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The transition from informal to formal economy represents a fundamental transformation in how organisations manage their human resources, especially regarding employee training and development. This study explores how formalisation reshapes training and development practices in Zimbabwean business enterprises, focusing on the link between enhanced employee capabilities and perceived career growth opportunities. Drawing on an interpretive phenomenological study of 25 participants, including employees, HR managers, business owners/executives and policymakers from organisations that have formalised their operations within the past five years, the research captures lived experiences of training transformation across manufacturing, retail, hospitality, construction, mining and transport sectors. The findings reveal a significant shift from unstructured, experiential learning characterised by “trial and error” and peer observation to systematic, structured training programmes including formal induction, technical upskilling, safety compliance workshops, customer service training and regular refresher courses. Crucially, formalisation has made it possible for long-term career advancement through employer-funded external certifications, nationally recognised qualifications, leadership development and clear progression pathways. However, challenges persist including uneven access to training across departments, resource constraints affecting training frequency and difficulty balancing productivity with development activities. With implications for practice and policy in transitioning economies, the study provides empirical data on how formalisation changes human capital development from a survival mechanism to a strategic career-enabling function.

This quantitative study assesses the effects of T&D programs on service quality at Indo-Zambia Bank. Few empirical studies have been conducted to assess the impact of T&D on service quality levels in banks in Southern African developing countries, including Zambia. This research tries to redress the existing knowledge gap and the limited body of literature by focusing on the Zambian bank. The study was grounded in a positivist paradigm with a descriptive research design. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a structured questionnaire administered to 102 Indo-Zambia Bank employees selected through stratified random sampling. Descriptive and Pearson correlation analyses were conducted in SPSS to establish the statistically significant relationship between T&D and reliability and responsiveness. The results reflect a statistically significant relationship between T&D and reliability (p < .001) and responsiveness (p < .001). The most implemented T&D programmes included KYC Training, Induction/Onboarding, Ethics & Confidentiality, Customer Service Excellence, Service Recovery/Complaint Handling, Digital Systems & IT Training, Communication & Interpersonal Skills, and Leadership/Coaching.  The study concluded that T&D programs at Indo-Zambia Bank significantly and positively influence both SERVQUAL dimensions, with responsiveness most strongly enhanced by Induction/Onboarding and assurance most strongly driven by Ethics & Confidentiality training.  At the industry level, the study offers a contextually validated framework that regulators and training institutions may use to align professional development standards with measurable service quality outcomes in Zambia’s banking sector. Further research can be conducted in other sectors to verify whether the results will be the same

This study aimed to develop an integrated framework for measuring the ROI of T&D interventions for academic staff in South African public universities. Measuring the ROI and impact of T&D on employee performance is critical for demonstrating value. T&D professionals face increasing pressure from top management to show tangible business benefits for their interventions. An interpretivist approach was adopted using qualitative methods. Fourteen participants were purposefully selected from six universities, the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), and the Education, Training and Development Practices Sector Education and Training Authority (ETDPSETA). Data were collected through interviews and document analysis and were analyzed thematically. Four themes that emerged from data included T&D interventions, management of interventions, support for interventions, and ROI measurement. Universities assessed impact at multiple levels (reaction, learning, behavior, and results) but did not fully implement Phillips’s ROI methodology. While some ROI elements, such as training costs and benefits, were considered, government institutions supporting universities did not directly measure ROI but expected universities to evaluate interventions against set objectives. The study provides an integrated ROI framework suitable for T&D interventions in South African public universities. It provides practical recommendations for improving ROI measurement and accountability and suggests directions for future research.

The integration of artificial intelligence produces a significant transformation in the workplace, which presents obstacles to the performance of intrapreneurs and the productivity of the organisation, in response to disruptive technological developments. The objective of this paper is to examine the correlation between intrapreneurship development and training initiatives and the end result for organisational performance and productivity. By employing a simplified random sampling method and a quantitative research design, this study examines the intricacies of interdepartmental relationships and emphasises the importance of development and training programmes in equipping intrapreneurs to meet the challenges of the fourth industrial revolution. The collected primary data, which was structured using a 5-point Likert scale, were analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 26. An intelligent strategy for increasing performance and productivity in order to gain a competitive edge, the study demonstrates that fostering and improving intradepartmental relationships is effective. This finding also indicates that training and development programmes focused on the implementation of advanced technologies significantly enhance the performance of intrapreneurs and the productivity of organisations. In order to adapt to the changing employment environment of the twenty-first century, the results underscore the necessity for organisations to give precedence to technical proficiency while cultivating an environment that promotes inventive thinking, action learning, and progress.

The objective of this article is to investigate obstacles that hinder the assessment of return on investment (ROI) for academic staff development initiatives in public universities in South Africa. The primary objective of this study is to address the following research inquiry: What are the obstacles hindering the assessment of return on investment (ROI) for training and development interventions offered to academics within the higher education landscape of South Africa? The study employed a qualitative research methodology, which was based on an interpretive philosophical standpoint. The researchers employed purposive sampling to carefully select a total of fourteen participants who were selected to represent a range of cases or institutions. These included six universities and government institutions, namely the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), and the Education, Training, and Development Practices Sector Education and Training Authority (ETDPSETA). The interview data was subjected to thematic analysis using ATLAS.ti. The factors that hinder the measurement of ROI include the intricacy of the process, insufficient capacity, time lag between training and improved performance, lack of motivation, financial limitations, absence of processes, fragmentation of training and development interventions, interventions producing non-financial advantages, and insufficient data. The study enhanced the existing information on human resource development and practice by identifying the obstacles to measuring return on investment (ROI). Additionally, it offered practical advice and suggestions for future research.