Journal of Business and Management Dynamics (JBMD)

Abstract

To date the Journal of Business and Management Dynamics (JBMD) has had three issues. The journal was initiated in 2008 in the Faculty of Business. Professor Ferreira, the editor at the time, had the momentous task of labouring through the birth of an academic journal, and without doubt did a sterling job. Since its initiation, the journal has become a widely acknowledged output of the Faculty. In earlier issues the focus was on showcasing the research being conducted by academics in the many departments accommodated in the Faculty of Business of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, namely Human Resource Management, Management, Project Management, Retail Business Management, Sport Management, Public Management, Marketing, Accounting, Office Management and Technology, Tourism Management, the Graduate Centre for Management, and a Hotel School. The focus of this issue has been to consolidate our external research links in two ways, firstly by publishing the work of other esteemed academics at different universities, and secondly by using the expertise of other national and international academics to review the articles that are published in this issue. Education continues to be a sector of growth in a global economy in which most sectors are struggling and contracting. This issue adequately reflects the importance of education with two articles on higher education – one focusing on education and globalisation and the other on issues around gender and employment at higher education institutions. The global recession has been driven largely by the demise of international banking and financial giants, started in 2008 by the collapse of Lehman Brothers due to poor lending practices and dependence on insecure financial products. As part of this recessionary trend the South African banking industry has also been experiencing a period of decline, especially with respect to banking services offered to high- and middle-income earners. Interestingly, the other article in this publication looks at issues around lending practices in the South African microfinance industry which provides an alternative to mainstream banking for the poor and unbanked in South Africa’s population. This metamorphosis of the JBMD from an internally focused publication to one focused on forging high quality external research links has been a long and tough but enjoyable journey, and we hope that the readers find the articles stimulating and thought provoking, and agree that the standard is of such quality that the journal can withstand the highest level of scrutiny.

Professor A. Slabbert

Head: Research Department, Faculty of Business, Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT)