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1.Introduction
Africa University(AU) is a Private Pan-African United Methodist University situated 17
kilometres from Mutare, the Eastern border city of Zimbabwe. It was established by the United
Methodist Church- the first institution of its kind on the African continent. The University came
about due to the dream of visionaries such as the likes of Bishop Emilio de Carvalho of Angola,
Arthur Kulah of Liberia and many others. Africa University has 28 African Countries represented
on its campus made up of both staff and students. The University was officially opened by the
President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, His Excellency Robert Mugabe on the 21st of January
1992 nearly a year after the ground breaking ceremony in April 1991.
Africa University boasts of 6 Faculties, namely The Faculty of Theology(FOT)(which was the
first faculty to be established), The Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources(FANR), The
Faculty of Education(FOE), The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences(FHSS), The Faculty
of Health Sciences(FHS), The Faculty of Management and Administration(FMA) and one
Institute of Peace, Leadership and Governance(IPLG).
The Faculty of Management and Administration was the 3rd faculty to be established after The
Faculty of Theology and The Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources. It commenced with a
two-year fulltime Masters in Business Administration (MBA) program in 1996. Undergraduate
programmes were established in 1998 with majors in Accounting, Economics, and
Management/Marketing with Computer Information systems being introduced in 2005. In 2011
Computer Science also joined the list of existing majors in the Faculty.

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As part of the curriculum in the degree undergraduate programmes offered, there is emphasis on
Industrial Attachment for the student. This is meant to give the student hands on experience on
what he/she has learnt theoretically and applying it to the working environment. It enriches the
degree programmes offered in the faculty as the student gains experience and exposure on the
behaviours and practices of organisations.

It is also important to acquire feedback from

commerce and industry on the quality of the FMA degree programs at AU.

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2.Company Background and History

Wellrich was founded as a Retailing Company in 2009 with one branch in Mutare, Zimbabwe.
The company trades under a franchise name called Wasara wasara. Wasara wasara is a name that
was founded by Mohamed Amin Turk in 1971. By then Wasara Wasara shops was known of
selling goods of cheaper value targeting the low income earners especially customers from rural
areas and farms.
In 2009 February Wellrich Investments had a staff compliment of 5 people including its 2
founding directors, Robert Masawi and Faith Masawi. Robert Masawi used to be employed by
Wasara Wasara as Operations Manager. He then left the company in January 2009 with the
blessings of Turk Family and he was given the right to use the name Wasara Wasara as part of the
exit package.
The retailing company grew in size and status through 5 years and opened other 6 outlets
countrywide, during which it became one of the largest importers in the country. During that
period, the company took advantage of the Look East Policy which was introduced by the
government and began to import from Asian countries like China and Taiwan and also from
regional countries like Malawi, Zambia and South Africa.
After Wellrich has been established, it continued with the same culture of targeting low income
earners. Today, the Wellrich family has since scaled down its operations and adopted cost cutting
measures in order to counter the economic meltdown which is currently prevailing in Zimbabwe.
As a result the company reduced its branches to two outlets employing only 13 people from 36.
Each year the company also takes a number of students on attachment basis.

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2.1 MISSION STATEMENT

We stretch your dollar further.

2.2 CORE BUSINESS

Offering quality products by targeting low income earners in retail business.

2.3 Vision Statement

Offering quality and affordable products to our clients
2.4 Value Statements
Wasara Wasara is a market-focused, organization that delivers innovative solutions to our
customers, consistently outperforms our peers in pricing policy, and to be profitable in the
process

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3.Organizational Structure

Fig. 1 Wellrich Investments Organogram

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This structure shows the way that an organization arranges people and jobs so that its work can
be performed and its goals can be met. As the store grows and the retail business evolves, the
dynamics of the organization's structure will change too. An organizational structure defines the
scope of acceptable behaviour within an organization, its lines of authority and accountability,
and to some extent the organization's relationship with its external environment. More
specifically, it shows the pattern or arrangement of jobs and groups of jobs within an
organization and yet it is more than an organizational chart. Therefore it is paramount to redesign
the store's organizational chart to support the decision-making, collaboration and leadership
capabilities that are essential during and after a growth period.
Executive
The executive consists of Robert Masawi as the Chief executive officer . The president or chief
executive officer serves as the head of the entire company structure. All employees report to him
directly.The CEO is responsible for implementing policies and strategy, as well as helping to
formulate them.
The CEO is also responsible for the day to day operations through key managers as well as for
board duties. Motivating stuff is also his duty by providing intangible incentives beyond bonus
and pay. He is responsible for installing appropriate systems to ensure the smooth running of the
business
Operations
All employees are part of operations. They all report to Robert Masawi. Operations can refer to a
wide range of responsibilities within a retail company structure, such as store operations,
warehousing and shipping, security, logistics and facility maintenance. These functions are
responsible for the physical aspects of a retail store operation.

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Finance/ Accounting
This department is led by Mr Tongoona.He is responsible for all the financial aspects of the
business. In an organisation the accountant has a number of things to do. One of the major things
they do is to evaluate the records drawn up by the book keepers. This is done to see where the
business is spending and saving, progressing or failing. They are financial transaction recorders
of all areas of the business. It is not a very big business so all financial queries are dealt by him
with the approval of Robert Masawi. Accountants also use cost accounting to show actual cost
over periods of time of particular services or departments. This is done to look for improvements,
profitable areas as well as for finding areas that are not efficient and are loss making. This
department is the accounting and bookkeeping arm of the store. It is responsible for all financial
issues. This may include numerous employees, located in the retail stores and within the
corporate structure. Although employees are responsible for daily accounting and record
keeping, he has the mandate of reconciling such information. This information is combined to
create an overall picture of the retail store company's financial health.
Sales/Marketing
This department is led by Albert Masawi. All issues concerning sales and marketing are done by
him. It is because of this position that he has become more of a manager so he holds the two
positions. All employees report to him but complex issues are reported and dealt with the CEO. It
is the duty of the marketing department to establish a marketing strategy; its necessary to get
closer to the clients and listen in order to find out what their needs are. Its a marketing
department task, to plan the necessary means for receiving customer feedback
General hand
These are the people who makes sure that the shop is well cleaned and everything is in order.
They report to Albert Masawi.

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3.BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
3.1 MACRO BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
In 2013, Zimbabwe still faced a number of difficult economic problems, including infrastructure
and regulatory deficiencies, ongoing indigenization pressure, a large external debt burden, lack
of funding, corruption, excessive or poorly functioning government bureaucracy, inadequate
infrastructure and insufficient formal employment.
http://www.indexmundi.com/zimbabwe/economy_profile.html. 2013 saw the decline of the
South African Rand to the US Dollar which would normally translate to savings being made by
businesses that import from South Africa as dollars now could buy more Rand. This negatively
affected a few multinational clients who are based in South Africa as budgets had to be remade to
tally with the expenditure with the US Dollar on the Zimbabwean side. In addition to all this, the
country has been facing a continuous liquidity crisis since the advent of dollarization in 2009.
This has led to a number of current clients downsizing or closing down and as a result reducing
the amount of business between them and the agency.
Many economic factors affect retail sales, and they can do so at any point in time. The nature of
business is that many are unsuccessful, sometimes through no fault of their own. The economy
creates certain situations that are not easily remedied, and therefore retail sales may plummet. If
a major retail chain locates in your area, the economy will boom with new jobs, and retail sales
will swell. These swells can be short-term or long-term, depending on the financial proclivities
of a certain community. The economy fluctuates so frequently that it is hard for businesses to
determine their retail sales projections for coming fiscal years. As the economy goes up and
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down, retail sales are affected in a similar fashion. The big retail chains tend to monopolize the
market, and this has a lasting impression upon smaller stores. The larger retail chains offer
products at reduced rates, which is an economic factor that greatly contributes to impacting upon
retail sales from other outlets.
Technology, according to the Zimbabwe Association of Accredited Practitioners in Advertising
(ZAAPA), technology has prompted a tremendous change in the Advertising industry. This has
been due to an increased use and easy accessibility of Digital advertising tools thereby
downplaying conventional means of advertising such as press, radio, billboards and radio. Many
companies such as telecommunication companies and publications advertise use bulk messages
via Short Message Services(SMS) and many others use Whatsapp, Facebook and even Twitter
links to promote their products and to also build customer relations. Technology in Zimbabwe is
now easily accessible as gadgets that allow a consumer to access internet services such as smart
phones, laptops and tablets have become affordable to the ordinary Zimbabwean which explains
the popularity with companies that want to reach out to their target markets. Even internet
connection has become quite affordable with various internet service providers offering their
services at competitive prices due to the increasing number of players in that industry. As such
advertising on such platforms has become cheaper as compared to conventional means. It is
beginning to be a major player in the retail sales industry. The current trend of shopping online
has driven the local retail stores into a crisis. Online shopping is a more viable option for many
companies because they can eliminate some middle men, rid themselves of marketing
campaigns, and deliver a product in a manner that many people appreciate due to their hectic
lives. Most retail outlets offer added discount coupons and promotional codes on their products,
driving sales through the roof.
The trends are shifting, and technology is starting to wreak havoc on the retail sector. As this
shift continues to gain momentum, many retail stores will be adversely affected, ostensibly

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shutting many doors. This will drive the unemployment rate up, which will, in turn, affect the
retail sales sector. Everything in business tends to be cyclical, and the impact felt in certain areas,
such as retail, will be detrimental.
Population growth needs to be considered when determining factors that affect retail sales. If the
growth of the population continues to rise, it will depend on which demographics are largest. For
example, many of the baby boomers are not in a financial situation to be freely spending at the
retail outlets. Many baby boomers are older, and are entering the retirement portion of their
lives.The number of dependent people, which is those under the age of 14 and over the age of 65
is currently very high. The people in the middle years have to take care of these people, which
leaves them with less discretionary income for themselves. This creates another demographic
shift in purchasing power. All of this boils down to a negative effect on retail sales.
Depending on the community, an economic boost could occur if the community hosts major
events that draw tourists into the area. The Olympics, World Series, concerts, or a festival of
some sort can bring many additional dollars into the area, and that money will all filter its way
down to the retail sector.The money generated by these sorts of events tends to sustain many
businesses during some lean months of the year. The retail sales industry thrives on tourist
dollars, and when times are tough, the money is just not present as it sometimes is during
economic booms.
There are many economic factors that affect retail sales. In society, economy travels down many
paths, each of which becomes related in some sense. The more money that flows out of the
pockets of the members of a community, the more businesses that it reaches. These sales then
lead to other influxes in the economy of the community, and the cycle continues. When times are
tough, and money needs to be stretched out, many retail stores will suffer as people will spend
their money at discount chains, sacrificing quality for quantity. These stores will be affected
adversely, and if they go under, then retail sales at other locations will flourish. There is a lot of
money to go around, but sometimes it travels in limited circles.
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In the tumultuous world of sales, economic factors play a vital role in the livelihood of retail
employees. Retail sales is a tough enough racket to survive in, but when there are economic
factors at play, the situation becomes critical. The economy plays such a key role in the retail
sales sector that it is hard to keep afloat. The economy can either boost your sales or send you
plummeting towards bankruptcy. When the economy is thriving, there is lots of money to go
around. People begin to spend frivolously, and much to the benefit of sales people, most notably
those raking in commission. The economy has to be going well, though, for sales to peak. When
there seems to be an economic lull, like a recession, the moment that forecasts predict the end,
people flock to the stores to make up for lost time. This is a time when retail sales fluctuate
wildly.
Today's society is filled with dual income households, and, as such, there is the perception that
money is endless. This is great for those in retail sales. The average person is starting to rack up
some serious credit card debt, something that was relatively unheard of a few scant decades ago.
As a result, the retail stores lap up the customers, and pad their own pocketbooks. However,
these trends often come in fits and spurts, and it is hard to manage when you do not know
whether your next paycheck will be adequate or insufficient. This is the enigma that is the retail
sales job.
When the economy is struggling, there are no new housing developments being erected, which
does not bring in new money to be spent in the retail sales sector. Many people also exit certain
regions due to poor economic growth, limited employment opportunities, or poor housing
options. As these factors all inter-mingle with one another, each plays its own key role in
impacting retail sales.
If the unemployment rates begin to rise, people suddenly put on the brakes with regards to their
spending, an economic factor that drastically affects retail sales. When the average person hears
about a downturn on the stock market, they reluctantly close up their wallets tighter than a snare
drum. Most people panic when mention of the economy arises. This is based out of ignorance.
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Sometimes, when the market is down, retailers and other businesses will attempt to lure the
consumer out of hiding with large sales, and gimmicks. The auto industry is infamous for this
tactic, when they come out with their employee pricing events, or zero percent auto financing.
This is a time when economic factors affect retail sales, but in a paradoxical manner. The sight of
the dollar rising and falling against its counterparts also sends the retail sales jobs spiralling into
a descent. If the dollar closes at a certain level, all is fine and dandy with the general population,
but if there is a spike or a sharp decline, there is also a great effect on retail sales. If the evening
news or the local newspaper report a pending spike in the economy, people will begin to dole out
their savings readily once again.
Capitalism keeps the retail sales jobs in relatively high demand. People want to feel prosperous,
and they equate goods and services accumulation as being successful. After people receive their
refunds from the government during tax season, they invariably go out and splurge as opposed to
saving. Society today is not living for tomorrow, or saving for a rainy day. And big business is
well aware of this trend.
The clever marketing ploys of the business world thrive on the average person. The retail stores
spend large quantities of money figuring out exactly how to take the money straight out of the
general public's pocket. The better that they are at figuring this out quickly, the more affect it will
have on the retail sales portion of a given social climate. Retail is affecting regularly, either
positively or negatively, but in the end, most retail businesses make out pretty well. The rich get
richer, and the poor get poorer. This is the way of our society.

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3.2 INDUSTRIAL ENVIRONMENT

An organization's internal environment is composed of the elements within the organization,
including current employees, management, and especially corporate culture, which defines
employee behaviour. Although some elements affect the organization as a whole, others affect
only the manager. A manager's philosophical or leadership style directly impacts employees.
Traditional managers give explicit instructions to employees, while progressive managers
empower employees to make many of their own decisions. Changes in philosophy and/or
leadership style are under the control of the manager. The following sections describe some of
the elements that make up the internal environment. An organization's mission statement
describes what the organization stands for and why it exists. It explains the overall purpose of the
organization and includes the attributes that distinguish it from other organizations of its type.
A mission statement should be more than words on a piece of paper; it should reveal a company's
philosophy, as well as its purpose. This declaration should be a living, breathing document that
provides information and inspiration for the members of the organization. A mission statement
should answer the questions, What are our values? and What do we stand for? This
statement provides focus for an organization by rallying its members to work together to achieve
its common goals. But not all mission statements are effective in businesses. Effective mission
statements lead to effective efforts. In today's qualityconscious and highly competitive
environments, an effective mission statement's purpose is centered on serving the needs of
customers. A good mission statement is precise in identifying the following intents of a
company:

Customers who will be served

Products/services what will be produced
Location where the products/services will be produced
Philosophy what ideology will be followed

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Company policies are guidelines that govern how certain organizational situations are addressed.
Just as colleges maintain policies about admittance, grade appeals, prerequisites, and waivers,
companies establish policies to provide guidance to managers who must make decisions about
circumstances that occur frequently within their organization. Company policies are an
indication of an organization's personality and should coincide with its mission statement.
The task environment consists of specific dimensions of the organization's surroundings that are
very likely to influence the organization. It also consists of five elements: competitors,
customers, suppliers, regulators, and strategic partners. Because these dimensions are associated
with specific organizations in the environment, their effects are likely to be more direct and
immediate. The internal environment consists of the organization's owners, board of directors,
employees, physical environment, and culture. Owners are those who have property rights claims
on the organization. The board of directors, elected by stockholders, is responsible for overseeing
a firm's top managers. Individual employees and the labor unions they sometimes join are other
important parts of the internal environment. The physical environment, yet another part of the
internal environment, varies greatly across organizations.
Organizations and their environments affect each other in several ways. Environmental
influences on the organization can occur through uncertainty, competitive forces, and turbulence.
Organizations, in turn, use information management; strategic response; mergers, acquisitions,
and alliances; organization design and flexibility; direct influence; and social responsibility to
adapt to their task environments.
One important indicator of how well an organization deals with its environment is its level of
effectiveness. Organizational effectiveness requires that the organization do a good job of
procuring resources, managing them properly, achieving its goals, and satisfying its
constituencies. Because of the complexities associated with meeting these requirements,
however, experts may disagree as to the effectiveness of any given organization at any given
point in time.

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4.0 ATTACHMENT EXPERIENCE

Marketing
The author was privledged enough to be able to work for such a reputable organization in 2014.
During his tenure at Wasara wasara, he was posted to two departments, namely Sales and
Marketing and Operations department respectively. These were the two departments that allowed
the student to gain the most exposure and information that tied up with the degree that he is
studying towards, namely a Bachelor of Business Studies in Marketing. He served in both
departments for 11 months each.
Sales and Marketing Department
The first department that the author was working in was the Advertising section under Sales
Department. The first thing that one is taught there as induction is being able to identify the
different sizes of advertisements in the newspaper. This information was imparted by the
Archiving clerk. It is necessary for an inductee of the advertising section to go through this
training on the onset as it is one of the most basic elements that plays an crucial role in this
department. Advert sizes are measured according to columns (these vary depending on the
publications, the bigger papers eg Herald having 10 columns and the smaller ones having 7). The
length is determined by the actual length of the newspaper in centimetres.(for the big papers such
as the Herald, these are 54cm, the smaller ones such as the Newsday 40cm and the even smaller
ones such as the H-Metro, 37 centimetres). A full page advert in the Herald would therefore be
referred to as a 54cm by 10 columns and an A4 advert in any paper would therefor be referred
to as a 27cm by 5 columns.(this was before the respective Zimpapers changed their sizes which
was in Novemeber 2014)
Once the measuring was done, the next task learnt was making a booking. A booking was done
when a document called a Media Buying form filled in by the Account Executive was signed off
by the author. This Media buying instruction indicated the client, the media to be used, the
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caption of the advert, the key number(which is a unique number that identifies the advert), who
to chase when the advert was required(artist/designer) and the date it is to be inserted. Once the
author had signed this booking, he further went on to make the booking(in most cases press
adverts) by opening a template called a Copy Instruction(CI) which was then filled in as per
Media Buying. This would then be emailed to Publication and four copies printed out and
distributed as follows: 1 copy to Publication, 1 copy to the Accounts Department, 1 copy for
Archiving and 1 copy for Media Filing. In addition to the hard copy and email being sent to the
Publication and/or Radio/Tv Station, the author had to call to ensure that the booking was
received in good order. After a booking has been made an advert analysis form is made by the
archiving clerk which ensures that the booking is put on the schedule for the adverts for the
following day. Material is then chased with the Account Executive and upon approval from the
client, is saved by the designer and dispatched by the author. On the day that the advert is
scheduled to appear, the author had to check the publication(in the case of a press advert) to
ensure that it appeared on the correct page and that the quality of the print is good enough to
send as tearsheets to the client
Also this department taught the student coding and pricing of products. Products are given
special codes for easy identification and for stock taking. Pricing is all about giving value to
products.
Purchasing and stores
Procuring Materials
The procurement function has to work with colleagues and suppliers to avoid
to eradicate unnecessary costs These could result in over-specification;
purchasing of a non-standard item when an alternative standard is
acceptable; unnecessary packaging; and where significant transport costs
are involved, the design of the product in terms of transport utility.One role
of the purchasing department is to procure all necessary materials needed
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for

production

or

daily

operation

of

the

company

or

government

organization. In a retail environment, the purchasing

department makes sure there is always sufficient product on the shelves or

in the warehouses to keep the customers happy and keep the store wellstocked. With a small business, it is especially important to keep inventory
ordering at a reasonable level; investing large amounts of capital in excess
stock could result in storage problems and in a shortage of capital for other
expenditures such as advertising or research and development. Purchasing
also oversees all of the vendors that supply a company with the items it
needs to operate properly.
Procuring or ordering the right quantity
Part of the function of stock planning and control is to calculate what quantities are
needed and when they are needed to meet requirements for stock or production.
The right quantity to order is not always the quantity requested
Stock control could be defined as the policies and procedures which systematically
determine and regulate which things are kept in stock which establish requirements for
parts and materials to support production
Price formulation
All prices must cover costs and profits
The most effective way of to lower prices is to lower costs

Review prices frequently to assure that they reflect dynamics of cost, market
demand, response to the competition and profit objectives.

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Prices must be established to assure sales. Wasara wasara its brand is known for low pricing
policy.The purchasing department also is charged with continuously evaluating whether it is
receiving these materials at the best possible price in order to maximize profitability. This can be
challenging for a small business that may purchase in lesser quantities than a larger vendor and
which thus may not receive the same type of bulk discounts. The purchasing department needs
to shop around to find the best vendors at the most reasonable prices for the company's particular
size orders. Purchasing department staff communicate with alternate vendors, negotiate better

pricing for bulk orders or investigate the possibility of procuring cheaper materials from
alternative sources as part of their daily activities.
Evaluating suppliers

The student also learnt on how to select a reliable supplier. The most important
purchasing decisions are concerned with selecting the right sources of supply

Choosing the right source will ensure that the firm would receive the right goods, in the
right condition in the right quantity at the right time and at the right price

Sourcing requires supply market research for effectiveness

Sources of supply can be obtained informally by talking to sales representatives, visit

exhibitions, read trade journals and investigate the market before placing an order.

Supply market research identifies the set of actual and potential sources which constitute
a supply market, investigate their capabilities, examines market trends and long term
supply prospects and gathers market intelligence.

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4.1 EXTENT OF THEORY APPLICATION IN WORK ENVIRONMENT

The Faculty of Management and Administration offers several courses in which one is able to
apply when they get attached at a workplace. Although most courses are relevant, some are not
and are applicable to specific departments provided the student has some experience in that
department. Nevertheless, the author was fortunate enough to have gone through the following
courses which ultimately helped him during his period of attachment at Wasara wasara.
Purchasing and Materials Management
This was mainly applied when one had to outsource goods and services on behalf of the client
and has to make use of the 5 Rs as learnt during the course. These are The Right place
(supplier), the Right Price, The Right Time (lead time), The Right Quantity and the Right
Quality. The author had to ensure that when he made orders, they were made to the Right
Supplier(one who will be on the accredited Supplier list who has a good track record. He also
had to ensure that the pricing was not too high so as to hinder an adequate mark-up to be
calculated. The pricing should also not be too low so as to question the quality of the goods being
supplied. He also had to ensure that when he placed the order, the lead time indicated by the
supplier would be adhered to and a follow up had to be made. The author also had to advise
client on the quantity of goods that would be sufficient for their particular use without incurring
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costs from shortages or ordering an unnecessary surplus of goods. One of the most important
aspects that the author had to deal with was the quality of the products that he received. He had
to ensure that upon receipt, the products were in the right condition and would not get to client
disintegrated or dismembered.
Business Finance
This subject was applied by the author through various means. Firstly, when he was in the
advertising section, he had to prepare the costings for adverts taking into consideration the
budget allocated. In addition to this, the author had to ensure that the suppliers produce Value
added tax clearance certificate, if not, he had to make sure he has to instruct the creditors

department to withhold the tax (10%).This course also help the student to stick to the company
policy in terms of pricing by putting mark up within the reasonable range.
Business Law
During the year, Business law was applicable in instances where the author had to read through
outdoor companys contracts to ensure that there were no clauses that would be detrimental to
the retail company. In instances where there were new Clients, there was a need to draft a nondisclosure agreement (yet another contract) that ensured that whatever ideas or information
pertaining to the client were not to be disclosed. The author assisted in the drafting of that
document when the need arose.
Sales and Marketing
During the attachment, the student was able to make decisions on which products to distribute to
branches like Murambinda due to the understanding of marketing segmentation strategy.Market
segmentation is dividing a market into distinct groups of buyers with different needs,
characteristics, or behavior who might require separate products or marketing mixes (Kotler,
2003). It is the process of defining and subdividing a large heterogeneous market into clearly
identifiable segments having similar needs, wants, or demand characteristics. This strategy
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enabled the student to target different categories of consumers who perceive the full value of
certain products differently from one another. It was noted that some of the products were doing
well in Mutare outlet at the same time performing badly in Murambinda outlet because of
different factors.
Advertising and Promotion
The Promotions aspect was dwelled onto the most as defined in the definition- A promotion is
any activity that offers incentives for a limited period to induce a desired response from those
targeted. (Kotler) In this regard, the author got the chance to work on various promotions
involving both above and below the line communication. During his stint in the marketing

department, the author initiated some sales promotions to newly introduced products like plastic
ware imported from Malawi. Special offers were introduced to get rid of dead stock.
4.2 NEW SKILLS ACQUIRED
During the author's tenure in Marketing Department he managed to understand the needs and
wants of the consumers. This resulted in increased sales as the author had an understanding of
how to segment different markets targeting the best segment with great potential. The author
learnt how to evaluate market segments thereby targeting the best segment. A target market
consists of a set of buyers who share common wants or characteristics that the company decides
to serve. In Murambinda outlet it was discovered that most of the consumers there are in the
Apostolic sector and they believe in wearing only white material. This then means products like
white poly cotton is the most wanted product in that area.
The author also learnt on how to use the bar code system and how to generate codes for different
products. A barcode is an optical machine-readable representation of data relating to the object
to which it is attached

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5.0 MANAGERIAL PROBLEM IDENTIFIED

Motivation
Many employees in Zimbabwe got affected by the recent supreme ruling ( 17 July 2015) which
indicated that employers can terminate the contracts at anytime providing three months notice
only without a package. This caused some sense of insecurity among employees and some even
lost employment leading to reduced man power. Wellrich employees were not spared of the
economic crisis that affected several companies. The reduced disposable income due to the
liquidity crisis meant that many benefits had to be cut down so as to reduce running costs.
Pension benefits were reduced to half of what there were and lunch allowances (where the
company would cover half of the food cost charged by the caterer) were removed and people had
to cover their own lunch costs. In addition, when the company closed for the Christmas holidays,
the days were to be claimed from individuals leave days. All these issues have led to a reduction
in quality of work produced.
Poor market research

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Lack of proper market research is one of the key problems for new businesses. The use of
outdated competitive strategies which include offering buyers poor quality products at high
prices, or making products of lower quality than competitors.
Lack of Communication
Lack of communication in the workplace can occur on a large scale, such as between
management and employees, as well as on a smaller scale between individual employees. Failure
to communicate effectively often leads to conflict, which can harm an organization. Poor
communication can create conflict in a number of ways

Problem Solving and Decision Making

Much of what managers do is solve problems and make decisions. Decision-making is a key
role of a manager and leader. Some managers find this to be one of the most difficult tasks to
perform. They have a fear of failure, and procrastinate mainly because they have a lack of a
structured approach. One of two things usually happens, they either put off making the decision
in the hopes that someone else will bail them out, or even worse, make a decision using a knee
jerk reaction.
It is best to think of making a decision, as drawing a line between two points. If you cant draw a
straight line between the two points, then that decision should most likely be rejected. When the
line goes off into tangents, there might not be a realistic link between the proposed action and
outcome.
Inefficient Work Practise methods

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In just the period of the authors attachment, Wasara wasara lost a number of potential and
current clients (walk in customers). Reasons for this may have been due to the inability of the
company to train and to efficiently and effectively manage customers. While many customers
have been loyal to the company for close to 5 years, and have been satisfied with the service
offered at the company, a few have expressed their dissatisfaction by simply withdrawing their
business.

5.1 LITERATURE REVIEW

According to Frank Hawkins (1993: 132-133), Motivation is what drives or induces a person to
behave in a particular fashion, it is the internal force which initiates, directs, sustains and
terminates all important activities. It influences the level of performance, the efficiency achieved
and the time spent on an activity.This definition refers to stimuli that trigger the motivational
process. In simpler terms, it includes but is not limited to pushing factors leading to an individual
behaving in a particular manner. This, according to several scholars is ultimately essential so as
to ensure that employees achieve the goals and objectives set by the company.
According to Davidoff (1987) individual performance is generally determined by three factors
namely; Abilitythe capability to do the job; Work environmentthe tools, materials and
information needed to do the job; and Motivationthe desire to do the job. Maslow (1943) and
Alderfer (1972) believe that human beings have needs which must be satisfied if high
performance is to be achieved. These are basic or existence needs such as food, water, shelter,
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clothing; safety needs, love needs, esteem and self-actualization. According to Herzberg (1966),
in order for the employee to perform, the work itself must be interesting; it must also provide
opportunity for extra responsibility, recognition and promotion. Newstron (1993) and Fisher
(2005) however consider money to be the key motivator for employees. Studies have however
shown that money does not necessarily improve performance (Whitley, 2002; Afful-Broni,
2004).
Most experts agree that a learning organization whose employees have a clear vision of the
importance of service quality and are motivated to provide that quality will achieve superior
service quality. A theoretical framework was conducted in addition to a cross-sectional empirical
study to investigate the inter-relationships among these constructs. The results indicated that
higher levels of both employees motivation/vision and organizational learning positively affect
perceived service quality. Additionally, employees motivation/vision was found to mediate the

relationship between organizational learning and perceived service quality. These results
highlight the importance of employees motivation/vision in both the service process and the
learning process. (Julie M Hays, Arthur V Hill, A preliminary investigation of the relationships
between employee motivation/vision, service learning, and perceived service quality, Journal of
Operations Management, Volume 19, Issue 3, May 2001).
As noted above for a service company it is vital to ensure that motivation exists for the sake of
service quality. Customer care is important as it enhances the image of the company and leads to
improved turnover. Motivated employees are more productive and less likely to make costly
errors which will in the long run positively affect company profits.
There are a number of ways through which organizations may improve efficiency in the
workplace. The first one, as elaborated above is being staff motivation the needs and concerns
of employees have to be addressed. A workforce only be efficient if they are motivated.
Secondly, training is very important- staff should be aware of the tools available to them through
training flexible time management - management should explore working arrangements that suit
individuals so as to ensure that goals are met in the set periods of time. Non-traditional methods,
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such as Home working allows staff to spend more hours on the job since there is no commuting.
Flexible working hours - with many businesses working globally, it is often an advantage to have
staff covering outside the traditional hours of 09.00 to 17.00. Sabbaticals - for many staff an
unpaid break is a positive option. This way the organization can reduce staff but retain skills for
periods of growth or similarly offer flexible contracts - working from different locations or
different

hours.http://www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/content/improving-working-practices-boost-

efficiency
In addition to this, www.transformed.comcame up with a list of items that may help in improving
workplace efficiency and reduce the problems caused by an inadequate workforce.

These are:
Hiring capable people with multiple skills
Delegating appropriate tasks to staff
Constantly evaluating their work
Giving appropriate feedback
Delegating again
The link between manpower and company projects is fairly simple: Manpower is proportional to
productivity. The more people are available to work, the faster projects can be completed or the
more projects a company can take on. Conversely, a lack of adequate manpower prevents
businesses from completing tasks. The lack of productivity translates into a reduction in revenue
and profit, which in some cases means the business can't stay operational.
When the level of manpower in a company is adequate, the business has more options in how it
operates. It has some flexibility in terms of which employees cover shifts; it is easier to get
people to fill in. The company also has a greater pool of workers with which to construct strong
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teams and is more likely to have employees with the skills, knowledge and abilities to tackle
current company problems. Additionally, the company has more employees who can give their
own ideas and perspectives. It therefore may have an easier time remaining innovative and
competitive.
Good manpower allows companies to keep the production and delivery promises they make. If
companies do this, they can establish and maintain good client relationships. This can lead to
additional sales. At the same time, keeping promises can prevent companies from having to pay
fines

and

penalties,

which

keeps

the

amount

of

profit

higher.http://smallbusiness.chron.com/importance-company-manpower-23763.html

According to March and Simon (1958) were among the first to suggest that an understanding of
the decision-making process could be central to an understanding of the behavior of
organizationsa point of view that was later amplified by Cyert and March (1963) in their
behavioral theory of the firm. In this tradition, the goal is understanding rather than
improvement, and the models are descriptive rather than normative. Whether the models are
normative or descriptive, the common ingredient is a conception of decision making as an
information-processing activity, frequently one which takes place within a single manager. Both
sets of models focus on the set of alternative decisions or problem solutions from which the
choice is, or should be, made. The normative models are based on the consequences of choices
among these alternatives, the descriptive models on the determinants of these choices. In this
article, the authors take a somewhat different, although complementary, view of managerial
decision making.
On the other hand Vroom and Yetton (1973) provided a start to an examination of both normative
and descriptive questions through an examination of one dimension of decision makingthe
extent to which a leader encourages the participation of his subordinates in decision making.
Participation in decision making was a logical place to start since there is substantial evidence of
its importance and of the circumstances surrounding different consequences of it.
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Vroom and Yetton concern themselves primarily with problems or decisions to be made by
managers with a formally defined set of subordinates reporting to them. In each problem or
decision, the manager must have some area of freedom or discretion in determining the solution
adopted, and the solution must affect at least one of the manager's subordinates. Following
Maier, Solem, and Maier (1957), they further make a distinction between group problems and
individual problems. If the solution adopted has potential effects on all immediate subordinates
or some readily identifiable subset of them, it is classified as a group problem. If the solution

affects only one of the subordinates, it is called an individual problem. This distinction is an
important

5.2 METHODOLOGY
During his period of attachment, the author used two methods of collecting data, namely Direct
Observation and Interviews. Direct Observation is the method of collecting data through
recording events, tasks, behaviour and activities while something is happening. In this case, the
author was observing employee interactions with each other regarding motivation. The main
strength of observation is that it provides direct access to the social phenomena under
consideration. Instead of relying on some kind of self-report, such as asking people what they
would do in a certain situation, you actually observe and record their behaviour in that situation
These conversations and observations made by them would encompass the disproportionality of
tasks and the inefficiencies that they noticed in the system. The advantage of this method is that
one is able to obtain information as it is happening. However it is an exercise that has proven to
be time consuming.
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Interviewing is having direct interaction with the target group beginning with a few planned
questions directing discussions to the planned issue to be discussed. The author used an
unstructured interview technique which allowed the respondents to talk about issues that pained
them easier than when the interviewer had attempted structured questions. Approaching
respondents in a casual manner allowed respondents to be more forthcoming and it yielded a
considerable amount of information. However, the author noticed that people are prone to
wanting to be seen in a favourable light therefore are likely to stretch the truth. Another downfall
of this method is that the interviewer is likely to be biased.

5.3 SOLUTIONS
Problem
The following are possible solutions to the problems as per the information attained during the
research:
Motivation Solution
Reduce costs though economic use of resources so as to improve the current
remuneration and benefits structure so that it is fair for all employees and is not seen to
be benefiting a small group.
Team building exercises to create a team spirit in the retail company
Enforce mutual respect so as to promote a non-hostile working environment.
Inefficient Work Practise Methods Solutions
Redefinition of each employees scope of tasks and re-assignment of gaps in the
system.

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Ensuring that employees know the goals that they need to achieve and how they are to be
achieved e.g. a target of monthly sales.
Conducting training sessions specific to duties of each department to ensure everyone is
aware of their role in achieving company goals.

Reduction in Manpower
Increasing the productivity of current employees by reducing non-essential tasks and
allocating additional essential tasks.
Creating a freelance post of a Strategist or Account Planner research the facts needed for
creating advertising, and strategize the best messages and methods to use to reach their
target audience(for new businesses)

5.4 RECOMMENDATIONS
The business has to give employees some assurances that they are not going to be affected much
by the current supreme ruling (employees sucked on 3 months notice). This will motivate them
and enhance their desire to deliver more to the organisation. The business can consider analysing
its internal and external environment. It is necessary as it evaluates its present strategy and
management will be in a position to know whether if it is still competitively stronger. An
organisation does not live in a vacuum, management has to work with others to achieve
organizational goals. Organisational goals and decisions are not made in isolation. All interested
parties should work together to reach a common decision or to solve an existing problems. This
has been the problem with many entrepreneurs ,they believe they make all the decisions at all
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levels, it's important that many people are empowered to solve problems at any given moment.
The spirit of customer being the king should apply at all times.

6. CHALLENGES FACED DURING ATTACHMENT

The author had to make huge adjustments as he was used to executive work only. In this case he
had to adjust and do assignments that are below his level like going to the ground meeting the
customers face to face. Also in terms of time management, there was need of huge adjustment
coming to work in time. At this level some of the employees were not comfortable working with
their superior closely and some would even take advantage of the association for personal gain.
There were several instances where other employees would attempt to take advantage of the
student by pushing menial tasks to him without seeking approval from his immediate supervisor.
This would lead to the author being swamped with work from both his clients and others that
would in most instances both be needed as soon as possible.

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7. SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVING INDUSTRIAL ATTACHMENT

The student has to be taught the dos and donts of the corporate world before attachment.
This is important as it helps in building good rapport with the employer and with other
businesses he/she makes contact with. .The formalities of the corporate world should be
learnt before the attachment. This should be from clothing to how one should present
himself to the business world. It is important to feel the real world before the attachment.
Students therefore have to be equipped with dealing with imposing and strong-minded
individuals in the workplace in a firm, yet polite manner. Students should be equipped
with self confidence and should learn to stand on their good principle and not allowing
anyone to take advantage of their position
Faculty has to emphasize more on the practicability of all subjects rather than theoretical.
This will make it easier for student to know how the real corporate world operates.

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8. CONCLUSION
Attachment is a year where one feels the need to take a break from the normal learning
routing (going to lectures, making presentations and writing tests and exams). Basically it
was indeed a learning experience and it most certainly equips one to be able to tackle the
corporate world after completion of the degree course.
There were a number of instances where the tasks passed on to the student were of an
enjoyable experience as he was able to fully implement the skills he had learnt at school and
from the various articles picked up from the internet and the professional networking site,
LinkedIn. The priority is to gain and maintain a competitive advantage.
With so much constant change, retailers are looking for new trends and strategies to
implement, to ensure an overall customer satisfactory experience. The author realizes that the
retail environment is ever changing. In our fast changing world, almost every minute we are
subjected to change and development. Companies in todays world, have to keep up with
these quick changes. Retail marketing world is a fascinating, people-oriented business based
on service to consumers like all of us. Customers loyalty to the salesperson is significantly
related to store loyalty as well as the important store-level outcomes of share of purchases,
word of mouth and competitive resistance in an upscale retail context . It is to say that we
have been involved in retailing all our life. Retailing companies have some major activities in
their life cycle. These are purchasing goods and services for sale, storing, displaying, pricing,
advertising, selling, financing, and servicing in order to complete the sale with buyers. All
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these activities should be performed carefully and feedback should be taken about them in
order to develop the full marketing process.
In a nutshell, the attachment was a wonderful experience with a lot of learning curves and
experiences. The author hopes he managed to leave a positive impression on the workplace
he was based and that he manages to have more learning experiences in his career.

9. REFERENCES

1.www.africau.edu (last viewed 8/12/14)

2.P.J Smit, GJ de J Cronje, T Brevis ,MJ Vrba..Management Principles Fourth Edition
p54..78,,p142.164
3.http://www.slideshare.net/invincy/motivation-in-workplace (last viewed 16/12/14)
4.odettejohnrobertson.blogspot.com
5..http//www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/decisionmaking.html//ixzz3HXHZ9Gzx
6.smallbusiness.chron.com
7.http//www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/decisionmaking.html//ixzz3HXHZ9Gzx
8.Philip Kotler (1976), Marketing Management, New Jersey, Prentice Hall Inc.

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9.http//www.citeman.com/9890;the

importance

of

information

technology

retail.htmlttixzz3GIC3pf2
10.James A.F.Stoner and R.Edward Freeman. Management Fourth Edition p177..181
10 . APPENDICES
Fig 1. Wellrich Investments Organogram

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