i-manager's Journal on Management (JMGT)


Volume 18 Issue 2 October - December 2023

Research Paper

Assessing the Influence of Reward System on Employee Performance in the Public Sector: A Case Study of the Department of Human Resource Management and Development in Malawi

Deliby Maliralira* , Muthuvel Laxmikanthan**
*-** DMI St. John the Baptist University, Mangochi, Malawi.
Maliralira, D., and Laxmikanthan, M. (2023). Assessing the Influence of Reward System on Employee Performance in the Public Sector: A Case Study of the Department of Human Resource Management and Development in Malawi. i-manager’s Journal on Management, 18(2), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.26634/jmgt.18.2.20431

Abstract

The role of employees in the performance of an organization is mostly attributed to how performance evaluation, recognition and relevant information are managed. The central concern of this paper is to examine the effect of remuneration frameworks as an inspiration apparatus for employee performance in the public sector in Malawi. The findings of this investigation can be utilized to explore various elements of remuneration frameworks to analyze their effect on worker execution, representative fulfilment and motivation. The study adopts a descriptive research design, which consolidates both quantitative and qualitative exploration methods. The target population comprises 400 employees, selected on a proportional basis, belonging to top and middle-level management from all departments at Capitol Hill in Lilongwe. According to the findings of the study, the majority of workers were unhappy with their salaries. The results of the analysis have shown that incentives such as vacations, promotions, food coupons, and on-call payments have little effect on employee happiness. The regression analysis shows that acknowledgement, incentives, preparation, and publicly traded company results, are positively and substantially associated. The study suggests that staff packages can be based on their qualifications, success, and years of professional experience.

Research Paper

Exploring the Influential Factors of Job Satisfaction of Academic Professionals: A Study on Science and Technology Universities of Bangladesh

MD. Imran Sheikh*
Assistant Professor, Jashore University of Science and Technology, Jashore, Bangladesh.
Sheikh, I. (2023). Exploring the Influential Factors of Job Satisfaction of Academic Professionals: A Study on Science and Technology Universities of Bangladesh. i-manager’s Journal on Management, 18(2), 17-31. https://doi.org/10.26634/jmgt.18.2.20222

Abstract

This study seeks to explore the factors influencing the job satisfaction of academic professionals at science and technology universities in Bangladesh. Among the different categories of public universities, three science and technology universities were randomly selected from three different administrative regions in Bangladesh for this study. The study's data came from a semi-structured survey questionnaire. This study used descriptive statistics and regression analysis to analyze and explore the different factors of job satisfaction associated with Assistant Professors through the application of IBM SPSS-26. This study identified six different factors of job satisfaction of academic professionals in the science and technology universities in Bangladesh, such as job in general, remuneration, work environment, social relationships with colleagues, payoffs, and work stress-related factors. The findings of the study revealed that RS, PS, and SR had a statistically significant impact on job satisfaction, but GJ, WE, and WS had a direct positive but insignificant influence on the job satisfaction of academic professionals. The findings also revealed that academic professionals' job satisfaction and dissatisfaction largely depend on these aforementioned factors. A variety of respondent perceptions were employed to describe the job satisfaction dimensions of academic professionals. There was some overlap in picking the university category. This study, for example, excludes all categories of universities except the science and technology universities in Bangladesh. The research's conclusions enlighten academic professionals about what really matters in terms of job satisfaction. The results also provide a useful framework for the relevant authorities, human resources departments, university administration, and policymakers by diving deep into the most important aspects of different factors of job satisfaction associated with academic professionals. This research uses theoretical assumptions and empirical evidence to build a complete model of the relationships between various factors in the job satisfaction of academic professionals. The findings of this study have real-world implications since they look into important aspects of current dimensions of job satisfaction among academic professionals that have the potential to affect their jobs.

Research Paper

An Analysis of Factors Affecting Access to Credit in the Smallholder Agricultural Sector in T/A Mpinganjira – Mangochi District

John Banda Mtelemuka*
UNICAF University, Malawi.
Mtelemuk, J. B. (2023). An Analysis of Factors Affecting Access to Credit in the Smallholder Agricultural Sector in T/A Mpinganjira – Mangochi District. i-manager’s Journal on Management, 18(2), 32-40. https://doi.org/10.26634/jmgt.18.2.20199

Abstract

The underperformance of Malawi's agricultural sector, particularly in the T/A Mpinganjira – Mangochi area, can be attributed mostly to smallholders' resistance to transitioning from traditional agriculture to a more scientific and technology-driven approach. Access to financial services, particularly finance, is one of the obstacles preventing smallholders from rising to the occasion. Using a logistic regression model inside the principle component regression framework, the aim of this study is to investigate the factors that might affect smallholders' capacity to obtain financing. The results demonstrated the influence of various factors on smallholder farmers' access to financing and their capacity to transition to a more scientific and technologically oriented agriculture sector. These factors included the amount of income from both farms and non-farm sources, pensions and remittances, farm size, availability of family labor, land ownership, savings, and repayment capacity. The results offer vital direction for the institutional setup needed to improve credit availability in Malawi.

Research Paper

Perceptions of Community Leaders with Respect to Workforce Skills in the Caribbean Region

Robert W. Robertson* , Peter M. Paul**
*-** University College of the Cayman Islands, Cayman Islands.
Robertson, R. W., and Paul, P. M. (2023). Perceptions of Community Leaders with Respect to Workforce Skills in the Caribbean Region. i-manager’s Journal on Management, 18(2), 41-46. https://doi.org/10.26634/jmgt.18.2.20183

Abstract

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is changing the workplace and the skills employees need to participate in today's global economy. There are many articles on the growing skills gap and the need to build capacity to develop and retain competitive advantage as individuals, firms and countries. This research paper is a preliminary step in assessing the skills gap in the Caribbean region using a mixed method approach including a survey and semi-structured interviews with members of Rotary International. Members of Rotary International were selected for the research as they are community leaders and have experience promoting the importance of vocational training. The research suggests that there are skills gaps across the Caribbean and that there is a need for additional structured, flexible, industry certified training to build workforce capacity in the region.

Review Paper

Economic Impact of River Tourism: Evidence of Bangladesh

Mohammad Badruddoza Talukder* , Fahmida Kaiser**
* College of Tourism and Hospitality Management, International University of Business, Agriculture and Technology, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
** Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Daffodil Institute of IT, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Talukder, M. B., and Kaiser, F. (2023). Economic Impact of River Tourism: Evidence of Bangladesh. i-manager’s Journal on Management, 18(2), 47-60. https://doi.org/10.26634/jmgt.18.2.20235

Abstract

This study takes a significant look at river tourism and the impact that it has on the economy from a variety of perspectives. There is a distinction between river tourism and the more typical definition of tourism. The success of Bangladesh is already well-known for its uncommon tourist places, and an astounding number of tourists are engaged in tourismproducing activities. Tourism along rivers can bring enormous economic benefits for the development of the economy. However, the country's river tourism potential is still not fully realized due to several obstacles. As a result, this study has analyzed the economic effects and challenges this sector poses. The current river tourism industry is investigated in this paper, along with its potential benefits and potential risks. As a result of the investigation, it was determined that the development of river tourism will not be without its difficulties. There are disadvantages in addition to the tremendous economic benefits that are available. This paper has provided several suggestions for river tourism based on the data obtained through a qualitative method based on secondary data and its findings. Rivers have not been able to successfully market themselves as tourist destinations due to the presence of several laws. In this study, the relevance of tourism to the country's economy is highlighted, along with the many available river-based tourist spots. The fundamental objective of the organization is to continually pay attention to the potential economic benefits of river tourism and make it one of the most popular river-based vacation destinations in the world.