Botswana Accountancy College

Purpose This study aims to examine the barriers associated with the implementation of social procurement (SP) from the vantage points of contractors and clients as key stakeholders in the Botswana construction industry. The study further offers recommendations to mitigate these identified barriers, providing valuable insights for decision-makers in the construction sector looking to maximize the benefits of SP. Design/methodology/approach The study employed semi-structured interviews to collect data from 31 respondents. Barriers to SP implementation were assessed within the four domains of the study's conceptual framework: resources, procurement practices, policy and regulation and socio-cultural aspects. Subsequently, the researcher conducted a thematic analysis of the gathered data to arrive at the findings. Findings The study highlights that key stakeholders in the construction sector are significantly affected by the same barriers hindering the implementation of SP in both developing and developed countries, though at varying rates. Fronting is one of the obstacles discovered in the study, which is not common in most developed countries where SP research is advanced. Research limitations/implications The study's shortcomings include a lack of generalization due to the convenience sampling technique used and the lack of empirical research on SP in Botswana. Social implications This research provides essential guidance for key stakeholders in overcoming SP implementation challenges. Furthermore, it gives the government information to improve social value initiatives. Originality/value This research is the first to assess SP obstacles in Botswana and adds to the conversation on SP implementation in developing countries.

The integration of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) into the curricula of higher education institutions (HEIs) is critical for advancing global sustainability objectives. This study assessed the extent of ESD integration in the curricula of HEIs in Botswana, examined current practices and challenges, and identified areas for improvement. Guided by constructivist, and transformative learning theories, the study was conducted on a sample of four out of ten registered HEIs in Botswana. A stratified random sampling method was used to select academic staff from various faculties, and data were collected through a structured and semi-structured survey. The quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, while the qualitative data underwent thematic analysis. The findings revealed that ESD integration in Botswana’s HEIs is inconsistent and limited. While most of the respondents indicated that their institutions have sustainability related initiatives, only a few of them reported that their HEIs offer specialised ESD courses, highlighting a limited integration of ESD across the sampled HEIs. Key challenges identified include limited resources, insufficient institutional policies, and a lack of ongoing professional development for staff. The absence of a unified ESD policy framework and low student engagement in sustainability initiatives further hinder integration efforts. This study recommends the development of a comprehensive, institution-wide ESD policy, the integration of sustainability principles across all curricula, and strengthened faculty development programmes to support this transition. Due to the use of a survey-based research approach, there is potential for alternative interpretations and limited generalisability of the findings of the study.

The purpose of this study was to understand the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and mitigation efforts on health and social outcomes for people with HIV at the individual, social, and structural levels of the Social Ecological Model. The International Nursing Network for HIV collected data for a cross-sectional survey of people with HIV in Botswana, Canada, Colombia, Hong Kong, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Thailand, and the United States from August 2021 through June 2023. Among 1,400 participants, 47.5% experienced decreased quality of life, 40.9% experienced increased anxiety, 33.0% had reduced connection with friends, and 38.8% had reduced access to resources. Participants’ reported impacts of COVID-19 varied by socioeconomic factors. Among these people with HIV, changes in quality of life, anxiety, social connectedness, and access to resources due to the COVID-19 pandemic were significantly associated with individual, social, and structural level factors using the Social Ecological Framework.

The outbreaks of pandemics and epidemics have reenacted interest in high molecular weight bioactive molecules. Saponin is one of these molecules because of its associated health and commercial benefits. In this perspective, saponins from the aqueous extract of the soapbark (Q. saponoria) tree are attracting a rejuvenated interest among scholars. Therefore, this study was to provide further structural clarity to one of the identified saponin constituents of the soapbark tree extract. Adopting standard procedures for gas-liquid chromatography and in hyphenation with mass spectrometry, the alditol acetates and the associated methylated derivatives of the saccharide linkages of the saponin were evaluated. The space tandem mass spectrometric analyses and the NMR evaluation of the saponin fraction were also carried out. Obtained data showed the presence of a carbonyl proton peak at C-23. The finding suggests a deviation from previous reports for similar saponins with phytolaccinic acid aglycone. And may explain the possible bioactivity benefit of the molecule.

In modern power systems, the increasing complexity of medium voltage (MV) distribution networks and rising environmental risks necessitate accurate and timely outage forecasting. This paper proposes a hybrid data driven framework that combines grey prediction modelling and support vector machine (SVM) classification for multi scale outage prediction. Annual and monthly outage counts are estimated using an optimized Grey Model GM (1,1) enhanced by Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and Genetic Algorithms (GA). For day-ahead prediction, SVM is employed to classify outage risks using historical weather and fault data. The proposed method is validated using real operational data from the Italian distribution grid between 2008 and 2017. Experimental results demonstrate that the hybrid approach significantly improves prediction accuracy and supports proactive maintenance and resource allocation in MV networks.

This cross-sectional survey research sought to investigate teachers’ perceptions about the use of alternative assessments in the virtual classroom. The population selected for this study was teachers from five (5) schools in Trinidad and Tobago. Many teachers were overwhelmed by the shift to the virtual classroom because up to the start of the pandemic, they were not the major drivers of change within the education system. In this new century society is located within the 4th Industrial Revolution, where society is driven by technology, data, and the knowledge economy. Purposeful sampling was used to select the twenty participants and the instrument used was a questionnaire comprising closed and open-ended items. The findings revealed that teachers are aware of alternative assessment and they utilized some alternative assessment strategies during the pandemic. Teachers acknowledged the need for them to develop additional competencies and be provided with the necessary resources to effectively utilize alternative assessments. They suggested that more professional development workshops should be conducted in schools and that teacher training institutions consider revising their approach to the teaching of student assessment. The findings of this study address the need for more focus to be placed on the way in which teacher training institutions prepare trainees, especially in the area of assessment. Improvement in this area would ensure that there is a greater level of assessment literacy among teachers. Further research should be conducted to determine if alternative assessment is being used as face-to-face/in-person teaching has resumed.

PurposeGovernments worldwide seek to optimize value in public project bids. Social procurement (SP) has become a global tool for achieving project goals. The purpose of this study is to assess the understanding of SP among contractors and identify its drivers to optimize the value associated with public projects.Design/methodology/approachA total of 15 major contractors were interviewed to obtain their views on SP, appreciate their current practices and identify the main drivers of SP in projects. A semistructured interview was used to gather relevant data. Neo-institutional theory is the lens of the study used to provide the focus of the research. The collected data were analyzed using the thematic data analysis technique.FindingsThe study found that SP is understood as corporate social responsibility and is not handled in a structured manner guided by policies or clearly defined procedures. Additionally, research has shown that compliance requirements, rather than value and goodwill, are the main inspiration for SP practices.Research limitations/implicationsThe study’s limitation is the fact that it was conducted in the context of Botswana and only used the interview technique as the solo data collection method. The other limitation is the lack of empirical literature on SP concerning the lack of SP policy in Botswana.Originality/valueThis study raises awareness of the concept of SP among contractors in Botswana and eases its implementation within the industry.

Given that patent law emerged in domestic systems, there was an obvious diversity of patent regimes. With the advent of cross-border movement of resources, including inventions, there was a need for a harmonized patent regime. The issue went to another level with the entry into force of the WTO/TRIPS Agreement, which requires WTO members to enact new patent laws or amend existing ones to make them TRIPS compliant. The Ethiopian Patent Law, which was enacted in 1995, is strangely TRIPS compliant, tempting many to think that it had Ethiopia‟s forthcoming accession in mind. However, with Ethiopia yet to complete the accession process, there are further pressures from industrialized countries to ensure that stringent patent rules are complied with in developing countries. This article examines TRIPS, the Cotonou Agreement and AGOA as effective instruments of ensuring compliance. It is argued that the Ethiopian patent system will continue to observe TRIPS and other standards as dictated by the Global North.

The purpose of this study was to assess employees' perceptions of antimoney laundering practices at the National Development Bank in Botswana.The study used a quantitative approach.A population of 84 respondents who are employees of a development financial institution (DFI), the National Development Bank (NDB) of Botswana was sampled in this study.Out of these, 36 respondents were selected through a stratified random sampling method to ensure representation in all strata.A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data.The study found that employees of National Development Bank understand the concept of money laundering and the stages involved in money laundering.Secondly, the study established that the main causes of money laundering were corruption, politicians and prominent person's influence, and weak banking and financial systems.Thirdly, the study established that money laundering is harmful to the economy in different ways that include increased national crime, increased corruption, and negative effects on the economy.The study recommended that the management of NDB should adopt anti-money laundering/ combating/ counter-terrorism financing (AML/CFT) regulations laid out by regulating bodies including those of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), Bank of Botswana and the

Digital transformation is happening at a considerable rate in the developing world; however, its adoption seems higher in the developed world. Therefore, this chapter aims to present the key drivers or pillars that make up digital transformation in developing countries. The chapter argued that strategy, technology, and innovation are the broad categories that influence digital transformation in any country, whether developing or developed. Also, the chapter articulates what has been happening in the developing world, focusing on Southern Africa to achieve digital transformation. A framework for digital transformation that consists of three broad pillars strategy, technology, and innovation was proposed. Lastly, the chapter proposed that future researchers on digital transformation can focus on the broad pillars of digital transformation.