The purpose of the study was to propose a framework for Library and Information Science Education and Training (LISET) in The Gambia. The objectives were to establish the current status of LISET in The Gambia; identify the key stakeholders and their responsibilities in the development of LISET; propose a training framework for all levels of LISET; and suggest sustainability initiatives for LISET programmes. The research design was a case study because it deals with a phenomenon called LISET. Data collection and analysis was largely qualitative in nature. The qualitative data was analysed using the Nvivo analytical software and thematically presented in descriptions and narrations. Quantitative data was also analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Software Version 23 and reported in frequency tables, bar and pie charts. The two data sets were therefore triangulated where appropriate because they complemented each other. The findings revealed the current state of LISET in The Gambia, and identified stakeholders in LISET development and their responsibilities. It also identified existing challenges in the development of LISET and informed the suggestion for a sustainable framework for LISET in The Gambia. The findings also suggested critical information that will address challenges in the development of LISET and improve the quality of librarianship in the country. Practical implications are that librarians are very important in supporting education and research. In the face of recent advances in technology and the transitions in the information landscape, improvements to LISET have become imperative. The social implications are that libraries are critical to supporting sustainable development through information provision. The development of a sustainable framework for LISET in The Gambia will accelerate the attainment of development objectives through timely information provision as The Gambia transitions to a knowledge-based economy. The originality or value of the study is that librarian training in The Gambia has been largely informal, and limited investigations have been carried out to explore the development of a framework for LISET. In the context of current advances in the information environment, access to information has become critical and relies on the quality of information service providers and their ability to support information users with relevant information needs and services.

The study sought to conduct a comparative study on opinion polls that were done on the coronavirus pandemic in Kenya. It focused on opinion polls conducted by two pollsters – Trends and Insights for Africa Research, and Infotrak Research and Consulting. The study was guided by the following specific objectives: To compare the key themes TIFA Research and Infotrak Research focused on in their opinion polls on the coronavirus pandemic in Kenya; To describe the communication strategies TIFA Research and Infotrak Research used to conduct opinion polls on the coronavirus pandemic in Kenya and; To explore the key findings of the opinion poll conducted by TIFA Research and Infotrak Research on the coronavirus pandemic in Kenya. The study was grounded in three theories; spiral of silence theory, social representations theory and social cognitive theory. A descriptive survey research design was employed to achieve the objectives of the study. The target population of the study was made up of two market research firms; TIFA Reseach and Infotrak Research and Consulting. Purposive sampling was used to draw up a sample of four respondents, two from each company, and six opinion poll reports – three from each company. An interview guide was used to obtain information from the respondents, while a code sheet was created to analyse the opinion poll reports. The findings revealed that the two pollsters had comparable objectives while conducting opinion polls on coronavirus. The other key finding was that they both put in place similar communication strategies, and the results were largely the same

In the past decade, two commercial banks have been placed under receivership in Kenya: Chase Bank and the Imperial Bank. The Imperial Bank was placed under receivership due to poor banking practices that led to declining financial performance. Five years later, the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) approved KCB bank to acquire Imperial Bank in 2020. The main objective of the study was to determine the effects of mergers and acquisitions on financial performance of Kenyan commercial banks listed in Nairobi Securities Exchange. Gibrat’s theory of growth, financial synergy theory and Modigliani-Miller Theory (M&M Theory) guided the study. The researcher adopted and used a cross-sectional research design for this study. The study population consisted of the six relevant cases for listed commercial banks on NSE that have merged or/and acquired others for the study period. The study focused on all these six cases, three years preceding the merger and three years’ post-merger. The study relied on open-access secondary data derived from published audited financial reports of the selected banks. Other sources were financial statements filled to the Capital Markets Authority, and the Nairobi Securities Exchange as obtained from their online databases. Quantitative data analysis was undertaken. The study concludes based on the data presentations in chapter four and the summary of the findings above that commercial bank financial performance improves with the merger and acquisition. Based on the data presented in Chapter 4 and the summary of the conclusions above, the study indicates that mergers and acquisitions increase commercial banks' financial performance. According to the findings, the firm size of publicly traded commercial banks has grown because of mergers and acquisitions. Based on the facts, it can also be stated that when corporations join forces, they accumulate more assets. The study found that after a merger and acquisition, the net interest margin improved dramatically. Improved operational performance can be the outcome of initiatives such as improving banking personnel's competence and professionalism, as well as increasing management efficiency to boost banking institutions' competitiveness. Mergers and acquisitions result in a larger bank and a pool of experience, both of which are critical factors in a company's success. On organization synergy, the study concluded that the cost-to-income ratio improved by registering a huge reduction after merger and acquisition. The lower cost-to-income ratio is due to increased efficiency and economies of scale within xii commercial banks, both of which are critical to properly managing a bank's financial situation. Financial synergy has also improved resource use and financial resource mobilization within banks, according to the study. Commercial banks with a weak and unstable capital base should strive to integrate their operations through mergers and acquisitions, according to this report. Commercial banks will be able to increase their profitability by expanding their market share and revenue base through mergers and acquisitions.

The financial performance of companies listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) over the last five years has been on a downward trend. External auditors have vital qualities that are important in enhancing financial performance. This research sought to assess the influence of external auditor attributes on the financial performance of listed companies at the NSE. The specific objectives of the study were to assess the influence of external auditor’s professional competence, years of experience, audit approach and independence on financial performance of listed firms in Kenya. The study was based on the agency theory and stakeholder salience theory. The study employed descriptive research design. The 63 companies listed at the NSE were the study population. Data collection was done using two instruments; a questionnaire (for data on external auditor attributes) and a secondary data collection sheet (for data on financial performance). Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression were used to analyze the collected data. Study findings determined that professional competence, audit approach and independence had a significant positive influence on financial performance of firms listed at the NSE. However, experience of the external auditors had no significant influence on financial performance of firms listed at the NSE. The study recommends to ICPAK and ISACA to ensure continued professional development of external auditors. Board of directors should always ensure independence of external auditors, and audit firms should ensure that auditors are regularly rotated according to guidelines and best practices.

There is an increased importance of customer satisfaction in service provision; thus, the study examined the influence of shopping malls servicescape on the satisfaction of shopping mall customers in Westland's, Kenya. The two theories that informed this study was; Stimulus-Organism-Response and Bitner’s Theoretical Framework. It used a purposive sampling technique to sample shoppers at the malls. The data were analyzed through descriptive statistics such as the mean, standard deviation and frequencies. The inferential statistics which included correlation and regression analysis was used to assess the influence of shopping mall servicescape on customer satisfaction. The investigation found that shopping centers servicescape had a positive and huge relationship with consumer loyalty. The study focused on five shopping malls located in Nairobi, Kenya. The study recommended shopping malls to seek more knowledge on what physical settings or attributes attract customers. They should then make sure they make improvements on their servicescape by implementing this knowledge. The study also made the recommendation to the investors to continually monitor customer behavior in shopping malls to alter and encourage improvement on the shopping malls servicescape. Similar studies could be conducted among other shopping malls within and without Nairobi environs. More studies could also be conducted among other players in different sectors such as the financial sector, and other service industry players. Secondary data could also be collected from shopping malls owners and retail shop owners who have their shops in the malls. The study also suggests future studies to assess the relationship between servicescape and shopping malls performance other than customer satisfaction.

The main objective of the study was to establish the effect of financial reporting quality on investment decisions of firms listed at NSE. While earnings management, conservative accounting and accrual quality were the independent variable, firm size was the control variable and investment decision was the dependent variable. The study was guided by agency theory, stakeholder theory, and the signaling effect theory. The study adopted correlational design with quantitative approach targeting 64 listed firms at the Nairobi Securities Exchanged (NSE). Census was used and thus all the listed firms were included in the study. The findings were that earnings management (p<0.05), conservative accounting (p<0.05), accruals quality (p<0.05) and firm size (p<0.05) were all significant. The study concludes that financial reporting quality significantly influences investment decision. The study recommends that finance managers of the listed firms in Kenya should try to minimize incidences and practices of earning quality management so as to support informed decision making among investors. The board of directors being the oversight body on behalf of investors should establish strong internal control systems among listed firms that would minimize earnings management thus allowing investors and shareholders to make rationale and informed investment decisions.

Monetary policies are paramount in shaping the economic well-being of any country. The formulation of policies is strategically for the futuristic survival and sustainability of the business and the economy. The main objective this study was to determine the effect of monetary policies on the dividend payout. The shareholders have also expected for high dividend payout as an indication that corporate governance is maximizing the shareholders’ wealth. The research utilized secondary data from 2016-2019. The integral determinants were Repo Rate, Central Bank Rate, and 91-Day Treasury Bill Rate. The theories anchoring this research were Liquidity preference theory, pecking order theory and life cycle theory. The census was undertaken since all the commercial banks listed in the NSE were studied. The quantitative descriptive research design was integral method useful in this research. The SPSS was utilized to build the foundation of this research. The research assessed and found out that the regressed variable was dividend payout and correlated with the predictor variables such in Repo Rate, Central Bank Rate, and 91-Day Treasury Bill by negative 49.6%, negative 2% and positive 79.6% respectively. The research indicated that 91-Day Treasury Bill was significantly correlated with dividend payout by 79.6%. The research recommended for further consideration of macroeconomics factors since they were not exhaustive in this study. The multicollinearity test was done using Variance Inflation Factors. The findings postulated Repo rate with 1.538, Central Bank Rate 1.044 and 91-Day Treasury Bill at 1.558. This eliminated the assumption that predictor variables were correlated. The multicollinearity was within the normal range and insignificant. In a nutshell, the monetary policies have come of age to transform the economy. The key builders must be addressed to enhance efficiency, effectiveness and to promote economic growth.