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The nexus of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) rarely features as a viable intervention in African food system policy and academic debates. This has created knowledge and practical gaps with policy and practice implications. This article argues that leveraging the AI-IKS nexus has significant potential to transform African food systems currently in crisis. This conceptual article explores the importance of IKS in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and examines how AI solutions can transform regional food systems. The article shows that harnessing the AI-IKS nexus entails merging traditional, generational ecological wisdom with modern technology to enhance food security, sustainability, and resilience. Key applications include using AI to analyse indigenous drought-prediction techniques alongside meteorological data, identifying climate-resilient indigenous crops, and deploying Computer Vision and Natural Language Processing to digitise and disseminate traditional knowledge in local languages. The article argues that this synergy has the potential to enhance climate resilience, boost yields through precision agriculture, reduce post-harvest losses, and promote sustainable resource management, ultimately strengthening food security.

The global skills gap is the foremost obstacle to business transformation. Across sectors and regions, established forms of expertise are being reshaped or rendered insufficient, creating widespread uncertainty about the durability of existing skill sets. This condition, often described as skill instability, reflects a growing need for continual learning and adaptation as occupational demands evolve. This study employs a critical analysis of data from leading international organizations to map the distinct nature of this challenge across the world’s regions and industries. The study demonstrates that its nature differs fundamentally between regions and sectors. In advanced economies, the crisis is a shortage of specialized digital and green skills. In developing regions, the deficits are more foundational, rooted in basic digital literacy and technical-vocational training. Everywhere, however, a structural mismatch is worsening economies are creating complex new jobs faster than they are training workers for them, even as automation displaces lower-skilled roles. To navigate this dual challenge, we argue that technology, especially AI, must be seen as a tool to augment human potential. The solution is a decisive strategic pivot: from reactive hiring to proactive human capital development. This requires nuanced, region-specific policies and a foundational corporate commitment to lifelong learning to build a resilient and inclusive future workforce.

Climate change poses significant risks to rural livelihoods in semi-arid regions such as Bikita District, Zimbabwe, where recurrent droughts, erratic rainfall, rising temperatures, and water scarcity undermine food security and socio-economic stability. This study examines the climate-related risks faced by rural households, identifies the coping and adaptation strategies they employ, and assesses the effectiveness and sustainability of these responses. A qualitative case study design, guided by the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework, was adopted. Data were collected through in-depth interviews (n = 30), focus group discussions (two groups), and direct observations involving households, traditional leaders, and local stakeholders. Thematic analysis was used to identify patterns in risks, coping strategies, and institutional constraints. The findings show that households employ diverse strategies, including crop diversification, cultivation of drought-resistant small grains, water harvesting, livestock downsizing, livelihood diversification, horticulture, and reliance on social networks. However, many of these responses remain short-term coping mechanisms rather than sustainable adaptation strategies. Structural barriers, including limited access to credit, weak extension services, poor infrastructure, and inadequate market systems, constrain their effectiveness. In addition, some practices, including deforestation and over-reliance on food aid, are maladaptive, providing immediate relief while undermining long-term resilience. The study concludes that although rural households demonstrate significant adaptive capacity, their transition from short-term coping to sustainable adaptation is limited by systemic and institutional constraints. It highlights the need for integrated policy interventions that strengthen livelihood assets, enhance institutional support, improve access to finance and markets, and integrate indigenous knowledge with climate-smart practices. These findings contribute to climate adaptation scholarship and provide policy-relevant insights for building long-term resilience in rural Zimbabwe.

This study examined the effect of organisational culture on employees' readiness towards change at two Eswatini state-owned enterprises. Guided by a positive research philosophy, the study adopted a quantitative, cross-sectional research design. Daya was collected from a stratified sample of 543 permanent employees using the Organisational Culture Assessment Instrument (OCAI) and the Readiness Toward Change Scale (RTCS). Reliability was assessed by using Cronbach's alpha, while confirmatory factor analysis, correlation analysis, and multiple regression were employed to examine the relationship and predictive effects among the variables. The results revealed a positive and statistically significant relationship between organisational culture and readiness towards change. Market culture emerged as the strongest predictor of readiness towards change, followed by hierarchical culture, Adhocracy culture, and clan culture. These findings suggest that performance orientation, structural clarity, adaptability, and relational cohesion jointly contribute to enhancing employee readiness for organisational change. From the business ecosystem and strategic management perspective, the findings highlight the importance of cultivating an adaptive organisational culture as a key enabler of sustainable performance, ethical governance, and stakeholder trust. At a broader socio-economic level, strengthening organisational culture and employee readiness for change within state-owned enterprises can enhance productivity, promote social equity, and support inclusive growth, reinforcing Eswatini's business and socio-economic ecosystem.

This article examines the role of trade unions in shaping social development policy in post-apartheid South Africa, using the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) and the National Health Insurance (NHI) policy formulation process as an illustrative case. Employing a qualitative single-case design, the study draws on semi-structured interviews with twelve (12) purposively selected key informants, complemented by documentary analysis of submissions and position papers, and thematic analysis informed by the Interest Group Theory (IGT). Findings show that COSATU continues to exercise meaningful influence through institutional access (notably NEDLAC), research partnerships, and grassroots mobilisation. However, influence is conditional: internal capacity constraints, organisational fragmentation, and external power asymmetries within the policymaking environment all limit the union’s impact. The study argues that trade unions remain necessary actors in the formulation of equitable social development policies, but to exert more substantive influence, they must invest in technical capacity, rebuild internal coherence, and strengthen strategic alliances across civil society. Lessons from the COSATU–NHI case contribute to broader debates on participatory governance, interest group politics, and the evolving nature of organised labour in developing democracies.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) has ushered in profound transformations across global industries, with the hospitality sector increasingly challenged to adapt its human resource practices to a digitally driven operating landscape. This conceptual review explores the intersection of digitalisation, human capital development, and technological innovation in the context of recruitment and selection within the hospitality industry—focusing particularly on developing economies such as South Africa. The paper traces the evolution from traditional recruitment methods to technology-enabled practices, highlighting the strategic role of artificial intelligence, blockchain, and data analytics in enhancing recruitment efficiency, selection accuracy, and workforce alignment with 4IR demands. Despite these advances, the hospitality industry continues to face structural and contextual limitations that inhibit the adoption of digital HRM systems. This article calls for a paradigm shift from conventional, analogue-based talent acquisition approaches to agile, competency-based, and digitally integrated models. The review further emphasises the critical need for policy support, infrastructural development, and empirical research that bridges the digital divide in human capital strategy. Ultimately, the paper argues that digitalisation, when strategically aligned with organisational objectives and human-centred values, can serve as a transformative lever for building resilient, future-ready workforces in hospitality and beyond.

The rapid growth of e-commerce has significantly increased product returns, making reverse logistics a critical component of sustainable supply chain management. The purpose of this study is to examine consumer perspectives on reverse logistics in Gauteng, South Africa, where infrastructural constraints and diverse consumer expectations pose unique challenges. A quantitative research method was employed, with data collected from 250 online shoppers through a self-administered questionnaire. Exploratory factor analysis confirmed five underlying constructs, which are Return policy transparency, Efficiency of return process, Customer support, Customer satisfaction and Trust. Multiple regression analysis tested the construct's predictive power. The findings reveal that Return policy transparency was the strongest predictor of consumer satisfaction, while efficiency and customer support were less influential in this context. The findings highlight that clear, accessible return policies improve consumer trust and satisfaction, even in the presence of operational inefficiencies. This study highlights that the strategic role of transparent communication instils positive return experiences in emerging markets. The study contributes to reverse logistics literature by integrating behavioral dimensions into operational frameworks and offers practical implications for retailers aiming to build consumer trust without heavily investing in infrastructural investments.

In the competitive business environment, organisations are increasingly adopting Customer Relationship Management (CRM) strategies to strengthen customer retention and improve service delivery. This study explored CRM as a strategic tool for customer retention at a selected Information Communication Technology (ICT) company based in Johannesburg, South Africa. A quantitative research approach was employed, targeting 121 employees across sales, marketing, business development, logistics, and finance departments. These employees were selected due to their direct engagement with customers. Data were collected through structured online questionnaires and analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26. Descriptive and inferential statistical techniques, including Pearson’s correlation and regression analysis, were applied to evaluate the relationship between CRM and customer retention. The findings revealed a moderate but significant positive correlation between CRM and customer retention, indicating that strategic CRM practices contribute to stronger customer loyalty. The research concludes that CRM is a critical organisational strategy that can enhance customer retention if properly integrated and supported across business functions. It recommends further investment in CRM systems, employee training, and customer engagement initiatives to sustain competitive advantage and long-term growth.

The growing usage of digital health technologies and medical devices can expose patient data and medical systems to cyberattacks. The paper examines how cybersecurity issues affect SDG 3 and how well current regulatory frameworks protect healthcare data. The study used PRISMA and used thematic synthesis. Digital health data security, IoT medical devices and patient safety, data integrity, ransomware threats, lack of cyber awareness, regulatory compliance, securing telemedicine, and long-term data protection could hinder SDG3 achievement. These issues endanger patient safety, delay emergency responses, and damage digital health system trust. While present legislative frameworks provide core protection for healthcare data, they fail in numerous key areas. Some frameworks have delayed breach notification, implementation issues and resource limits, weak or optional security standards, lack of healthcare-specific focus, and old or inflexible frameworks. Thus, while existing frameworks improve data governance, their limited adaptability, outmoded restrictions, and inconsistent implementation reduce their usefulness in tackling healthcare's developing cybersecurity issues. Healthcare systems are vulnerable to cyberattacks, compromising patient safety, trust, and general health and well-being. The paper advises obligatory data protection, safe IoT legislation, staff training, and revised telemedicine rules to improve hospital cybersecurity. To fulfil SDG 3, it recommends harmonised cross-border legal frameworks and targeted capacity building in low- and middle-income countries.