Livelihood Strategies in African Cities: The Case of Residents in Bamenda, Cameroon
This paper analyses the livelihood strategies of residents in the city of Bamenda, Cameroon. It argues that the informal economy is not the preserve of the poor. Middle income households also play a crucial role. Informal economic activities permit the middle class to diversify their sources of income as well as accumulate capital. It examines the role of class in the informal economy and analyses the impact of policy on those involved in informal economic activities. The paper reveals that formality, informality and policy are intertwined, thus making livelihood strategies in cities complex.
Livelihood Survival Strategies in Declining Towns of Sub Saharan Africa: Evidence from Nkongsamba, Cameroon
Sub Saharan Africa’s economic meltdown which could be traced from the 1980s had a toll on export agriculture which served as a springboard for some urban economies. Such an economic malaise was greeted by a loss of urban vitality leading to urban decline. Ever since this unwanted phenomenon crept into the urban scene, urban geographers have largely focused on analyzing the processes leading to urban decline with a view of suggesting ways of revitalizing the urban environment. However, an important aspect which seemed to have eluded urban geographical literature or better still remains insufficient, concerns scientific perspectives on the livelihood survival strategies employed by urban residents in the face of decline. This is particularly true for the historic town of Nkongsamba which was hitherto ranked among the leading towns in Cameroon. The town witnessed a significant decline in its vitality which is largely attributed to the decline in the crop (coffee) export sector. This has precipitated the introduction of alternative livelihood survival strategies by the urban residents. Using a systematic sampling of 120 respondents drawn from the diverse livelihood sectors, complemented by in-depth interviews, field observations and secondary data, we analyse the current livelihood survival strategies of the population and their future perspectives. Our analysis lead us to the conclusion that the numerous livelihood strategies adopted (a switch to activities such as commercial motorbike riding, street food vending, urban agriculture, sales at kiosks, among others) are still makeshift in nature and are largely constrained by livelihood assets. In this regard, there is a need for urban development stakeholders to undertake participatory urban development project design and implementation which will help the town regain its economic vibrancy, very much reminiscent of the crop export years.
Dawn or dusk of the 5th age of research in educational technology? A literature review on (e-)leadership for technology-enhanced learning in higher education (2013-2017)
The aim of this article is to establish the extent to which the concept of e-leadership has taken off as a lens through which to study leadership for technology-enhanced learning (TEL) in higher education. Building on a previous study conducted in 2013, this article thus covers an exploratory review of the literature for the period 2103-2017. It analyses 49 articles which explore both the specific concept of e-leadership as well as other work dealing more generally with leadership and organisational change for TEL in higher education. The findings show that while none of the empirical studies identified in the literature refer explicitly to e-leadership, there are a number of interesting insights to be found in the theoretical articles. The results also highlight the widely different interpretations and applications of the concept of e-leadership and the consequent need for the definition to be refined. The paper concludes with recommendations for further multidisciplinary research at the intersection of the fields of educational technology and educational management, focusing on values, strategy, organisation and leadership interactions at meso level, the economy and public policy at macro level, and teaching and learning at the micro level, as well as for research in Leadership Development for TEL.