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The world faces a catastrophic Coronavirus (COVID-19) disease, where almost all countries have reported positive cases with a global number of more than 262 million cases and the death toll of nearly 5 million people (Johns Hopkins University, 30 November 2021). This pandemic affects not only the health sector but also other sectors, particularly the economic and cultural sectors. East African Community (EAC) and Indonesia are among the countries affected by COVID-19. The objectives of this study are to discuss the strategy employed by the EAC and the Indonesian Governments in dealing with the COVID-19 outbreak, the needs to be done to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and the mitigation measures to minimise the adverse outcomes of this COVID-19 disaster in their particular communities. The study’s academic survey and data were obtained from scientific literature (Ministry of Health from EAC and Indonesia), World Health Organization (WHO), mass media reports and research institutions. The results of the study show that the strategies used by East Africa Community and Indonesia to manage and mitigate the negative impacts of COVID-19 in their areas have been successful. The number of COVID-19 infections and deaths in 2021 decreased compared to 2020, and the number of recovered people is increasing. The author advises the governments of all countries to continue to educate the society on preventive and mitigation measures for the COVID-19 outbreak, ensuring that the steps for handling the spread of this pandemic are widely known by the public, and encouraging the public to take preventative measures in facing the COVID-19 outbreak.

The purpose of the paper is to test and analyze the equilibrium economic relationships of the East Africa Community (EAC).

To attain the study's purpose the authors applied the Johansen cointegration test, including long-run structural modeling (LRSM), vector-error-correlation-model (VECM) and variance-decomposition (VDC).

At I(1), both Philips‐Peron (PP) and Kwiatkowski–Phillips–Schmidt–Shin (KPSS) tests show that the East Africa member states' economies are cointegrated. The result was further substantiated by the tests based on Johansen cointegration and VECM procedures, showing significant long-run and short-run economic relations. The result further reveals that despite some uncommon issues among member states such as Tanzania and Kenya, however, their economic relationships remain significant though it is negative. Moreover, the finding revealed positive and significant short-run economic relationships between Kenya, Burundi and Rwanda.

The paper applies the cointegration techniques in the context of EAC. The result is likely to be adding value to the policymaker and also to the existing literature on the subject. This may trigger policy implications and open new research direction within the region and out.

The study aims to explore the validity of the modern renewable energy-environmental Kuznets curve (REKC) while considering the relevance of financial development in the consumption of modern renewable energy in East Africa Community (EAC). Modern renewable energy in this study includes all other forms of renewable energy except traditional use of biomass. The authors controlled for the effects of urbanization, governance, foreign direct investment (FDI) and trade openness.

Panel data of the five EAC countries of Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda for the period 1996–2019 were used. The analysis relied on the use of the autoregressive distributed lag–pooled mean group (ARDL-PMG) model, and the data were sourced from the World Development Indicators (WDI), World Governance Indicators (WGI) and International Energy Agency (IEA).

The REKC hypothesis is supported for modern renewable energy consumption in the EAC region. Financial development positively and significantly affects modern renewable energy consumption, whereas urbanization, FDI and trade openness reduce modern renewable energy consumption. Governance is insignificant.

The concept of the REKC, although explored in other contexts such as aggregate renewable energy and in other regions, has not been used to explain the consumption of modern renewable energy in the EAC.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the moderating effect of board gender diversity on the relationship between sustainability reporting (SR) and earnings management (EM) in the East Africa Community (EAC).

The study analyzed a sample of 71 publicly traded companies from 2011 to 2021.

The study finds that both SR and board gender diversity have a negative and significant effect on EM and that board gender diversity moderates the relationship between SR and EM.

The findings suggest that boards should support the adoption of SR and increase female representation as a practical way to reduce EM. Policymakers should also implement appropriate measures, such as imposing mandatory SR and gender quotas on corporate boards, to address EM.

This research adds to the limited knowledge of SR and EM in the EAC and also fills a gap in the existing literature by investigating the influence of board gender diversity on the link between SR and EM.

With the world gradually evolving into a global economy, Africa is playing an increasing role both as a major supplier of commodities and a huge consumer market for products from other parts of the world. Hence, it has become necessary for organisations to understand logistics and supply chain management (SCM) practices in Africa. For organisations that operate in Africa or have business dealings in Africa, it has become a strategic competitive priority to understand the current state of logistics in Africa and identify the challenges and opportunities inherent in the system. Finally, it is essential to learn how to overcome the challenges and maximise the opportunities. This chapter provides a historical and contextual basis for some of the logistics and SCM practices in sub-Saharan Africa. It reviews the current state of logistics management in Africa and identifies the challenges and opportunities that confront anyone interested in doing business in Africa. We reviewed the indigenous management practices that pervade the logistics discipline and highlighted cultural, unique and anecdotal evidence of practices and characteristics peculiar to the African countries. In addition, a comparative analysis of the logistic performance of countries in the region was provided to help readers situate the discussion. We concluded the discussion with some practical suggestions on how to get the best out of the African logistics system.

The purpose of this paper is to outline the S&T and innovation policy challenges that Rwanda is experiencing in building a knowledge-based economy and draw some more general lessons for African countries.

The approach is based on methodological framework of country reviews used by international organizations in the field of science, technology and innovation policies.

The paper presents government policies that have been decisive for the good performance of the country in rebuilding its economy and society since the genocide (1994). It highlights the policy measures that have been taken in the fields of education, information and communication technologies, industry, science and so on with a view to put the country on a knowledge-driven development process. It pinpoints the need for more proactive policies to stimulate the diffusion of new technologies and innovation throughout the economy and the different sectors, including agriculture which employs still 80 percent of the population.

The paper is based on a short field mission (conducted for an international organization) and the collection of published data, in focusing on important messages that should be given to the government, without an in-depth empirical and detailed research.

The paper is a kind of summary of a 80-page report to be published in the course of 2017. It is expected that the analysis will be clear enough to stimulate appropriate action by the Government of Rwanda.

There is no direct social implications, but one may expect that the ideas if adopted by the government will help improving the living conditions in the country.

Such country reviews performed by international organizations are unique. They provide key insights on the innovation climate and policy of the nation that is studied, while they offer useful perspectives for countries at similar level of development.

Garment making by the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) has existed for a long enough time to make the sewing culture a mainstream phenomenon today. It is thus essential to evaluate existing producers, the required information and the key requirements for production. This should consequently forge the way forward. Hence, the purpose of this study was to establish guidelines for the basic requirements as a means of operating garment mass production units in consideration of the unique economic, legal and social environment in Tanzania.

The study deployed a qualitative approach: interview sessions, questionnaires and observation together with the document review approach. A qualitative approach captured in-depth views, ideas and concepts from participants.

The study established the requirements for scaling up SMEs into mass production. The requirements include significant investment, well-planned strategies and an implementable industrialisation plan. The country also requires empowered workforces through the existing institutions, international collaborations with foreign investors, implementable policies, among others to excel in this sector.

The identified information together with all factors is leading towards initiating textile-based industries. Thus, information resources concerning garment production in the Tanzanian context are suitable for both individuals and corporations intending to scale up their production.

This is probably among the first studies in Tanzania which explored the basic requirements for setting mass-production units for textile and apparel industries. The uniqueness relies on the involved participants from multi-perspective domains.

Finance, entrepreneurship, general management.

MBA/Postgraduate.

This case is about Precision Air Services, a small profitable airline in Tanzania, which is in the middle of a changing airline industry. In less than ten years, Mr Michael Ngaleku Shirima, the founder and then holding two-thirds of the shares together with an option to buy the remaining one-third, had seen the airline grow to a major player in the domestic market. His plans to expand to regional routes were still on the drawing board when he received a US$2 million cash offer from Kenya Airways, a much larger airline, for a 49 percent equity stake. At the same time, South African Airways – another heavyweight in the African airline industry, was in the process of acquiring a controlling stake in the state-owned Air Tanzania Corporation. To Mr Shirima, giving up a significant stake in an airline he created from scratch was a dilemma. But if that was to be, he was also interested to see that he is getting the right price for his efforts.

This case can be used to teach elements of merger and acquisition, business valuation, negotiation, strategy (corporate, international, growth), strategic scoping and planning.

Teaching notes.