Enhancing business opportunity identification processes in Zimbabwe's manufacturing sector: the case of Bulawayo's manufacturing sector

The manufacturing sector in Zimbabwe plays a critical role in the economic development of the country like employment creation, contributing to the country's GDP and saving and generating foreign exchange. It is for this reason the Government of Zimbabwe (GoZ) has crafted a number of programmes aimed at rejuvenating it since it started to decline in the late 1980s. However the programmes seem to have benefitted foreign competitors as the sector experienced further decline resulting in the country becoming a net importer, capacity utilisation in the sector declining and unemployment rising as firms closed shop. This study sought to establish why the sector is failing to identify opportunities that are presented in the government initiated programmes thereby allowing foreign competition to benefit at their expense. The study sought responses from top managers of the sampled 68 manufactures from Bulawayo. The sample was drawn from the 16 sub-sectors that constitute the Zimbabwe's manufacturing sector. Study findings reveal that the sampled firms have weaknesses in the way the scan the environment. The study is concluded by proffering relevant recommendations.