Student Development Life Skills Overview
Student Development Life Skills Overview
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Course Overview 3
3. Entrepreneurship 25
7. National Consciousness 73
8. Responsible Citizenship 80
10. Leadership 86
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5. Duration:
The Student Development and Life Skills Module is a compulsory online course
which is offered to all undergraduate students from Level 1 until they complete
their studies.
6. Course Overview:
The Student Development and Life Skills Module is designed to complement
academic departments in facilitating balanced and holistic student development.
The Module is premised on the philosophy that man is a social organism with
cognitive, moral, physical, spiritual and emotional dimensions with great potential
for growth through education. Several student development theories have been
selected to create a theoretical framework for students to understand
potentialities which exist in embryonic form within them from birth. These
potentialities have inherent propensities to develop into unique competences and
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capabilities; which are herein referred to as life skills. Such skills are necessary for
personal efficiency and effectiveness in life.
For this Module, we have carefully selected student development theories which
are envisaged to enable students to explore various pathways that facilitate
the realization of cognitive, psychomotor and affective aims of education. The
Module is intentionally and strategically tailored to avert traditional biases
towards student cognitive development (Intelligent Quotient development) at the
expense of other critical areas, such as the SQ (social Quotient- ability to create
and sustain strategic social and professional relationships that are critical for
one’s optimum growth and progression in college and after graduation), EQ
(Emotional Quotient- ability to empathise, have compassion, honesty and
integrity ), AQ (Adversity Quotient- ability to deal with adverse of difficult
situations and to survive in any environment, i.e., devising innovative solutions to
life challenges) and MQ (Money Quotient- ability to use cognitive and
psychomotor skills to produce resources that foster self- reliance and
entrepreneurship).
The purpose of this Module is foster in students a broad range of life skills (social,
soft and technical skills) which are usually not taught in class. The ultimate goal of
the Module is to nurture confident, efficacious and dexterous students, with a
deep appreciation of who they are. Personal effectiveness, productive and
maximized living are at the core of the Module. Key competences targeted in this
Module include self-awareness, self-confidence, self-esteem, self-efficacy, self-
actualization, critical thinking, problem-solving skills, organizational skills,
creativity, innovation, inventiveness, negotiation skills, interpersonal skills,
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communication skills, leadership skills, dealing with peer pressure and adversity,
listening and learning skills, entrepreneurship, community consciousness, etc.
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pupils. I can only attempt to provide the conditions in which they learn.” The
University holds that, a deep student-centered approach to teaching and learning
ought to prepare ‘prepare graduates for the road, instead of creating the road for
graduates’. Methods used in this Module will ensure that students have full
ownership and control of their learning processes.
The following methods will be employed from time to time, as directed by the
course Unit facilitators:
6.3 Plagiarism:
This refers to stealing and passing off the ideas or words of another as one's
own; i.e., to use another's production or intellectual property without crediting
the source. Plagiarism is strictly prohibited, and will lead to disqualification
and/or serious disciplinary measures taken against the perpetrator. Students
can work in Accountability Partnerships and Student Development Cohorts but
their individual efforts must be standout. These collaborations should not be
sources of overdependence on others.
8. Course Evaluation:
This is a very practical Module which requires that students acquire practical
knowledge of life skills than mere theory. Coursework and community
outreach will contribute 60% of the total score at the end of the academic year
and the examination at the end of the academic year shall contribute 40%.
Students shall be required to submit written assignments and one Community
Service report at least one month before every end of semester examinations.
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Please note that assignment submission deadlines cannot be negotiated. All late assignments
will not be marked.
9. Submission of Assignments
Assignments shall be submitted in a manner prescribed by Module
Facilitators. No assignments or Community Service report should be sent to
the Module Moderator. Students are expected to stay in constant contact
with their Faculty- specific Student Development Officers for updates on the
implementation of this course.
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UNIT ONE
1. INTRODUCTION
Organisational growth becomes a myth if not strategically managed. Ethical considerations in corporates
have become mandatory and the driving force towards success. This unit looks into organisational set-
ups, cultures and roles as they impact on general ethics of organisations
2. AREAS OF GROWTH
This unit serves to give students an understanding of work ethics in preparing them for the future world of
employment and entrepreneurship. Students will be exposed to tasks and activities which stimulate their
perceptions on the following ethical issues:
Responsibility
Equality
Accountability
Loyalty
Dedication
Discipline
Professionalism
3. OBJECTIVES
4. LEARNING OUTCOMES
5. DEFINITION OF TERMS
5.1 Ethics
Bhasin (2021) defines organisational ethics as a form of applied or professional standards that scrutinise
ethical morals, values and principles that arise in a workplace. It applies to every aspect of the
organisational conduct and is considered relevant to both employee’s and management’s behaviour.
Therefore, ethics become a mandatory inspection and review tool to all stakeholders’ performance
through outcomes and outputs in organisations.
5.2 Organisation
Organisations help in optimum utilisation of financial and human resources. It. not only aids in the proper
assignment of jobs to suitable employees. but also keeps track that there is no waste of resources and
efforts due to duplication of work.
Without a formal organizational structure, employees may find it difficult to know who they officially
report to in different situations, and it may become unclear exactly who has the final responsibility for
what. Organizational structure improves operational efficiency by providing clarity to employees at all
levels of a company. By paying mind to the organizational structure, departments can work more like
well-oiled machines, focusing time and energy on productive tasks.
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The diagram above highlights the four well known cultures which range from internal to external,
flexibility and discretion. These are; the Clan, Adhocracy, Hierarchy, and Market. Each culture has its
beliefs as indicated below:
6.1.3 Hierarchy
The primary focus is Structure and Stability. The values are consistency, stability, uniformity,
bureaucracy and timelines.
6.1.4 Market
Result oriented, get the job done and team work becomes the major influence. Goals are related to sales,
profits, market penetration and stock value and should reflect the performance of the company.
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6.2 Characteristics of an Organisation 1
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Organisations have a structure.
Organizations exist in a relatively permanent basis
Organisations have identifiable boundaries
The organisational mission describes its intentions and impact to clients.
Ethical guiding documents such as the Code of Conduct should be instituted.
The company values should be cascaded well to stakeholders so as to get competitive
advantage in the market place.
Clientele needs someone with organisational knowledge and the right skills so as to realise
customer collaboration and loyalty.
All formal organizations use specific knowledge (or technology) to perform work-related
activities.
Without establishment of proper relevant documents to guide operational activities, companies will fall
prey to irrelevancy and stagnancy in growth. As such, hire of qualified and relevant skilled staff becomes
significant.
Without a formal organizational structure, employees find it difficult to know who they officially report
to in different situations, and it may become unclear exactly who has the final responsibility for what.
Organizational structure improves operational efficiency by providing clarity to employees at all levels of
a company. By paying mind to the organizational structure, departments can work more like well-oiled
machines, focusing time and energy on productive tasks
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Source: [Link]
Task 1
In your cohorts draw the organogram showing the structure of any organisation you are familiar with.
Ethics is a broad term that incorporates character traits and behaviours in life. On the other hand
workplace ethics refer to a specific set of moral and legal guidelines that organisations may follow in
operations. These shape employees’ and customers’ interactions with the organisation. In most cases,
organisations employ workplace ethical codes that govern and improve productivity of stakeholders and
the public’s perception of their operations.
Responsibility
Equality
Accountability
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Trust 1
Loyalty 4
Fairness
Dedication
Discipline
Professionalism
Sustainability.
Politeness
Ethics is one of the contributing factors in organisational operations. An employee with the right
attitude becomes an asset in an organisation. Professionalism in conduct becomes significant in
operations. Employees should be knowledgeable of the expectations of the organisation.
High ethical standards aid stakeholders’ spirit of ownership and belonging to the organization.
Employees and other stakeholders will typically follow suit and maintain the organization’s best
interests through acting ethically in their operations. For example, if employees are treated fairly
and respectfully, they tend to reduce on negative encounters which will expose the organisation.
The initiative helps organisations and employees enjoy particular advancements, like heightening
productivity and increasing employee satisfaction.
Employees become more devoted in their roles and express pride in being part of such
organisations.
Well laid rules governing operations lead to the organisational effectiveness and efficiency.
Stakeholders will voluntarily pledge themselves to act positively, constructively and with growth
in mind.
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Task 2 1
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o Identify ethical principles that you think are a cause of concern in most organisations
and suggest strategies that organisations can employ to ensure compliance.
7.4 Organisational Roles.
Anonymous (2013) defines a role as a set of connected behaviours, rights, obligations, beliefs and norms
as conceptualised by actors in a social situation. In organisations, tasks are distributed among various
positions as roles. Each member in an organisation occupies a specific position which is directly or
indirectly associated to other positions in the hierarchy of organisational chart. The organisational tree
sets the role of the employee whilst including superiors and subordinates. Prasad (2000) denotes that each
person is expected to behave in a particular manner while performing a specific role. Observation of
ethics in organisation is crucial in organisational operations.
Kendall (2011) defines role expectations as the way a role ought to be performed as determined by a
group or society. Clear and well defined roles lead to high performance in employees. Understanding of
key responsibilities leads to job efficiency and effectiveness. Well explained roles will keep employees
focused ensuring productivity.
Meeting deadlines is where employees manage their tasks within the expected time-lines of the
organisations. Team work in an organisation relates to collaboration and grouping towards achievement
of set objectives.
A responsible employee is always time conscious. Some organisations recognise or incentivise target
oriented employees which generate intrinsic motivation in them. The organisation will, in turn, realise
high profits since the employees will be happy. Setting deadlines makes employees meet the targets in
their operations since it creates a sense of urgency. The organisation realises a steady flow of work and
planned work is completed within expectations. It also creates credibility and encourages customer
loyalty. It increases productivity.
Employees should plan work, diarise, use desk calendars or set a phone alarm as reminders. Tasks need
realistic deadlines. Visit the pending tasks file each morning before engaging in the job in case one
forgets. Employees should stay focused, be proactive, prioritise tasks, set reminders or engage others as
reminders.
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Good interpersonal and social skills are mandatory in 1organisations. Clients are assured of a good service
through presentation of exceptional skills. Skills such6as communication, teamwork, liaison/networking,
listening are key in any organisational set up.
There is need for employees to show empathy when dealing with clients’ problems and questions. There
is need to show genuine concern and provide solutions to the situation. Employers value social skills
because it cultivates collaboration and strong workplace relationships; cooperation and partnership. When
employees pull efforts together, they tend to achieve higher. Employees get clear instructions from the
employer and understand clients’ concerns.
Activity 4
3. Justify the need for good interpersonal and social skills in an organisation.
8. Summary
The unit dwelt on the importance of ethics in organisations. It looked at different operational cultures and
how organisations should operate so as to realise sustainable development. It has examined the
importance of ethics, cultures, role expectations, importance of deadlines, good interpersonal skills and
ways of combating monotony in workplaces.
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REFERENCES 1
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Anonymous 2013a [Link]/wiki/Role. Accessed on 18/9/13
Kaur, M. (1986) Role analysis of Mukhya Sevikas in Punjab. Ph.D. dissertation. Punjab Agricultural
University, Ludhiana, India
Kendall, D. (2011) Sociology in Our Times. 8th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
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UNIT1 2
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CHARACTER AND INTEGRITY AS ASPECTS OF EMPLOYABILITY
1. INTRODUCTION
The debate on lack of employability has been in the lime light for over two decades. This Unit is designed
to address some of the employability qualities that are required in an increasing global market (Martin, et
al., 2008). This unit targets preparing university students to go beyond having career-specific knowledge
acquired in academic subjects to grasping other equally significant soft skills such as handling
information, communication, problem solving, and planning, to enhance their employability (Fallows &
Steven, 2000).
2. AREAS OF GROWTH
This Unit will focus on the following soft skills as facets of employability:
Trustworthiness
Allegiance
Exertion
Compassion
Punctuality
Communication and interpersonal skills
Team working
Organisational skills
Working under pressure
Organizational citizenship behaviours
3. OBJECTIVES
4. DEFINITION OF TERMS
4.1 Character: The Britannica Dictionary (2012) defines character as the way one thinks,
feels, and behaves. Ideally, character is one’s personality with a special focus on
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how reliable and honest someone is. 1
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4.2 Integrity: Integrity can be defined as demonstrating strong principles and values, through
your conduct in the work environment. A common integrity definition states that people with
integrity do the right thing even when nobody is watching. They are dependable and have
solid moral principles (Orner, 2009). A person with integrity behaves ethically, even when no
one is watching them
4.3 Employability: According to (Rao 2010), employability skills are skills required for
gaining employment and enhancing progress within a particular business enterprise.
The notion of employability in broad terms can be defined as the ability of a graduate to get a job (Lees,
2002). On another level, employability is defined as: “a set of achievements, skills, understandings and
personal attributes that make graduates more likely to gain employment and be successful in their chosen
occupations, which benefits themselves, the workforce, the community and the economy” (Yorke, 2004).
The two authors emphasise graduates’ ability to gain and maintain employment based on the skills gained
during academic education. Implicitly, students should be able to apply this set of skills if they are to
work effectively. Effectiveness in the work place is a combination of successfully completing the course
and skills application.
Prospective employees should therefore take effective action towards attaining the jobs they seek, become
good team players, and be willing to learn from experience (Mansour and Dean, 2016).
According Holland (1997), most employers prefer employing people with a good character. Employees with
a good character tend to get along well with colleagues, clients and work productively with others. In a
nutshell, getting hired depends on one’s desire to do well in a new job, flexibility, adaptability, and the
capacity to change. Employees thrive in environments that are aligned with their personality types. Apart
from a good character, employers take up jobs that ultimately lead to career success. Apart from a good
character, there are additional employability skills that employers look out for. These are detailed in the
following segment of this unit.
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5.1.1 Communication skills: Employees are 2rated highly if they can communicate with clarity
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and conciseness both orally and in writing. Listening to what others have to say and reacting
appropriately to the information is also relevant to this aspect. Communication within organisation
is multi-directional, it can be top-down, bottom-up or lateral. A realization of the dynamics
involved in each of these types of communication is essential if one is to be effective in the
context of an organisation. These important skills enable employees to gain full potential in the
workplace.
5.1.2 Problem Solving: Trought (2011) defines as the ability to understand challenges by
breaking them down into smaller parts. Dissecting a problem into smaller pieces enhances one’s
ability to identify key issues, their implications and find solutions.
5.1.3 Being Proactive is also highly ranked by captains of industry. The aspect entails originating
pragmatic ideas that can be transformed to reality.
5.1.4 Being Dependable: Good employees do not wait for orders in order for them to be
productive. They are self-driven to complete a certain task. Self-driven employees possess the
ability to monitor their progress of work to ensure they are on track of meeting the required
objectives.
5.1.5 Meet Deadlines and work under pressure. Employers value workers who can handle
stress that comes with work deadlines that must be met. On the contrary, inept individuals will
break down once the pressure of work mounts on them. Employees who meet deadlines and
targets are essential for the success of any organization.
5.1.7 Good Negotiating Skills: Efficient employees have good negotiation skills. They are
content to take on a win-win outcome.
5.1.8 Trustworthiness/ Honesty: Employers want people they can trust with important
organisational information and roles. While technical skills can make you get a job, soft skills will
enable you to keep it and see you up the corporate ladder
5.1.9 Commitment: Employment makes you part and parcel of the organisation and the
relationship can be buttressed if one demonstrates unquestionable loyalty to the organisation even
at time when its facing turbulent times.
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5.1.10. Self-Confidence: No employer would2want an employee who doubts his abilities and is
1 which does not amount to arrogance is a virtue
susceptible to undue influence. Self-confidence
which makes one employable.
A report by the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry noted that more than 10% of skills gap
between industry requirements and available personnel (Wright, et al., 2010). (Check the findings of the
latest skills audit conducted in Zimbabwe)
It is imperative that graduates get well versed with the expectations of industry. According to Archer &
Davidson, (2008), while technical skills seem to be obvious pre-requisites for employment, soft skills
which constitute one’s character, are equally significant self-confidence
The above-mentioned attributes are invaluable in improving functionality and proficiency in the
workplace. Additionally, successful leaders should manifest integrity as one of the key skills.
A close look at the soft skills required by employers shows that they are woven into the fabric of one’s
character and requires a relatively long time to acquire. Anyone who demonstrates those soft skills is an
asset which any organisation would not want to lose as it takes time and exposure to develop them.
Task
HONESTY
SELF-DRIVE
HARD WORK
COOPERATION/TEAMWORK
DEPENDABILITY
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PUNCTUALITY 2
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COMMITMENT
Hard work is the only key to achieving set goals (Trought, 2011). Self-exertion teaches discipline,
dedication and determination. A hard-working employee is someone who exerts themselves and is willing
to learn looks for new ways to grow within the company. Meticulous people do not settle for mediocrity.
Hard-work enhances work experience and makes employees innovative. Hard working people work smart
to solve critical problems and achieve success. They realise that there is no shortcut to success. Hard
working people acknowledge that success is a combination of hard-work, gifts and talents. Below, are
some of the advantages of hard-work:
Task
With your accountability partner, rank any five employability skills in order of importance giving
justification for each choice.
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6.2 Loyalty and Commitment to the Organisation 2
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Loyalty can be defined as commitment to an organization. One way to enhance loyalty in the work place
is through proper orientation activities; time for the company CEO or another top leader to spend an hour
personally talking with new employees about company values and ethics, using real examples from their
career. Employees can also be proactive when they do not understand certain operations in the
organization. Both employer and employee should be accountable for their actions if the business is to
thrive. That way, employees will be happy and succeed professionally when they do the following:
Generating trust.
Pride.
Responsibility.
Keeping promises.
Helping others.
Look out for the best in others. Instead of dismissing what someone else says, thinks or wants to do, first
acknowledge the merits his or her approach has and, if possible, thank them for the insights or
participation then point out the pros and cons. Afterwards, you can explain why you disagree and offer a
solution. Always work in a two-way communication mode. Spell out expectations clearly through memos
and meetings and other methods. Be transparent
6.4 Positive Attitude
What Attitude is:
“An attitude is our assessment of ourselves, other people, ideas, and objects in our world” (Petty et al.,
1997)
“It is a favorable or unfavorable evaluative reaction toward something or someone, exhibited in ones
beliefs, feelings, or intended behavior” (Myers). It is a social orientation - an underlying inclination to
respond to something either favorably or unfavorably.
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Attitude influence human behaviour 2
Attitude have intensity 4
Better heart health. Our positive or negative thoughts and attitudes can impact our hearts.
An active, curious mind.
Increased productivity at work.
Overcoming obstacles becomes easier.
Better relationships and social life.
Better recovery process.
Managing your stress.
Recognize negative feelings and thoughts.
Changing what is possible.
Practice gratitude and acceptance.
Set affirmations.
6.4.2 Maintaining the Right Attitude
Task
1. SELF ASSESSMENT
I have gone through employability skills development and the following are areas I need to
continue get information on:
i..............................................................................................................................................ii............
.................................................................................................................................iii.........................
...................................................................................................................iv........................................
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....................................................................................................v........................................................
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Knowledge /Skills I may have to continue to acquire experientially about work environment
through sources other than academic studies are:
i..............................................................................................................................................
ii.............................................................................................................................................
iii............................................................................................................................................
iv............................................................................................................................................
References
El Mansour, B. and Dean, J.C. (2016) Employability Skills as Perceived by Employers and University
Faculty in the Fields of Human Resource Development (HRD) for Entry Level Graduate Jobs. Journal of
Human Resource and Sustainability Studies, 4, 39-49. [Link]
Griesel, H., & Parker, B. (2009). Graduate attributes: A baseline study on South African graduates from the
perspective of employers. Pretoria: Higher Education South Africa & The South African Qualifications
McGuiness, C. & Rabey L., (2007) Beauty Beyond the ashes: Choosing Hope After Crisis. Howard
Books
Maxwell, J.C., (2012) The 15 invaluable laws of growth: Live them and reach your potential. Center
street.
Orner, M., (2009) Employability Skill Acquisition of Career and Technical Education Students. Java:
Duquesne University.
Rao, M., (2010) Soft skills: enhancing employability: connecting campus with corporate. New Delhi:
I.K. Publishing.
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UNIT 3
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
This Unit aims to give students an appreciation of the ever-changing socio-economic and technological
dynamics and how they impact on their active participation in national and global economic participation.
The unit will further expose students to situations and activities which stimulate
2. OBJECTIVES
Come up with business models which are compatible with the new economic order
Identify ways of utilising their knowledge, skills and talents in active economic participation.
3. LEARNING OUTCOMES
Burch has referred to entrepreneurship as the “initiation of change” and the “process of giving
birth to a new business.”
Stokes et al. divides the various definitions of entrepreneurship into three categories
encompassing; purposes, behaviors and outcomes
The first category includes definitions that focused the activities and processes of
entrepreneurship such as:
creating something new,
pursuing opportunities,
discovering, creating and exploiting opportunity for future goods and services
The second category of definitions focused provides insights into the specific behaviors
of individuals who engage in entrepreneurial activities such as “competitive and drive
market process” and “creative and innovative”.
The third category focused on “what entrepreneurs produced”, such as creating new
organizations.
5. Theoretical Framework
Scholars have come up with various theories of entrepreneurship, among which are the following:
While this Unit is based on only three of the theories, you are encouraged to read on the other theories to
have a wider theoretical appreciation of the field of entrepreneurship.
This theory has been deliberately selected because it is in line with one of the five pillars of Education 5.0
which focuses on production of goods and services.
According to Schumpeter, entrepreneurs, take an otherwise static economy to a new level of development
by coming up with innovations and creativity. He posits that entrepreneurs bring innovation in two ways:
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The main proponent of this theory is Richard Cantillon,
2 in whose view the economy was one of the fields
affected by entrepreneurship. 8
Drucker (1985) the entrepreneur always searches for change; responds to it and exploits it as an
opportunity. Drucker and Stevenson (2015) focused on a wide-ranging conceptual framework of
entrepreneurship and hence contradicted Schumpeter’s theory which stated entrepreneurship as change.
5.4 Anthropological Entrepreneurship Theory Anthropologists study the human aspects within the
past and present. According to this theory, entrepreneurs find possibilities that present themselves as
difficulties because of the social aspects of business activities. This pushes them to come up with new
ways to solve difficulties, or at the very least contribute to their solutions.
Task: Identify recent entrepreneurial initiative which can best be explained by;
People may fail to realise that entrepreneurial opportunities arise from significant changes in population,
society, and advancements in technology. For businesses to survive in the industry in which they operate,
they must keep track of the current trends and follow them.
The following are some of the recent trends in entrepreneurship in developing economies.
One of the most significant current entrepreneurship trends is globalism. Globalism is an ideology
based on the belief that people, information, and goods should be able to cross national borders
unrestricted,
Since working from home has become a norm, entrepreneurs should start working with
international teams to support, build, and expand their businesses
Small entrepreneurs should take advantage of technology to go international and expand
their customer reach. They should also build connections with global audiences to
understand their target markets better.
Some companies that should consider globalism are those working in professional and
media spaces.
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6.3 Small businesses moving towards mobile commerce
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People are using their mobile phones than ever. Many are checking their devices constantly.
As mobile phones become cheaper with more processing powers, consumers will choose
to shop online using their phones.
Thus, entrepreneurs should create an efficient mobile commerce process. Also, the use of
mobile money means small businesses should expect more options for mobile transactions
and payments.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, many businesses closed shop. But this also saw an
increase in online ordering goods and services online through their mobile phones.
Entrepreneurs should now understand that businesses with an online presence have an
advantage over those with a traditional distribution avenue.
6.4 Social media commerce supporting businesses
Mobile phones and internet connectivity in Kenya have enabled e-commerce companies to set shop.
But social media platforms have also increased in popularity in recent times.
Today, the fastest-growing entrepreneurial businesses are now using social media to sell
their items directly to customers.
Social commerce is where e-commerce and social media meet. Entrepreneurs can use this
new trend to give and receive feedback from their customers, offer their goods or services,
or recreate an in-person digital platform.
A business that uses social media will reach more customers and improve its social selling.
6.5 Africa now embracing the Gig Economy
A gig economy is whereby many people work part-time or in temporary positions or as independent
contractors.
Businesses are now moving towards the gig economy because it is cheaper and efficient.
Examples of companies in this category range from food delivery services, online writing,
web design, and software and app programming.
Also, universities are now employing part-time and adjunct professors to teach part-time
students. As one of the emerging trends in entrepreneurship in Kenya,
The gig economy will allow small business owners who cannot afford to hire full-time
employees to look for part-time or temporary employees to handle specific projects.
6.6 Rise in Customisation options and niche markets
Clients are looking for uniqueness when buying specific products, whether online or locally. People
want particular and customisable items.
The trend has spread everywhere, from food to fashion, beauty, and technology industries.
Small business owners should focus on being customer-centric since it helps cater to new
consumer preferences.
It creates a new supply chain and demand in specific populations.
6.7 Rise in Subscription-based business models
A subscription-based business model is when customers pay recurring fees at regular intervals to
access a product or service.
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Recently, many players are adopting 3and adapting the same concept, for example the
tourism industry. 0
Small businesses like gyms, online magazines, lawn care, and personal care are trending
entrepreneurial ideas based on the subscription model.
6.8 Internet media now promoting content creation
Many service providers now resort to creating content for the internet consumer.
More young people are using the internet to consume specific content. Small businesses
can take advantage of this by displaying ads on streaming platforms. Also, they can create
internet media to engage more people to use their products or services
Comedians, entertainers, artists, educationists, and many others use social networks to
develop and monetise their content.
The entry of video-hosting websites like Youtube and Tik-tok, HubSpot Dailymotion,
Wistia, SproutVideo, Hippo Video, Vidyard, among others, has allowed young content
producers to make money without starting physical establishments.
6.9 Adopting mobile businesses
During the COVID-19 pandemic, people lost their jobs as businesses closed because of reduced revenues.
Some could not even pay their rent. Other, however, became innovative and used cars, motor-cycles,
wheelbarrows, bicycles, and push-carts to sell their produce.
Today, there is abundant opportunity for entrepreneurs to venture into the mobile business.
They can consider offering cleaning, beauty services and delivery of food, groceries,
toiletries, equipment, and other items requiring transportation within shorter distances.
6.10 The influence consumer education
Consumer education helps business owners raise awareness, thereby enabling consumers to become
more proactive. Furthermore, it can be a catalyst for changing consumer behaviour and how
customers relate to a brand, business, product, or service.
The business landscape is changing rapidly because of evolving consumer demands, new
technologies, societal and economic factors.
Small entrepreneurs should watch out for the recent trends in entrepreneurship to remain
relevant, improve their business offerings, reach out to more customers, and generate more
revenues.
The rate of unemployment is high as more and more graduates enter the job market with
little opportunities available in the formal sector. The youth are advised not to seek jobs
but to create jobs for others.
Having an online business is an incredible opportunity and anyone can join in this promising adventure.
But, before achieving success, you need to have a winning mindset.
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Do not wait for the perfect opportunity to start.3Go and do it. If it’s wrong, you can fix it. Done is
better than perfect. 1
If you don’t fail, maybe you were not aiming high enough, and you didn’t risk enough. Make sure
you make mistakes as fast as possible, in order to learn as fast as possible.
The More you Work, the More Luck you will have.
Luck, in the context of entrepreneurship, is not a product of chance but a function of hard work
and dedication. When you work hard, new people, new businesses and opportunities will naturally
appear all around you.
Technology has made the whole notion of “normal business hours” a myth. While one sleeps, the
competition keeps on working so be prepared to work odd hours; working late and on week-ends.
Time and physical space is no longer a barrier.
Selling is no longer limited to physical goods; sell ideas, sell service and sell products.
The grass may be greener on the other side, but do you know how huge he water-bills are? Don’t
let other people’s results influence you too much.
Talent is everything you have a natural ease to learn and do. More often than not, we have talents that are
so much part of our nature that we don’t even realize that they are skills. It could be anything.
Task
To find out what some of your talents are, you can answer some questions, being as honest as possible. If
you can, write them down to go back to them whenever you need.
The responses to the questions above constitute an inventory of latent capabilities. In it, you can identify
your talents; a great basis to start making money from what you really love.
Are you ready to find out how to transform your talent into a source of income?
There are infinite ways in which one can utilize one’s talents/skills to one’s economic benefit. Below are
a few examples:
32
[Link] Teach lessons 3
3
Every single day, people seek more knowledge. So, why not think of a way in which you can you help
them somehow? You are a University graduate, don’t take that for granted.
Remember the list of things you read and are knowledgeable about, and that people come
to you to learn more about?
These are excellent topics for you to teach, even if you don’t see yourself as a
teacher (yet).
Then offer lessons and teach as many people as you can in private group classes.
Don’t confine yourself only to teaching academic or school subjects. You can offer lessons
around your talent, sewing, music, or any other topic you master.
Once you are able to earn the confidence of some students, proceed to estimate how much
you will be able to make with your lessons.
Think of an area you have confidence in and you can offer consulting services and help people to improve
their style. You can leverage on the knowledge, skill or exposure you gained at university.
Besides, some companies hire professionals that have deep technical knowledge of specific subjects to
provide consulting services and improve the performance of a determined area. If you acquire a good
reputation and have proven to achieve good results with your work, you can develop a good customer
base.
8.2.3Become a Freelancer
People who know how to write really well, or how to edit videos, for example, can sell their talents
working as freelancers for individuals and companies in their free time. Freelancing is a very sought-out
niche especially by those who don’t want to quit their conventional jobs, but still want to find a way to
make some extra money in their free time.
There are websites that connect freelancers to companies that need occasional work done, such
as “Workana” and “Freelancer”.
As you carry out more projects, you earn more reputation and get more jobs offers you are offered.
Do you have a keen eye for photography? People may become interested in your work if you know where
to make it available. Websites that buy professional photos
Shutter Stock
[Link]
33
Dreamstime buy professional photos for3 their image database and
Alternatively, you can find physical retailers
4 and show them your work, be it
photography, drawing or painting, and then offer them for an exhibit, in exchange for a
commission.
You may become one of their suppliers.
So you can start your own blog to make money from your talents in writing.
Start a nice blog and maintain consistency in your posts. This way, your blog will have
many visits and, consequently, create a following.
Think of what your target audience may be interested in and create content that may help
people to solve everyday problems or acquire “do-it-yourself” skills in your area of
expertise.
You can monetize your blog with Google Adsense. With this tool, you attract
advertisements on your blog and earn for every click.
Scalability means thinking about ways of selling your knowledge to as many people as possible.
The simplest method of reaching many people and spreading your knowledge to a global
audience/ clientele is to leverage on the possibilities the internet provides.
To complement your physical lessons, why not recording video lessons and making them
available in an online course?
The internet is here for everybody who wants to teach something. You just need to figure out the best
format to distribute your knowledge. You surely cannot have been to university and have nothing useful
to teach.
Task: Compile information in your area of expertise into a package which, if made available to
potential learners, makes them functional in an aspect of life.
Assignment:
In your discussion cohort, come up with a bankable business proposal using the template below:
Title page.
Table of contents.
Executive Summary
o Explain your an intervention is needed
o Describe a problem, need or goal
o Describe the desired outcome.
o Describe your proposed solution.
34
o Explain how you'll overcome risks. 3
o Ask for the decision you want made. 5
State the Problem or Need.
o Outline what the ideal situation would be if there wasn't a problem that needed your
attention.
o Identify the goals and the scope of the project. This section needs to
o give a clear understanding of what the ideal scenario will be once the issue is resolved and
o Explain what your business can do to solve the issue.
o Describe what the current reality is for your business.
o Identify who the problem is affecting. Moreover
o Describe when and where the problem was identified.
Consequences
o Identify the consequences of the problem.
o Outline how people are being impacted
o Quantify how much the problem is impacting them; for example loss of time, money,
resources, competitive advantage, productivity, and efficiency.
Propose a solution.
Include a few possible solutions to the problem.
Pricing options.
o Set a budget. ...
o Add facts and statistics. ...
o Provide billing options.
o Set a completion date.
Conclusion.
Summarise the business plan's strengths designed to convince the reader of the company's
success.
Share your Qualifications.
o Your academic qualification
o Proven skills
35
3
Recommended Reading 6
Entrepreneurship during the times of COVID-19 Pandemic: Challenges and Consequences. Guest
Editors: Ondřej Dvouletý, Juan Carlos Fernandez de Arroyabe, Michael Mustafa
Martin Croteau, Kenneth A. Grant, Claudio Rojas, Hadeer Abdelhamid The lost generation of
Entrepreneurs? The impact of COVID-19 on the Availability of Risk Capital in Canada
Tarisai Kudakwashe Manyati, Morgen Mutsau Leveraging Green Skills in Response to the COVID-19
crisis: A Case study of Small and Medium Enterprises in Harare, Zimbabwe Journal of
Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies
Muhammad Talha Salam, Hamza Imtiaz, Muhammad Burhan The Perceptions of SME retailers towards
the usage of social media marketing amid COVID-19 Crisis Journal of Entrepreneurship in
Emerging Economies (2021)
David Prah, Hagan Sibiri The Resilience of African Migrant Entrepreneurs in China under COVID-19
Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies Article publication date: 12
November 2020
Tinashe Munyuki, Coretta Maame Panyin Jonah The Nexus Between Financial Literacy and
Entrepreneurial Success among Young Entrepreneurs from a Low-Income Community in Cape Town: M
mixed-method analysis Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies Article publication date: 6
April 2021
Chenai Muhwati, Roger H. Salisbury A Framework for Closed-Loop Supply Chain Adoption by Small,
Medium and Micro Enterprise Fashion Retailers in South Africa
|Published: 17 August 2022
Mohammed Nooruddin, U. (2021). An Analysis of Attitude towards Online Shopping in Pakistan Using
the Technology Acceptance Model Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management, and Innovation, 3(1), 27 -
56. [Link]
36
3
7
UNIT 4
JOB SEARCHING AND CAREER MANAGEMENT
1. INTRODUCTION
There is a gap that is experienced by many college students between graduation and finding their first job.
Graduates will be excited about going out in the world to start their professional career. The transition
from collegiate life to working professional is a challenging one. Graduates are bound to discover new
challenges in the transition to the working world that they did not anticipate while they were college
students. So it is vital that students are prepared by their colleges to face the real world. Job searching is a
processes of looking for employment, whether it’s one is unemployed or dissatisfied with the current role,
or any other reason (Doyle ,2021)
2. AREAS OF GROWTH
This unit encapsulates the following aspects of the student growth and development
CV writing skills
Career Awareness
37
Career Pathways Development 3
8
Continuous learning
3. OBJECTIVES
4. LEARNING OUTCOMES
• Students with the ability to network and market themselves to secure jobs in the corporate world
using various methods.
• Students with the knowledge to use ICT platforms for networking and searching for employment
• Students with the ability to write comprehensive and professional CVs.
• Students who can demonstrate the competence for securing the job
5. Theoretical Framework
Finding your ideal career and your career path is a critical life decision. Doyle (2021) states that on
average we spend a substantial portion of our lives working. It is therefore fundamental that we choose a
career which fulfills our desires and bring happiness. Effective strategies are critical for your job search,
whether you are unemployed and looking for a job or considering making a career move. Mastering the
process of searching and applying for jobs can help you find, and ultimately acquire, the best job
opportunities. Evaluating different kinds of job searching strategies can help you evaluate which strategy
will work best for your situation (Indeed 2021)
Job searching can be an extremely difficult task so it is important that you must attempt to identify job
opportunities and vacancies that are available. There are several ways of looking for relevant positions on
the market (Indeed, 2021).
A Career fair can be defined as an event that is generally held for the public that allows employers to gain
information from prospective job candidates. It aims at getting companies and potential employees
together to network and share information. These events are patronized by huge companies and
institutions that are looking forward to recruiting large numbers of employees as well as fresh graduates
38
for training programs. Job fairs are a great opportunity3 to network and expose you to potential employer.
9 application or instruct them on how to apply for
The employers may be able to provide people with paper
job vacancies online. Individuals attending a career fair should also dress professionally because an on-
site interview may be a possibility (Indeed, 2021).
Career fairs events listed below are held every year in Zimbabwe.
6.3 TASK 1:
CAREER FAIR
An employment agent is an agency that exists for the sole purpose of making money by trying to match
job applicants to jobs which may be best suited for them. The employment agencies are valuable because
not only do they inform people about vacant jobs but they are also hired by organizations to find qualified
job prospects for them. Some agencies are industry specific and others deal with many different
industries. You may need to provide a resume and copies of your certificates and qualifications. Some
agencies may deal with short term and temporary contracts at first and if the employers are impressed
with your work it could lead to a permanent job.
When responding to a job advertisement, slow down, read the job advertisement thoroughly and take the
time to actually respond to the employer’s needs.
You want an employer to be able to assess your job application against the criteria in the job
advertisement and tick all the boxes.
Remember, the employer has put substantial effort into determining precisely what they are
looking for and your cover letter should echo the same sentiments.
You need to submit an effective cover letter that systematically answers all the job advertisement
requirements.
Take time to follow these tips to prepare an effective resume and cover letter but making sure to
meet the submission deadlines.
40
4
1
Print or save the job advertisement and re-read it several times. Make notes; highlight the criteria
and think about ways you meet them.
Always use words and phrases from the job advertisement in your cover letter and resume.
Incorporate every point from their criteria including skills and experience in your job application
Include well thought-out and relevant examples to back up your claims about your skills and
contributions in your job application.
When you are addressing personal qualities and traits always use examples to authenticate.
Customize your cover letter for each and every job application. Your response needs to be
designed to meet their needs, not your own.
Clearly show the employer how you meet their needs.
7. CV writing
CVs are usually longer than resumes so you can detail all the achievements relevant to the
potential role.
Add sections as needed to list all of your accomplishments, including publications, presentations
and lectures, community service, grants, fellowships or scholarships, awards and honors,
professional memberships, consultancy work, fieldwork ,Study abroad experience and
conferences.
TASK 2:
In groups of 10, respond to the following advertisement and submit hard copies and on email. Email
addresses to be supplied.
42
4
3
Adopted
from THE VOICE: 13 JULY 2018
8. Networking
43
Knowing how to network strengthens your business 4connections and might even lead to a job referral.
4 place and while you are searching for your job.
Building relationships is crucial to succeed in the working
Networking for a job requires strategic thinking and developing skills that help you connect with others.
Get face to face: Networking in person can provide a more personal interaction so instead of
phoning or emailing a friend who works at a company you want to work for, you would rather
schedule a time to have lunch with them and discuss.
Offer help: You can improve your relationship with your contacts and chances of getting
employment by volunteering to help your connections. This can illustrate your motivation and
your dedication and may also allow you to display your skills.
Be patient and make time: Cultivating strong relationships can take time as can networking to
find the right position. You will likely need to be patient as you meet with connections and make
new one.
Focus on the relationship not your resume: Even though you might want to focus on selling
yourself and sharing your resume with everyone, focusing on relationships may make a more
powerful impression. Present yourself as a likable person before showing your professional worth.
Use social networks online resources: Sometimes meeting face to face with employees of your
target company may not be possible, but the internet can close the distance. On line contacts are a
simple way to make initial connections.
Follow up: Following up is an essential step. The follow up can involve thanking your
connections for meeting with you asking further questions or sending along an article relevant to
your conversation. These continued interactions strengthen the relationship and perhaps cause
them to think of you when there is an open position.
8.2 ICT for Networking
Technological advances have impacted every segment of society, including the process of looking for
employment. ICT includes all of the tools and resources used to create, store, process and exchange
information. These include but are not limited to: mobile phones and tablets, telephony services, video
conferencing, storage devices, broadcasting technologies, websites and blogs, email computer hardware,
interactive digital whiteboards, e-readers, social networks, instant messaging and intranet (Meghe 2000)
Job seekers are now able to use social media and job sites to, not only look for jobs, but also narrow their
searches down to specific industries or even companies (Meghe 2000). Information and communication
technology has a broader scope and it focuses primarily on wireless networks, internet access and other
communication channels.
44
Technology has made searching for jobs more4 convenient than ever. With an internet connection
and a phone, job seekers are able to look for 5jobs anywhere in the world, from anywhere in the
world. It’s not only also easier to look, but also apply for jobs at the click of a button.
Interview Anywhere - If the job you are interviewing for is thousands of miles away, traditionally
this would require a cross-country road or air trip and a phone interview. Technological advances
such as video calls have made it easier to conduct face-to-face interviews with people on opposite
sides of the world.
Not only are one-on-one video calls possible, but panel interviews - through video conferencing
technology – interviews are able to be conducted between multiple people spread across different
parts of the world. The advent of video technology has also cut down on the time it takes for
companies to find and hire potential employees.
Improves communication
Cut costs
Protects Information
Scams
8.7 The top 10 most popular job search engines in the world
Microsoft Bing
Yahoo
[Link]
Indeed
CareerBuilder
45
LinkedIn 4
6
Facebook Job Search
Zip Recruiter
8.9 TASK 3
Practically learn to use all the job search engines to search for jobs
9. Career Development
Career development is the process of choosing a career, improving your skills, and advancing along a
career path. It's a lifelong process of learning and decision-making that brings you closer to your ideal
job, skillset, and lifestyle (Dawn Rosenberg Mckay 2020). Career development is linked to an
individual’s growth and satisfaction and hence should be managed by the individual and not left to the
employer. Career development helps an individual grow not only professionally but also personally.
Learning new skills like leadership, time management, good governance, communication management,
team management etc. also help an employee develop and shape their career (mba skool team 2022).
Self-Assessment -The individual has to assess oneself on the kind of career and growth one wants
and what kind of skills and interests are there.
Career Awareness -an individual explores various career paths which align with the self-
assessment done in the first step and how a person can explore various domains and types of
jobs/work available.
Goal Setting - This is the most important step in career development, as this is where one defines
clear short term and long term goals to meet the career one aspires.
Skill Training - Once the career and goals are set, one needs to acquire the right skills to achieve
the growth through self-training or joining a structured training program online or offline.
Performing - With all the right knowledge and skills, the important part is to perform the tasks
and jobs in the career successfully to grow in the career path.
46
Lifelong learning is a purposeful learning activity undertaken
4 throughout life with the aim of improving
7
knowledge, skills, and social and or employment related perspective (Power and Maclean). Kayabas
(2021) also defines lifelong learning as a learning process that continues throughout one’s life in order to
reach the rapidly developing, changing and renewed information that will help the individual succeed in
social and professional life, cope with problems, provide solutions when needed and develop his
competences. Kayabas (2021) further points out that lifelong learning applies to learning that takes place
by adults in the work place or to the learning that adults may wish to undertake to enrich their own lives
after completion of higher education. 9.3.1 Importance of Lifelong Learning
Task 4
1. Research and find out the different ways in which organisations and individual employees
improve themselves through programmed Career Development.
2. Find out how organisations incentivise workers who put some effort in personal imrpovement
through career development
REFERENCES
Clark, D. (2013). Reinventing you: Define your brand, imagine your future. Harvard: .Harvard Business
Review Press.
McKay D R 2022 The everything get a job book retrieved from [Link]
UNIT 5
INTERVIEW SKILLS AND COMPETENCES
INTRODUCTION
The journey to securing a job is not an easy one. One needs to be skilled and to have certain competencies
ranging from the application process to the securing and execution of the job. This unit presents important
guidelines on preparing for job interviews and what to do after the job interview.
1. AREAS OF GROWTH
This unit aims to equip students with interview skills that will help them secure jobs. Students will be
Confidence
Judgment
48
Decision making 4
9
Self esteem
2. OBJECTIVES
The road to employment involves going through an interview. This is the time when a prospective
employee has to prove his or her worth so as to be considered the best and chosen amongst others. For
one to be successful, it means a lot of preparation has to take place well before the interviews. Before we
discuss the preparations, we would like you to pause a little and think about the importance of preparing
for an interview.
A famous quote by Arthur Ashe says “An important key to success is self-confidence”. This means that
you need to build confidence. When someone is confident they feel in control. By preparing you will feel
in control. By preparing for the interview you will have anticipated what will be asked and you will have
knowledge about the job requirements and about the organisation. This knowledge will definitely boost
your confidence reducing nervousness. One thing you do not want is to feel nervous in an interview.
Activity 1
With your partner discuss how you can prepare for an interview
49
4.2.1 Research about the Company 5
0
The first step involves researching about the company or organisation.
You need to research the employer and if possible the interviewee. According to Doyle (2022) find out as
much as you can about the company. The more you know about them the better position will you be to
answer interview questions linked to the company history. By showing that you have taken time to
It is important that you look at the company’s or organisation’s website for most of this information.
In most cases adverts outline the expectations with regards to the job description. Doyle (2002) outlines
Consider what the company is seeking in a candidate. Make a list of the skills, knowledge and
professional and personal qualities that are required by the employer and critical for success in the
job; and
50
Make a list of your assets and match them to the job
5 requirements. Create a list of your strengths that
1
match the job requirements. This list should include skills, qualities, certifications, experiences,
Note that it is necessary that you research on developments of the industry as well.
At the end of the interview, most interviewers give the interviewee an opportunity to ask questions. Have
questions prepared. You may choose not to ask but having a few questions to ask is an indication that
you have greater interest in the job and want to learn more about the company/organisation. Below are
4.3 Questions to ask the interviewer can be broken down into a few categories: (CFI Team 2020)
What are the major challenges one can face at this company?
Can you please describe the company culture in more detail?
How does this role interact with other departments in the company?
What has your personal career path at this company been like?
What makes you want to keep working here?
Who are your biggest competitors (and list the ones you know)?
What are the company’s strategic objectives?
4.4 Practice
51
“Practice makes perfect. After a long time of practicing,
5 our work will become natural, skillful, swift, and
2
steady.” This quote by Bruce Lee relays the need for practice. You need to conduct mock interviews with
a friend or group of friends or family member(s). Compile questions that are likely to be asked and use
these in your mock interviews. This will to prevent you from being caught off guard in the interview. It is
critical that you find someone you trust or with interviewing experience. Practice should be done ahead of
time. It is important to conduct the mock interview in the same format as the real interview. For example,
if you are going to have a telephone interview then the mock interview should be through telephone.
With this in mind, it therefore means that in your first stages of preparation you must establish the type of
interview to be taken. Interviews can be face to face or trough telephone. Telephone interviews could be a
Activity 2
As a way of preparation you must ensure that you acquaint yourself with the location of the company or
The last thing you would want is to get held in congestion and be late for the interview. Aim to get there
not less than 5 minutes earlier. This will help you relax and get settled before the interview.
52
4.6 Plan What to Wear. ` 5
3
It is important not to leave preparations up to the last minute especially on what to wear to the interview.
You need to dress to impress. In most interviews formal clothing is recommended. Generally wear
professional or business attire. For females, a blouse and dress pants or a statement dress is appropriate.
For men a suit jacket and slacks with a shirt and tie or a sweater and button down
Doyle (2022) proposes the following fundamental building blocks of what women and
men should wear to a professional interview
Suit skirt just below or above the knee Long-sleeved shirt that is white or color
coordinated with the suit
Coordinated blouse
Leather belt
.Conservative shoes
Dark socks and conservative leather shoes
Limited jewelry
Little or no jewelry
No very large dangling earrings or arms full of
bracelets Neat, professional hairstyle
Portfolio or briefcase
Activity 3
1. With your group members discuss the type of clothes you would wear for a job interview.
53
2. Justify your choice. 5
4
3. Compile a list of what you think would be inappropriate dressing
.
According to Devoreaux Walton What females should not wear flip flops, wedge sandals, ripped
jeans or shorts, tank tops, halter tops, sandals, strapless tops and dresses, and athletic attire like yoga pants
and sneakers
4.7 Other Preparations
You might have sent your resume together with the application; however, it is recommended that you
Finally before the interview you need to prepare yourself by ensuring that you get adequate sleep. This is
important so that you remain awake and alert during the interview.
5. The Interview
The following guidelines will help you go through an interview with success
5.1 Introduction
Be confident Begin introduction with a firm but not overpowering hand shake.
Listen and answer accordingly while using examples from your experiences to back it up. Answer questions in a
clear and direct manner. Do not run circles around the questions. Answer just what is asked.
Communicate your strengths in a concise, factual and sincere manner. Communicate only those strengths
Talking bad about former employers will make the interviewers question your professionalism. They will
54
5.5 Do Not Falsify Information 5
5
Always be honest and answer questions truthfully and to the point. If asked about an area that is not
strength be honest and let the interviewer know that you are willing to work on improving in that area.
“One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another
has to say
Bryant H. McGill”
It is important to be a good listener. It shows you are respectful. It is also an indication that you have
strong interpersonal skills. If you are being interviewed over a video platform there will be a slight delay.
Avoid rushing to answer in case the interviewer has not finished speaking.
Throughout the interview make sure you are engaging; make eye contact all the time and always careful
When the interview comes an end smile and look at all interviewers in the eye. Say thank you. It is
recommended that you use gestures for example, nodding to show that you liked the experience. When
leaving the room make sure you collect your certificates ad close the door behind you. Make sure you do
With the interview done comes the waiting period where the interviewee waits to hear whether they have
been offered the job or not. The period may take a few days or weeks. For guidance on when to make a
follow up, after the interview enquire about the next step and contact information. The following can be
55
Send a thank you note. It is recommended that this
5 be done after 24 hours. In the note show your
6
gratitude. Restate your interest in the job and thank them for their time. The thank you note should be
Assess your interview performance. In the process write anything you want to remember about the
interview.
Contact your references if you submitted references to your potential employer. This is to let them
Get comfortable with waiting. There is need to remain calm and only call or email to the
According to Anderson (2021) there are two important steps to accepting a job offer. These are
evaluation of the job offer and sending a job offer letter or email.
When evaluating the job offer you must consider whether the official offer aligns with your expectations.
Take note if the benefits and salary discussed during the interview are the same as what you are being
offered. To properly evaluate a job offer the following steps should be taken.
Get the job offer in writing so that you cable to review all the terms and conditions.
Ask for time to think over the offer to avoid making a rushed decision.
Once a decision has been made you must write a letter of acceptance. It is best to accept the job offer in
writing. The acceptance letter should be well structured and formal. It should have no errors which mean
56
Start by thanking the employer for the job offer.5 The position and the company name should be
7
mentioned.
Accept the job offer mentioning that you are looking forward to getting started;
Clarify any remaining points in the offer, if you have already received all the details about agreed
salary, benefits and you can officially agree with the terms
State you’re starting date. This might be just confirming the date.
With the acceptance letter sent you are ready to start work. First impressions have a lasting effect hence
According to Clark (2013) first impressions are important and making a good impression does not mean
pretending to be someone else. It means showing your very best. The key part is making other people feel
good and at ease in your presence. The better you make the other person feel, the more they will be
ACTIVITY 3
To complement your discussion below is a list of tools that can maximize your first impression. Compare
57
6.3.3 Tools to maximize your First Impact 5
8
Positive attitude
Start on a positive attitude. Anderson (2021) maintains that projecting a positive attitude focusing on
the other person and them your full attention will go a long way towards creating a warm and
trustworthy impression. He further states that relaxing facial muscles, smiling and making eye contact
Eye contact must be maintained at all time. Avoiding eye contact can be construed as a sign of shyness or
lack of confidence. Some may even view you as someone not sure of self. Cunic (2021) identifies one of
the benefits of maintaining eye contact as that you will p be perceived as more confident and intelligent
Personal Presentation.
Personal presentation has great influence on the impression someone can have of you. You must wear
appropriate clothes. It is best to dress formally. You must choose colours that suit you and accessories
should be carefully chosen Attention should be placed teeth, hair, hands and finger nails.
Body language
Facial expressions, hand gestures and posture can send strong messages and determine the impression one
can have about you. It is important that fidgeting movements be minimised.
Punctuality
Being punctual on the first day is of great importance. It shows respect and courtesy for other people. A
positive impression is created. Being late can leave you disoriented and this creates a bad image of you.
Right from the beginning you need to be organised and set goals. It is also important to stay true to who
you are and to keep an open mind so that the first impression established by your employer is maintained.
7. Summary
In this unit we found that preparing for interviews is a critical component to securing a job. We looked at
what a prospective employee needs to take cognisance of before going for an interview. Among the
important issues is the need for research. Armed with research knowledge about the job, the company or
organisation and the interviewees a candidate can go through the interview with ease. We also stressed on
the importance of creating appositive first impression. Finally the issue of improving your skills through
58
lifelong learning was addressed. Lifelong learning was5 said to lead to creative employees who are able to
9
solve problems thereby improving the economy.
References
Anderson, A.(2021). Life skills, business etiquette, social etiquette. Retrieved from
http:/[Link]/business-etiquette/7-steps-to-making-a-great-first-
59
Clark, D. (2013). Reinventing you: Define your brand,6imagine your future. Harvard: .Harvard Business
0
Review Press.
[Link]
[Link] (Accessed14/08/22)
UNIT 6
60
1. AREAS OF GROWTH 6
Initiation of Projects 1
Planning of Projects
Execution of Project
Evaluation of Project Success
2. OBJECTIVES
Explain the principles and practices required to succeed in project management.
Efficiently and effectively scope a project, allocate resources, work towards a deadline, and
budget throughout the various stages of the project.
Confidently identify potential risks and conflicts requiring resolution when managing a team
to successfully deliver projects.
Demonstrate the understanding and implementation of new techniques to approach new
projects.
Effectively communicate, motivate and influence others to reach a desirable outcome
3. Learning Outcomes
Systematic planning and execution of planned project
Improved success rate of project both at micro and macro level
Optimum utilisation of resources mobilised for project implementation
Improved project impact on the intended beneficiaries
A project is an idea or goal that is carried out over a period of time. A project can be starting a new
product or service to an entire business plan. Stages of a project include planning, implementation, and
evaluation. These stages are not inclined to a specific service or type of product. Generally, a group /team
of people with various skills carry out a project, In this case the skills may include marketing,
merchandising, finance management, or design.
It is the duty of project managers to manage resources and to oversee progress of every aspect of the
project. This will involve workflow and major tasks organisation and allocation of resources to all parties
involved for successful execution of their duties (Jawahar, Gary & McLaughlin, 2001)
With good project management in place there is greater control over resources and this prevents wastage
of time and money.
Project managers view all aspects of their projects like, finances, timelines, and risks and they also
coordinate different teams working on different parts of the same project.
Project management styles combine different business models, personal preference and industry trends
and these are engaged depending on the discipline. Agile and Waterfall are the most popular project
management styles in use.
Agile project management depends on iterative and incremental development. Successful Agile teams use
short iteration cycles for success, and each phase has a fixed duration. To meet milestones members work
at their own pace and they review their progress and adapt to what they have learned so far on a daily
base.
Waterfall project management’s sequential steps focus on detailed plans that outline the business process
before completion of each step. It defines specific tasks at the beginning of any work. Every task is well
executed before going on to the next step.
The long iterative cycles, make the end product unknown at the beginning of each phase. In between the
phases are weekly or monthly reviews to ensure progress and that each phase lasts for months or years.
Agile style has problems with meeting deadlines since teams work in a flexible environment and may
require frequent changes in plans and at the same time. On the other hand, waterfall project styles have
fewr changes with each iteration and are more formal.
Project managers are guided by 4-step framework for their project’s success. A project life cycle creates
an easy to follow framework to guide projects activities.
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The initiation phase encompasses all the steps you must take before a project is approved and any
planning begins. The project initiator should be able to answer two questions:
Why are you doing this project?
What is the business value you expect to deliver?
This promotes feasibility of the project. A lot of research, discovery, and discussion, but very little
detailed planning in this phase takes place.
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The project initiator identifies project needs and creates
6 an initial plan. This starts with project vision
4 creating an outline to establish goals, milestones,
establishment and defining of its objectives. It includes
and deliverables for team members as well as timeline set up for the entire process.
A project team is assembled, resources are allocated, tasks identified resources are allocated to tasks.
Planning for any possible risks or contingency is done at this stage.
A Gantt chart, created by the manager, is used to show how long it will take to complete the project. This
chart is used to visually show a task's progress over time. It shows the start date, duration, and end date
for each task on the horizontal axis with bars that represent individual activities or sub-tasks on the
vertical axis. The Gantt chart was created by Henry Gantt in 1917.
4.2.3 Execution
This is where planning, organizing, and controlling of the project are done. All necessary information and
materials are gathered, stakeholder meetings are prepared, previous step data is analysed, risks identified,
and decisions about how to proceed are made. This phase of the execution process ends by completing
and delivering the final product to the client.
At this stage managers and teams jointly keep track of what has been done and what is to be done. They
project time, money, and effort spent and what resources are left to complete the project. This enables the
project manager to ensure that the project is on track and that all tasks are being completed successfully.
Once the initiation phase is underway, green light has been given , there is need to create a requirements
of the project. project charter, or project initiation document (PID) that provides the purpose.
o Business needs,
o key participants and stakeholders,
o scope,
o objectives, and
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o overall goals are the details to be outlined
6 in the charter. The project charter builds a
5 and helps to ensure the decisions are in line with
foundation for defining project decisions
company goals
o Title
o Brief Description
o Background
o Goals/Deliverables
o Scope
o Impact on Other Business Systems and Units
o Stakeholders
o Roles and Responsibilities
o Milestones
o Budget
o Constraints, Assumptions, Dependencies, and Risks
o Success Measurements
o Project Approval
Determine Scope
There is need to identify the project’s goals, deliverables, budget, and schedule of the project. It is
important to define scope early on to set expectations with all stakeholders though it can change over
time,
Note that a successful project is measured by its ability to complete the stated requirements on time and
on budget, so the requirements must be clearly defined at the onset.
According to the Project Management Institute (PMI) the following are six phases of defining scope:
Create Work Breakdown Structures (WBS): Provide hierarchy of tasks for all team members.
o Validate Scope: Get internal and external stakeholders formally sign off on the proposed
project scope and deliverables.
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o Identify Project Objectives: to help avoid
6 risks and steer a course to project success. An
objective is specific and measurable and6 time framed attainable and realistic. One way to
create concise objectives is using the S.M.A.R.T. method:
o Specific: Objectives should be clearly defined and in detail, leaving no room for
interpretation.
o Measurable: Identify key performance indicators to determine if objectives have been
achieved.
o Attainable: Avoid being over ambitious for the team to successfully complete the set
objectives
o Realistic: Set objectives that the project team believes can be achieved.
o Time-Bound: Set a date or specific duration for completion of the project.
The set objectives should be C.L.E.A.R. The acronym C.L.E.A.R. stands for
‘C.L.E.A.R’ goals help to cater for a modern workplace that is dynamic in nature. Today’s fast-
paced businesses must be flexible and produce immediate results.
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Early involvement of the right stakeholders help
6 to produce a successful project, thus it is essential
to consider everyone that may be impacted by 7or has interest in the project plan, deliverables, and
outcome.
To maintain transparency throughout, stakeholders can be internal or external. Ensure the availability of
the right tools and processes in place to communicate effectively with all stakeholders.
For maximum involvement and communication of each stakeholder consider the following five factors:
Set Expectations
One key to the success of a project is setting clear expectations of its objectives and goals, deliverable,
timelines, resources required, and budgets
The planning process starts with an estimation of a proposal. A great proposal plan is a sure way to
provide the executing team with the best shot for project success. A proposal estimate consists of a scope,
a schedule, and a cost. The first step is to understand the scope. Utilizing a statement of work (SOW) or
any document from your customer with the work required will establish the scope to be bid. Missing
aspects may lead to delays of schedule and cost overruns. Scope comprehension is difficult when
timelines to submit proposals are short. The when and who make up the schedule and the cost portion of
the estimate.
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4.4.2 Steps for completing the project proposal estimate:
Work is broken apart, into workable tasks that can be allocated or spread out among the project
team
Gives a conspicuous representation of the project
Enables scheduling, costing, and reporting on the project
Gives a repeatable backbone for future projects
Helps with scope management—comprehension in initiation phase and minimizes scope creep in
the execution
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Updating management policies and procedures and team 6 role-based training to make them understand
their part in the process makes a project successful. 9
A proposal and a project schedule must be available. The task need-by dates establish the schedule that
provides the basis of the cost. In a professional services company, the budget and resultant cost are driven
by PEOPLE so our next section is on planning your resources.
Some simple tips to help increase the efficiency of managing resources across the enterprise are given
below:
1. Use of a centralized repository for all resource plans which is accessible to all stakeholders
2. A skills catalogue will help to access the right resources- when (and where) they are needed.
3. Forecast resources throughout the project life cycle.
4. The company should have a single pool or resources, not on one project or portfolio.
5. Planning to be at the project level and roll-up to the enterprise—no forecast by department only.
6. Provide stakeholders real-time resource demand and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) reports as
well as role-based dashboards.
7. Avoid planning your most important resources on disparate Excel spread sheets.
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4.6 Project Controls 7
4.6.1 What are Project Controls? 0
Project Controls are professional functions which in their own right are not widely taken as a set of
specialised skills. Their importance is to assist to achieve successful programme outcomes and project.
This involves delivering required benefits to cost, time and performance.
Project Controls are the data gathering, management and analytical processes used to forecast, understand
and constructively influence the time and cost outcomes of a project or programme: through the
communication of information in formats that assist effective management and decision making." “Source
– Pat Weaver’s White Paper”
The above definition embraces all the stages of a project life cycle which are
initiating planning execution closure
Project Control professionals are part of the Project Team who work for and report to the Project
Manager. They are the central part of the Project Team. Project Management deals with informed and
accountable decisions making whilst Project Controls are concerned with informing, monitoring and
analysing of the activities to do with the control [Link] Control professionals do the generation
and maintenance of the information which brings awareness to the Project Manager and Senior Managers
and enables control exercise.
These encompass the key important attributes of Project Controls hence are not an exhaustive list.
5. Project Structure from a Project Controls Perspective.
A project that successfully delivers a required benefit has an agreed project schedule that follows a few
basic rules in its development that also benefit from a robust and complete Project Management Plan at its
core. Description of the project scope, the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and the Organisational
Breakdown Structure (OBS) are also important elements. The WBS ties together the scope, schedule and
costs of the project. It is output orientated and breaks down the project scope into deliverable items. The
OBS defines the Organisational structure and the roles required within the project team to enable
successful delivery. OBS helps to identify specific accountability and responsibilities for delivery within
the team.
RECOMMENDED READING
Baum, Joel, A.C. and Christine Oliver (1991), “Institutional linkages and organizational
mortality,” Administrative Science Quarterly, 36, 187-218.
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Bourne, Lynda (2006), “Project Relationships and the 7Stakeholder Circle TM”
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Proceedings, Project Management Institute Research Conference, July, Montreal.
Bourne, Lynda & Walker, D.H.T. (2006), ‘Visualizing stakeholder influence – Two
Australian examples’, Project Management Journal, 37(1), 5-21.
Brass, Daniel, J. and Marlene E. Burckhardt (1993), “Potential Power and Power Use: An
Investigation of Structure and Behavior,” Academy of Management Journal, 36(3), 441-
470.
Brass, Daniel, J., Joseph Galaskiewicz, Henrich R. Greve and Wenpin Tsai (2004),
“Taking Stock of Networks and Organizations: A Multilevel Perspective,” Academy of
Management Journal, 47 (6), 795-817.
Chen, Wei Tong and Tung-Tsan Chen (2007), “Critical Success Factors for Construction
Partnering in Taiwan,” International Journal of Project Management, 25(5): 475-484.
Cummings, J. H. & Cross, R. (2003), ‘Structural properties of work groups and their
consequences for performances’, Social Networks, 25; 197-210.
Flannes, Steven W. and Ginger Levin (2001), People Skills for Project Managers,
Management Concepts, Vienna, VA.
Kloppenborg, Timothy J., Tesch, Deborah, Manolis, Chris, and Heitkamp, Mark. (2006)
An Empirical Investigation of the Sponsor’s Role in Project Initiation, Project
Management Journal, August 2006, 16-25
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Krackhardt, David (1990), “Assessing the political landscape
7 – Structure, Cognition, and
3
Power in Organizations”, Administrative Science Quarterly, 35, 342-369.
Milosevic, Dragan Z. (2003), Project Management Toolbox: Tools and Techniques for
the Practicing Project Manager, John Wiley & Sons, Inc, Hoboken, NJ.
Mintzberg, H. & Waters, J. A. (1986), ‘Of strategies, deliberate and emergent’, Strategic
Management Journal, 6 (3), 257 – 272.
Mitchell, Ronald, K., Bradley, R. Agle and Donna J. Wood (1997), “Toward a Theory of
Stakeholder Identification and Salience: Defining the Principle of Who and What Really
Counts,” Academy of Management Review, 22 (4), 853-886.
Pinto, J. K. (2004). “The Elements of Project Success.” Chapter in Field Guide to Project
Management. Ed. D. I. Cleland. Hoboken, NJ : John Wiley & Sons, Inc. pp. 14-27.
Shenhar, Aaron J and Dvir, Dov. (2007). Reinventing Project Management. Harvard
Business School Press, Boston.
Tsai, Wenpin and Sumantra Ghoshal (1998), “Social Capital and Value Creation: The
Role of Intrafirm Networks,” Academy of Management Journal, 41, 464-476.
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UNIT 7
NATIONAL CONSCIOUSNESS
national unity;
sustainable development;
peace;
respect for diversity;
patriotism;
The development of “soft skills” or person–to –person relational competences takes center stage in
this unit being guided by a heightened self – awareness programme. The tasks and assignments of
this unit serve to stimulate students’ thinking capacities as they:
Join and actively participate in various student groupings, clubs and community
service engagements in order to boost their competences;
Consult peers and staff on matters of national interests and patriotism, and
Craft resolutions to guide autonomous behaviour cognisance of the existence of other
nationalities being guided by the Zimbabwean philosophy of Ubuntu/Unhuism.
2. OBJECTIVES:
This unit is designed to ensure that students are able to:
Discover who they are as Zimbabweans or any other nationality, and to have deeper
self-knowledge which leads to self-profiling, which in-turn is expected to bolster self-
esteem, self-confidence, self-efficacy and personal effectiveness;
Grow beyond information capitulation and over dependence on other nations ‘views,
thoughts, opinions, cultures and tradition (i.e., engender critical thinking skills,
objectivity, independent thinking, autonomy and
integrity);
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Understand themselves in the context
7 of national interests, choices and needs of others;
and be able to master interpersonal6 skills, problem-solving and conflict management
skills which promote personal growth, peace and progress in society; and
Understand the role of individual nations in a global village settings and the
importance of cooperation between and amongst nations.
3. LEARNING OUTCOMES
Having an awakened spirit of national consciousness students should develop:
A patriotic consciousness of their role as agents of social transformation and drivers of
social justice and positive social traditions;
Integrity, objectivity, independent thought, critical thinking skills and leadership
competences across nationalities
A deep appreciation and tolerance of cultural diversity, inclusivity and pluralism;
cognizant of the existence of a global village and
The ability to work in teams across nationalities.
Task 1: Respond to this fact finding table as honestly as you can so that it gives you a clear picture of the
demographics of Zimbabwe as a nation by answering accompanying questions:
Nationality Zimbabwean
Questions
a. Rank the following languages of Zimbabwe in order of the proportion of the population’s
ethnic group that constitute each one.
b. Of the above languages how many are you able to use to communicate?
c. Using each of the above languages write down words two people would say to greet each
other in the morning.
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7 aggregate of persons, so closely associated with
The term “nation” is used to refer to “an
7
each other by common descent, language or history, as to form a distinct race or people,
usually organized as a separate political state and occupying a definite territory” (Fenton
2010: 13), while “nationalism” refers to devotion and loyalty to one's own nation. In
addition, the term “national identity” is used loosely to refer to what Smith (1991: 14) has
defined as the self-perception of a named human population sharing an historic territory,
common myths and historical memories, a mass, public culture, a common economy and
common legal rights and duties for all members.
As used here, therefore, the term nations assumes the presence of various common
attributes, such as
Individual Task 2: In a linear chronological order of events outline the founding of the nation of
Zimbabwe from pre-colonial to post – colonial modern times.(Tabulate periods)
The awakening of a spirit of national consciousness usually expressed through group struggles
gives rise to the finding of nations and their attendant national identities. To grasp a clearer
picture of what constitutes national identity, we start our approach from the model developed
by the American political scientist Stephen Shulman who identified three key elements in the
national identity (civic identity, cultural identity and ethnicity) and a couple of constituting
components for each of the three as shown in Table 2:
As shown in Table 2 above, Shulman’s three main elements (civic identity, cultural identity,
and ethnicity) and their underlying components are the building blocks of a national identity,
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but their relative importance of weight is7not defined in advance. It is an open model that
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leaves space for a contextual and diverse understanding of national identity.
Within the concept of national consciousness, awareness, bonding, identity, and patriotism
have been identified as key elements. A nation should possess an identity that wields a
collective spirit towards commonality. National consciousness creates a common identity,
which in turn drives the spirit of the nation to national prominence (Cobbold, and
Oppong(2010).
Consciousness binds people to the metaphysical and physical life of the nation and urges them
to identify with the nation in all its struggles. A national consciousness is developed through
grounded citizenry knowledge of the country, and pride and respect for the environment,
aspirations, and traditions of the country. While promoting national unity, patriotism and
national pride, civic education should also encourage respect for, and acceptance of, those
belonging to other cultures and ethnicities. The feeling of overall oneness of the nation leads
to fostering national integration (Ogot, 1996).
National consciousness also provides a sense of national identity. Tate (1996) observes that a
society that is not passionate about its history is in danger of losing its identity. This validates
Low-Beer’s (2003) claim that creating and sustaining national identity have always been
important reasons for the inclusion of civic education in the schools. National identity reflects
in citizens’ actions, thoughts, aspirations and behaviours (Ozumba, 2014). The identity
awakens patriotic sensitivities, and these sensitivities, in turn, strengthen the consciousness of
the citizens. Crookall (1975), further observes that the purposeful teaching of civic education
inspires students with a sense of patriotism to their motherland.
GroupTask 1:
Create a round table discussion group and identify university students’ activities and clubs that foster
the love of one’s motherland and point out some shortfalls of patriotism.
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What makes Zimbabwe unique? 7
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At what stage of economic development is Zimbabwe?
Group Task 2:
Create a round table group and discuss each of the above questions pointing out factors which can
contribute to making Zimbabwe a fragile state.
According to public history of the modern day Zimbabwe, Ranger (2010: 505–510) lays on a
foundation of a people who lived harmoniously as one nation before the disruption of British
colonialism. This view takes off from the then former president of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe's
statement in 1977, where he said that a future, independent Zimbabwe will be a nation” whose roots
lay in pre-colonial polities and that
…the distinguishing features of our nation, cultural homogeneity, our biological and
genetic identity, our social system, our geography, [and] our history, which together
characterize our national identity, also combined in producing out of our people a
national, vigorous and positive spirit which manifests itself in the consistently singular
direction of its own preservation (Bhebe and Ranger 2001: xxvi).
The reality check of the modern day nation of Zimbabwe is cross examined by a Zimbabwean scholar
Sabelo Ndlovu-Gatsheni (2009a) who asked, ‘Do Zimbabweans exist? Did they, in fact, ever exist? Or
is present-day Zimbabwe merely a colonial and nationalist construct which is yet to become a
nation?’ In Ndlovu-Gatsheni's words,
…like all historically and socially constructed phenomena, [Zimbabwe] is exceedingly difficult to
define. It is a complex mosaic of contending histories and memories, making it as much a reality as
it is an idea – a construction not only moulded out of pre-colonial, colonial and nationalist pasts,
but also out of [sic] global values of sovereignty, self-determination and territorial integrity. It is
an idea born out of continuing synthesis of multilayered, overlapping and cross-pollinating
historical genealogies, and contending nationalisms, (Ndlovu2009a: 46).
In debunking and trying to search for answers to the above questions amidst conflicting
worldviews, an assessment of the elements making up the contentious modern day Zimbabwean
national identity is a necessity.
Individual Task 3:
In Table 3 below indicate with a tick or an X in the appropriate box the presence or absence of
dimensions and characteristics denoting the existence or non-existence of a typical Zimbabwean
identity:
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National Flag 8
0
National Dress
National Bird.
National Tree.
National Anthem.
State Emblem.
National Calendar
Respect to elders
considerate behavior
Freedom of movement.
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Observing the rule of law. 8
1
Group Task 3:
Create a round table group and discuss Zimbabwe’s strengths and weakness as a nation from the data
you collected in Table 3 above.
REFERENCES
Bhebe, Ngwabi , and Ranger, Terence O. (eds.), (2001), Pre-Colonial and Colonial Legacies, The
Historical Dimensions of Democracy and Human Rights in Zimbabwe, vol. 1, Harare: University of
Zimbabwe Publications.
Cobbold, C., and Oppong, A. C. (2010).Assessing instructional resource and methods of teaching history
in senior high schools in the Central Region of [Link] Journal of Educational Leadership
3(3).Crookall, R. E. (1975). Handbook for history teachers in Africa. London:
Fenton, Steve (2010), Ethnicity, 2nd Edition, Cambridge UK: Polity Press.
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Mlambo A.S. (2013) Becoming Zimbabwe or Becoming 8 Zimbabwean: Identity, Nationalism and State-
building,History in the Department of Historical and Heritage
2 Studies of the University of Pretoria, South
Africa
Ozumba, G. O. (2014). National consciousness, value reorientations and identity: An integrative humanist
approach. Journal of Integrative Humanism, 46, 340-350.
Ranger, Terence (2010), Constructions of Zimbabwe, in: Journal of Southern African Studies, 36, 2, 505–
510.
UNIT 8
Responsible citizenship
Highlight the basic rights, responsibilities,
TOPIC and duties of a Zimbabwean citizen;
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At the end of this session, students will be able 8emulated by others; behaviour which sets a
to: 3standard in all facets of life.
List those attributes that define a student
At the end of this session, students will be able
with unhu/ ubuntu in the area of personal to:
social relationships and sexual relationships
Appreciate being a role model on
and behaviour at the institute, and in campus, in their families, and in their
Zimbabwe, respectively communities;
Identify an area that needs personal growth to Identify areas to work on in order to be
attain acceptable unhu/ubuntu as a citizen of a model student;
the institute and Zimbabwe, respectively, and
make a commitment for a positive change; Initiate the behaviour change process
Acknowledge the views of others; towards becoming a model student
and citizen
Initiate a behaviour change aimed at being
a model citizen.
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UNIT8 9
4
Gender, values, rights, culture, and sexuality
1. The social construction of Key idea: Gender norms, values, and stereotypes
gender and gender norms tend to be biased largely against women in
2. Gender norms, values, and patriarchal societies such as Zimbabwe.
stereotypes
At the end of this session, students will be able
3. Overcoming gender bias to:
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5 Articulate the conflict between certain norms
Identify gender norms and values that guide
various facets of life for men and women, and values related to sex and sexuality and
how this affects fulfilment of SRH rights;
respectively, including in relation to related to
sex and sexuality; Recognize gender norms that create
stereotypes and bias and choose to rebuff
them, while adopting new norms and
Articulate how these gender norms can
values that create positive forms of
create stereotypes and inequality;
masculinity and femininity;
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UNIT 8
LEADERSHIP
1. AREAS OF GROWTH
The unit aims to develop in students a better understanding of the concept of leadership and its
various dynamics. It exposes students to various leadership and management styles. Students are
expected to grow in the following areas:
Decision making
Effective communication
Interpersonal skills
Networking skills
2. OBJECTIVES
3. LEARNING OUTCOMES
Personal growth and effectiveness across different social and economic spheres
Personal confidence and self-efficacy in different academic and social situations
Conducive working environment that creates best results
Leadership remains a very important source of influence in any organization. Due to its
importance many researchers conducted extensive studies in order to understand its complexity
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and dynamisms. Stogdill (1974) sees leadership as a process directed at influencing a specific
group of people to meet a stated objective. Kouzes and Posner (1998) believe that ‘leadership is
the art of mobilizing others to want to struggle for the shared aspirations. Maxwell (1992) states
that leadership is simply influence. Stogdill (1974) sums up by saying that there is no one
definition or particular leadership approach that is considered universal.
5. Leadership Theories
There are many leadership theories in existence. Some of the theories are discussed below:
The Great Man Theory also known as the Trait Theory was propounded by a Scottish man
called Thomas Carlyle (4 December 1795 – 5 February 1881). The theory espouses that some
people are born with the necessary attributes that set them apart from others and that these traits
are responsible for them assuming positions of power and authority. This suggests that some men
and women come to this world possessing a combination of rare traits not common in other
people.
Paul Hersey and Kenneth Blanchard are said to be the founders of this theory (Verdhan: 2021).
The situational theory of leadership stresses that leaders who adapt to the situation and
development level are ideal. They apply their intelligence, expertise, and years of experience to
balance the whole organization.
Autocratic, democratic, coaching, affiliate, pacesetting, authoritative, and other leadership styles
become one when a true leader applies situational theory.
Rutledge (2003) believes that Elton Mayo was the founder of the Behavioral theory. This theory
is grounded on the assumption that leaders are made not born. It argues that the success of a
leader is based on their behavior rather than their natural attributes. It involves observing and
evaluating a leader's actions and behaviors when responding to a specific situation. Proponents of
this theory suggest that anyone can become an effective leader if they can learn and implement
certain behaviors.
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Leaders using the behavioral approach may be classified into different categories such as:
People-oriented leaders
Task-oriented leaders
Participative leaders
Status-quo leaders
Indifferent leaders
Dictatorial leaders
Sound leaders
Opportunistic leaders
Paternalistic leaders
Kurt Lewin is believed to be the founding father of the participative theory. Rensis Liket played
a significant role in popularizing the theory. Participative leadership theories suggest that the
ideal leadership style is one that takes the input of others into account. These leaders encourage
participation and contributions from group members and help group members feel more relevant
and committed to the decision-making process. In participative theories, however, the leader
retains the right to allow the input of others.
Leaders of successful organizations use different leadership styles to elevate their competitive
advantages. The success of an organization depends on the vibrancy of the strategies on the
ground. Some of the strategies which can be used to bring success to an organization include:
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Using research findings to improve organizational efficiency and effectiveness with the
aim to improve quality and customer satisfaction.
Harnessing professionalism as a tool for excellence.
Using teams as apparatus for success.
Learning to manage information.
Using emotional, social and financial intelligence to improve organizational performance.
Task 1
Leadership skills are the tools, behaviours and capabilities that leaders should have in promoting
well-being of the employees and leading to up-gradation of the organizations (Leadership Skills,
2010). Leadership skills do not come by accident, they are learned. Some of the leadership skills
include:
Interpersonal skills
Trustworthiness
Adaptability
Delegation
Decision making
7.2.1 Authority
Authority is the power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience. Authority
gives the management legitimate power to enforce obedience. It is the power to give orders and
make sure that these orders are obeyed. It causes people to act on orders.
7.2.2 Influence
Influence refers to the power to cause changes without directly forcing them to happen.
Awareness.
Decisiveness. All leaders must occasionally make difficult decisions, like terminating
employees for poor performance, or reducing the size of the workforce
Empathy
Accountability
Confidence
Optimism
Honesty
Focus
Vision
Inspiration
Strategic and critical thinking
Interpersonal communication
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8. Leadership Roles
Leadership comes with a lot of roles and responsibilities among which are the following
8. Change Management
(The greatest danger in times of turbulence is not the turbulence: it is to act with yesterday’s
logic)
Leaders have great responsibilities to introduce and manage change in organizations. Change is
a transition from one state to another. Change management is a systematic and structured process
of developing and implementing strategies and interventions for organizations transitioning from
current state to a desired state. (Beer and Nohria: 2000) It often associated with changes in
policies and procedures, individual needs, task and skill requirements. Change management
involves realigning organizational core values such as vision, mission, culture, people believes,
attitudes and values towards achieving organizational goals.
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Task 2
In groups of ten students, prepare a presentation in which you are introducing a change to
your organization
8.2 Management
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Organizations are purposive institutions designed to achieve specific goals. In order to achieve
these goals, activities should be executed in a coordinated manner. It is the function of
management to ensure that goals of an organization are achieved. In this view, Follett (1973)
defines management as the art of getting things done through people. Managers influence
members in the organization to mobilize and harness resources together towards the goals of the
organization. In order to fulfill this role, the manager plays specific managerial functions.
Planning
Ordering
Organizing
Directing
Leading
Controlling
Implementing
Delegating
Supervising
Monitoring
Evaluating
People skills
Willingness
Ability to delegate
Effective communication skills
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Motivational skills
Judgment
Adaptability
Emotional maturity
Initiative
Organization and delegation.
Forward planning and strategic thinking skills
Problem solving and decision-making skills
Mentoring skills
On the job skills
Self-confidence
Decisiveness
integrity
A management style is a strategy adopted by a manager to work through other people in the
organization to achieve set goals. Some of the management styles are:
Managing by walking around (MBWA) was popularized by Tom Peters and Robert Waterman in
the early 1980s because it was felt that managers were becoming isolated from their subordinates
(Packard: 1995). Management by wondering about refers to a strategy where a manager goes
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down to the shop floor interacting with employees, listening to the views of the people and
getting an appreciation of how the work is being done. Packard (1995) sees managing by
wandering around as the basis of leadership and excellence and called it the technology of the
obvious. He lists benefits of management by walking about as follows:
Task 3
References
Beer, M. & Nohria, N. (2000). (Ed.), Breaking the code of Change. Boston, Massachusetts:
Harvard Business School Press.
Knotter, J. P., (2001), “What Leaders really do?” Harvard Business Review, Vol.79 Issue 11,
p.85-96
Katz, R. L., (1955). Skills of an effective administrator. Harvard Business Review, 33(1), 33-42
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Kottenman, J., (2006), “Leadership vs. Management: What is the difference?” Journal for
Quality and Participation, Vol. 29 Issue 2 p.13-17
Yukl, G. (2002). Leadership in Organizations. Fifth Edition, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey:
Prentice Hall International, Inc
Stogdill, R. M. (1974), The Handbook of Leadership. New York: The Free Press, New York.
Follett, M. P, Urwick, L. F., & Metcalf, H. C. (1973). Dynamic administration: the collected
papers of Mary Parker Follett (pp. 117-131). New York: Pitman.
Packard, D. (1995). The HP way: How Bill Hewlett and I built our company. HarperCollins
Publishers
George Elton Mayo: The Human Problems of an Industrial Civilization, Routledge, reprint
edition 2003.
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