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In the post COVId-19 era, online education has become an integral part of higher education, underscoring the need to understand students’ experiences, satisfaction and preferences to inform institutional strategies for optimising online education. The study follows a quantitative survey approach in which an online cross-sectional descriptive study was undertaken among 295 purposively selected students’ in South African higher education institution. A self-administered validated online questionnaire was used for data collection. Data was analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS. Descriptive statistics was used to determine the reliability of the various constructs, mean scores, and standard deviations. Students found online teaching enjoyable (54.9%), (55.1%) engaging, with the opportunity to ask questions. Findings can inform HEIs’ managers and leaders’ strategic decisions regarding online education, including investment in infrastructure, faculty training, and support services. Creating interactive and engaging online content such as videos, simulations, and gamification to enhance student engagement. Providing online orientation, technical support and troubleshooting services to address technical issues and ensure smooth online learning experiences.

University students face a range of material hardships that significantly affect their academic success and overall well-being. The pressure on the cost of living due to inflation poses mental health challenges for students, reducing their ability to make informed decisions. The current study aimed to explore the disruptive impact of inflation on student mental health and academic resilience, and the strategic ecosystem implications for rural universities in South Africa. A qualitative exploratory research design was employed, with 20 self-funded students purposively selected from the University of Venda. The study employed one-on-one semi-structured interviews for data collection, followed by thematic analysis in data analysis. This study identified factors contributing to the lack of funding, including being defunded despite meeting full funding criteria, being affected by the N+ rule (exceeding the funding eligibility duration), and a lack of funding from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS). The study also revealed challenges arising from inflation, including declines in academic performance, overstudying, and struggles to meet basic needs. The current study highlights the pressing need for collaborative strategies to support students navigating financial stress amid inflationary pressures. From a business and strategic perspective, the study contributes to higher education management by framing rural universities as interconnected ecosystems requiring coordinated responses. Implications include the need for integrated organizational strategies that align financial aid models, student wellness services, and academic support mechanisms. The findings underscore the importance of capacitating academic and administrative staff to recognize and respond to student distress, while fostering a culture of resilience and inclusivity. At the policy level, the study highlights the need for multi-stakeholder coordination among government, institutions, and private-sector partners to mitigate inflationary pressures through targeted subsidies, flexible funding mechanisms, and infrastructure investment.

Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges serve as crucial gateways for South African youth who are unable to access universities due to capacity limitations, financial barriers, or entry requirements. For many rural students, TVET colleges are not just a second choice but the only post-school option available. However, increasing evidence suggests that structural, pedagogical, and governance issues within certain TVET colleges compromise their ability to produce quality, employable graduates. This qualitative study examines systemic challenges that impact teaching quality, lecturer accountability, the language of instruction, admission practices, and student support in rural South African TVET colleges. Drawing on policy documents, academic research, parliamentary reports, and media investigations, the paper examines how these issues perpetuate inequality rather than alleviate it. Special focus is placed on the exclusionary effects of English-only instruction, lecturer oversight, inadequate support systems, dubious recruitment practices, and the admission of under-prepared students into technically demanding programs. The findings identify five interconnected themes that collectively impair graduate employability and student achievement. The study argues that without immediate reforms in lecturer training, accountability systems, and admission standards, TVET colleges risk becoming mere holding institutions instead of pathways to meaningful employment. The paper concludes by recommending stronger oversight, adaptable pedagogy tailored to local contexts, and governance centered on equity, ensuring that TVET colleges fulfil their developmental role in rural South Africa.

Sustainability has emerged as a strategic imperative for small manufacturing enterprises, particularly in light of increasing expectations to operate responsibly across economic, social, and environmental domains. This study investigates the interconnectedness of the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) elements and their collective influence on sustainable business practices. Rather than examining these dimensions in isolation, the research adopts a holistic lens to explore how their interplay shapes organisational behaviour and long-term viability within the small manufacturing sector in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Drawing on both theoretical frameworks and empirical evidence, the study offers insights into how enterprises can integrate TBL principles into their strategic orientation to foster resilience and sustained growth. The findings reveal that a balanced and synergistic approach to economic performance, social responsibility, and environmental stewardship enhances the capacity of firms to adapt, innovate, and thrive in complex operating environments. A structured questionnaire was administered to a stratified sample of 450 small manufacturing enterprises, and the resulting data were analysed using correlation techniques to uncover patterns and relationships among key variables. The study contributes practical guidance for business leaders and policymakers seeking to leverage the TBL framework not merely as a reporting mechanism, but as a transformative tool for embedding sustainability into core organisational processes.

This paper explores the effects of Matriarchal leadership styles on the performance and success of female-led businesses in South Africa, intending to generate insights that support women entrepreneurs in achieving their objectives within a competitive market.  Using a Systematic Literature Review, this paper analysed current scholarly articles, reports and studies that examine the relationship between matriarchal leadership and entrepreneurial success. The review process involved source identification, data extraction, critical analysis, and synthesis to develop a comprehensive understanding of the topic. The findings revealed that matriarchal leadership styles significantly enhance business performance by fostering empathy, collaboration and inclusivity, which contribute to supportive work environments, increased productivity and innovation. This paper highlights important managerial and policy implications, recommending that inclusive leadership strengthens team cohesion and organisational effectiveness. The paper is original in addressing the limited adoption of matriarchal leadership due to patriarchal norms, misconceptions, limited research, and organisational resistance to change. 

Globally, student assessment surveys are utilised to enhance the quality of teaching and learning. Student evaluation questionnaires require a substantial investment of effort from both students and teachers.  This research aims to elucidate students' attitudes towards evaluation questionnaires, hence enhancing comprehension of the quality of information in completed assessments. The research encompassed undergraduate students enrolled in a Business and Information Management program within the Faculty of Accounting and Informatics at the Durban University of Technology, Midlands Campus, South Africa. The experiences and attitudes of students about teaching evaluation questionnaires were examined through metaphorical drawings and focus group discussions. The results reveal that students possess both favourable and unfavourable opinions toward student ratings. Positive themes encompass assessments as a systematic procedure and a chance for students to propose modifications. Negative attitudes encompass perceptions of evaluations as oppressive and threatening, reflecting a lack of profound contemplation by students when filling out the questionnaire, and raising enquiries about the subsequent activities made after completing the evaluations. Findings elucidate several elements influencing student evaluations of education, including the timing of administration, the individuals responsible for providing them, and the methods employed in their administration. The document advocates for other methods of gathering student feedback and the discontinuation of paper-based surveys. Feedback may be acquired using online questionnaires and qualitative interviews. Furthermore, learning analytics technologies can be integrated into the LMS utilised for administering online surveys, facilitating the provision of tailored feedback to individual students.

Black postgraduate (PG) students in South African universities and universities of technology experience significant supervisory conflicts, including contradictory guidance, neglect, and favoritism, which delay graduation and intensify inequities rooted in post-apartheid higher education (HE) dynamics. Prevailing research overlooks these students’ lived experiences, creating a gap in understanding systemic barriers to equitable supervision. This qualitative study employed narrative inquiry with six purposively sampled black PG students (four females, two males) from PhD, MTech, and MSc programs across South African universities. Semi-structured interviews explored supervisory conflicts, institutional responses, and academic impacts. Thematic analysis framework, yielding six themes validated through member checking. Key findings revealed conflicting supervisory directions causing years-long stagnation; prolonged neglect and feedback delays demotivating students; irrelevant objectives imposed by additional supervisors leading to academic penalties; inexperienced supervisors contributing to dropouts; power imbalances and ethical breaches such as gift-giving favoring certain students; and inadequate institutional resolutions forcing adversarial advocacy. Supervisory conflicts undermine black students' progress and well-being, demanding decolonial reforms for inclusive practices. Recommendations include mandatory supervisory contracts, accreditation, ombud services, and bias training to enhance throughput and equity. Future research should pursue longitudinal, comparative designs and intervention trials.

Herding behaviour has been shown to significantly influence market performance over the years, often leading to mispricing of assets due to asset bubbles. This study aimed to analyse herding behaviour on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) before, during and after COVID-19. A cross-sectional absolute deviation (CSAD) model was used to determine the presence of herding during the specified periods, from the 1st of January 2018 to the 31st of January 2024, while causes and implications were explored further to offer a better understanding of herding behaviour. Herding behaviour was detected in all observed periods, which was not anticipated, which raised the need to discuss the policies in place to curb irrational investor behaviour. The evidence suggests that portfolio managers should understand that herding behaviour can cause market movements that are not necessarily rational or based on fundamentals. Instead, the results indicate that prices can be influenced by collective sentiment. As such, portfolio managers can assess the risks associated with blindly following the crowd and formulate strategies to avoid it. Portfolio managers can also educate their clients on the risks associated with herding behaviour to set realistic expectations and prioritise long-term stability over short-term trends.

Understanding the determinants of Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) purchase intention in emerging markets requires rigorous empirical investigation. This study examines the key factors that discriminate between consumers who express interest and those who remain unwilling to purchase BEVs in Indonesia. Using survey data from 281 respondents, discriminant analysis was conducted to assess the influence of product attributes, price perceptions, and demographic characteristics on consumer behavioral intentions. Cross-validation results indicate a hit ratio of 79.4%, surpassing the proportional chance criterion of 63.36%, thereby confirming the model’s predictive validity. The findings reveal that the relatively high upfront purchase price is the strongest discriminating factor, followed by income level and product performance, suggesting that economic evaluations and functional value appraisals dominate consumer decision-making processes. Additional economic considerations—government incentives and operational costs—also significantly differentiate consumer groups. In contrast, demographic variables such as education, age, and gender exhibit limited discriminant power, although younger consumers demonstrate greater openness to BEV adoption. Overall, the results indicate that BEV purchase intention in Indonesia is primarily shaped by cost-related perceptions and assessments of functional product value. Future studies are encouraged to incorporate psychological constructs and utilize longitudinal designs to capture behavioral dynamics over time.

The calibre of information disseminated by higher education institutions (HEIs) is a pivotal element in student recruitment and institutional prestige. Although student-led organisations like clubs and societies serve as impactful peer-to-peer communication channels, the quality of the information they disseminate is frequently unregulated, presenting a considerable institutional risk. This study assesses the quality of material disseminated by student clubs and organisations to prospective students at a South African University of Technology. The evaluation is founded on essential dimensions of information quality: accuracy, integrity, consistency, completeness, validity, timeliness, and accessibility. The research utilised two theoretical frameworks: the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle and Organisational Information Theory (OIT). The PDCA cycle transcends quality enhancement, functioning as an ongoing mechanism for organisational advancement, whilst the Organisational Information Theory aids in comprehending information dissemination within an organization. This qualitative research employed an interpretivist framework. Data were gathered via comprehensive interviews and two focus groups with 46 chairpersons and secretaries from 23 clubs and societies, augmented by an examination of their social media platforms. The findings indicate that the quality of information presents a systemic difficulty, stemming from an ambiguous and uneven comprehension of "quality information," a lack of internal quality standards, and an inadequate knowledge of institutional norms. The research suggests that clubs and societies function as influential yet predominantly unregulated information gatekeepers. In the absence of explicit policies and training, they risk disseminating disinformation, thereby harming institutional reputation and adversely affecting student recruitment. It is advisable for higher education institutions to establish explicit rules and cooperative methods to enable these groups to become dependable participants in the information ecosystem.

Mentor-mentee meetings are seen as the backbone of any mentorship relationship between pre-service teachers and mentor teachers. Thus, this study examines the quality of mentor-mentee meetings between business studies Pre-Service Teachers (PSTs) and their mentor teachers during teaching practice. This qualitative study is underpinned by the Experiential Learning Theory, and it is located within the interpretive paradigm.  An exploratory phenomenology was employed as its research design. A sample of twenty-one reflective narratives contained in business studies PSTs’ portfolio of evidence were analysed. Random sampling was used to identify twenty-one PoEs submitted by business studies PSTs engaged on their third-year teaching practice. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the raw data that was generated for the study. The study revealed that business studies PSTs were satisfied with the quality of mentor-meetings held during teaching practice. It emerged from the study that crucial aspects of mentoring such as classroom management, lesson planning, learner engagement as well the assessment and feedback were extensively covered during mentor-mentee meetings. The study recommends that ITE institutions make it mandatory for mentor teachers and PSTs to hold mentor-mentee meetings during teaching practice to enrich PSTs learning experiences.

The aviation industry confronts two primary challenges: achieving net-zero emissions and undergoing digital transformation. This study examines the role of Smart Information Management Systems (SIMS) as a governance intermediate in addressing sustainability strategy discrepancies between airports and airlines. A multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) framework was utilised, incorporating the Fuzzy Delphi Method (FDM) and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Data was gathered from 17 experts, averaging 15.6 years of experience, encompassing representatives from airlines (35.3%), airport authorities (23.5%), academia (17.6%), government policy departments (11.8%), and ESG specialists (11.8%). The research assesses governance maturity across six dimensions: data transparency, carbon monitoring, decision support, compliance governance, interdepartmental collaboration, and resource optimisation. The findings indicate a systemic "technical vs. institutional" disparity in governance capabilities: Airlines exhibit markedly greater maturity in data transparency (+55.26%) and resource optimisation (+34.52%), propelled by real-time operational agility. Airports demonstrate enhanced proficiency in decision support (+38.80%) and compliance and risk governance (+35.89%), indicating a regulation-focused institutional framework. This paper presents a comprehensive ESG–SIMS governance paradigm that clarifies the mediating function of digital technologies in enhancing data openness, decision-making agility, and governance resilience in the aviation sector. 

Food security remains a persistent challenge in South Africa, disproportionately affecting vulnerable groups such as female-headed households. While the country is nationally food secure, many households continue to experience inadequate access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food due to structural inequalities, labour-market exclusion, and spatial disparities. Using data from the 2023 General Household Survey (GHS), this study assesses levels and determinants of food security among female-headed households in South Africa. A Food Insecurity Experience Index (FIEI) is constructed from three indicators capturing household experiences of limited food variety, inability to consume balanced meals, and reliance on monotonous diets due to financial constraints. An ordered logit model is estimated to examine how demographic, socioeconomic, and geographic factors shape household food security. The results reveal that female-headed households face significantly higher risks of food insecurity compared to male-headed households, even after controlling for income, education, employment status, and household composition. Provincial disparities are pronounced, with households in historically disadvantaged provinces exhibiting worse food-security outcomes. Education and employment are associated with lower food insecurity, while older household heads and larger households experience higher vulnerability. These findings highlight the deeply structural and gendered nature of food insecurity in South Africa. The study underscores the need for targeted, nutrition-sensitive social protection policies, improved market access, and gender-responsive interventions to enhance food security among women-led households.

The online media remains one of the most influential societal institutions, largely contributing to shaping public perceptions on female criminality, this is often reinforced or challenged by the existing societal norms and stereotypes. Following the non-empirical research design (systematic review), the objective of this study was to explore the representation of different types of crimes committed by South African female offenders through News24 and YouTube online media platforms, heavily relying on ‘eNews Channel Africa (eNCA), Newzroom Afrika, South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) News, and Crime Watch, restricted to 2018 and 2024. This study was qualitative in nature the reviewed studies were purposively selected, this data collection method was supported by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework and analysed using the inductive Thematic Content Analysis (TCA). ). A total of 41 News24 articles and 7 YouTube videos were included. The study findings selectively indicate that five (5) crime categories were represented by News24 and YouTube online media platforms regarding the representation of different types of crimes [commonly] committed by South African female offenders, namely: 1) Murder, 2) Fraud, 3) Theft, 4) Drug trafficking, and; 5) Child abuse and neglect. It was also established that the South African online media platforms tend to sensationalise stories of female offenders often committing violent crimes and crimes against children, while representations of financial and drug-related crimes generally remain neutral in their portrayal. For recommendations the online media platforms should adopt more balanced reporting practices; while ensuring that the Journalists should adhere to the ethical editorial guidelines promoting fair and accurate portrayals of female offenders, inclusive to the male offenders.   

Gender-based violence (GBV) remains a critical issue within South African universities. It affects students’ safety, well-being, and access to quality education. Despite efforts to address this issue, universities continue to experience cases of sexual violence, harassment, emotional abuse, and coercion. Student protests and public concern have also exposed weaknesses in institutional responses and survivor protection. This study aims to systematically review existing literature on GBV in South African universities to identify what is currently known, how GBV is understood, and what gaps exist in literature. The study was guided by Social Learning and Intersectionality theories. A qualitative systematic literature review approach was adopted. The findings revealed that GBV is shaped by harmful gender norms, patriarchal attitudes, alcohol and substance abuse, economic vulnerability, and weak institutional accountability. Literature review further revealed that many survivors avoid reporting incidents because of fear, stigma, victim-blaming, and distrust in institutional systems. GBV was also found to have serious psychological, social, physical, and academic effects on students. The study concludes that GBV remains a structural challenge within South African higher education institutions. The study recommends stronger institutional accountability, survivor-centred support services, gender transformation programmes, and collaborative interventions to create safer university environments.

Between the eighth and thirteenth centuries, the Muslim world experienced a flourishing of scholarship that reshaped the landscape of knowledge. Thinkers and scientists working in this period produced lasting advances in mathematics, astronomy, medicine, philosophy, and the natural sciences. Their engagement with Greek, Persian, and Indian traditions did not amount to simple preservation; rather, these ideas were critically examined, tested, and reconfigured within an intellectual climate that placed high value on observation, reasoned analysis, and the pursuit of truth (al-?aqq). A striking example is Ibn al-Haytham’s Book of Optics, where systematic experimentation was employed to challenge inherited theories and open new pathways for scientific inquiry. Institutions such as the Bayt al-?ikma provided vital support for this spirit of investigation, while the Qur’?n’s encouragement to reflect upon the natural world gave religious legitimacy to empirical research. Despite this, many Western accounts have long downplayed the originality of these contributions, depicting Muslim scholars as mere intermediaries. Reassessing the period makes clear that their work introduced methods and intellectual habits that laid important foundations for later science, warranting recognition as a cornerstone in global intellectual history.

This article investigates the impact of Supply Chain Relationship Management (SCRM) on operational efficiency, with a specific focus on the mediating role of information sharing. SCRM has been widely recognized for promoting collaboration and improving operational outcomes in supply chains. However, the effectiveness of SCRM practices is significantly enhanced when accompanied by robust information-sharing mechanisms. The study utilizes Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to analyze data collected from 108 supply chain professionals in the Sunyani Municipality, Ghana. The results show that information sharing plays a critical role in mediating the relationship between SCRM and operational efficiency, highlighting its importance as a mechanism for facilitating better coordination, reducing operational costs, and improving lead times. These findings offer valuable insights into how inter-organizational collaboration and effective information exchange contribute to operational improvements in supply chains, particularly within the pharmaceutical sector in developing economies. The study contributes both theoretical and practical perspectives on supply chain management.  

Phubbing is a behavioural concept of social and human interaction that has created disaffection in conversations and has increasingly become a great concern for many. This phenomenon was assessed to address its negative effects in society by examining and documenting its literature trends and relationships, thereby adding to existing knowledge in this area. A thorough bibliometric analysis was conducted on 58 English-language articles on phubbing and related keywords from the Scopus database published from 2018 to 2022. VOSviewer and R tool packages were used to perform performance analysis, science mappings and the organisation and presentation of the data to identify article growth dimensions, relationships, and trends. Phubbing has attracted significant attention and impacted our daily activities, with a 51.37% growth in article publications and a 25.86% increase in international authorship collaboration. This is mainly from high-impact authors and documents in the United States, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. The research thematic areas are centred around smartphones, social media, and parent-child relationships. The research will help to minimise the negative impact of phubbing on human endeavours and promote peaceful coexistence in society by improving our social and moral values. It will also improve knowledge in understanding the evolution of literature to advance future research efforts. This study is unique in harnessing efforts and experience from around the world to deepen understanding and benefit society. Further research should be conducted on phubbing and mental health and their impact on children's growth

The integration of Big Data, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning, the Internet of Things, Cloud Computing and Cybersecurity into aviation – is reshaping how airlines and Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) organisations create value, yet evidence on the gap between digital potential and at-scale implementation remains fragmented. This study examines how Aviation 4.0 technologies affect aviation operations, with a particular focus on MRO. A qualitative, mixed-methods design combines a systematic literature review, secondary evidence from an industry MRO digital survey, five semi-structured expert interviews (sales, data science, MRO operations, R&D innovation, and technology-provider management), and two technical case studies (neural networks for aircraft retirement and an AI-based digital twin for a Power Electronics Cooling System). Findings reveal that predictive maintenance is the dominant digital priority (prioritised by 56% of respondents), yet only 6% of MROs have scaled digital and analytics across the enterprise; over 80% cite data limitations and more than 70% cite organisational resistance as barriers. Field implementations in a focal MRO produced substantial measurable value, including $4.2M annual savings from an in-house planning platform and $6M additional revenue from an integrated quote-to-contract system. The study triangulates concept, practice and market evidence in a single crosswalk, clarifying where the Aviation 4.0 promise has materialised and where the principal barriers persist. Practically, this study provides MRO executives and policymakers with an evidence-based roadmap mapping conceptual potentials to realised implementations.

Arising carbon emissions and accelerating industrialization have intensified concerns regarding sustainable development in emerging markets. This study examines whether innovation functions as a direct mechanism for decarbonization and whether innovation-driven environmental dynamics follow the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) framework. Using panel data from emerging market economies over the period 2000–2020, the study applies fixed-effects estimation techniques to investigate both the linear and nonlinear effects of innovation on CO₂ emissions. Innovation is measured through research and development (R&D) expenditure, while industrialization, urbanization, trade openness, financial development, and ICT indicators are incorporated as control variables. The findings demonstrate that innovation significantly reduces CO₂ emissions, suggesting that technological advancement supports environmental sustainability through cleaner production systems and efficiency-enhancing mechanisms. However, the analysis does not support the existence of an innovation-driven EKC, as the nonlinear innovation term remains statistically insignificant. The study contributes to environmental sustainability literature by extending the EKC framework beyond conventional income-centered explanations and positioning innovation as a direct decarbonization mechanism in emerging economies. The findings further provide practical implications for policymakers seeking to accelerate low-carbon transitions through innovation-oriented industrial and technological policies.