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Purpose This paper aims to investigate how graduates’ perceptions of self-service technology and perceived job performance can be used to assess university service quality. Also, this study examines the mediating role of perceived job performance on the effect of university service quality on graduates’ satisfaction and loyalty. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative methodology was adopted where university graduates’ perceptions of self-service technology and job performance were used to assess the level of the university’s service quality. Through a cross-sectional survey, data were collected from 280 university graduates employed in Chinhoyi town, Zimbabwe, during the period between August and December 2021. Findings This study’s findings indicate that self-service technology influences university service quality which in turn impacts on graduates’ perceived job performance, satisfaction and loyalty. Graduates' perceived job performance was also found to partially mediate the effect of university service quality on satisfaction and loyalty among graduates. Research limitations/implications This study’s results are instrumental to enable university’s management in developing economies to adopt and improve self-service technologies as this enhances university service quality and graduates’ perceived job performance, satisfaction and loyalty. Originality/value This paper provides new insights, that is, the incorporation of graduates’ perceptions of self-service technology and job performance in assessing the university’s service quality. This research further clarifies the function of graduates’ perceived job performance in mediating the effect of university service quality on graduate satisfaction and loyalty. This study further adds to our understanding of tools, criteria and methods for assuring university service quality.

The aim of this study was to determine the impact of psychological influences on the buying pattern of SMEs products in Zimbabwe. This study was motivated by the desire to establish the reason why SMEs products were failing to gain customers acceptance. Furthermore SMEs products have been observed to be occupying minimum shelf space in most of the supermarket in Zimbabwe as compared to foreign manufactured products. Zimbabwe has become an import destination, where almost every country is targeting to supply their products to the Zimbabwean supermarkets. The objectives of this study was to determine the effect of personality on the buying pattern of SMEs products in Zimbabwe, to determine the effect of customer perception on SMEs products and to determine the impact of attitudes on consumer purchasing behaviour of SMEs products. A sample of 100 respondents from customers and policy advocates were considered for this study. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select customers who buy SMEs products while policy makers were purposively sampled. The results revealed that personality greatly affects the purchasing behaviour of SMEs products in Zimbabwe, most of the respondents also revealed their negative perception towards any product from SMEs, while some revealed a negative attitude towards SMEs products as they articulated that they have a strong belief that SMEs are generally custodians of manufacturing poor quality products and due to this reason they choose to do business with big firms. The study concluded that psychological influences have an impact on consumer purchasing behaviour of SMEs products in Zimbabwe.

Savings are current income not spent but kept for future use or the accumulation of financial and non-financial assets. They are mobilized by the financial sector, which allocates them for productive use in the economy. This paper sought to examine the impact of saving practices on the performance of the economy in Zimbabwe from 1980 to 2015. A mixed research approach was used to establish the effect of saving practices on the performance of the economy. Both primary and secondary data were employed for analysis and testing of hypotheses. Hypothesis testing, correlation analysis and regression analysis were used to examine the impact of saving practices on the performance of the economy using some macroeconomic variables. Two hundred depositors randomly selected from various banking institutions from the ten provinces and 114 key informants were used in the investigation. Secondary data on gross domestic product (GDP), total deposits, total liabilities, gross capital formation and net exports were used in the examination of saving practices. The study found that savings were always below the average and the Zimbabwean majority across genders had a formal bank or mobile account. Predominantly, savings are used for transactional purposes, thus creating a wasteful economy. Apart from product/service broadening and deepening, there is a need for robust legal and policy frameworks that will promote a savings culture. Contribution/Originality: This study was carried out to examine the relationship between saving practices and Zimbabwe's economic performance due to the scarcity of extant studies in this area on Zimbabwe. Also, the relationship between savings practices and economic performance in Zimbabwe is not well known.

PurposeThe purpose of the study is to establish the relationship between public health sector performance (PHSP), fleet management system, perceived service quality (PSQ) and management style (MS).Design/methodology/approachA total of 260 managerial employees were randomly selected from 5 major public hospitals in Zimbabwe to participate in this cross-sectional survey.FindingsFleet management system was found to positively influence both PSQ and PHSP. The results indicated that PSQ has a positive effect on PHSP. MS was found to moderate the effect of fleet management system on both PSQ and PHSP.Originality/valueThe current study provides fresh insights and validates extant knowledge on PHSP, fleet management and PSQ within the public health sector departments. It extends further knowledge on the public health performance in the Sub-Saharan region, as it shows that dimensions on fleet management have a direct influence on PHSP.