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Since today’s market is highly competitive and constantly evolving, organisations are striving to achieve high levels of productivity and low levels of turnover. One of the key factors in achieving this goal is organisational commitment. Thus, the study advocates that the level of employee commitment and willingness to continue working with the organisation is reflected in their intention to stay. Based on the theory of reasoned action, this study aims to investigate how the dimensions of employee commitment influence their decision to stay with the organisation in the long term within a telecommunication company. The study adopted a postpositivist perspective, a descriptive approach, a quantitative research method and a structured questionnaire to collect numerical data. In addition, descriptive, factor, correlation and regression analyses were performed through SPSS version 26.0. The study population consisted of 470 employees working in different departments, ranging from entry-level positions to consulting engineers. A sample of 298 employees was selected through a simple random sampling to minimise bias. Regression results indicated a moderate positive relationship between organisational commitment and intention to stay. The study recommends organisations to prioritise strategies that promote and sustain organisational commitment for improved intention-to-stay outcomes. This can be achieved through various means such as providing opportunities for professional development, recognising and rewarding employee contributions, and promoting open communication.

Since the start of the democratic era in 1994, South Africa has prioritised small, medium, and micro enterprises for economic growth and social development, offering significant opportunities to the unemployed population. However, the extent to which SMMEs contribute to the socio-economic progress of a particular economy is contingent upon various factors, including the specific country or sector in which they operate. In South Africa, the majority of SMMEs operate within the services sector, with 30% in wholesale and retail trade, 23% in community and social services, and 14% in financial services. Grounded on the  Resource-Based View theory, this study aims to investigate how SMMEs contribute to the social and economic development of South Africa. Furthermore, their contributions align with four of the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations, making this research both relevant and timely. This systematic literature review included nineteen research articles using bibliometric indicators from the Google Scholar database. As a result, the literature review revealed four key SMMEs’ contributions to South African socio-economic development namely employment creation and income generation, economic growth, development and specialisation, contribution to GDP, and poverty alleviation. To further enhance this contribution, it is recommended that governments provide support in the form of training programs, access to finance, and mentorship opportunities to help SMMEs grow and create more job opportunities..

This study investigates the influence of board gender diversity on the shareholder value of South African-listed non-financial companies on the JSE from 2013 to 2022. The study used a quantitative quasi-experimental method to examine the influence of board gender diversity on shareholder value creation measures from a multi-theoretical perspective. The board gender diversity measures include the proportion of women directors on the board, the Blau index for board gender diversity, and dummy variables indicating the presence of one, two, three, or more women directors on the board, as well as skewed board, tilted board, and balanced board. Shareholder value creation is proxied using standardised market value added, market-to-book ratio, and Tobin’s Q. The study utilises fixed effects models based on linear and curvilinear models to test the hypotheses. According to linear models, all board gender diversity measures demonstrate a significant positive, negative, or no effect on shareholder value creation measures, aligning with the multi-theoretical perspective of corporate governance research. However, curvilinear quadratic models suggest that the Blau index for board gender diversity and the proportion of women directors on board positively and negatively affect shareholder value creation, highlighting an inverted U-shaped effect. The results recognise the "too much- of- a -good- thing” effect and a possible optimal(or worse) level of board gender diversity as crucial. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that the claim of the ‘‘one size fits all’’ board gender diversity mechanism in creating and maximising shareholder value, often implicitly stated by regulators and advisors, may be misleading.

The paint manufacturing sector has not received sufficient attention, having its unique challenges with employee engagement, despite numerous investigations on employee engagement in several industries. This study seeks to address this deficiency by performing a targeted investigation on the levels of employee involvement within the paint manufacturing sector. This study aims to assess the level of employee involvement in the paint manufacturing industry in South Africa. This study systematically assesses the strategies and practices of employee engagement implemented by paint manufacturing companies operating in the region. This study utilises a mixed methods approach and follows an exploratory research design to accomplish its objectives. This methodology utilises many research techniques to provide a thorough understanding of the complex employee engagement processes in the paint manufacturing industry. The survey instrument, comprising of 320 questionnaires, was distributed to managerial professionals, human resource practitioners, and general employees working at paint production plants in South Africa. In addition to collecting quantitative data, interviews were undertaken to further enrich the depth of insights. The findings reveal a beneficial and interconnected link between the factors studied, suggesting a reciprocal strengthening that enhances employee engagement. Moreover, the study highlights the complex interconnection between the six aspects of employee involvement in the company environment. These characteristics jointly contribute to the fundamental aspects of employee engagement within paint manufacturing firms. Industry stakeholders should work together to develop an organisational culture that is deeply ingrained in the industry's identity and resonates with all personnel. One key remedy suggested is to conduct an employee engagement survey across the entire organisation, which will help gain a thorough understanding of engagement dynamics. This study highlights a strong association between employee engagement, departmental affiliation, racial demographics, and age groups. Therefore, organisations can improve workplace engagement by carefully taking into account the impact of departmental divisions, racial origins, and age cohorts on the overall engagement picture. The study's findings shed light on the significant influence of these factors in determining the dynamics of employee engagement.

The Digital literacy has become an imperative part of higher education, since the Covid19 outbreak, traditional institutions had to adapt digital learning techniques. However, students from rural schools were left in the dark. Since there are still some extremely poor schools in the rural parts of South Africa, where there is still no access to electricity. Therefore, the ability to use any digital tools remains a huge challenge for such students. The transition from a rural school to an urban higher education institution that is very tech savvy and living in the 4th industrial revolution is extensively difficult. Subsequently, the success of students from rural schools gets hindered. However, this doesn’t necessary mean that these students are incapable of succeeding in their respective programs. This paper aims to explore the challenges faced by students from rural schools regarding digital literacy. The research methodology will be a quantitative approach, the sample will be drawn from students in traditional universities who are coming from rural high schools. The findings of this paper will be used to recommend ways of increasing the success rate of learners from rural schools in digital literacy and skills development for traditional universities in South Africa. Keywords: Digital Literacy, Inclusive Education, Student Succes, South African Higher Education Subject classification codes: I230; I240; I210

The study examined the influence of board nationality diversity on shareholder value creation of non- financial companies listed on the JSE for a 10- year period from 2013 to 2022.The study used quantitative quasi-experimental research design. The study measured board nationality diversity using proportion of foreign directors on board, Blau index for board nationality diversity, dummy variables for one, two and three or foreign directors. The proxies of shareholder value creation included standard market value added, market- to book ratio and Tobin’s Q and fixed effects model based on linear and curvilinear models were used to test the hypotheses. Main findings of the study demonstrate that proportion of foreign directors on board has an insignificant negative impact on standardised market value added and Tobin’s Q, while significant negative impact on market to book ratio.  Blau index for board nationality diversity has insignificant negative impact on standardised market value added and market to book ratio, yet insignificant positive impact on Tobin’s Q. One foreign director on board has significant positive impact on standard market value added and market to book ratio, while insignificant positive impact on Tobin’s Q. Two and three foreign directors on board have insignificant positive impact on all shareholder value creation measures. In relation to curvilinear models, proportion of foreign directors on board and Blau in index for board nationality diversity have both positive and negative impact on all shareholder value creation measures highlighting an inverted U- shaped effects.

This study aims to examine the effects of deep acting on employees employed at the racecourse. The objective of this study is to examine the effects of deep acting, a type of emotional labour, on the well-being and job performance of service employees in the hotel industry in South Africa. Additionally, the study intends to provide effective coping strategies to minimise any negative consequences of emotional labour. This study employs a qualitative methodology, utilising purposive sampling to choose eight participants from the racecourse industry. The data was gathered using semi-structured in-depth interviews, enabling a thorough investigation of the participants' experiences and perceptions. Thematic analysis was employed to examine the data and discover significant themes and patterns pertaining to the practice of deep acting and its effects. According to the study, sales assistants reported that deep acting was less stressful than surface acting. The practice of deep acting had a positive impact on the job performance and communication abilities of the sales associates, hence contributing to their professional development. Notwithstanding these advantages, certain individuals experienced a sense of being underappreciated by their employers due to the emotional work they performed. The results indicate that engaging in deep acting promotes a heightened sense of empathy towards clients and improves the performance of sales associates as a result of their cumulative work experience. This research emphasises the necessity for organisations, especially those in the hospitality sector, to acknowledge and endorse the emotional labour carried out by their employees. By acknowledging the beneficial aspects of deep acting and providing appropriate coping mechanisms, employers can help alleviate potential negative impacts on employee well-being. Acquiring this comprehension can result in improved management techniques that foster employee contentment and productivity. This study adds to the scarce body of scholarship on emotional work in the South African setting, particularly within the racecourse business. This study presents innovative perspectives on the impact of deep acting on service employees and provides practical approaches for efficiently managing emotional labour. The research highlights the significance of maintaining a balance between employees' self-management and their regulation of client interactions, which ultimately improves the overall quality of customer service and staff satisfaction.

A company cannot grow unless its employees engage in meaningful behaviours. Therefore, higher learning institutions must foster organisational citizenship behaviour. An educational institution's overall operations are impacted by it, which significantly affects institutions’ operations, enhances the effectiveness of educators, and has a favourable effect on students' academic performance. However, the behaviours that men and women are expected to exhibit and how their actions are perceived are both influenced by their gender. Based on the role theory as the theoretical framework, this study explored the differences between male and female respondents' exhibition of altruism, conscientiousness, sportsmanship, courtesy, and civic virtue among academics. 253 academics were chosen at random from a group of 405 participants using a convenience sampling strategy. Data were gathered using a structured questionnaire and analysed through descriptive, factor analysis, and the Mann-Whitney U test. The means showed that employees of this institution appeared to be good citizens displaying all five citizenship dimensions. Furthermore, factor analysis results reported the extraction of five components. Thereafter, the Mann-Whitney test revealed that there were no discernible differences between the organisational citizenship behaviour scores of male and female respondents across all dimensions. These findings create an awareness of the importance of organisational citizenship behaviour in higher learning institutions and give managers a better knowledge of these behaviours. This study advocates that leaders should foster a strong organisational culture that promotes the exhibition of these behaviours within the workplace to make it easier for them to offer assistance to students, and colleagues and advance institutions’ goals.

This study examines the correlation between inventory and accounts payable management and the profitability of construction companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). The annual financial statements of all 13 listed construction businesses from 2009 to 2019, including statements of financial position and financial performance, were obtained from an external database for statistical analysis. The study employed multiple linear regression to assess the impact of working capital management on the financial performance of construction companies listed on the JSE. Additionally, a correlation model was utilised to investigate any potential relationships among the variables being examined. The study's findings indicate that the management of working capital has a notable impact on the profitability of construction companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) in South Africa. Despite contradicting findings from other studies that support the opposite conclusion, this study demonstrates that effective management of working capital does not necessarily lead to a positive relationship with financial performance for financial managers of construction companies. Therefore, it is crucial to consider other aspects of management in addition to working capital.

This study examines the collaboration between Lean Six Sigma principles and order fulfilment procedures, which are essential for facilitating international trade. The objective is to ascertain the extent to which sustainable and effective lean processes improve customer satisfaction and accelerate global product delivery. The study employs a dual methodology: initially, doing a comprehensive analysis of the current body of literature on the integration of Lean Six Sigma in order fulfilment inside various manufacturing companies, with the aim of finding any deficiencies or areas that require further investigation. Furthermore, we utilise a quantitative approach by administering surveys to professionals in the South African manufacturing industry. Deductive reasoning examines responses using random sampling to ensure unbiased selection. The findings emphasise that using Lean Six Sigma practices in the South African manufacturing sector can address customer concerns regarding the quality of orders and the timeliness of deliveries. This can provide a competitive advantage in the global market. The study validates that the inclusion of Lean Six Sigma measurements alleviates bottlenecks by focusing on improvements in operations, procedures, and communication. The study demonstrates the effectiveness of Lean Six Sigma methodologies in improving order fulfilment for enterprises engaged in international trade. It promotes these concepts to optimise processes, assuring timely deliveries and increased customer satisfaction. This study addresses several deficiencies in the current research on the incorporation of Lean Six Sigma in the manufacturing order fulfilment process. These gaps encompass the challenges of incorporating emerging technology, integrating collaborative supply chains, and incorporating sustainable practices. The distinctive methodology of integrating a comprehensive analysis of existing literature with empirical evidence enhances the novelty of the research outcomes. Manufacturing companies that aim to achieve global market excellence get practical advantages.

Hackathons have gained popularity recently as a platform for fostering innovation and collaboration, providing hands-on learning experiences for students to design, prototype, and solve real-world problems. While studies have explored hackathon adoption in education, there is a scarcity of chronological reviews on this subject. This article addresses the gap by presenting a comprehensive literature review using a systematic methodology, analyzing 30 relevant articles spanning 2012 to 2022 from databases like EBSCOhost, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The study identifies five key adoption factors: perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, behavioral intention, self-efficacy, and collaborative learning. Findings suggest that individuals are more likely to adopt hackathons when they perceive them as valuable and easy to engage with. Moreover, participants with a desire to engage, exhibit confidence in their abilities, and have prior hackathon experience are more inclined to embrace Hackathons. This highlights the importance of effective teamwork and knowledge sharing during hackathons, contributing to increased adoption rates. This study's contribution lies in identifying hackathon adoption factors relevant in education, providing insights for assessing progress, overcoming barriers, and making informed decisions to stay relevant in the evolving digital landscape. Ultimately, the adoption of hackathons in education holds the potential to revolutionize teaching and learning, enhancing student engagement, collaboration, and achievement. Educational institutions, by understanding these factors, can effectively integrate hackathons to develop creative and memorable learning spaces.

The global shift from traditional face-to-face learning to e-learning, spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, has significantly transformed higher education (HE) landscapes. Many institutions in developing countries, unprepared for this shift, now find e-learning integral to the educational process. This study explores challenges faced by academic staff at a South African University of Technology (UoT) post-COVID-19. Utilising a phenomenological qualitative research approach, insights were gathered from academic staff through semi-structured interviews. Key challenges identified include insufficient infrastructure, limited training, technological proficiency gaps, student engagement issues, and concerns about academic dishonesty. Practical recommendations encompass infrastructure enhancement, digital training, blended learning strategies, improved student engagement, and measures to ensure academic integrity. These adaptable suggestions provide insights for institutions seeking to enhance e-learning environments, contributing to improved teaching and learning (T&L) outcomes in an evolving educational landscape. It was further recommended that future studies can explore long-term intervention effects, conduct comparative institution studies, and delve into innovative pedagogical approaches.

Shift work has become a necessity in various professions, including law enforcement, to ensure the continuous operation of essential services. The implementation of 12-hour shifts has become common practice in police departments, aiming to meet the demands of public safety. However, the implications of such extended work periods on the personal lives of police officers are significant and warrant exploration. This study focuses on examining the effects of a 12-hour shift schedule on police officers within the South African Police Service (SAPS) stationed in the City of Tshwane, Gauteng province, South Africa. Through qualitative research methods, data was collected from eight police officers with a minimum of two years of experience through face-to-face interviews. Thematic content analysis was used to analyse the data systematically. Findings reveal that the 12-hour shift system presents challenges in maintaining a healthy work-life balance, impacting officers' social and familial responsibilities, participation in cultural and religious activities, and overall well-being. Officers expressed concerns about fatigue, limited time for family and leisure activities, and conflicts with personal commitments. Addressing these challenges is crucial for enhancing the health and effectiveness of police personnel and ensuring a positive work-life balance. This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by shedding light on the nuanced effects of the 12-hour shift system on police officers' personal lives, particularly in the South African context. Recommendations were also made to address the effects of the shift system on officer’s personal life.

Economics of business and increased focus on operating efficiencies are leading mobile telecom service providers to outsource non-core business process elements, infrastructure systems, and customer service, although the trade-off on the influence of business process outsourcing (BPO) on the firm’s productivity is still inconclusive. Few empirical studies or research have been conducted to analyze the influence of BPO on the firm’s productivity levels in the mobile telecom operators of Southern African developing countries. This research tries to redress the existing knowledge gap and the limited body of literature by providing both descriptive and empirical evidence on the influence of BPO on the firm‘s productivity levels of mobile telecom operators. A structured closed-ended questionnaire was used to collect raw data from 210 employees. Descriptive and chi-square tests were conducted to establish the statistically significant relationship between business process outsourcing and the firm’s productivity levels. The results reflect a statistically significant relationship between the implementation of BPO and the firm’s productivity. The study has practical implications for service and industrial practitioners, managers, scholars, and government policymakers in that they can strategically plan their BPO practices and link those practices to the organizations' productivity performance. Further research can be conducted in other industries in order to do comparison studies confirming lessons gained across industries on the effect of BPO on a firm’s productivity levels.

Company operations and global trade necessitate storage. Warehouse management is essential for meeting customer expectations, ensuring product availability, and delivering globally swiftly and affordably. A company's international competitiveness can suffer from warehouse instability. This study assesses warehouse performance for competitive advantage. The report also explores top management's disregard for warehouse management's impact on manufacturing competitiveness. This paper reviews warehouse management system research from several industries. Reviewing literature for gaps and flaws. Quantitative methods include industrial specialized surveys. Three varied South African manufacturing enterprises will be case-studied. Deduction is used to analyze industry expert consultation data. Due to its accessibility and data collection suitability, convenience sampling was employed to choose participants. This study discovered many warehouse management issues in South African industrial firms. Integration and automation are lacking in current systems, hampering global competitiveness. Warehouse movements and infrastructure damage increased without zone selection. Technology-illiterate warehouse workers slowed operations. The study offers zone picking, warehouse training, and warehouse system integration and automation to address these difficulties. South African industrial firms should strengthen warehouse management systems, according to this study. These organizations can enhance operational efficiency, save money, and compete globally with the suggested changes. Zone picking, warehouse system integration, and worker technical training can alleviate challenges and provide companies an edge. This study highlights warehouse management's often overlooked significance in manufacturing competitiveness. International organizations can do better by studying warehouse management system problems and solutions. Practical warehouse management advice from this study increases South African industry competitiveness.