Business Information Research Articles

Examining the Challenges and Survival Strategies of the Informal Sector During Covid- 19 Induced Lockdowns and Restrictions in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

This study investigated the effects of COVID-19 induced lockdowns and restrictions on the informal sector in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. It assessed the impact, challenges and opportunities brought by the restrictions on the movement of people and the closure of informal economic activities to contain the spread of COVID-19. The study was carried out in Bulawayo central business district (CBD) and Nkulumane high-density suburb. Being a qualitative study, participants were conveniently and purposively selected to meet the research objectives. Data was collected using a questionnaire, focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, key informant interviews and document analysis. Given the COVID-19 pandemic, precautionary measures were taken into consideration. The researcher and the participants maintained social distance, wore masks, and always used alcohol-based hand sanitisers where contact was necessary. However, other innovative data collection methods, such as mobile phones, were employed, particularly with key informants. The study results reveal that the COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions brought more harm than good to the informal sector—their incomes and livelihoods were disrupted. However, the informal business operators employed several strategies that enabled them to survive the lockdown periods, although some were against the rules and regulations of lockdown. The study recommends that concerted efforts to cushion informal traders from the adverse effects of lockdowns are imperative as many people depend on them. Some of these interventions include social security packages, availing structures that can help prevent the transmission of viruses from customers and traders, and psychosocial support.

DEVELOPMENT OF MASTER STUDENTS’ BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE SKILLS DURING BUSINESS FOREIGN LANGUAGE COURSE

The article deals with the specifics of the development of Master students’ business correspondence skills during the Business Foreign Language course. The authors note that the formation of the competence of foreign language business written communication is an integral part of the foreign language learning process for Master students of economic specialties since the availability of these skills improves the specialists’ professional training and their demand among employers. In order to carry out business communication in a foreign language, future economists should be familiar with its features. It is noted that the term “business letter” refers to administrative documents that serve as a means of communication between institutions, organizations and departments. The article analyses the stages during which the formal business correspondence training of Master students takes place according to the developed educational and methodological сomplex of Business Foreign Language Course at Pavlo Tychyna Uman State Pedagogical University. The authors pay special attention to the use of specific vocabulary inherent in communication on economic topics, correct grammar and the culture of business correspondence. It is noted that students of economic specialties deal with a subgroup of business letters focused on the economic sphere of activity. Since the ability to use modern information technologies is one of the professional competencies of Master students, special attention is paid to communication by e-mail. It is stated that as a result of teaching business written communication to Master students professional competence which is necessary for future activities in the field of business, economy and effective management of affairs with partners and clients is developed.
 Keywords: Master students, business letter; business communication; Business foreign language; Master students in economic specialties; types of business letters; structure of a business letter.

Journal Series on Governance and Management of IT in Electronic-Based Government Systems (SPBE) in Indonesia

SPBE Governance and Management is a framework that guarantees the implementation of regulation, direction and control in the implementation of SPBE in an integrated manner. SPBE Governance and Management aims to ensure that SPBE elements consist of the National SPBE Master Plan, SPBE Architecture, SPBE Roadmap, SPBE Program Plan and Budget, Business Process, Data and Information, SPBE Infrastructure, SPBE Application, SPBE Security, and Services SPBE. to achieve SPBE goals. In implementing all SPBE elements, integration and harmonization between the National SPBE and Regional SPBE are required. Therefore, this thesis research raises SPBE Governance and Management in accordance with COBIT 2019 as a governance framework that is set globally. Thus, this research will provide recommendations for the implementation of SPBE in Indonesia which can provide appropriate benefits for SPBE users, namely the community, business actors, civil servants, and other government agencies, and have detailed objectives and activities in accordance with COBIT 2019.

How Immigrant Shopkeepers in Johannesburg Townships Succeed: A Customer's Eye View

In the face of struggling native-owned informal grocery businesses, immigrant-owned shops in Johannesburg townships have demonstrated remarkable success. While research on this topic has been primarily informed by shopkeeper data, this article explores the phenomenon from the viewpoint of customers. Given that customers play a significant role in facilitating the success of businesses, the dearth of a customer perspective of the success of immigrant shopkeepers presents a gap in knowledge. This study addresses this gap by investigating the interaction between shopkeepers and customers from the perspective of customers. Drawing on the theories of customer value and customer satisfaction, the author proposes that customers prefer to patronize immigrant shopkeepers due to the considerable value they provide. The study was conducted in the Johannesburg township of Alexandra and involved the collection of cross-sectional quantitative data from 400 households. The findings indicate that customers patronize immigrant-owned businesses due to the superior value they receive, thereby enabling their success. This research highlights the importance of providing value to attract customers and contributes to the literature on the role of customers in informal business performance. Furthermore, the study sheds light on the contribution of customer reciprocation of shopkeeper value and has important implications for policymakers, business owners, and scholars alike. It underscores the need for a more nuanced understanding of the dynamics underlying the success of immigrant entrepreneurs in South Africa's informal retail sector.

Implementasi Business Intelligence Untuk Menganalisis Data Proses Manufaktur Menggunakan Google Data Studio

This study aims to apply the concept of Business Intelligence (BI) by implementing it using Google Data Studio tools in analyzing production data. The BI approach utilizes technology and analytical methods to collect, integrate, analyze, and present the business information needed by company leaders. Google Data Studio is the latest BI platform and provides convenience in interactive data visualization. In this study, the implementation of BI was carried out using Google Data Studio to analyze cardboard box production data. This approach involves the process of collecting production data from various related sources, such as manufacturing systems, inventory systems, and sales systems. The data is then integrated and presented in the form of an interactive and easy-to-understand visualization. The research method used includes literature studies on BI concepts and technology, as well as experiments using Google Data Studio to analyze the production data that has been collected. During the experiment, various indicators of production performance were identified and analyzed, such as productivity, efficiency and error rate. The results of this analysis are interpreted to gain valuable insights in improving production processes and making better business decisions. It is hoped that this research will provide a better understanding of BI implementation using Google Data Studio in the context of production data analysis. It is hoped that the findings of this research can become the basis for companies to obtain better information and make more effective decisions in improving production performance.

Gender-related factors affecting access to TB services and treatment outcomes in the Philippines.

The Philippines is one of the countries with the highest TB burdens. While TB affects men and women differently, studies also show that gender affects people's experience of and access to healthcare. Men and women have usually assigned roles and responsibilities that affect their decisions and health-seeking behaviour. The gender analysis aimed to examine the relationship between gender and access to TB services and treatment outcomes according to five domains: cultural norms and beliefs; patterns of power and decision-making; gender roles and responsibilities; access to resources; laws and policies. The team conducted 19 in-depth interviews and five focus group discussions with project staff, TB coordinators from healthcare facilities, representatives from the private and informal business sector and representatives from the Philippine Department of Health from August to November 2019. Study findings indicated that men faced greater limitations than women in terms of accessing TB resources and services, which highlight the differences between genders in relation to health-seeking behaviours and ability to access healthcare. This demonstrates the importance of integrating a gender lens into the service provision set up, from screening to treating and monitoring, to ensure equitable health benefits for men, women, transgender and gender-diverse persons.

An Optimized Approach for Maximizing Business Intelligence using Machine Learning

The subject of study known as business intelligence is responsible for the development of techniques and tools for the analysis of business information with the goal of assisting in the management and decision-making processes of corporations. In the current climate, business intelligence is essential to the process of formulating a strategy and carrying out operations that are data-driven. Throughout the many stages of the company operation, an organization will need assistance evaluating data and making decisions; a decision support system may provide this assistance by including business intelligence as an essential component. The fact that this enormous quantity of data is distributed over a number of different types of platforms, however, makes it a difficult challenge, in particular to understand the information that is actually relevant and to make efficient use of it for business intelligence. One of the most important challenges facing modern society is maximizing business intelligence through the application of machine learning. It offers a full analysis that is based on predictions and is extracted for Business Intelligence techniques along with current application fields. This anomalous gap has been pointed up, and solutions and future research areas have been offered to overcome it in order to create effective business strategies.

The street vending agenda in Northern Uganda: Examining its management praxis in Lira city

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the quality of street vending management in Lira City; specifically focussing on the quality of planning for street vending, the level of organization for street vending, coordination of street vending, and the quality of control for street venting.
 Methodology: A qualitative approach was adopted and a sample of 100 respondents was realised. The Interview Guide and the Documentary review were used for data collection. Content validity was tested using a research expert’s opinion, the research supervisor. To test the reliability, a test-retest technique was employed in which questionnaires were administered to a group of street vendors with similar characteristics as the actual sample size but not included in the final study.
 Findings: The study reveals that Management of street vending in Lira City had a poor control mechanism given that street vending has no identity in the City. Also, the design for the main Market was not favourable for vending since other lockups were hidden away from customers’ easy access. The city authorities gave Stools and Lockups to some vendors who were not active but street vending continues to support members to pay school fees for their children, improving the standard of living, providing employment to the unemployed men and women and they request to be allowed to continue with the vending. On the whole, street vending lacks clear planning, organisation, coordination and control in lira city.
 Contribution to theory, practice and policy: It is concluded that the success of street vending in lira city will continue to depend on how well it is planned, organised, coordinated and controlled by the stakeholders. The study recommends that Lira City should employ four in one management strategies which are planning, Organising, Coordinating and Controlling (POCC); the city should zone all the business where each business is done in specific area so that for one to buy an item, such a person must go and find such a commodity in a specific place gazetted for it, but not anywhere as it is being done; and, it should come out with the uniform rates for renting a lockup or stool constructed by the government or constructed on government land. This study contributes to the understanding of the numerous urban dynamics surrounding the informal business operations and management for a cleaner and well-organised city.

Representations of Entrepreneurship in Local Media: A Comparative Analysis

Entrepreneurial culture is a key element of the success of entrepreneurial ecosystems. Previous studies have shown that regional levels of entrepreneurial activity tend to remain persistent over long periods of time and that cultural attitudes in favour of entrepreneurship and rooted in the history of the region can influence innovation activity and new business formation today. Prior research has studied the entrepreneurial culture investigating individuals’ perceptions, attitudes, values, and entrepreneurial personality fit. However, such approaches fail to address the importance of social representations of entrepreneurship as a part of entrepreneurial culture. The aim of this study is to increase understanding about the local entrepreneurial culture within entrepreneurial ecosystems by analysing local media representations of entrepreneurship as indications of local entrepreneurial cultures in the entrepreneurial ecosystem context. The research was carried out as a comparative study of two Finnish regions: Päijät-Häme and South Karelia. The primary research data consists of 120 newspaper articles from regional daily newspapers. The results suggest that in the studied regions local media particularly helps transmit entrepreneurial success stories as an ecosystem service. Also, narratives of entrepreneurial ambition, innovativeness and risk acceptance were transmitted to the local audiences. Some regional differences were also detected, which might reflect the different historical backgrounds and regional levels of entrepreneurial activity. This paper presents the preliminary results of the study which are of value for both ecosystem actors and policymakers designing initiatives to strengthen the local entrepreneurial culture and public discourse promoting entrepreneurship.

Psychological Empowerment and Entrepreneurial Orientation for Women-Owned SMEs: Evidence from Indonesia

Micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are the backbone of advancing the Indonesian economy, which slumped during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the mapping of MSME players in Indonesia from the data of the Indonesian Central Statistics Agency (BPS), it is known that 64.5% of MSME players are women. This figure shows that women/mothers are empowered and play a significant role in their economy, families, and even the country. In the end, a gender perspective is essential so that the interventions that can be provided do not exclude women from being recipients or subjects only but view women as agents or crucial actors to advance the economy, society, and culture. Some strategies must be considered to help women become more successful business owners. These include turning informal businesses into formal ones, moving into the supply chain, making digital technology more up-to-date, and getting more women to start businesses that make money. Of course, this requires increasing human resource capacity, training, mentoring, access to financing facilities, legal aid facilities, information, and others, to develop together. The high growth of women's businesses will positively impact economic recovery. However, with the development of economic conditions, the number of MSMEs will increase, and the competition will be higher. In the process, women who can take advantage of the situation and have consistency and confidence in their abilities will be able to move forward more quickly than those who do not have these abilities. This capacity is called psychological Empowerment. Women's psychological Empowerment is the ability of women to have life choices, one of which is making a practical decision about the business or entrepreneurship that is being undertaken to reduce social and economic barriers (Digan et al., 2019). Psychological Empowerment has three dimensions: competence, self-determination, and meaningful impact perceptions. Keywords: Psychological Empowerment; Entrepreneurial Orientation; Women-Owned SMEs; Gender.

Analysis of Louis Vuitton's Marketing Strategies in Chinese Luxury Fashion Market

The rapid growth of China's economy has made the country one of the world's most important markets for high-end goods. In the meantime, China's economic growth has slowed since entering the new normal in 2014, and luxury consumers have become more practical. For this reason, many international luxury brands are fretting over how to break into China's opulent consumer market. The LVMH Group owns a number of luxury brands, including the ubiquitous Louis Vuitton. In light of the foregoing, this research examines the Louis Vuitton brand's marketing strategy in China, specifically its product strategy, pricing strategy, promotion strategy, and positioning strategy. Several suggestions are made to enhance Louis Vuitton's marketing strategy in China based on the findings of this study, such as a push to emphasize the brand's commitment to quality. Several suggestions are made in this report to better Louis Vuitton's marketing strategy in China, including expanding efforts to promote the quality-centered brand idea in the Chinese market, adjusting prices on a case-by-case basis, and bolstering the company's online sales channels. The marketing strategy of Louis Vuitton is examined in this article, which provides not only useful information for the company but also useful information for other domestic luxury businesses.

Enigma of Relationship between Digital Economy and Intellectual Property Rights: Reflections on Innovation in Digital Economy Represented by Cloud Computing

INTRODUCTION: The development of the digital economy and intellectual property management represented by cloud computing has promoted the progress of China's modernization road. Cloud computing plays a vital role in various industries, and the control of intellectual property rights in the digital economy represented by cloud computing is closely connected with the high-quality development of China's digital economy, the construction of a robust intellectual property country, and the modernization of the national government. China's intellectual property management capability and digital economy management system are advanced, but practical difficulties still exist at home and abroad.
 OBJECTIVES: To improve the development level of computer information technology such as cloud computing; to promote the integrated development of digital economy and intellectual property rights; to solve the protection problems in the practical application of intellectual property rights with information technology; and to promote the coordinated development of digital economy and intellectual property rights represented by cloud computing.
 METHODS: Analyzes the role of intranet in protecting business information from the technical perspective of cloud computing; puts forward the hypothesis of the relationship between the digital economy and intellectual property rights by using literature research; and applies the empirical method to verify the use of patent data of state-owned enterprises and the total index of the regional digital economy.
 RESULTS: The results of the study show that there is a significant positive correlation between the level of development of cloud computing, the Digital Economy, and the internal cloud computing network of the company, which meets the external conditions of the lack of capacity of the Digital Economy and strengthens the globalization of the cloud computing cooperation network.
 CONCLUSION: Companies can manage the risk of data loss in the digital economy by adapting their internal cloud computing capabilities. After in-house processing and multiple reliability tests, the impact of the digital economy, represented by cloud computing, on supply chain innovation remains significant. In the post-financial crisis era, the effect of the digital economy on chain innovation is important because it is a cloud computing technology-intensive production chain with low dependence on external technologies. The digital economy has a threshold effect on innovation in the production chain. With the strengthening of intellectual property protection, the marginal impact of cloud computing and the digital economy on chain innovation increases significantly.

Penyuluhan Pentingnya Laporan Keberlanjutan Bagi Usaha Mikro Kecil Menengah Dalam Rangka Mempertahankan Keberlanjutan Usaha

The problem for MSMEs is how to understand and implement Sustainability Reporting properly. The goal of this community service is to be able to meet MSME needs for availability of sustainability reports and exchange of business information with parties inside and outside the MSME. The method used is interactive, and the result of this crowdsourcing works well. where MSMEs can prepare simple sustainability reports well and need ongoing guidance. The conclusion of this crowdsourcing is that MSMEs understand and can perform simple Sustainability Reporting using the Sustainability Reporting app.

Women’s Stories of Waste Picking in the City: “People Look at Us Like We Are Mad, but I Don’t Care”

The gendered dynamics of informal work in southern cities across the globe has been well documented. Women in the informal sector, usually already marginalised through racialised and class positionalities, face predictable work challenges in patriarchal society, lower pay, longer work hours, more family responsibilities, less social protections, and safety concerns linked to workspaces. In this article, we explore the specific challenges that women waste pickers in the inner city of Durban, South Africa, experience. The study draws on ethnographic research with eight waste pickers. Beyond the challenges, the narrative data illustrates how and why women waste pickers navigate and negotiate for space and safety in the inner city of Durban. We highlight how women build social relationships as a mitigation strategy against material and varied safety concerns. These social relationships work across formal business linkages and relationships on the street. These mitigation strategies are simultaneously gendered responses to work in the city and innovative business practices. The experiences of women waste pickers in the city indicates that it is left to the women themselves, individually and in small collectives, to find ways to navigate issues of discrimination and exclusions linked to work, gender and space in the city. Ultimately, we draw on the experiences of women waste pickers in inner city Durban to ask questions about what lessons can be learnt to advocate better municipal planning that proactively deals with gender and justice in the city.

Freemasons and Their Contribution to the Economic Development of Worcester c. 1750–1850

ABSTRACT This article addresses a topic which has been neglected by academic historians – namely, Freemasonry as a business network. Between 1750 and 1850 431 men, predominantly drawn from the business sector, joined freemasons’ lodges in Worcester. Their participation in the economic development of the city in the period is examined through a prosopographical study in which data extracted from locally and centrally held masonic records have been integrated with non-masonic data to create a historic record of their activities. Informal business networks have been the subject of academic research and the extent to which the findings of that research are applicable to the underlying values and organizational structure of Freemasonry is also examined. The article concludes that businessmen who were freemasons actively contributed to the economic development of the city and that membership of Freemasonry had the potential to help them to advance their contribution.

The economic circularity of informality? Evidence from patterns of informal business innovation in Bandung

Urban (physical) and business informality and economic circularity may come together in cities of the global South. In this paper we explore the intersection of business and urban informality and circular economy outcomes in community-based clusters of informal businesses. These intersections are revealed in the relationship of businesses to the home, the localization of linkages (including the use of recycled materials) and the relationship of businesses to the local communities in which they are embedded. We draw on data from 203 questionnaire survey returns from five kampung-based footwear and clothing industry clusters in the Indonesian city of Bandung. The research confirms the ambiguity of the relationship between individual business dynamics and the communities in which they are embedded. Our findings suggest some points of policy leverage centred on business and community institutions, and lead on to avenues for research that might elaborate the ambiguous relationship between business and social innovation with respect to sustainable urban development.

Perceptions of the socioeconomic effects of Venezuelan migration among informal traders in Cartagena de Indias (Colombia)

The aim of this article is to analyse the impact of knowledge of Venezuelan migration and of the perceived socioeconomic effects of this migration on the perceptions held by Colombians engaging in informal commercial activities in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, and on the strategies that they adopt to ensure the survival of their informal businesses. A structural equation model was developed based on data from a questionnaire administered to a representative sample of 301 informal traders in the historic centre and beach area in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. The application of a causal theoretical model allowed the main factors affecting perceptions of migration from Venezuela among Colombian-born informal traders to be assessed. The research results indicated that the variables Knowledge of Venezuelan migration (COM), Social effects of migration (ESM) and Economic effects of migration (EEM) have significant correlation with Perceptions of Venezuelan migration (PHM). Moreover, Economic effects of migration (EEM) correlate significantly with Strategies and actions implemented by informal traders to ensure the survival of their businesses (EAI). The obtained results can be used to develop targeted action plans to contribute to improving these perceptions.

ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL, AND GOVERNANCE (ESG) RELATED PROCESSES AND INTERNAL CONTROL

Purpose- With the increase and change in the information requirements of information users, ESG reporting has become a very important component of corporate reporting. The increasing interest in ESG fields requires effective process management and the preparation of high-quality reports in these areas. In this context, providing assurance in ESG reporting and establishing effective internal controls in ESG-related processes have become important issues. There are a limited number of studies in the literature on the relationship between ESG fields and internal control. Following the contributions of these important studies to the literature, the Committee of Sponsoring Organisations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) issued a guidance in March 2023 entitled "Achieving Effective Internal Control over Sustainability Reporting (ICSR): Building Trust and Confidence with the COSO Internal Control Integrated Framework" in March 2023. As is known, the COSO Internal Control Integrated Framework (ICIF-2013) is the globally recognized internal control framework. The guideline, which is prepared on the basis of this framework, contains guiding information for the establishment of an effective internal control structure in ESG fields on the way to the formation of sustainable businesses. The aim of this study is to emphasise the importance of internal control in ESG-related processes and to contribute to the development of the literature by explaining the perspective created by the ICSR guidance and examining the existing literature. Methodology- The study employs a literature review to analyse the ICSR guidance on establishing an effective internal control structure over ESG-related processes and academic studies on this subject and to emphasise the importance of the subject. Conceptual discussions and developments are important in increasing the effectiveness of internal control over ESG-related processes. Therefore, this study analyses the conceptual framework of effective internal control over ESG-related processes. Findings- ICSR guidance published by COSO explains the establishment of internal control structure in ESG-related processes with an integrated perspective. Guidance also includes illustrative cases that can guide practitioners, while also addressing the roles in governance processes. There are a limited number of studies on this subject in the academic literature. Conclusion- With the findings obtained from the study, the importance of an effective internal control structure in ESG-related processes is emphasized. It is thought that the new ICSR guideline will create significant values in the formation and adoption of an integrated understanding on this issue. As it is known, an effective internal control structure is expected to provide reasonable assurance in the realization of the objectives of businesses and organizations in relation to all processes related to operations, compliance, and reporting. In order to achieve the desired objectives in the processes related to ESG fields, it is necessary to identify and eliminate the possible weaknesses of the internal control structure in ensuring the realization of these objectives and to transform it into a more effective structure. It is thought that the studies to be carried out for this purpose will create value by increasing awareness in terms of creating the expected benefit from ESG-related processes and creating more effective ESG reports. Keywords: Internal contol, COSO, environmental social ang governance, sustainability, sustainable business JEL Codes: M10, M40, M48

POTENTIAL ROLE OF ICTS IN SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

The use of the internet can be used to make a difference in a number of ways, including through clickthrough donations to charities, education, community service, signing online petitions, and access to information. The primary objective of this paper is to investigate the social repercussions of electronic commerce, or e-commerce or e comm. To concentrate on the social ramifications of web-based business and other Information Technology empowered innovations in an efficient way, hardly any regions have been chosen, particularly those which are of prime social interest? Additionally, the negative effects of e-commerce and IT on society have been investigated in order to support the actual impact of e-commerce on society. Conclusions are offered at the section's conclusion.

ENABLING ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CHANGE IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA: AN INFORMAL ECONOMY PERSPECTIVE

Research presents the informal economy as a fading phenomenon mainly confined to the peripheries of mainstream economics. However, such views overlook its transformative effect on the social and economic spheres of many regions of the developing world through employment creation. Drawing from a new dataset combining World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Africa Index databases, this study examines the effect of country-level variables (informal economy size, economic and sustainable development) on economic and social change in twenty sub-Saharan African nations. Results reveal that informal work and informal business sustain livelihoods by providing income that helps tackle poverty, malnutrition and mortality rates. This has implications for academic research and policy making because it induces debate on the need to balance economic and social change with policy initiatives.