Purpose The purpose of this paper is to focus on investigating labour productivity in the agricultural sector of Sub-Sahara Africa (SSA) countries between the periods of 2010 and 2017. Design/methodology/approach The study adopted descriptive design. The sample size for this research includes 43 SSA nations. Measuring SSA nation’s agricultural productivity in this study was based on input and output factors relating to the labour resource utilisation between the periods of 2010 and 2017. Data envelopment analysis (DEA) and panel regression analysis were carried out to examine labour productivity within the set periods. Findings The findings from the study suggest that labour productivity in the agricultural sector of SSA countries can be improved from its presently low state of productivity. The statistical analysis showed that between the periods of 2010 and 2013, only about 34.9 per cent of countries in the region were technically efficient in the utilisation of labour resources for productive use. More disturbing was that, from 2014 to 2017, labour productivity drooped to 11.6 per cent. Meanwhile, employment of labour in the agricultural sector revealed as low as 1.58 percentage to crop production index in the region. Notably, there is the potential of labour employment to derive as high as 80 per cent yield to the gross domestic product of economies in the SSA region. Practical implications Considering the strategic role of labour to the agricultural sector of SSA countries, there must be a stakeholders approach to stimulating the interest of the populace of these countries and getting them actively involved in the agricultural sector. This imply that government, investors, support agencies from developed economies and populace of the SSA nations must support the drive towards agricultural productivity of the SSA nations. Originality/value This study established a research agenda that involved a paradigm shift from the more rampant literature on foreign investments, agricultural research, rural livelihood and well-being, among others to focusing on issues that pertain to labour productivity for sustainable agricultural yields in SSA countries. Also, the methodology adopted in the study, such as application of DEA and regression analysis to panel data, shows a departure from single units of analysis adopted by existing studies.

The strive to achieve development and sustenance values have dominated operational practice in recent years. This research is focused on the implementation of value stream mapping in a systemic intervention. The research adopts a case study of a commercial livestock farm. It involves the joint participation of organisation members in a process of identification of challenging issues in the operational process of the case study organisation and the development of value adding solutions, towards the achievement of set objectives. Findings show that the productive engagement of the affected stakeholder guarantees commitment to the effective development and alignment of values in the operational process.

Leveraging on resource based-view theory, this paper shows strategies adopted in higher education to remain competitive. Using scale development method, 60 questionnaires as survey instrument was distributed and 58 respondents completed and returned. The result of socio-economic demographic variables, factor analysis and validity using the statistical packages for social science. Five dimensions were adopted: cost leadership strategy, service differentiation strategy, cost focus strategy, integration strategy and diversification strategy. The validity and reliability result as well as managerial implication, limitation and future research were discussed.

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