The concept of strategy has advanced significantly from when the emphasis fell on comprehensive, systematic and rational planning. However, many of the assumptions that were embedded in traditional strategy models were deemed to be inadequate and outdated as we approached a new competitive milieu (Maritz, 2010). Strategic Management is still a comparatively young field and the existing toolbox of concepts and techniques remains woefully inadequate (Grant, 2010). This reality should force a re-examination of the traditional strategy paradigms (Maritz, 2010). The literature review has confirmed the observations by Maritz (2010) and Grant (2010) that indeed current strategic management paradigms or approaches were inadequate for unique business environments obtaining in a developing country in Africa, such as Zimbabwe. The motivation for this research, therefore, was to identify and recommend strategic management approaches or paradigms applicable to banks operating in a turbulent and chaotic environment. Based on an extensive literature review, in-depth interviews were conducted with six commercial banks (three that survived the turbulence and three that failed) during the period under review. The study established that the banks that survived the turbulence had a different strategic management approach from the traditional designed ones. It was also noted in this study that in turbulent environments, strategy-making is birthed through an emergent process. When events are moving at an unprecedented speed, as was happening in Zimbabwe, the time intervals between obtaining information, analysing information, taking decisions and implementing those decisions need to be tightly compressed. The researcher coined this process Strategic Intensity (SI). On the other hand, diversification as a strategy was found to be very risky for businesses that did not have a strong foundation and that were lacking in the appreciation of the risk complexion of the businesses into which they were diversifying. This research makes a significant contribution by identifying and recommending Strategic Management approaches applicable to businesses operating in a turbulent and chaotic environment in developing markets such as Zimbabwe. Furthermore, this research also contributes towards the current debate in academic literature amongst practitioners of strategy, about how strategy is really made in organisations (Maritz, 2010). The debate centres around two opposing views: one associated with strategy-making as a formal, deliberate plan, and the other associated with strategies as evolving, ever-changing sets of outcomes that are eventually realised. Finally, the researcher proposes that further studies be conducted at the end of this study. / Business Management / DBL

Social cash transfers (SCTs) are part of social protection instruments aimed at reducing poverty and vulnerability. SCTs are among the most evaluated social protection interventions. Most designs and much of the current evidence give limited attention to effects of SCTs on social capital. Greater attention has been devoted to economic and human capital outcomes. The purpose of this study was to explore and analyse the effects of Zimbabwe’s Harmonised Social Cash Transfer (HSCT) on social capital in a rural and a peri-urban settlement. To achieve this, the study first identified and analysed design and operational features of the HSCT. The analysis drew from the perspectives and experiences of beneficiaries and other stakeholders. The study was based on a mixed methods design. The theoretical framework was informed by social capital and social network theories. The results confirm and in other cases contradict findings from previous research, and there are areas where new insights were found. The results indicate that HSCT’s features particularly targeting and selection methods, complementary services and the payment method have effects on social capital. Additionally, findings indicate that the HSCT affected a diverse set of social relations with positive effects on bonding and linking social capital. There are positive psychosocial effects, limited evidence on bridging social capital, and inconclusive results on collective action. The HSCT seems to strengthen trust between beneficiaries but has negative effects on social relations between beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries. Social networks created through the HSCT are exclusionary. There were isolated cases of domestic violence in some households. The HSCT has unintended effects particularly the exclusion of some beneficiary households from access to other benefits; women’s empowerment; and social and economic risks to beneficiaries. Evidence from this study confirms that unconditional cash transfers go well beyond their primary goal of consumption smoothing, and have positive and negative effects on social capital. This provides a strong case for the design and implementation of SCTs to embed explicit objectives and strategies that promote the strengthening of social capital. There is greater need for collaborative efforts between economists, sociologists and anthropologists in the design and analysis of SCTs. / Development Studies / D. Phil. (Development Studies)