Assessment of the Effectiveness of Strategies That Were Implemented by the Government to Revive the Manufacturing Sector in Bulawayo Metropolitan Province during the Period 2009 to 2017

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume III, Issue IX, September 2019 | ISSN 2454–6186

Assessment of the Effectiveness of Strategies That Were Implemented by the Government to Revive the Manufacturing Sector in Bulawayo Metropolitan Province during the Period 2009 to 2017

Fainos Chinjova
Graduate School of Business, National University of Science and Technology, P O Box AC 939, Ascot, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

Abstract: – This research was conducted to assess the effectiveness of the strategies that were implemented by the government to revive the manufacturing sector in Bulawayo Metropolitan Province during the period 2009 to 2017. The study was prompted by the fact that Bulawayo Metropolitan Province has always been the industrial hub of Zimbabwe, but has been reduced to a ghost town, regardless of a number of strategies implemented by both the government to revive the manufacturing sector since the introduction of the use of multicurrency in 2009. The researcher used an interpretivism research philosophy because it enabled access to reality of the effectiveness of strategies implemented to revive the manufacturing sector in Bulawayo Metropolitan Province through social constructions. A qualitative research methodology was applied in order to generate a lot of data in the field where participants experienced the problem under study as well as to understand the participants’ thoughts, feelings and viewpoints on the phenomenon. A multiple case study research design was used because it facilitated a holistic and in-depth assessment of the effectiveness of the strategies implemented to revive the manufacturing sectors in Bulawayo Metropolitan Province. Data was gathered using open-ended questionnaire that was administered by the researcher to 18 middle managers. In-depth interviews were conducted with 14 middle managers and 12 senior managers of manufacturing companies. A focus group discussion was conducted with 11 supervisors and general workers. The major findings of the study were that the strategies implemented to revive the manufacturing sector were not effective to revive the sector as manufacturing companies in Bulawayo continued to suffer a decrease in revenue, productivity, profitability and an increase in retrenchments during the period 2009 to 2017.

Key Terms: Multi-Currency; ZIMASSET; STERP; Statutory Instrument 64;

I. INTRODUCTION

The period 2000 to 2008 saw Zimbabwe experiencing an economic crisis that resulted in the collapse of the manufacturing, mining and agricultural sectors.

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