EDITORIAL
Volume 16, Issue 2, 2021
1.An Investigation on the Challenges Faced by Women Entrepreneurs in SMEs: Female Apparel Industry in Harare, Zimbabwe
- Tererai Lorraine Nyazika
There have always been some women who have rejected the strait-jacket of domestic life. In 1699 Maria Sybilla Merian and her daughter travelled from Holland to the Surinam jungle in search of flora and fauna, combining scientific study with artistic illustration in a way that still commands respect today. She was one of many who nudged male assumptions about femininity. Restrictions have eased greatly and thousands of women now gain independence in high-level jobs or by starting a business. But it has not become easy. There are still high barriers, some caused by low cultural expectations of success, leading to difficulties obtaining loans, lower levels of education, and little preparation at school (for boys as well as girls) for entrepreneurial life. This paper looks specifically at Harare in Zimbawbe, but the lessons are worldwide.
2.A Study on Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) on Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) in Food Manufacturing Companies in Malaysia
- Law Chong Seng
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become increasingly important with realisation of how badly wrong the environment has become. There are increasing regulations to help preserve the planet, and the reaction varies from rigid protest to eager compliance and cries that regulations don’t go far enough. The latter is common enough for organisations to be concerned for their reputation and start taking positive steps, and ensuring that those steps are visible to the public. This may simply be donations to charity, or may be taking an active part in projects with no connection to the business. The business could still benefit in increased sales as customers may choose them because they want to support the projects. It has also been realised that it is not enough to behave ecologically within the four walls of the office, they need to extend their reach. One direction is the supply chain. If suppliers are not ethical, it is not ethical to buy their goods. Procurement needs to ensure that their raw materials do not involve any damage to people or the environment.
3.Factors that Influence Tourists for the Selection of Hotels in China
- Seevali Fernando
Covid-19 has hit a great many businesses hard for all sorts of reasons. In the case of hotels, they are offering a service that is suddenly forbidden unless there are exceptional reasons. Some have become hostels for the homeless or quarantine quarters, which solves some problems, but little comfort for most hoteliers. People are less keen to take holidays, even if allowed, and business meetings are now often online. The problem is particularly acute in China, as there is suspicion, whether justified or not, that the pandemic started there. Currently, they rely on much depleted pool of customers, and quality of service is even more important than ever before. This starts with ease of booking, continues at reception, and follows through with comfort, facilities, food, and since covid, safety has additional requirements. It can be hoped that this will be enough to maintain hotel businesses until happier times.
4. E = MC² – The Fusion of Modern Management and Metaphysics as a Concept, Competence and Connections for Resolving Pain Points of Health, Happiness and Harmony with Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy
- KC Chan & David Lim Eu Ghee
Heraclitus, in the 6th century BC, said that there is nothing permanent except change, and we’ve been changing ever since. Yet we remain essentially the same in our hopes and fears and efforts to get things right. This paper seeks to blend the ideas of age-old tradition with modern ideas, including the trilogy of health, happiness and harmony, intertwined with building careers. This is a fusion of metaphysics and modern management. Heraclitus talked about the permanence of change, and now we talk about VUCA, the volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous world. Heraclitus may have said that VUCA also applied to his world. . VUCA is something that makes things difficult all round. Gaining a foothold to reach high pay, prestige, and expertise is a good goal, but should come alongside health, happiness and harmony.
ARTICLE TOOLS
Editor's Message
- The International Professional Managers Review has been created to provide academics and practitioners a platform and a Journal for their exploration of new ideas, concepts, techniques and practice.
Our Journal aims to provide steady information about the latest theories and practices, right across the world. Recent issues have ranged from individual employability to global operations strategy, and having contributors from four continents.
Our aim is to achieve a high quality of contribution in the areas of management and business. However, we cannot be complacent. The world is changing, and there is always a need to assess and reassess, to try out new ideas, to discuss the results, and then assess again. For this we need to hear from people who are active in professional management, and in research. Theory and practice are interconnected, and we want to join up the gaps.
We are aiming for a mix of approach, including, interviews, case studies, research with conclusions, exploratory ideas, and student papers. Sometimes we will have a special edition, where different authors explore the same topic from different angles, testing different theories, views from different countries, and so on. This should lead to in-depth discussion, more thought, more research, more articles, and further advance in theory and practice.
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- The International Professional Managers Review has been created to provide academics and practitioners a platform and a Journal for their exploration of new ideas, concepts, techniques and practice.