International Journal of Business Ecosystem & Strategy

In the context of Industry 5.0, the convergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI), decoloniality, and epistemic justice presents both opportunities and challenges for Human Resource Management (HRM) in the South African public sector. This paper emanates because of the possibility that AI-driven HRM practices could reinforce colonial legacies, repeat systemic bias, and prolong epistemic exclusion if not led by justice-oriented perspectives. This paper aims to explore how concepts of ethical, decolonial, and epistemic justice might inform the use of AI in HRM to promote inclusivity and fairness. This paper employs bibliometric analysis to map and evaluate scholarly discourse on AI, decoloniality, and HRM, aiming to uncover research trends, gaps, and theoretical intersections. Findings indicate that although AI can be efficient and predictive, its application in HRM frequently ignores ethical requirements and local knowledge systems. To protect equity, the study recommends integrating decolonial ideas, participatory methods, and epistemic justice frameworks into HRM technology. This paper concludes that the South African public sector may reconcile technological innovation with transformation and social justice imperatives by ethically aligning AI in Industry 5.0.

Green procurement is one of the major topical issues that have become increasingly popular worldwide as the world embraces sustainability. Zimbabwe is one of the countries in the world that is struggling to adopt the use of green procurement in the health sector. Some identified factors affecting such adoption are lack of technology and infrastructure, training and awareness especially of the procurement officers and those in charge of the sector, policy and regulatory framework, limited supply chain, economic pressures and stakeholder engagement. The study’s objective was toidentify and analyse factors affecting the adaptation of green procurement practices in Zimbabwe’s health sector. The study used qualitative secondary data, and three key documents were analysed in the ATLAS. ti 24. Themes were created and results confirmed the challenges faced by adopting green procurement in the health sector in Zimbabwe. The study found that economic challenges, policy and regulatory framework shortfall, limited supply chain management, lack of stakeholder engagement, technology and infrastructure shortfalls and failure to have training and awareness regarding green procurement. Policymakers should encourage collaborations and partnerships between government and industry can facilitate the sharing of knowledge, best practices and resources. Zimbabwe as a signatory to the Abuja Declaration of 2001, the country can revert to this agreement and meet the suggested 15% of the total country budget set aside only for the health sector to support the adoption of green procurement. The study recommends that the government make use of the monitoring and evaluation systems that will influence policymakers in support of green procurement. The study recommended that the government should enact policies that support sustainable procurement and training should be carried out as Zimbabwe is one of the countries that signed the Sustainable Development Goals especially goal number 3.

This study aims to analyze S.C.O.R.R.E. (stimulus, capability, opportunity, capability, cooperation, and ego) as the cause of financial statement fraud. The study was conducted on B.U.M.N. companies in Indonesia as a population with published financial statement analysis units with a total of 122 as samples obtained by purposive sampling technique after being selected for the period 2014-2018 (five years). The Binary Logistics regression technique is used in analyzing data with the dependent variable using a nominal scale (0-1) as a measurement of financial statement fraud. The study concludes that not all measurement dimensions are predicted to affect the occurrence of fraud in financial statements, while measurements using other dimensions prove a significant influence on the event of financial statement manipulation. The study results provide a reference to the potential for preventing financial statement fraud by identifying several measurement dimensions that can trigger financial statement fraud. Research using Binary Logistics regression would be better confirmed through observation, either by interview or primary data that supports and predicts the results of the analysis that was not carried out in this study, so the conclusions obtained have not fully concluded the existing phenomena.

Armed conflict significantly disrupts public health systems, yet the mechanisms linking violence to endemic disease outbreaks remain insufficiently understood. This study examines how violent conflict affects disease governance and health service delivery across Sudan’s conflict-affected regions between 2000 and 2024. Using a spatial panel dataset that combines geo-referenced conflict events from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), epidemiological surveillance records, environmental indicators, and subnational governance measures, the analysis evaluates the relationship between conflict intensity, governance capacity, and endemic disease incidence. The results indicate that areas experiencing higher levels of violence exhibit significantly greater incidence of malaria, cholera, and measles. These effects are particularly pronounced where health infrastructure has been damaged and administrative capacity has weakened. Regions with stronger local governance demonstrate greater resilience, maintaining partial vaccination coverage and disease surveillance despite ongoing conflict. Spatial models further reveal significant spillover effects, with outbreaks spreading along displacement corridors and border regions. The findings highlight the central role of governance capacity in mediating health outcomes during armed conflict and underscore the importance of conflict-sensitive health interventions. Strengthening decentralized health governance, protecting health infrastructure, and improving cross-regional disease surveillance are essential for mitigating endemic disease risks in fragile and conflict-affected settings.

The study examines how environmental sustainability reporting influences the performance of listed construction firms in Zimbabwe. The study responds to a notable research gap in developing economies, particularly within the construction sector, where limited qualitative evidence exists on how managers perceive the relationship between environmental corporate sustainability practices and organisational performance. While prior studies have largely focused on quantitative approaches in developed contexts, this paper adopts a qualitative perspective to generate context-specific insights. Guided by the interpretivist philosophy and informed by Signalling Theory and Legitimacy Theory, the study employed a qualitative research design using purposive sampling. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews, and document analysis of sustainability reports from selected firms listed on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange. The data were analysed through thematic and content analysis to identify recurring patterns and perceptions. The findings indicate that environmental sustainability reporting is generally perceived to enhance firm performance through improved corporate reputation, stronger stakeholder confidence, regulatory compliance, operational efficiency, waste reduction, and better resource management. Key environmental practices identified include environmental management systems, recycling and reuse initiatives, pollution control measures, land rehabilitation, and water conservation strategies. However, the study also found that firms face constraints such as resource limitations, economic instability, and uneven regulatory enforcement, which may hinder the full benefits of environmental sustainability initiatives. The paper concludes that the environmental dimension of corporate sustainability reporting can contribute positively to organisational performance when supported by effective implementation and strategic commitment. It recommends that listed firms strengthen environmental governance systems, integrate sustainability into core business strategy, invest in cleaner technologies, and improve disclosure quality. Policymakers are encouraged to enhance regulatory support and industry guidance for sustainability reporting. Future research may extend this inquiry to other sectors, compare listed and non-listed firms, and explore longitudinal changes in sustainability reporting practices across emerging markets.

Armed conflict significantly disrupts public health systems, yet the mechanisms linking violence to endemic disease outbreaks remain insufficiently understood. This study examines how violent conflict affects disease governance and health service delivery across Sudan’s conflict-affected regions between 2000 and 2024. Using a spatial panel dataset that combines geo-referenced conflict events from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), epidemiological surveillance records, environmental indicators, and subnational governance measures, the analysis evaluates the relationship between conflict intensity, governance capacity, and endemic disease incidence. The results indicate that areas experiencing higher levels of violence exhibit significantly greater incidence of malaria, cholera, and measles. These effects are particularly pronounced where health infrastructure has been damaged and administrative capacity has weakened. Regions with stronger local governance demonstrate greater resilience, maintaining partial vaccination coverage and disease surveillance despite ongoing conflict. Spatial models further reveal significant spillover effects, with outbreaks spreading along displacement corridors and border regions. The findings highlight the central role of governance capacity in mediating health outcomes during armed conflict and underscore the importance of conflict-sensitive health interventions. Strengthening decentralized health governance, protecting health infrastructure, and improving cross-regional disease surveillance are essential for mitigating endemic disease risks in fragile and conflict-affected settings.

The study examines how environmental sustainability reporting influences the performance of listed construction firms in Zimbabwe. The study responds to a notable research gap in developing economies, particularly within the construction sector, where limited qualitative evidence exists on how managers perceive the relationship between environmental corporate sustainability practices and organisational performance. While prior studies have largely focused on quantitative approaches in developed contexts, this paper adopts a qualitative perspective to generate context-specific insights. Guided by the interpretivist philosophy and informed by Signalling Theory and Legitimacy Theory, the study employed a qualitative research design using purposive sampling. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews, and document analysis of sustainability reports from selected firms listed on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange. The data were analysed through thematic and content analysis to identify recurring patterns and perceptions. The findings indicate that environmental sustainability reporting is generally perceived to enhance firm performance through improved corporate reputation, stronger stakeholder confidence, regulatory compliance, operational efficiency, waste reduction, and better resource management. Key environmental practices identified include environmental management systems, recycling and reuse initiatives, pollution control measures, land rehabilitation, and water conservation strategies. However, the study also found that firms face constraints such as resource limitations, economic instability, and uneven regulatory enforcement, which may hinder the full benefits of environmental sustainability initiatives. The paper concludes that the environmental dimension of corporate sustainability reporting can contribute positively to organisational performance when supported by effective implementation and strategic commitment. It recommends that listed firms strengthen environmental governance systems, integrate sustainability into core business strategy, invest in cleaner technologies, and improve disclosure quality. Policymakers are encouraged to enhance regulatory support and industry guidance for sustainability reporting. Future research may extend this inquiry to other sectors, compare listed and non-listed firms, and explore longitudinal changes in sustainability reporting practices across emerging markets.

This paper examines how a purpose-driven organisation emerging from a highly volatile developing economy can build a globally competitive business process outsourcing (BPO) platform while contributing to brain-drain reversal. Using ZimWorX, a Zimbabwean-headquartered BPO enterprise, as a longitudinal case study, the study aims to develop a theoretically grounded framework explaining strategic emergence under conditions of volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA) for an emerging organisation. Situated within the broader transformation of global outsourcing markets and the democratisation of digital talent, the paper positions Zimbabwe not as a peripheral participant but as a credible contender in high-value global services delivery. The research adopts a qualitative single-case study design grounded in conceptual theory-building. Drawing on secondary data, organisational records, industry reports, and contextual economic analysis, the study employs abductive reasoning to synthesise four theoretical lenses: Entrepreneurial Orientation Theory, Market Entry Strategy frameworks, Chaos Theory, and Strategic Decision-Making Theory. Through cross-theoretical integration, the analysis traces how ZimWorX navigated Zimbabwe’s macroeconomic instability, currency volatility, high unemployment, and institutional constraints to construct a resilient and differentiated service platform serving clients primarily in the United States and the United Kingdom. The findings reveal that ZimWorX’s success is not attributable to cost arbitrage alone, but to a distinctive combination of entrepreneurial vision, purpose-driven culture, agile niche-focused market entry, and a disruptive “insourcing” philosophy that reframes outsourcing as premium human capital partnership. The firm’s strategic posture reflects adaptive decision-making under disequilibrium conditions, where uncertainty becomes a catalyst for innovation rather than paralysis. Importantly, the organisation embeds social purpose, specifically the reversal of skilled migration and the creation of dignified employment, into its competitive strategy, thereby aligning commercial performance with developmental impact. The study culminates in the development of the ZimWorX Strategic Emergence Framework (ZSEF), a conceptual model that illustrates how emerging-economy firms can integrate entrepreneurial orientation, strategic agility, purposeful positioning, and adaptive market entry to achieve sustained global competitiveness in VUCA environments. The framework advances emerging organisation theory by demonstrating how firms operating in structurally disadvantaged contexts can convert institutional adversity into strategic differentiation. The paper concludes that purposeful strategic emergence offers a viable pathway for developing economies seeking participation in knowledge-intensive global value chains. Rather than replicating traditional offshore outsourcing models, African BPO platforms can leverage mission-driven identity, digital infrastructure, and agile governance structures to compete on quality and relational capital. The study recommends that policymakers support digital talent ecosystems, regulatory clarity, and export-oriented service platforms, while organisational leaders institutionalise adaptive strategic processes and purpose-centred cultures. Future research may test the ZSEF across multiple African BPO firms, examine performance implications quantitatively, or explore comparative applications in other emerging-market knowledge industries.

This paper examines the emergence and strategic evolution of InnBucks MicroBank Limited, a Zimbabwean Microfinance organisation that evolved from a restaurant-change management digital wallet into a licensed deposit-taking microfinance bank serving around 3 million users within 4 years. Operating in what is arguably one of the most extreme VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous) environments globally, characterised by currency failures, chronic hyperinflation, regulatory unpredictability, and severe infrastructure deficits, InnBucks offers a compelling case for exploring how organisations emerge, adapt, and scale amid genuine chaos.  The analysis incorporates five theoretical frameworks: Chaos Theory, Entrepreneurial Orientation Theory, Disruptive Innovation and Frugal Innovation, the Viable System Model, and Strategic Decision-Making Theory. These are utilised to explain InnBucks' institutional pivots, its evolution to a registered deposit taking microfinance, its utilisation of Simbisa Brands' restaurant network as financial infrastructure, and its recent shift to cloud-native banking through the Mambu/AWS partnership. The paper proposes the ARISE (Agility, Resilience, Innovation, Systemic, Entrepreneurial) conceptual framework, which combines five theoretical perspectives into a practical model to steer strategic emergence in resource-limited, institutionally fragile environments. It concludes that InnBucks' trajectory challenges traditional assumptions about the prerequisites for financial innovation and provides transferable insights for emerging organisations operating within Sub-Saharan Africa's growing fintech ecosystem.

This conceptual theory-building study examines how African FinTech organisations navigate volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (VUCA), using Mukuru as a paradigmatic single case. It develops the Mukuru Ambidextrous Strategic Emergence Model (MASEM) by integrating Entrepreneurial Orientation, Strategic Agility, Organisational Ambidexterity, Chaos Theory and Strategic Decision-Making Theory. Using secondary evidence, longitudinal organisational analysis and abductive cross-theoretical synthesis, the study explains how Mukuru combines exploitation of established remittance and agent-network capabilities with exploration of digital innovation. The analysis identifies multidexterity, the orchestration of multiple, potentially contradictory business models across heterogeneous regulatory settings, as a key capability linking strategic agility to sustained emergence. MASEM conceptualises VUCA pressures as external conditions, entrepreneurial and adaptive capabilities as the strategic core, responsible AI and green digital finance as enabling capabilities, and resilience, inclusion and antifragility as intended organisational outcomes. The model is conceptual rather than empirically validated; accordingly, future research should test its constructs and causal relationships across multiple African FinTech organisations. The study contributes an Africa-centred framework and practical guidance for managers seeking to align innovation, governance, sustainability and regulatory adaptability under persistent environmental turbulence.