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This study presents a systematic literature review analysing the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on higher education, focusing on its methods, results, and implications. By synthesising a diverse range of academic papers, the review explores how AI technologies influence educational standards and practices in higher education institutions. Findings reveal that AI has the potential to enhance the quality of higher education by diversifying teaching responsibilities, customising learning experiences, and employing intelligent, adaptive teaching strategies. These capabilities position AI as a transformative tool for improving educational delivery and outcomes. However, the study also highlights significant challenges associated with integrating AI into higher education. These challenges include delineating the appropriate scope of AI use, addressing inequalities in access to digital resources, and ensuring adequate training and support for educators and students. The review underscores the importance of understanding these complexities to guide the development of effective strategies and policies that optimise AI's potential while mitigating its limitations. The review offers critical insights into the dual role of AI in higher education, where it can either advance or hinder educational standards depending on how it is implemented. By examining the advantages, limitations, and broader consequences of AI-powered instructional tools, this study provides a comprehensive perspective on the intricate relationship between AI and educational quality. The findings aim to inform educators, policymakers, and stakeholders about the opportunities and challenges of adopting AI in higher education, contributing to the development of inclusive, innovative, and sustainable educational practices.

This study advances research and practice related to adopting artificial intelligence (AI) in the context of South Africa (SA). The study evaluated AI adoption by South African manufacturing Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs); established the challenges faced by manufacturing SMEs in adopting AI; and developed a framework for adopting AI for manufacturing SMEs’ growth and survival. The study adopted a systematic literature review approach. Articles from Scopus and Google scholar databases, ranging from the years 2018 to 2024, were used. Of the 206 articles found, 54 were shortlisted. The systematic review analysis was performed using the PRISMA framework. The results identified AI adoption by South African manufacturing SMEs is low, limiting their innovation and productivity. The results also show, despite the numerous benefits AI adoption can offer manufacturing SMEs in the country, a major constraint is the lack of a framework to enhance adoption and implementation. Hence, this study was conducted to develop a framework to improve AI adoption by South African manufacturing SMEs. The findings contribute to the body of knowledge and provide new insights to manufacturing SME owners/managers, policymakers and practitioners into AI adoption to enhance manufacturing SMEs’ ability to compete on the global stage.

Employee turnover poses a significant challenge for South African municipalities, particularly for retaining tacit organisational knowledge. Therefore, this study assessed how employee turnover impacts organisational tacit knowledge retention in South African municipalities. The study uses secondary data analysis to examine employee turnover in critical positions in various municipalities in South Africa, such as senior management and those earmarked as scarce skills. The findings of this study show that employee turnover significantly negatively impacts tacit organisational knowledge. The findings further revealed that turnover exacerbates the retention of the organisational knowledge gap within municipalities, often leading to diminished service quality and increased operational costs such as recruitment and use of service consultants. Furthermore, the study highlights the gap between rhetoric (policies) and actual practice (implementation) in addressing the issues of service quality and operational costs, noting that existing retention strategies and knowledge management approaches often need to be revised. Questioning the effectiveness of retention strategies, the paper suggests that municipalities require more proactive and innovative approaches to manage turnover and organisational tactical knowledge retention to enhance public service delivery continuity and organisational sustainability. Furthermore, municipalities should integrate retention strategies such as succession planning, continuous training, leadership, and mentorship programmes into a broader municipal governance framework.

Indigenous communities possess rich traditions of conflict resolution rooted in their cultural values, collective decision-making, and community involvement. However, the imposition of Western legal frameworks and colonial histories has often disrupted these practices, leading to increased tensions and unresolved conflicts. This study explored conflict resolution within Indigenous communities, emphasizing the role of social work in facilitating culturally appropriate processes. The study employed a qualitative approach, incorporating interviews with Indigenous leaders, social workers, and community members, alongside a review of relevant literature on traditional practices and social work interventions. Social workers play a crucial role as facilitators, helping to navigate tensions and bridging gaps between traditional practices and contemporary needs. Challenges include a lack of cultural competency and the need for ongoing community engagement. The integration of Indigenous knowledge systems into conflict resolution practices enhance outcomes and foster healing. Social workers prioritize cultural humility and active listening, ensuring that Indigenous voices lead the resolution process. By supporting the reclamation of traditional conflict resolution methods and advocating for culturally sensitive practices, social workers empowered Indigenous communities, promote resilience, and facilitate more effective conflict resolution. This perspective underscores the necessity of collaboration, respect, and recognition of Indigenous sovereignty in all social work interventions.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of cultural forces that shape social influence with a look at Hofstede’s cultural dimensions of power distance, uncertainty avoidance, and individualism. The direct effect of these cultural dimensions on social influence is investigated. To measure social influence, this paper relies on the dimensions of Hofstede. A multiple regression analysis is applied to answer the hypotheses. The research design adopted for the research was quantitative, and the method used to collect data was an online survey. A self-administered questionnaire was developed and distributed to the targeted respondents for obtaining primary data.The respondents involved were 340 SMEs in the urban area of Harare province in Zimbabwe. A nonprobability convenience sampling method was used for the study. Hofstede’s cultural factors of power distance, individualism, and uncertainty avoidance were used as the independent variables that moderate social influence.

As access to healthcare has come under increasing scrutiny, patient waiting times have become crucial. Qualitative research provides an in-depth understanding and reflections of the nurses at Nthabiseng Clinic in Capricorn region, Limpopo Province, South Africa.This article is based on an investigation of patient waiting, which used in-depth semi-structured interviews with five strategically selected healthcare professionals to disentangle the web of different elements that can affect the length of time a patient might wait at the hospital. We identified two superordinate themes that emerged from our thematic analysis. The data analysis identified two key themes that influenced how patient waiting time was related to patients and operational matters during clinic visits: 1) Determinants of patient waiting time at a clinic visit: (i.e. a lack of definitions of patient waiting time; patient waiting time contributing factors; patient waiting time seen through patients; operational challenges regarding patient waiting time); as well as 2) Patient waiting time policy position (i.e. South Africa’s patient waiting time specific policy/ies and/or legislative framework; A clinic’s specific development plan; DOH’s assistance to a clinic). As healthcare systems strive to enhance accessibility and patient experience, this study offers invaluable insights into the multifaceted nature of patient waiting times, paving the way for evidence-based strategies to address this critical issue.

This study employed a conceptual framework to elucidate the issue of incivility. The researcher created a cohesive conceptual framework to facilitate the construction of knowledge and to offer a rational elucidation of the knowledge acquired during this study. This will provide a framework for a deeper comprehension of incivility in professional nursing education in South Africa. A qualitative exploratory descriptive methodology was employed. The research was conducted in a nursing college in partnership with a university of technology and a university-affiliated nursing school. A selected sample of fifteen (15) students and ten (10) nurse educators was utilised for data collection. Semi-structured, in-person interviews were used to gather data until saturation was achieved with 23 participants. Participation was voluntary, and discussions were kept confidential. Distinct themes arose from the data analysis and were interpreted through interpersonal relations theory. The related notions were delineated as Part 1 – the leaves of the tree: manifestations of incivility, Part 2 – the trunk of the tree: incivility itself, and Part 3 – the roots of the tree: the origins of incivility within the framework of incivility.

Backyard gardening holds immense promise as a viable solution to combat the escalating rates of hunger and poverty in South Africa. This study examines the dynamics of backyard gardening, its significance, potential contributions to food security and the myriad challenges it faces. The literature review explores the diverse dimensions of backyard gardening drawing insights from scholarly research and policy documents. The study underscores the pivotal role of backyard gardening in addressing food security, enhancing nutrition and promoting socio-economic resilience within communities. However, significant barriers such as limited access to land, water scarcity and inadequate support structures pose formidable challenges to its widespread adoption and effectiveness. Analysing the legislative frameworks, policy landscape and organisational initiatives surrounding backyard gardening illuminates’ pathways for overcoming barriers and harnessing its transformative potential. Moreover, it underscores the importance of reimagining backyard gardening as a dynamic strategy for inclusive development, grounded in principles of equity, sustainability and community empowerment. Through strategic interventions aimed at promoting equitable land tenure, enhancing water resource management and fostering community capacity building, South Africa can leverage backyard gardening as a powerful tool in its quest for a more resilient and food-secure future.

This article reports on literature review and the reflective practice of teachers and school principals on the use of action research in identifying teachers’ professional development (TPD) needs required for a successful implementation of blended and virtual learning. This article sought to contribute to the body of knowledge of teachers’ needs analysis and development; teachers’ digital competencies; and action research to the field of education. School principals and teachers who participated in this study confirmed that action research is an effective strategy that can be used in TPD. They further stressed that action research can be used to replace the existing ‘one size fits all strategy’ that is currently used blatantly across highly adequately and under-resourced schools. Using action research helped them expose realities entrenched within teaching and learning in less privileged schools. This study recommends the use of action research as strategy for identification of teachers’ and learners’ needs that should inform the contents and nature of teachers’ professional development programs.

This study examines the effects of poverty and crime in Sub-Saharan Africa in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) context. Specifically, it seeks to explore how technological advancements influence the dynamics between poverty and crime in the region. We employed a qualitative research approach, utilising data from comprehensive academic literature reviews, policy documents, and relevant statistics. Additionally, we gathered insights from 20 participants chosen to represent diverse perspectives, including policymakers, academics, community leaders, technology experts, and individuals from impoverished communities. Through in-depth interviews and focus groups, the study provided a holistic view of the nuanced impacts of the 4IR on poverty and crime. The main findings of the study demonstrate that (i) the 4IR offers considerable opportunities for poverty alleviation through job creation and economic empowerment, (ii) there are significant risks, such as digital exclusion and the emergence of new, technology-driven forms of crime, and finally, (iii) structural factors, including governance and access to education influence the effects of 4IR. The study recommends targeted policies to harness the benefits of the 4IR, focusing on strengthening education, promoting inclusive governance, and fostering social inclusion to mitigate adverse consequences.