The high unemployment rate that has become characteristic of the South African economy has generated some spinoffs that bode undesirable consequences, not only for economic development but also for sane social-cultural coexistence of the people. Recourse to entrepreneurship rather than clinging on to an endless hope for formal employment has been touted as a possible antidote for confronting the situation. However, a prerequisite to self-employment is entrepreneurial intention. This study therefore explores factors that may influence student entrepreneurial intention.The study is based on quantitative data collected in a cross-sectional manner, from students at a South African university. Empirical results suggest that the respondent group strongly accede to the usefulness of entrepreneurship education for economic development which reveals that they are well-versed with the role and gains of entrepreneurship at a macro level. The study also found that perceived competency of the lecturing team demonstrates a moderate and positive correlation with student entrepreneurial intention. The implication of this is that institutions offering entrepreneurship programmes must saddle the responsibility to ensure that persons used to deliver the courses are not only highly competent but can kindle the entrepreneurial intention flame in students.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the nomological web between technology acceptance model metrics such as perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, perceived web privacy of e-learning resources on attitude and behavioural intention of virtual platform for learning by university students. Design/methodology/approach The study employed a quantitative method by using self-administered survey instruments among university students who have at least one year of e-learning experience. Psychometric nomenclature of survey instruments was conducted and the reliability and validity metrics of perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, extent of e-learning use, perceived web-based privacy, attitude and behavioural intentions meet the threshold as established in extant literature. Correlation and regression analysis were conducted to explicate hypothesised relationship. Findings The study found out that e-learning use, perceived usefulness and attitude are associated with learners behavioural intentions, while perceived ease of use and perceived web-based privacy are not significantly associated with behavioural intentions of e-learners in Botswana. The findings further showed in the regression analysis that the extent of e-learning use, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and attitude are significantly related to behavioural intentions, while the perceived web-based privacy is not significantly related to behavioural intentions. Practical implications The e-learning processes thus help outline the effective marketing strategies and promotions or nichemanship among university students which help uncover the influence of innovation metrics on e-learning among the youth target audience in Botswana as the country seeks to achieve a paradigm shift from mineral-led economy to knowledge-based society. Originality/value Despite the popularity of e-learning approach as explicated in extant literature, the extent to which such platform is accepted with respect to security and reliability most especially in an emerging economy like Botswana is ambiguous. This study thus seeks to establish the extent to which e-learning in Botho University and Botswana Open University creates a platform for intention to use as regards technological acceptance parsimonious model in Botswana.

This study examines the effect of consumer rights awareness on consumer attitude and consumer intention, the effect of consumer attitude on consumer intention, and the moderating effects of gender, age and education on the effect of consumer rights awareness on both consumer attitude and intention. Using data from a sample of 366 hotel guests, the study employs structural equation modelling and moderated regression analysis to test the research hypotheses. Results indicate that consumer rights awareness has a positive effect on both consumer attitude and intention while consumer attitude has a positive effect on consumer intention. Results further indicate that education moderates the effect of consumer rights awareness on both consumer attitude and intention while gender and age do not. The study is among the pioneers to examine the effect of consumer ABOUT THE AUTHORS Charles Makanyeza is a senior academic, researcher and consultant who commands respect among his peers. Among many educational qualifications, he holds a PhD in Marketing from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. He is an Associate Professor of Marketing and Strategy at the Namibia Business School, University of Namibia. His research areas of interest include marketing, strategy and quantitative research.

Market orientation has emerged as a significant antecedent of organizational performance and is presumed to contribute to the long term success of a firm. While all firms are strongly influenced by their external environmental, small and medium sized firms may be more influenced by their own tangible and intangible management behaviours as well as environmental dynamics. The growing number of academic studies on market orientation and mixed findings they have reported complicate the efforts among managers and academics to identify the real antecedents of this construct. The results of this study shows that there is a positive association between top management emphasis, interpersonal connectedness,market turbulence, competition and market orientation behaviours of small service firms. Centralization component of management behaviours among small service firms was however found to have positive relation with market orientation attitudes of small service firms. This contrast with extant findings in developed economies. This study thus explicate some new insights and questions on this important strategic direction.

Governments in emerging markets in Africa need to focus more on the factors that drive the entrepreneurial ability of the youth on the continent. This approach is required to lower unemployment levels through self-employment and stimulating entrepreneurial intentions among graduates. Considering this, the research aimed to determine the factors influencing youth entrepreneurial ability and their effect on entrepreneurial intentions. Data were collected through a cross-sectional survey from 347 youths enrolled at five universities in Botswana and analyzed through structural equation modeling to test the formulated hypotheses. The results established that perceived access to finance, entrepreneurial self-efficacy, and attitude toward entrepreneurship positively influence entrepreneurial ability. In addition, entrepreneurial ability was found to positively affect entrepreneurial intentions. Therefore, it is important for universities in developing markets like Botswana to stimulate entrepreneurial thinking through curriculum development and establishing a positive mindset that will stimulate the development of goals and the understanding that failure is not always a negative outcome or characteristic.