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In the pursuit of academic excellence, scholars are dependent on trustworthy journals to disseminate their research and contribute to the collective body of knowledge. However, the academic community is not immune to deceptive practices. This letter highlights the case of the "Global International Journal of Innovative Research," where my name, along with esteemed colleagues, was falsely associated with the editorial board without consent. Despite repeated efforts to address this issue, the journal remains unresponsive. This letter announces our intention to publish an exposé article, meticulously uncovering the fraudulent practices of the journal and its publisher. A subsequent public statement aims to warn the academic community about the deceptive nature of the "Global International Journal of Innovative Research" and emphasizes the collective responsibility of scholars to uphold ethical publishing standards. Through this exposé, we hope to safeguard the integrity of academic pursuit and raise awareness about the risks associated with engaging with predatory journals.

Zambia has not trailed behind other nations in promoting financial inclusion, one of its deliverables in its 2022-2026 Eighth National Development Plan. The analysis focused on the likelihood of reaching this goal and the implications for bank operating stability. A mixed research (quantitative and qualitative) approach was used and drew respondents from several remote areas in Zambia. A hypothesis test on the observed against the hypothesised mean (p-value = 1.93e-38 and <0.005) rejected the null to accept the alternative presupposition that banks have a relevant role in achieving financial inclusion, but they are not a necessary ingredient. The correlation test also aligned at both 95 and 99% confidence levels, that supported the null hypothesis to conclude that there is no correlation between the preferred channels of financial services and the adequacy of financial inclusion. Respondents felt that the financial inclusion services would still be offered at basic satisfactory levels regardless of the available form of financial service provider. The Kruskal-Wallis test supplemented the findings with p = 3.09667e-20(<0.05) that rejected null to conclude that any form of financial services is statistically significant in delivering basic financial inclusion in Zambia. The implications for banks are the risks for continuous survival because of the popular user-friendly alternative channels. It is recommended that the Bank of Zambia should sustain the relative relevance of formal banks by balancing their contributions with other innovative financial service channels. Banks should integrate with new market entrants, or the future will have a banking system without banks. Regulators must support banks’ survival traits such as the light set of criteria in their Know Your Customer (KYC) package.

In recent years, the aviation industry has transformed significantly, driven by the increasing importance of digital technologies and social media for communication and marketing. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this transformation, posing unprecedented challenges to airlines. The present study investigates how Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways, and Emirates adapted their social media strategies before, during, and after the pandemic. The research has a threefold focus: (i) assessing pre-pandemic social media strategies, (ii) examining strategy evolution during the pandemic, and (iii) comparing the effectiveness of these strategies before and after COVID-19. By exploring how these airlines leveraged social media to navigate pandemic-related disruptions and maintain vital connections with passengers, this study provides valuable insights. These findings hold significant implications for aviation stakeholders, marketing professionals, and researchers, shedding light on the evolving role of social media in crisis communication and marketing. The study uncovered interesting changes in how airlines use Twitter. After the pandemic, they started using more emojis, and their messages shifted from promoting services to expressing hope during the pandemic and back to promotions afterward. They played with visuals and hashtags. Pricing-wise, they offered discounts for students, different ticket options, and bundled services. In promotions, they focused on being environmentally and socially responsible, user convenience, and specific events. They mainly shared updates on flights, achievements, and travel advice. To engage people, they used quizzes, replied directly to customers, and targeted specific groups. For marketing managers, the study suggests being more customer-focused, emphasizing environmental and social responsibility, offering diverse pricing, celebrating milestones, and creating engaging content. Overall, the findings provide practical insights for adjusting marketing strategies in the ever-changing world of airlines, especially considering the challenges brought by COVID-19.

This study primarily investigates microfinance practices for sustainable community welfare. Microcredit aims to provide credit to poor people to help empower communities and reduce poverty. Community empowerment strategies can be carried out by increasing the productivity of poor communities to increase their income. A basic approach that emphasizes that the poor move from their current situation to a better position by empowering MSMEs through the distribution of microcredit by micro-financial institutions. Changes that will result in sustainable prosperity, decreasing inequality between regions, and reducing community income gaps. This research will use a qualitative approach using the case study method, which does not use statistical generalizations but uses logical and replicative generalizations. This research uses multiple cases with varying characteristics as research informants. Two microfinance institutions and ten cases of MSMEs will be selected in this research. The study was conducted at Sharia Microfinance Institutions as providers of microcredit and MSMEs receiving microcredit in the Southern region of the Special Region of Yogyakarta, Bantul. This district was chosen because Bantul has the highest poverty rate. This condition is the focus of attention for maximum treatment. This research will use three data collection methods: interview, observation, and documentation, to maintain the data's validity and reliability. Data triangulation was used to test the validity of the data. The data analysis process in this research uses two stages: descriptive analysis and within-case analysis. The research results found that microfinance practices carried out through Sharia Microfinance Institutions (SMFI), apart from focusing on providing accessible financing facilities, have also provided direction in developing MSMEs and taking action towards community welfare. SMFI regularly provides business development training to MSMEs

Aviation-oriented companies are continuously seeking innovative approaches to enhance the passenger experience and operational efficiency within the industry. The objective of this study is to evaluate the categorization of passengers' technological preferences in Turkish airports. The objectives of this study are to enhance the understanding of Aviation Companies in Turkey regarding the technology preferences of passengers and their fundamental needs, as well as to analyze the characteristics of passengers that are directly linked to their technological choices.  This study employs purposive sampling with a sample size of 455. Various statistical techniques, such as regression, correlation, and descriptive statistics, are employed to analyze the data. The findings indicate that biometric technology, personal device utilization, customisation and customization, as well as streaming and on-demand entertainment, greatly influence the technological preferences of travelers. Nevertheless, contactless solutions, inflight Wi-Fi, and mobile apps and digital services do not influence the technological preferences of travelers.

Africa is experiencing rapid urbanization, making it one of the most urbanized continents in the world. This trend is particularly evident in the Southern African regional block. With the ongoing push for enhanced regional integration, it is anticipated that there would be a rise in the migration of individuals within the region. The escalating pace of urbanization calls for a reassessment of future cities and the implications of the rural-urban split on the establishment of sustainable human settlements. This article initially analyzes the patterns of migration within the Southern Africa Development Community. Furthermore, an analysis is conducted on the factors that contribute to the significant internal migration inside member states. Furthermore, the article examines the connection between migration and urbanization in the region once again. The article employs qualitative and quantitative methodologies to examine the consequences of migration and urbanization on both the locations from which people migrate and the areas where they settle. The primary factors contributing to migration include the pursuit of economic opportunity, political instability, access to education, and climate-induced disasters. Migration and urbanization have both gotten worse in the SADC region at the same time, as shown by empirical literature, official migration documents, and quantitative time series data from the World Development Indicators. This suggests that migration causes more people to move to cities. The rise in population has led to inadequate housing, resulting in an increase in slums that surpasses the projected capacity of cities. This article suggests promoting infrastructure development that facilitates employment creation in the nations or districts of origin in order to prevent a one-way movement of migrants. Consequently, a rise in job prospects, salaries, and health conditions will result in a reduction in migration rates and alleviate the strain on numerous cities in the area.

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has introduced a new phase of company operations. The advent of digital transformation (DT) has fundamentally transformed the global business landscape. Despite the global prevalence of this phenomenon, there is limited understanding of digital transformation (DT) in the context of COVID-19 and its impact on private sector organizations in developing nations. This study investigates the impact of COVID-19 on the process of digital transformation in privately owned companies located in underdeveloped nations. To accomplish this objective, a systematic literature review was conducted following the PRISMA (2020) principles, resulting in a selection of 26 studies. This study employs an inductive methodology, where pertinent topics are identified as they arise from the literature throughout the analysis stage. The technology-organization-environment framework (TOE) was subsequently employed to provide a contextual framework for these issues. The research findings suggest that the presence of resources, both financial and technological, is a crucial determinant in the adoption of digital transformation. The adoption of DT has been significantly influenced by various factors, including the role of governments, competitive forces, security, and other relevant considerations. Although organizations in underdeveloped nations encountered numerous hurdles, it was found that digital transformation progressed rapidly in all areas. Companies underwent substantial transformations to embrace digital transformation (DT), including the use of digital business models to facilitate remote operations and heightened investment in education, skills, and innovative digital tactics. Given the recent emergence of COVID-19, there remain numerous uncertainties regarding the enduring impacts that COVID-19 has had on organizations.

Curriculum transformation in South African universities strives to revive disadvantaged communities to change existing Eurocentric and Westernized curriculums to be Afrocentric.  However, there are debates on whether there should be the adoption of fully Africanized curriculums or infusing African values into the Eurocentric epistemologies. The study sought to bring out the roles of entrepreneurial skills in curriculum transformation in one university in the Eastern Cape. The study adopted a qualitative approach, where university students and lecturers were the key informants. To collect data interviews were used where the interview schedule is attached. It was found that universities are challenged by organizational culture, lack of resources, the existence of colonial systems, and a colonial-caged mentality. The paper illustrated that decolonizing curriculums is useful in resource-constrained institutions if resources are pumped in and if the curriculum transformation works in an entrepreneurial ecosystem. Therefore, the university should invest more resources into the curriculum transformation and African and European epistemology should be fused to come up with strong and vibrant knowledge that will positively change societies. Additionally, for a university entrepreneurship ecosystem, there should be staff empowerment on entrepreneurship education in the curriculum across disciplines. 

The demands of raising education at a classroom level to international standards require a nuanced analytical lens involving multiple perspectives to contribute to the best practices. Most classroom research adopts a singular perspective, usually from researchers who are familiar with the nuances of the classroom context under study. In other words, published studies involving classroom observations are often analyzed by insiders who already have the insight to understand the situated dynamics of the classroom interactions they analyze. While this is an important analytical orientation, this stance may overlook important insights about teaching and learning that outsiders’ perspectives may be able to identify. The study employed a qualitative approach. Which was guided by the dialogic interactive theory. The methodological approach in Japan was face-to-face semi-structured interviews while in the South African context, virtual data generation methods were employed to interview teachers on the classroom interactions with students. The study population was English students, while in South Africa it was health course teachers who taught students from various health professions. A total of eight teachers were purposively recruited in South Africa with one student participant in Japan. Findings revealed similarities and differences in dialogic interactions and the interpretation of such interactions. Participants from both contexts had deliberate silence and reluctance to speak which was interpreted differently by the teachers, and lack of reciprocal and purposive engagements by students. Based on the dialogic interactive theory, it can be concluded that the aspirations to achieve an inclusive quality of education can best be achieved when teachers are transparent about the expected interactions for all the tenets of the dialogic theory to be achieved. It is therefore recommended that broader conversations about the analysis of situated dynamics of classroom interaction be encouraged to yield critical insights for education towards the attainment of inclusive quality education.

The formulation of student leadership development has been a focal point and a product of shaping student leaders who occupy positions of leadership in the higher education sector. The persisting challenges of the society find a discomfort in wasted opportunity for any leadership initiative which is not aligned with the policy narrative of African development and nation building. This notion led to a situational response in student leadership development that missed an opportunity to fashion student leadership development that addresses the complex challenges of society. This study intends to pen down the experience of transitioning student leadership towards activating agency for social transformation. It also intends to address how student development must be perceived as an integral part of social innovation and a catalyst for reimagining the future of South Africa for the attainment of a sustainable future. One of the key shortfalls of the transactional approach to student leadership development is how the notion of leadership development in higher education is mismatched from the quadruple helix framework model which demonstrates failure for being futuristic in nature tends to be problematic. In this instance, the study used a quadruple helix framework to justify the transition that map the intention of Nelson Mandela University’s establishment of Madibaz YouthLab. The study is a qualitative conceptual framework using a literature review to argue this important transition. The study conclusion and recommendation are postured to add to the discourse on the reformulation of student leadership development in higher education shifting towards adding value to sustainable development.

The delivery of public services in South Africa is dependent on good governance and decisive leadership. Furthermore, the success of government programmes depends on the size of the budget that has been allocated to a given government department or entity. When the Minister of Finance delivers the budget speech in the National Assembly, there is a clear indication on how much is going to be allocated to each government department over the next financial year. It is up to the government departments to ensure that the allocated budget is used as efficiently and effectively as possible. Each government department is guided by the Public Financial Management Act (PFMA), 1999. The PFMA seeks to regulate financial management in the national government and provincial governments; to ensure that all revenue, expenditure, assets and liabilities of those governments are managed efficiently and effectively; to provide for the responsibilities of persons entrusted with financial management in those governments; and to provide for matters connected therewith. Given the objectives of the PFMA, accounting officers are tasked with the responsibility of enforcing the PFMA in all procurement processes. According to Section 36 of the PFMA, an accounting officer is the head of a department. These accounting officers play an important role in ensuring that services are delivered, while they must ensure that public funds are spent responsibly and in accordance with the relevant government policies and the PFMA. This paper analyses the role that accounting officers need to play in ensuring responsible public financial management, especially because of the limited resources available to our government. By employing a qualitative study, this paper looks at instances where accounting officers did not act in accordance with the PFMA and the implications of this failure.

This study explores the obstacles and opportunities for women who sell arts and crafts along the borders of the Kruger National Park in Mpumalanga Province of South Africa. The Kruger National Park is one of South Africa's most famous symbols, both nationally and internationally. Women who stay along the borders of the Kruger National Park have also harnessed tapping into the tourism sector by trading in arts and crafts because tourists purchase them as souvenirs. Women dominate the craft industry because of fewer barriers to entry as they normally use traditional skills to create crafts. South African women in the informal sector are said to be significantly contributing to the Gross Domestic Product of the country. A qualitative research design utilising a Case study was used to explore the obstacles and opportunities for women who trade in arts and crafts in the tourism industry around the Kruger National Park. Data was collected through semi-structured interview schedules from thirty (30) women who sell arts and crafts from the Kruger National Park gates in Mpumalanga Province. Data was then summarised to capture emerging themes as well as opinions, attitudes and perceptions. The key findings reveal that women face various challenges, mainly in terms of (i) lack of access to finance, (ii) low literacy levels (iii) lack of access to infrastructure and (iv) Poor marketing skills and access to markets.

There is scant literature available in South Africa that explores the knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of student nursing trainees and other healthcare workers who deliver sexual health services to sexual and gender minority (SGM) communities with unique health needs. An online, mixed-method, questionnaire-based survey was employed to conveniently sample 39/78 (50%) final-year Bachelor of Nursing students from the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal to understand their knowledge, attitudes and perceptions. Descriptive statistics were applied for quantitative results and thematic analysis was used for free-text qualitative data. Results suggested that over 67% of the participants lack the skills and knowledge to obtain a comprehensive history salient to the health needs of SGM populations. Students reported that social upbringing and religious beliefs impact the care they render, with many showing favourable attitudes toward the SGM community. Overall, students reported no content related to SGMs in the current nursing curriculum, however, students were receptive, highlighting the need to be clinically competent to provide relevant healthcare for SGM to meet their sexual health needs. It thus require that students must be trained and have included the SGM content in their curriculum to meet the sexual health needs of SGM population to enable non discriminatory, equitable health provision. being informed and having the necessary skills and knowledge obtained during training in the health institutions of higher learning can address the issues of greatest concern related to the HIV health needs of SGM populations.

The rapid advancements in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) have significantly transformed the landscape of education, impacting both learning and teaching processes. The use of ICT in learning and teaching have changed the whole concept of education and had proved to be of great benefit for both the student and the lecturer. This paper draws from students and lecturers’ reflections on the use of ICT in learning and teaching environments in one South African University. An interpretive qualitative approach was adopted to conduct this study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data from six participants which constituted five students and one lecturer, and the thematic phenomenological analysis was used to analyse data. Findings revealed that the use of ICT in learning and teaching environments in have enhanced learning experiences, access to information and resources, collaborative learning opportunities, personalized learning among students and enhanced lecturer professional development in the university. The study recommended that education institutions should prioritize the allocation of resources for infrastructure development. Technology should be used purposefully to enhance teaching and learning, rather than integrated for its own sake. Lecturer’s must align their pedagogies with technology as suggested by TPACK theory.

This study investigates the effectiveness of Presidential Directives in comparison to the traditional policy process in Botswana. More precisely, the study determines whether the use of Presidential Directives is a more efficient and effective means of achieving policy outputs, as compared to the traditional policy process. To achieve this, the study conducted a comprehensive analysis of policies and Presidential Directives in Botswana, examining the processes through which they were formulated, implemented, and evaluated. The methodological approach adopted includes an intrepretivist research paradigm as well as a qualitative research approach for both data collection and analysis. Results reveals that Presidential directives achieve outputs faster and more effectively than the traditional policy process, Presidential Directives may have some advantages in terms of speed and flexibility, but they are not necessarily more effective than the traditional policy process in achieving their planned outcomes, policy process, which involves stakeholder consultation, evidence-based decision-making and comprehensive analysis of the policy context, is a more reliable and effective means of policy-making in the long term. However, the study also found that there are some areas where Presidential Directives may be more appropriate, such as in emergency situations or when quick decisions are required. Overall, this research provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of different approaches to policy-making in Botswana, and its findings have important implications for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers in the field of public policy. The study recommends transparency and accountability; stakeholder engagement; evidence-based policy-making and comprehensive policy evaluation.

Chemistry is a field of study that teaches students critical skills in producing day-to-day products ranging from detergents, cosmetics, energy components and supplies for treating water. The majority of chemistry students seek formal employment after completing their studies, which helps to explain the increased incidence of unemployed South African graduates. This occurrence is more apparent in the Eastern Cape where there are very few chemistry industries with such employment opportunities. However, having an entrepreneurial mindset can lead to students venturing into business during or after their studies. Student businesses not only benefit the student but the community with accessible personalized solutions to their problems, institutions with reputation, creating a circular economy and possibly employment of others. Hence, this study aims to evaluate whether the offered entrepreneurship education to chemistry students stimulates an entrepreneurial mindset. The paper employed the qualitative narrative literature review methodology and the connectivism learning theory to achieve the set aim. Explored themes in realizing the aim are graduate attributes, science-based entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial mindset. The key findings are that science-based entrepreneurship education lacks the embedment of fundamental chemistry that creates familiarity with the concept and subsequent relatability with the course content. The connectivism learning theory supports the link between familiarity and new learning opportunities whereby, in this case, an entrepreneurial mindset can be stimulated. The study proposes that entrepreneurship education for chemistry students must include chemistry-related case studies and a participatory practical approach as a co-curricula. The co-curricula aspect will involve opportunities to start a real business on campus during the semester in which the course is offered.

One of six comprehensive universities in South Africa, the Walter Sisulu University (WSU) combines the best academic credentials from universities and technikons in an effort to effectively meet the socio-economic development needs of the nation, in the Eastern Cape Province, and the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, Chris Hani Municipality, King Sabata Dalindyebo Municipality.  An institution of a new generation, the WSU is more than the sum of its parts. Its goal is to improve community potential through quality academic programs, research, and community engagement projects with a strong emphasis on involvement and sustainable development. This article considers the different successes and difficulties associated with the WSU rationalization and consolidation of faculties.  This theoretical article observes that the government started using rationalization and consolidation as a tool to reconfigure and reform the higher education sector. Rationalization and consolidation are nothing new, and several nations have used them to revamp or reorganize their higher education industries. The article provides literature debates and scholarly background on comparing the South African higher education sector's proposed rationalisation and consolidation to those of other nations' higher education sectors, however, would reveal the most ambitious reform program ever launched in recent memory. The conceptual paper adopts a thematic qualitative approach.  The primary wave of the mergers mandated by the government that happened in 2004 and 2005 was preceded by the 2002 merger of Walter Sisulu University.

The study examines whether the customer complaints management policy in the Department of Employment and Labour in the Free State province is effectively and efficiently implemented. Skilful and committed policy implementers are required to ensure that policies are implemented successfully. A descriptive qualitative research design was employed in this study using semi-structured online interviews, to gather data from 20 participants who were purposively selected. The major findings of the study reveals that a lack of clarity and accessibility of complaint channels, inadequate training of newly appointed officials in customer complaint management processes, and user-unfriendliness of the complaint processes flow are prohibiting factors of the implementation of the policy. Additionally, there was a lack of effective communication and coordination among both the internal and external stakeholders, and a noticeable absence of consequence management. The study recommend that the Department of Employment and Labour should consider to design a user-friendly customer complaints management processes flow as well as to incorporate customer complaints module during the induction of newly appointed employees.

The literature links significant parental involvement in school activities to good school outcomes. The two-fold study examined factors affecting parental participation in rural primary school governance and its advantages. The qualitative case study method was used to collect data from nine purposively recruited individuals from three rural elementary schools. Individual semi-structured interviews collected thematically analyzed data. The study found that negative school attitudes caused parental animosity toward school. Lack of role awareness, inadequate professional connections caused by academic gaps, and language difficulties also discouraged parental involvement in school governance. Parental involvement promotes collective accountability and school-home integration. Home and school characteristics affected parental participation in school activities, the study found. Based on the findings, recommendations included improving parent-teacher interactions to help students succeed and training SGBs to improve their performance.

South Africa is a diverse nation with a rich tapestry of indigenous languages spoken across its provinces. As the country continues its democratic journey, local government plays a pivotal role in ensuring service delivery, community engagement, and development. This article explores the potential of indigenous languages as a valuable resource for enhancing the efficiency of local government operations. Indigenous languages, often marginalised, hold a wealth of cultural, historical, and contextual knowledge that can be harnessed to improve governance, communication, and community engagement at the local level. This paper investigates the multifaceted benefits of incorporating indigenous languages into various aspects of local government activities. The paper also draws upon case studies on incorporating indigenous languages in municipalities for efficient communication.