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In the context of recent global disruptions, enhancing supply chain resilience has become critical for businesses. This thesis proposes a conceptual model for implementing a Digital Twin (DT) in the supplier selection process to enhance supply chain resilience. By integrating real-time monitoring, scenario testing, and collaborative platforms, the model addresses three main pillars of supply chain resilience: SC Visibility, SC Agility, and SC Collaboration. The research employs a systematic literature review for the identification of the three pillars and the development of the Supplier Management Digital Twin (SMDT) framework. The findings suggest that the DT can significantly improve supply chain visibility through continuous KPI monitoring, enhance agility by simulating disruption scenarios, and foster collaboration via shared data platforms. Additionally, a case study on the supplier selection process was conducted, through semi-structured interviews, that when applied through the SMDT framework showcased what factors in the supplier selection process that can be applied to a DT. This study contributes to the theoretical understanding of DTs in Supply Chain Management and offers practical insights for managers seeking to enhance resilience to their supply chain. Future research could explore greater insights from DT experts and implementation through simulation models to further validate and expand the model's utility. / I samband med dagens globala störningar har förbättringen av leveranskedjans motståndskraft blivit mer kritiskt än någonsin för världens företag. Denna rapport föreslår en konceptuell modell för att implementera en Digital Tvilling (DT) i leverantörsvalprocessen för att stärka leveranskedjans motståndskraft. Genom att integrera realtidsövervakning, scenariotestning och samarbetsplattformar adresserar modellen tre grundpelare av leveranskedjans motståndskraft: Synlighet, Agilitet och Samarbete. Rapporten använder en systematisk litteraturstude för att identifiera de tre grundpelarna samt utveckla ett ramverk för en DT. Resultaten tyder på att en DT avsevärt kan förbättra leveranskedjans synlighet genom kontinuerlig KPI-övervakning, öka agiliteten genom att simulera scenarier av olika störningar och främja samarbetet via en delad plattform. Dessutom genomfördes en fallstudie av leverantörvalsprocessen genom semi-strukturerade intervjuer, vilket via en analys av Leverantörshanterings DT-ramverket visar vilka faktorer i leverantörvalsprocessen som kan tillämpas på en DT. Denna studie bidrar till den teoretiska kunskapen av DT:ar i leveranskedjehantering och erbjuder praktiska insikter för chefer som söker att öka motståndskraften i sin leveranskedja. Framtida forskning kan utforska djupare insikter från DT-experter och testa implementering genom simuleringsmodeller för att ytterligare validera och utöka modellens användbarhet.

<p>Циљ рада: Циљ истраживања је да се утврди разлика у акутним ефектима статичког (СИ) и динамичког истезања (ДИ), у комбинацији са специфичним кошаркашким загревањем (СКЗ), на флексибилност, експлозивну снагу ногу, брзину, агилност и неуромишићну адаптацију кошаркаша јуниорског узраста.</p><p>Методе: Истраживање у оквиру ове докторске тезе су чинила два одвојена експеримента, један спроведен у теренским условима, и други спроведен у лабораторијским. Оба су била &bdquo;cross-over&ldquo; дизајна. У теренском експерименту је учествовало 46 кошаркаша (узраста 17&plusmn;0,83 година), док је у лабораторијском учествовало 12 (узраста 17,7&plusmn;0,49 година). У теренском експерименту су тестиране четири моторичке способности. За процену флексибилности коришћен је тест досезања у седећем претклону, експлозивна снага ногу је процењивана уз помоћ вертикалног скока са контактне плоче, брзина трчањем на 20 метара, док је Т тест коришћен за процену агилности. У лабораторијском експерименту је као мера неурофизиолошке адаптације коришћена промена ексцитабилности &alpha;-мотонеурона, која је представљена као однос Хофмановог (Х) рефлекса и М таласа (Х/М). За њихово одређивање се користио Medelec ST-10 стимулатор (Medelec, Old Woking, UK). Површинске електромиографске електроде су биле постављене на унутрашњој глави m.gastrocnemius-a одскочне ноге, применом тзв. &bdquo;belly-tendon&ldquo; монтаже. Као третмани, у оба експеримента су коришћени протокол статичког и протокол динамичког истезања, уз комбинацију са специфичним кошаркашким загревањем. Мерења су се у оба експеримента изводила у 3 временске тачке и то пре протокола истезања, одмах након протокола истезања (а пре специфичног кошаркашког загревања) и одмах након специфичног кошаркашког загревања.</p><p>Резултати: Резултати истраживања показују да постоје одређене разлике акутних ефеката комбинација протокола СИ+СКЗ и ДИ+СКЗ. Комбинација протокола СИ+СКЗ је повољније утицала на експлозивну снагу ногу и на агилност кошаркаша јуниорског узраста. Ефекти обе комбинације протокола су били готово идентични на флексибилност, а разлика је изостала и у ефектима на брзину, иако је пре СКЗ био&nbsp;уочљив негативан ефекат СИ. Однос Х/М се значајно разликовао одмах након истезања, када је СИ значајно оборило однос, али су се те разлике изгубиле након примене СКЗ.</p><p>Закључак: Посматрајући ефекте комбинације протокола СИ+СКЗ и ДИ+СКЗ на моторичке способности и неуромишићну адаптацију кошаркаша јуниорског узраста, може се закључити да је примена СИ+СКЗ препоручљивија у свакодневном тренингу и такмичењу.</p> / <p>Cilj rada: Cilj istraživanja je da se utvrdi razlika u akutnim efektima statičkog (SI) i dinamičkog istezanja (DI), u kombinaciji sa specifičnim košarkaškim zagrevanjem (SKZ), na fleksibilnost, eksplozivnu snagu nogu, brzinu, agilnost i neuromišićnu adaptaciju košarkaša juniorskog uzrasta.</p><p>Metode: Istraživanje u okviru ove doktorske teze su činila dva odvojena eksperimenta, jedan sproveden u terenskim uslovima, i drugi sproveden u laboratorijskim. Oba su bila &bdquo;cross-over&ldquo; dizajna. U terenskom eksperimentu je učestvovalo 46 košarkaša (uzrasta 17&plusmn;0,83 godina), dok je u laboratorijskom učestvovalo 12 (uzrasta 17,7&plusmn;0,49 godina). U terenskom eksperimentu su testirane četiri motoričke sposobnosti. Za procenu fleksibilnosti korišćen je test dosezanja u sedećem pretklonu, eksplozivna snaga nogu je procenjivana uz pomoć vertikalnog skoka sa kontaktne ploče, brzina trčanjem na 20 metara, dok je T test korišćen za procenu agilnosti. U laboratorijskom eksperimentu je kao mera neurofiziološke adaptacije korišćena promena ekscitabilnosti &alpha;-motoneurona, koja je predstavljena kao odnos Hofmanovog (H) refleksa i M talasa (H/M). Za njihovo određivanje se koristio Medelec ST-10 stimulator (Medelec, Old Woking, UK). Površinske elektromiografske elektrode su bile postavljene na unutrašnjoj glavi m.gastrocnemius-a odskočne noge, primenom tzv. &bdquo;belly-tendon&ldquo; montaže. Kao tretmani, u oba eksperimenta su korišćeni protokol statičkog i protokol dinamičkog istezanja, uz kombinaciju sa specifičnim košarkaškim zagrevanjem. Merenja su se u oba eksperimenta izvodila u 3 vremenske tačke i to pre protokola istezanja, odmah nakon protokola istezanja (a pre specifičnog košarkaškog zagrevanja) i odmah nakon specifičnog košarkaškog zagrevanja.</p><p>Rezultati: Rezultati istraživanja pokazuju da postoje određene razlike akutnih efekata kombinacija protokola SI+SKZ i DI+SKZ. Kombinacija protokola SI+SKZ je povoljnije uticala na eksplozivnu snagu nogu i na agilnost košarkaša juniorskog uzrasta. Efekti obe kombinacije protokola su bili gotovo identični na fleksibilnost, a razlika je izostala i u efektima na brzinu, iako je pre SKZ bio&nbsp;uočljiv negativan efekat SI. Odnos H/M se značajno razlikovao odmah nakon istezanja, kada je SI značajno oborilo odnos, ali su se te razlike izgubile nakon primene SKZ.</p><p>Zaključak: Posmatrajući efekte kombinacije protokola SI+SKZ i DI+SKZ na motoričke sposobnosti i neuromišićnu adaptaciju košarkaša juniorskog uzrasta, može se zaključiti da je primena SI+SKZ preporučljivija u svakodnevnom treningu i takmičenju.</p> / <p>Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the difference of acute effects of static stretching (SS) and dynamic stretching (DS), in combination with specific basketball warm-up (SBWU), on flexibility, explosive leg strength, speed, agility and neuromuscular adaptation of basketball players U18.</p><p>Methods: This study consisted of two separated experiments, first in field conditions, and second conducted in laboratory. Both had &bdquo;cross-over&ldquo; design. Forty-six basketball players (age: 17&plusmn;0,83 years) participated in field experiment, while twelve participated in laboratory experiment (age 17,7&plusmn;0,49 years). In field experiment, four motor abilities were tested. Seat and rech test was used for the evaluation of flexibility, explosive leg strength was evaluated by vertical jump from contact plate, speed by 20m run, and T test was used for agility testing. In laboratory experiment, the excitability of &alpha;-motoneuron was taken for the evaluation of neuromuscular adaptation. It is presented as a ratio of the maximal amplitudes of Hoffman (H) reflex and M wave (H/M). For their determining we used Medelec ST-10 stimulator (Medelec, Old Woking, UK). Surface electromyographic (EMG) electrodes were placed over the m.gastrocnemius medialis, and Achilles tendon, in a &bdquo;belly-tendon&ldquo; montage. In both experiments, SS protocol and DS protocol, in the combination with SBWU, were used as a treatment. Measures were taken in 3 time points: before the stretching, immediately after stretching (and before SBWU) and immediately after the SBWU.</p><p>Results: Results of this study showed that there are certain differences in acute effects of combination of protocols SS+SBWU and DS+SBWU. Combination of protocols SS+SBWU had more positive influence on explosive leg strength and agility of U18 basketball players. The effects of both protocols were almost the same on flexibility, and there was no noticeable difference in effects on speed, although before SBWU there was significant negative of SS. Immediately after the stretching there was significant difference in H/M ratio, it was significantly lower after the SS, but after the application of SBWU, differences disappeared.<br />&nbsp;<br />Conlcusion: Regarding the effects of SS+SBWU and DS+SBWU protocols on motor abilities and neuromuscular adaptation of U18 basketball players, it could be concluded that the use of SS+SBWU is more preferrable in everyday practice and competition.</p>

In the light of the facts given in literature it is evident that players in the game of netball need to meet specific anthropometric (body length, body mass, percentage body fat and percentage muscle mass), physical (pliancy, abdominal power, aerobic endurance and anaerobic endurance) and motor (speed over 5 m and 10 m, agility and explosive power) requirements. This consequently necessitates specific attention to be given to the mentioned requirements. In spite of the fact that a few studies do exist that enter into the requirements of the profile of netball players in different positions, as well as into what the effect of a periodization programme is on anthropometric, physical and motor requirements, voids do exist regarding the positional profile of 15 to 17 year old netball players and as to what the effect is of a sport specific periodization programme in the course of a season on 15 to 17 year old netball players. In the light of the above–mentioned, this study was undertaken with the aim to: 1) Determine the requirements for 15 to 17 year old netball players; 2) Compile positional profile scales of netball specific requirement for 15 to 17 year old players in the Tlokwe region; 3) Establish the effect of a sport specific periodization programme on anthropometric, physical and motor requirements for 15 to 17 year old female netball players, of a specific school in the Tlokwe region, in the course of a season. 96 players (28 goalkeepers, 44 centre court players and 24 defenders) between ages 15 and 17 years from two high schools in the North–West Province were used in the study to determine positional differences. A group of only 22 player of one school was exposed to a sport specific periodization programme for purposes of the study, since the coach and players from only one school’s teams were prepared to participate in the sport scientific intervention programme for the full duration of the netball season. The afore–mentioned group was evaluated over a period of two years, namely prior to the start of the season (T1), after conclusion of the season once the sport specific periodization programme was completed (T2), prior to the start of the season in the subsequent year (T3) and after conclusion of the season without the sport specific being followed. The data is processed on the basis of descriptive statistics. Furthermore, the practical significance of test result changes between the respective groups and different test sessions were compared using Cohen’s effect size. Literature was consulted to determine whether specific requirements exist for netball players and whether differences occur in the three positional groups. However, no literature could be traced in which only netball specific requirements for 15 to 17 year old players were focused on. The literature did indeed point out clear anthropometric differences between the three positional groups, namely attacking, centre court and defence players in club and elite netball players. The goalkeeper and defence players are, according to literature, considerably taller and heavier than the centre court players. Literature also indicated that differences do indeed occur regarding physical and motor requirements. Centre court players are significantly faster and more agile than the goalkeeper and defenders. However, there were components of which the differences were not prominent concerning the three positional groups. Where a specific positional profile of anthropometric, physical and motor requirements for 15 to 17 year old female netball players was composed from available data of players in the North–West Province, Tlokwe region, the results of the anthropometric requirements indicated that body length showed a large significant difference between the three positional groups, with defenders being the tallest, followed by goalkeepers, and the centre court players being the shortest. Body mass also showed a medium significant difference between goalkeepers and centre court players as well as between centre court players and defence players. Goalkeepers were heavier than centre court players, and defenders also showed a higher body mass than centre court players. The other two variables, namely percentage fat and percentage muscle mass, only showed small practically significant differences, in this group of netball players, between the test sessions. With the physical and motor requirements, results indicated that large practically significant differences occurred in vertical jumping, 5 m speed, 10 m speed and agility between the groups. The general trend observed in the profiles was that the largest significant differences occurred between goalkeepers and defence players on the one hand and centre court players on the other. Vertical jump and speed showed a large significant difference between goalkeepers and centre court players as well as between centre court players and defenders, although the goalkeepers and defenders’ results corresponded considerably. Other large significant differences occurred in the 10 m speed as well as in 505–agility to the left between centre court players and defenders. In summary it can be mentioned that the most and the largest significant differences occurred between goalkeepers and centre court players as well as between defenders and centre court players. Only one medium significant difference occurred between the goalkeepers and defenders, which is ankle dorsiflexion and which can be ascribed to injuries. From this it can be inferred that a positional profile can indeed be compiled for the different positional groups in netball, but that the requirements of positional variables between goalkeepers and defenders correspond largely and that the large difference between the last–mentioned two groups occur when compared with those of the centre court players of this specific group. The results of the group of twenty–two players that were evaluated twice during the course of both netball seasons indicate that the variable that showed a large significant difference between T1 and T2, following the sport specific periodization program, was body mass (inverted difference). Although there was no large significant difference, it can clearly be deduced from the graphs presented in the study that a visible difference (improvement) was observed in most of the variables. The variables that showed a large practically significant difference with the training of the coach’s general programme, were ankle dorsiflexion on the left, abdominal power and 5 m speed (inverted effect). A number of variables indeed existed that also showed medium and small significant differences during the course of both seasons, but it will not be mentioned here. A number of shortcomings and recommendations did indeed come to the fore during and after the course of the study. It should, however, be borne in mind that such a structured periodization programme is very important for the development of netball potential. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Human Movement Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

In the light of the facts given in literature it is evident that players in the game of netball need to meet specific anthropometric (body length, body mass, percentage body fat and percentage muscle mass), physical (pliancy, abdominal power, aerobic endurance and anaerobic endurance) and motor (speed over 5 m and 10 m, agility and explosive power) requirements. This consequently necessitates specific attention to be given to the mentioned requirements. In spite of the fact that a few studies do exist that enter into the requirements of the profile of netball players in different positions, as well as into what the effect of a periodization programme is on anthropometric, physical and motor requirements, voids do exist regarding the positional profile of 15 to 17 year old netball players and as to what the effect is of a sport specific periodization programme in the course of a season on 15 to 17 year old netball players. In the light of the above–mentioned, this study was undertaken with the aim to: 1) Determine the requirements for 15 to 17 year old netball players; 2) Compile positional profile scales of netball specific requirement for 15 to 17 year old players in the Tlokwe region; 3) Establish the effect of a sport specific periodization programme on anthropometric, physical and motor requirements for 15 to 17 year old female netball players, of a specific school in the Tlokwe region, in the course of a season. 96 players (28 goalkeepers, 44 centre court players and 24 defenders) between ages 15 and 17 years from two high schools in the North–West Province were used in the study to determine positional differences. A group of only 22 player of one school was exposed to a sport specific periodization programme for purposes of the study, since the coach and players from only one school’s teams were prepared to participate in the sport scientific intervention programme for the full duration of the netball season. The afore–mentioned group was evaluated over a period of two years, namely prior to the start of the season (T1), after conclusion of the season once the sport specific periodization programme was completed (T2), prior to the start of the season in the subsequent year (T3) and after conclusion of the season without the sport specific being followed. The data is processed on the basis of descriptive statistics. Furthermore, the practical significance of test result changes between the respective groups and different test sessions were compared using Cohen’s effect size. Literature was consulted to determine whether specific requirements exist for netball players and whether differences occur in the three positional groups. However, no literature could be traced in which only netball specific requirements for 15 to 17 year old players were focused on. The literature did indeed point out clear anthropometric differences between the three positional groups, namely attacking, centre court and defence players in club and elite netball players. The goalkeeper and defence players are, according to literature, considerably taller and heavier than the centre court players. Literature also indicated that differences do indeed occur regarding physical and motor requirements. Centre court players are significantly faster and more agile than the goalkeeper and defenders. However, there were components of which the differences were not prominent concerning the three positional groups. Where a specific positional profile of anthropometric, physical and motor requirements for 15 to 17 year old female netball players was composed from available data of players in the North–West Province, Tlokwe region, the results of the anthropometric requirements indicated that body length showed a large significant difference between the three positional groups, with defenders being the tallest, followed by goalkeepers, and the centre court players being the shortest. Body mass also showed a medium significant difference between goalkeepers and centre court players as well as between centre court players and defence players. Goalkeepers were heavier than centre court players, and defenders also showed a higher body mass than centre court players. The other two variables, namely percentage fat and percentage muscle mass, only showed small practically significant differences, in this group of netball players, between the test sessions. With the physical and motor requirements, results indicated that large practically significant differences occurred in vertical jumping, 5 m speed, 10 m speed and agility between the groups. The general trend observed in the profiles was that the largest significant differences occurred between goalkeepers and defence players on the one hand and centre court players on the other. Vertical jump and speed showed a large significant difference between goalkeepers and centre court players as well as between centre court players and defenders, although the goalkeepers and defenders’ results corresponded considerably. Other large significant differences occurred in the 10 m speed as well as in 505–agility to the left between centre court players and defenders. In summary it can be mentioned that the most and the largest significant differences occurred between goalkeepers and centre court players as well as between defenders and centre court players. Only one medium significant difference occurred between the goalkeepers and defenders, which is ankle dorsiflexion and which can be ascribed to injuries. From this it can be inferred that a positional profile can indeed be compiled for the different positional groups in netball, but that the requirements of positional variables between goalkeepers and defenders correspond largely and that the large difference between the last–mentioned two groups occur when compared with those of the centre court players of this specific group. The results of the group of twenty–two players that were evaluated twice during the course of both netball seasons indicate that the variable that showed a large significant difference between T1 and T2, following the sport specific periodization program, was body mass (inverted difference). Although there was no large significant difference, it can clearly be deduced from the graphs presented in the study that a visible difference (improvement) was observed in most of the variables. The variables that showed a large practically significant difference with the training of the coach’s general programme, were ankle dorsiflexion on the left, abdominal power and 5 m speed (inverted effect). A number of variables indeed existed that also showed medium and small significant differences during the course of both seasons, but it will not be mentioned here. A number of shortcomings and recommendations did indeed come to the fore during and after the course of the study. It should, however, be borne in mind that such a structured periodization programme is very important for the development of netball potential. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Human Movement Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

The inquiry documented in this thesis is located at the nexus of technological innovation and traditional schooling. As we enter the second decade of a new century, few would argue against the increasingly urgent need to integrate digital literacies with traditional academic knowledge. Yet, despite substantial investments from governments and businesses, the adoption and diffusion of contemporary digital tools in formal schooling remain sluggish. To date, research on technology adoption in schools tends to take a deficit perspective of schools and teachers, with the lack of resources and teacher ‘technophobia’ most commonly cited as barriers to digital uptake. Corresponding interventions that focus on increasing funding and upskilling teachers, however, have made little difference to adoption trends in the last decade. Empirical evidence that explicates the cultural and pedagogical complexities of innovation diffusion within long-established conventions of mainstream schooling, particularly from the standpoint of students, is wanting. To address this knowledge gap, this thesis inquires into how students evaluate and account for the constraints and affordances of contemporary digital tools when they engage with them as part of their conventional schooling. It documents the attempted integration of a student-led Web 2.0 learning initiative, known as the Student Media Centre (SMC), into the schooling practices of a long-established, high-performing independent senior boys’ school in urban Australia. The study employed an ‘explanatory’ two-phase research design (Creswell, 2003) that combined complementary quantitative and qualitative methods to achieve both breadth of measurement and richness of characterisation. In the initial quantitative phase, a self-reported questionnaire was administered to the senior school student population to determine adoption trends and predictors of SMC usage (N=481). Measurement constructs included individual learning dispositions (learning and performance goals, cognitive playfulness and personal innovativeness), as well as social and technological variables (peer support, perceived usefulness and ease of use). Incremental predictive models of SMC usage were conducted using Classification and Regression Tree (CART) modelling: (i) individual-level predictors, (ii) individual and social predictors, and (iii) individual, social and technological predictors. Peer support emerged as the best predictor of SMC usage. Other salient predictors include perceived ease of use and usefulness, cognitive playfulness and learning goals. On the whole, an overwhelming proportion of students reported low usage levels, low perceived usefulness and a lack of peer support for engaging with the digital learning initiative. The small minority of frequent users reported having high levels of peer support and robust learning goal orientations, rather than being predominantly driven by performance goals. These findings indicate that tensions around social validation, digital learning and academic performance pressures influence students’ engagement with the Web 2.0 learning initiative. The qualitative phase that followed provided insights into these tensions by shifting the analytics from individual attitudes and behaviours to shared social and cultural reasoning practices that explain students’ engagement with the innovation. Six indepth focus groups, comprising 60 students with different levels of SMC usage, were conducted, audio-recorded and transcribed. Textual data were analysed using Membership Categorisation Analysis. Students’ accounts converged around a key proposition. The Web 2.0 learning initiative was useful-in-principle but useless-in-practice. While students endorsed the usefulness of the SMC for enhancing multimodal engagement, extending peer-topeer networks and acquiring real-world skills, they also called attention to a number of constraints that obfuscated the realisation of these design affordances in practice. These constraints were cast in terms of three binary formulations of social and cultural imperatives at play within the school: (i) ‘cool/uncool’, (ii) ‘dominant staff/compliant student’, and (iii) ‘digital learning/academic performance’. The first formulation foregrounds the social stigma of the SMC among peers and its resultant lack of positive network benefits. The second relates to students’ perception of the school culture as authoritarian and punitive with adverse effects on the very student agency required to drive the innovation. The third points to academic performance pressures in a crowded curriculum with tight timelines. Taken together, findings from both phases of the study provide the following key insights. First, students endorsed the learning affordances of contemporary digital tools such as the SMC for enhancing their current schooling practices. For the majority of students, however, these learning affordances were overshadowed by the performative demands of schooling, both social and academic. The student participants saw engagement with the SMC in-school as distinct from, even oppositional to, the conventional social and academic performance indicators of schooling, namely (i) being ‘cool’ (or at least ‘not uncool’), (ii) sufficiently ‘compliant’, and (iii) achieving good academic grades. Their reasoned response therefore, was simply to resist engagement with the digital learning innovation. Second, a small minority of students seemed dispositionally inclined to negotiate the learning affordances and performance constraints of digital learning and traditional schooling more effectively than others. These students were able to engage more frequently and meaningfully with the SMC in school. Their ability to adapt and traverse seemingly incommensurate social and institutional identities and norms is theorised as cultural agility – a dispositional construct that comprises personal innovativeness, cognitive playfulness and learning goals orientation. The logic then is ‘both and’ rather than ‘either or’ for these individuals with a capacity to accommodate both learning and performance in school, whether in terms of digital engagement and academic excellence, or successful brokerage across multiple social identities and institutional affiliations within the school. In sum, this study takes us beyond the familiar terrain of deficit discourses that tend to blame institutional conservatism, lack of resourcing and teacher resistance for low uptake of digital technologies in schools. It does so by providing an empirical base for the development of a ‘third way’ of theorising technological and pedagogical innovation in schools, one which is more informed by students as critical stakeholders and thus more relevant to the lived culture within the school, and its complex relationship to students’ lives outside of school. It is in this relationship that we find an explanation for how these individuals can, at the one time, be digital kids and analogue students.

This study sought to establish the business strategies employed by Mobile Company X Zimbabwe (MCXZ) for it to survive the challenging economy. A qualitative research and a case-based approach involving MCXZ were used. Semi-structured interviews and secondary data were used to produce qualitative data and for triangulation of findings. Data was analysed and managed through qualitative coding and Atlas.ti program. The findings of the study showed that MCXZ employed growth business strategies through market penetration, product development, market development and strategic alliances. In addition, the study found that banking crisis, high competition, rapid technological changes, consumer preferences, shrinking markets and unfavourable government policies are the main threats in the challenging economy. However, MCXZ managed to survive and grow due to the integration of business strategies and the key success factors (KSF) in the industry. The KSF are organisational agility, research and development, quality and affordable mobile phones and effective after sales service and accessories. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)