The study examined the impact of liquidity management on the financial performance of commercial banks in Botswana. The study used Return on Assets and Return on Equity to measure financial performance. Cash and cash equivalents to total assets ratio, Cash to deposits ratio, Loans to deposits ratio, Loans to total assets ratio, Liquid assets to total assets ratio, and Liquid assets to deposits ratio were used as proxies for liquidity management. The research population was all the 9 commercial banks in Botswana and the study covered a period of 9 years from 2011 to 2019. This descriptive study sourced monthly secondary data from Bank of Botswana Financial Statistics database. Descriptive statistics, correlation and regression analyses were applied to analyse the data. The results from regression analysis show statistically significant positive relationships for Loans to total assets ratio and Liquid assets to total assets ratio with return on assets and return on equity. Loans to deposits ratio and Liquid assets to deposits ratio had statistically significant negative relationships with return on assets and return on equity. Cash and cash equivalents to total assets ratio had statistically insignificant positive relationship with return on assets and return on equity whilst cash to deposits ratio had statistically insignificant negative relationship with return on assets and return on equity. Findings suggest that the commercial banks should try to optimize liquidity variables to boost bank performance. The policy makers also, through the Central Bank, should come up with initiatives such as prescribing minimum liquidity requirements that will help banks to stay profitable.

The study examined the impact of financial risk management practices on the financial performance of commercial banks in Botswana. The study used Return on Asset and Return on Equity to measure financial performance. Inflation, Interest rates, total debt to total assets, total debt to total equity, total equity to total assets and loan deposit ratios were used as proxies for financial risk management. The research population was all the 10 commercial banks in Botswana and the study covered a period of 8 years from 2011 to 2018. This descriptive study sourced monthly secondary data from Bank of Botswana Financial Statistics database. Descriptive statistics, correlation and regression analyses were applied to analyze the data. The results from regression analysis showed that interest rates had a negative and significant impact on return on assets and on return on equity. On the other hand, total debt to total assets showed a negative and insignificant effect on return on assets. However, total debt to total assets, revealed a positive and insignificant effect on return on equity. The loan deposit ratio indicated a negative and significant impact on return on assets and on return on equity. Findings suggest that banks should strike a proper balance between financial risk management practices and financial performance by engaging in appropriate market, credit, and liquidity risk management practices that will ensure safety for their banks and yield positive profits.

The paper determines whether the students’ career aspirations have changed from the time they enrolled for a particular programme during the first year until they have encountered socialisation throughout the four-year learning period, which includes the internship programme. Descriptive research design was used in the study. The research population for the study were all final year University Botswana undergraduate business students on a four year study programme. Purposive sampling was used to select a total of 100 students from the final year Accounting and Finance students and, the two groups being equally represented in the sample. Primary data was used for the study and collected using a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire from the two groups during class time. Descriptive statistics and Independent sample t-tests were used to analyse the data. The internship programme is an eye opener to the students and help them to prepare for their careers. The students who enrolled for the accounting and finance programmes stuck to the careers choices they had made at the commencement of their four year study programmes. The university must continue with internship programmes, if possible assist finance students to secure internship places in finance related institutions both locally and regionally.

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The study was premised on assessing the existing customer perceptions towards online retailing in Botswana. In particular, the study used University of Botswana staff and students as a case study. Data for this study was collected through questionnaires given to students and staff of the University of Botswana. Descriptive statistics and Independent t-tests were used to analyse the results. The results from this study indicate that consumers in the University of Botswana utilise traditional shopping more than online shopping. Though accessible by people of all income, online shopping is perceived to be risky and needs a skillful internet user. Delivery concerns, technology specific innovativeness and financial risk were found to negatively influence online shopping behavior. On the other hand, subjective norms, good return policy and convenience were found to positively influence online shopping behavior. The findings from this study provide a first glance at existing customer perceptions in Botswana which should encourage further and more extensive research to yield more generalizable results that reflect consumer perceptions. Local retailers or businesses will find these results useful as these will help them narrow their focus on how to sway consumers to use their online shops.