ТА ПОСИЛЕННЯ СОЦІАЛЬНОЇ ВІДПОВІДАЛЬНОСТІ БІЗНЕСУ

The improvement of state regulation by the development of the agri-food sector in the conditions of the activation of economic activity and the strengthening of social responsibility of business should be carried out in the context of the ties "state authorities - professional associations of agrarian business entities" at the state and regional levels. The construction of an effective system of coordination of the interests of agrarian subjects is defined as the first priority of the state agrarian policy. After all, the role of the state is to create such a mechanism that allows to ensure the maximum level of self-organization of the agro-food sector within the national economy as a set of interconnected components. The construction of a balanced system of regulation of the development of the agro-food sector allows to ensure its activation through the conclusion of institutional agreements within the proposed structure, which defines the criteria for state intervention, the mutual responsibility of organizations managing socio-economic development and the limits of interdependence of the state's actions with social mechanisms and entities. The conclusion of the proposed institutional agreement should be preceded by a number of measures aimed at the formation of self-sufficient organizations - participants of the proposed structure: activation of the development of selforganization of economic entities; formation of the organizational structure of management of agrarian development, which also includes associations of agrarians; improvement of legislative acts in the direction of liberalization of the activities of self-governing organizations, associations of agrarian subjects in particular. The formation of a clear system of mutual relations is an important step on the way to improving the mechanism of socio-economic development of the agro-food sector, which will maximally take into account the interests of all subjects of agrarian relations. Such an institutional compromise will contribute to: increasing the social and economic responsibility of the state and agrarian business entities; the formation of institutional ties in the system of state regulation of the development of the agro-food sector; avoiding institutional traps caused by the opportunistic behavior of subjects of agrarian management; consolidation of efforts in the direction of achieving priorities for the development of the agro-food sector. Improvement at the "state-region" level of management vertical connections is expedient to ensure the granting of greater autonomy to the regional management of agro-industrial development, in particular in terms of the distribution of agrarian resources and the application of management approaches to the formation of an environment for the development of the agro-food sector. In this regard, it is worth turning to foreign experience of regional development and creating agencies for regional development of the agro-food sector under the executive authorities. To ensure a high level of transparency, it is advisable to entrust these powers to public organizations created at the initiative of state and local authorities.

Novel Malaria Risk Prediction and Mapping of Integrated Tribal Development Agency, Paderu Region, India, Using SAMRR

Novel Malaria Risk Prediction and Mapping of Integrated Tribal Development Agency, Paderu Region, India, Using SAMRR

Gender Issues that Influence Financial Inclusion of Rural Women in Developing Nations.

Rural women in the developing world often face barriers that hinder them from benefiting from the formal financial sector. They experience structural challenges which frustrate their efforts to participate meaningfully in rural development processes as a result of this financial exclusion. This subsequently leads to the feminization of poverty thereby reducing their chances for social mobility. This paper analyses the gender issues influence these rural women’s financial inclusion. The paper mainly relied on desk research to identify and analyses common factors influencing rural women in the developing world’s financial inclusion in the contemporary world. The researchers utilized a systematic literature review method to identify and analyse information related to rural women’s financial inclusion. This entailed a robust internet search for different articles deemed relevant to the topic under study. The search revealed that rural women face challenges to do with time poverty, rural-urban gender gap, and lack of gender mainstreaming and patriarchal barriers. Basing on the factors highlighted above, the paper recommends that women should be helped to acquire saving techniques, improve their mobility, coopted into agricultural leadership positions, enhance their access to and participation in livestock production and have their self-concept improved. There is also need for structural changes where the government and other development agencies gender mainstream different financial services and projects offered in rural areas and to promote gender sensitive training for rural women programmes. They should consider cultural, psychological and legislative barriers that hinder rural women’s financial inclusion so as to improve access to financial products and services. Contract farming companies should also consider the implementation of contracts plus programmes.

Performance Improvement - A Driver of Enterprise Information Systems for Public Sector Transformation: Lessons for Developing Countries

The performance of public sector institutions has been a major concern across the globe. Performance improvement has been a matter of persistent pursuit across a variety of countries, particularly in developing countries contexts. It is generally believed that the private sector usually outperforms the public sector counterpart. It can be argued that if the public sector institutions can increase their performance like the private sector counterpart, the level of social development and economic growth, particularly in developing countries, could be exponential since the public sector is the foundation upon which the private sector drives development. However, a variety of factors prevent public sector institutions from competing with their private sector counterparts. The cultures and sentiments are different in the two sectors. For example, private organisations are profit-driven and they operate in highly competitive and performance-based environments. Therefore, performance is key to their success. Meanwhile, public institutions are social and public service-driven in nature. They are owned by the government and are politically motivated. Public institutions that want to transform and achieve accelerated performance and impact will fundamentally jettison some public service culture and embrace new, dynamic, forward-looking approaches and best practices.Research findings and empirical evidence have shown that information systems are great enablers of an organisation’s increased performance and total transformation. However, the people’s roles in shaping how information systems work, deliver value and transform organisations, especially, public institutions, is fundamental. Without people’s understanding, buy-in, capability and optimal adoption and use of information systems, an organisation’s performance and transformation will remain elusive. Public institutions need to take actions that both boost performance and inspire their people. This research paper practically demonstrates how enterprise performance, transformation and information systems are related using the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) as a case. The research validates how public sector enterprise performance and its four indicators (efficiency, effectiveness, productivity and responsiveness) drive enterprise transformation and its four major enablers (leadership, strategy, management and innovation practices) and how the transformation enablers are shaping and optimising adoption and use of enterprise information systems. The whole process is like a cycle. That is, the three performance indicators are accelerated when enterprise information systems are optimally used even with limited investment and budget provision. Having optimally deployed information systems naturally enables (helps to implement) enterprise transformation effectively. It clearly shows that an optimised enterprise information system is critical to enterprise performance and transformation.