International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science

Despite efforts made by the government and organizations with the intent of improving gender equality and promoting women’s participation at the highest levels of management within the financial sector and other male-dominated industries, women still lag significantly. This issue persists despite the prevalence of biases that affect their performance. This study examined the experience of female leaders working within the financial services sector of a South African organization with regards to the availability of access to mentoring and the glass ceiling phenomenon. A qualitative approach of research methodology was employed through the application of semi-structured interviews with an in-depth exploration of the opinions of nine female leaders. Themes were used to identify patterns that emerged with the application of this approach. The study results indicated that the female executives experience numerous difficulties that include inequality during the process of selecting employees, pay disparities between the female and male employees, lack of respect from their fellow workers or employees at their respective institutions of employment, as well as a lack of adequate mentoring programs. Women’s leadership journeys are affected by structural, cultural, and individual barriers. To foster the growth of female leaders, organizations should embrace solid gender equity initiative implementation and promote inclusive cultures at the workplace. This study’s results are useful in designing improved pathways of access and minimizing gender-related barriers within the male-dominated sector

Africa’s labour market is undergoing rapid transformation driven by technological disruption, demographic shifts, climate-related pressures, and evolving employer expectations. For higher education institutions, this context presents both a challenge and a strategic opportunity: the need to recalibrate curricula to meet the demands of a future driven workforce to address this imperative, the study employs a structured desktop review drawing on scholarly literature, policy frameworks, labour market analytics, and regional case studies across African higher education, between the period of January 2020 and January 2026.  This methodological approach enables the systematic synthesis of cross-sector insights and supports a critical evaluation of the misalignments between current curriculum practices and the competencies required in an evolving labour market. The aim of this study is to critically examine the alignment between African higher education curricular and the evolving demands of the labour market, and to identify curriculum design principles that can support the development of adaptable, digitally fluent, and socially responsive graduates suited to a future driven African workforce. The analysis examines how African higher education can intentionally align curriculum design with emerging workplace realities to produce graduates who are adaptable, digitally fluent, and socially responsive. The findings reveal persistent limitations in traditional content-heavy programmes, which often fail to cultivate the flexible, interdisciplinary, and technology-enabled competencies demanded by contemporary employers in response, this study argues for a shift toward competency based, industry informed, and contextually grounded curriculum models. Curriculum recalibration is a critical lever for shaping a resilient, innovative, and inclusive African workforce. A future proof curriculum, it argues, must integrate technological competence, adaptability, and social responsibility to prepare graduates for fluid, technology-enabled, and socially responsive careers.

The South African Society of Radiography noted that a great number of South African radiographers were leaving the government sector to seek employment abroad as well as in private practices. The aim of the research was to determine the factors that affect radiographers' intentions to leave public health care institutions in the KwaZulu-Natal Province. The study used a quantitative approach. Data were obtained from a cross-sectional survey using a stratified random sample of 220 employed radiographers in various public hospitals across KwaZulu-Natal. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the predictors of intention to leave. The results reflect that the intention to leave the organization was strongly related to several factors such as incentives, employee engagement, leadership, and burnout levels. Discontentment with leadership increased the likelihood of exit sevenfold. Employees with medium engagement were found to be twice as likely to exit compared to highly engaged employees. Radiographers with insufficient and moderate incentives were 90% and 93% less likely to exit the organization, respectively. Those with reduced burnout were 92% less likely to exit the organization. The findings highlight leadership, employee engagement, incentive structures, and burnout as key determinants influencing employee intention to leave. Focusing on these areas could improve job satisfaction and reduce turnover rates

Africa’s labour market is undergoing rapid transformation driven by technological disruption, demographic shifts, climate-related pressures, and evolving employer expectations. For higher education institutions, this context presents both a challenge and a strategic opportunity: the need to recalibrate curricula to meet the demands of a future driven workforce to address this imperative, the study employs a structured desktop review drawing on scholarly literature, policy frameworks, labour market analytics, and regional case studies across African higher education, between the period of January 2020 and January 2026.  This methodological approach enables the systematic synthesis of cross-sector insights and supports a critical evaluation of the misalignments between current curriculum practices and the competencies required in an evolving labour market. The aim of this study is to critically examine the alignment between African higher education curricular and the evolving demands of the labour market, and to identify curriculum design principles that can support the development of adaptable, digitally fluent, and socially responsive graduates suited to a future driven African workforce. The analysis examines how African higher education can intentionally align curriculum design with emerging workplace realities to produce graduates who are adaptable, digitally fluent, and socially responsive. The findings reveal persistent limitations in traditional content-heavy programmes, which often fail to cultivate the flexible, interdisciplinary, and technology-enabled competencies demanded by contemporary employers in response, this study argues for a shift toward competency based, industry informed, and contextually grounded curriculum models. Curriculum recalibration is a critical lever for shaping a resilient, innovative, and inclusive African workforce. A future proof curriculum, it argues, must integrate technological competence, adaptability, and social responsibility to prepare graduates for fluid, technology-enabled, and socially responsive careers.

The South African Society of Radiography noted that a great number of South African radiographers were leaving the government sector to seek employment abroad as well as in private practices. The aim of the research was to determine the factors that affect radiographers' intentions to leave public health care institutions in the KwaZulu-Natal Province. The study used a quantitative approach. Data were obtained from a cross-sectional survey using a stratified random sample of 220 employed radiographers in various public hospitals across KwaZulu-Natal. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the predictors of intention to leave. The results reflect that the intention to leave the organization was strongly related to several factors such as incentives, employee engagement, leadership, and burnout levels. Discontentment with leadership increased the likelihood of exit sevenfold. Employees with medium engagement were found to be twice as likely to exit compared to highly engaged employees. Radiographers with insufficient and moderate incentives were 90% and 93% less likely to exit the organization, respectively. Those with reduced burnout were 92% less likely to exit the organization. The findings highlight leadership, employee engagement, incentive structures, and burnout as key determinants influencing employee intention to leave. Focusing on these areas could improve job satisfaction and reduce turnover rates

Despite efforts made by the government and organizations with the intent of improving gender equality and promoting women’s participation at the highest levels of management within the financial sector and other male-dominated industries, women still lag significantly. This issue persists despite the prevalence of biases that affect their performance. This study examined the experience of female leaders working within the financial services sector of a South African organization with regards to the availability of access to mentoring and the glass ceiling phenomenon. A qualitative approach of research methodology was employed through the application of semi-structured interviews with an in-depth exploration of the opinions of nine female leaders. Themes were used to identify patterns that emerged with the application of this approach. The study results indicated that the female executives experience numerous difficulties that include inequality during the process of selecting employees, pay disparities between the female and male employees, lack of respect from their fellow workers or employees at their respective institutions of employment, as well as a lack of adequate mentoring programs. Women’s leadership journeys are affected by structural, cultural, and individual barriers. To foster the growth of female leaders, organizations should embrace solid gender equity initiative implementation and promote inclusive cultures at the workplace. This study’s results are useful in designing improved pathways of access and minimizing gender-related barriers within the male-dominated sector