Society for the Study of Business & Finance- SSBFNET: E-Journals
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Rural South African women’s experiences of ODEL: A case study of KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, and the Eastern Cape Province
No full textIn the quiet rural corners of South Africa, where digital signals fade and determination endures, women continue to chase the promise of education through screens they can barely access. This paper aims to evaluate the effects of digital exclusion on the educational participation and success of rural South African women in Open Distance and Electronic Learning (ODEL) institutions. It is also aimed at demonstrating how intersecting factors such as gender, geography, cultural expectations, and socioeconomic inequalities shape their engagement with online higher education. The study employed a qualitative analytical method, supported by thematic coding, to interpret in-depth interviews conducted with eighteen (18) female students enrolled in ODEL programmes across KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, and the Eastern Cape. This dataset offered nuanced insights into the lived realities of women navigating learning under resource-scarce, patriarchal, and digitally disconnected environments. Findings of the study demonstrate that (i) ODEL systems often assume digital fluency and urban connectivity, inadvertently excluding rural learners; (ii) the lack of culturally responsive and localised support structures intensifies academic isolation, emotional fatigue, and technological disadvantage; and finally, (iii) rural women exhibit extraordinary resilience and agency, yet remain structurally invisible in institutional policy frameworks. The study concludes that achieving true equity in South Africa’s ODEL landscape requires a shift towards hybrid, humanized learning models that integrate offline academic support, vernacular communication, and community-based mentorship. By centring the voices of rural women, this paper challenges prevailing assumptions about access, inclusion, and digital justice in higher education
Immersive digital experiences: Fostering sustainable practices and positive perceptions among Gen Z tourists in village tourism
No full textThe rapid development of immersive technologies, including Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR), presents novel opportunities to enhance tourist experiences and promote sustainable village tourism. This study is particularly significant as Generation Z, as digitally savvy travellers, plays a strategic role in shaping sustainable tourism practices, especially within rural destinations. The research aims to examine the influence of Generation Z’s awareness of immersive technologies on their positive attitudes toward village tourism, visit intentions, and perceptions of the role of immersive technologies in supporting sustainable tourism principles. A quantitative approach was employed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). Data were collected through structured questionnaires from 150 Generation Z respondents across various regions who have previously interacted with immersive technologies and plan to visit village tourism destinations. The findings indicate that awareness of immersive technologies significantly enhances positive attitudes toward village tourism, which in turn influences visit intentions and perceptions of immersive technologies’ role in fostering community-oriented sustainable tourism. These results underscore that integrating immersive technologies not only enriches tourist experiences but also supports cultural preservation, local economic empowerment, and sustainable tourism practices. Practically, the findings provide guidance for village tourism managers, policymakers, and stakeholders in designing effective digital strategies to develop community-based sustainable tourism initiatives
Legal pedagogy through AI: A justice-oriented approach for equity and transformation in South African higher education
No full textHigher education institutions face both opportunities and risks when adopting Artificial Intelligence (AI), offering possibilities for educational progress while simultaneously deepening existing social inequalities. With the rapid adoption of AI in the legal profession, there is a growing need to reimagine legal pedagogy. Within the scholarship of teaching and learning, the pedagogical and ethical aspects of AI in education have received extensive global research, yet South African legal pedagogy has received limited study as far as its transformative potential is concerned, despite its ongoing social inequalities. The study examines AI-mediated learning environments through person–environment theory as well as Freire’s critical/postcolonial pedagogy in exploring their impact AI may have on students\u27 legal reasoning abilities, research skills, and access to knowledge. The study employs qualitative document analysis of South African higher education policy documents alongside international AI-based legal education platforms. Preliminary analysis suggests that AI has the potential to enhance legal reasoning and research efficiency, yet also risks maintaining epistemic exclusion and the digital divide unless structural inequalities are addressed. The research adds to teaching and learning scholarship by proposing a justice-oriented framework that unites theoretical and practical approaches to integrate AI into South African legal education, thereby promoting socially just transformation. The research proposes inclusive curriculum design, critical digital literacy training, and context-sensitive pedagogical approaches. Situated within a Global South perspective, the study thus offers one of the first to combine theoretical insights and practical recommendations for using AI to challenge entrenched inequalities and promote socially just legal education transformation
Exploring the interplay among consumers’ actual use of e-wallets, financial inclusion, and taxation
No full textWith the emerging use of financial services on e-wallets and the recent growing interest by revenue authorities in levying taxes on digital services in the Philippines, this study primarily aims to determine the factors leading to the actual use of e-wallets, its contribution to the financial inclusion, and to explore the moderation effect of taxation on their relationship. Quadratic regression and moderation analyses were employed to analyze the relationships among the variables of interest. Results show that most predictors have positive relationships, while facilitating conditions manifest a negative relationship with behavioral intention. Furthermore, while results present a positive relationship between behavioral intention and actual use, this study exhibits a significant but slight negative impact of actual use on financial inclusion. It may appear counterintuitive, as e-wallets are generally believed to promote financial inclusion. However, some barriers should be addressed to reverse and maximize the positive potential of using e-wallets for a more financially inclusive society. Lastly, the interaction term between actual use and taxation reveals a positive coefficient, suggesting that individual negative effects of actual use and taxation on financial inclusion are mitigated when they occur together. An effective whole-of-economy approach that enhances financial inclusion among consumers must be promoted
Sustainable Development Goal 4 and the curriculum: The effects of their integration on global citizenship and organisational development and change in South African universities
No full textThe purpose of this paper is to examine how incorporating Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 Quality Education into South African university curricula promotes global citizenship and aids in organisational reform. This paper aims to address the disparity between educational methods and the global citizenship skills that are essential for a globalised world. It further aims to evaluate how teaching frameworks that are in line with SDG 4 can improve educational quality and foster a global civic culture in higher education. A bibliometric analysis was carried out to examine the body of research on the connection between SDG 4, curriculum integration, global citizenship, and organisational development using major academic databases. The findings show that incorporating SDG 4 concepts enhances instructional content and gives students a sense of accountability for global issues. Integration of this kind also promotes flexible corporate cultures that place a high value on social responsibility, creativity, and diversity. This paper recommends that educators receive specialised training on integrating the SDGs, that students participate in co-curated learning activities, and that evaluation techniques be updated to include global citizenship outcomes. Finally, by bringing curricula in line with SDG 4, South African institutions can greatly improve their educational offerings, which will promote student development, social progress, and major organisational change
Practical theology meets social work: Tackling femicides in South Africa
No full textThis study examines how practical theology and social work may collaborate to eradicate gender-based violence and femicides in South Africa. Faith communities can reinterpret religious teachings, criticise patriarchal behaviours, and help survivors spiritually and psychosocially. Social workers contribute to the problem through advocacy, trauma-informed treatment, therapy, psychoeducation, and community mobilisation. The study recommends church-based efforts, social work techniques, and a theological framework to combat GBV, help victims, and promote social change and inclusivity. The study supports advocacy, transformation, social justice, and reconciliation through social work and faith-based solutions. Practical theology can integrate spiritual care, advocacy, community-based rehabilitation, and psychosocial assistance with social work. This study uses a literature review to discuss femicide and gender-based violence (GBV) in South Africa through an interdisciplinary debate between Practical Theology and Social Work
Academic excellence ignored: The marginalisation of highly qualified SAPS members in promotion and leadership appointments
No full textThe professionalisation of policing in South Africa has increasingly highlighted the tension between academic achievement and organisational recognition within the South African Police Service (SAPS). Despite the presence of highly qualified police officials—many of whom began their careers through the police academy and advanced academically to postgraduate and doctoral levels—promotion and appointment processes frequently bypass these individuals. Instead, external candidates, often from non-policing professions such as education, are recruited into senior leadership positions. This practice raises critical concerns about fairness, institutional morale, and the future of professional policing. The paper further situates its analysis within the broader fields of organisational leadership and human resource management, highlighting how recognition of academic qualifications contributes to improved decision-making, motivation, and organisational performance. This article explores the implications of disregarding internally qualified candidates in favour of outsiders, arguing that such practices erode morale, weaken discipline, and undermine the professional identity of the SAPS. Drawing on comparative international insights, the study demonstrates how other jurisdictions leverage academic expertise in leadership promotion, ensuring that merit and institutional experience are valued. The article concludes by recommending a transparent, merit-based approach that integrates both policing experience and academic achievement in leadership appointments, thereby strengthening professionalism, discipline, and public trust in the SAPS. The question of promotions and leadership appointments within the South African Police Service (SAPS) has long been a matter of contention. While efforts have been made to professionalise policing in South Africa, contradictions remain between academic advancement and recognition in organisational structures. Many SAPS members begin their careers at the police academy, commit decades of service, and pursue further academic studies up to doctoral level. Despite these efforts, their contributions are often overlooked in favour of external appointments from unrelated professions, including teaching
Factors contributing to relapse among service users undergoing substance abuse treatment in Kwaggafontein, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa
No full textSubstance abuse remains a critical global issue with profound social and economic implications, including poverty, crime, unemployment, and chronic health conditions. In marginalised communities across Africa, substance use, and relapse pose persistent challenges, particularly among youth. Despite the availability of rehabilitation services, relapse rates remain high due to various psychosocial and structural factors. This study investigated the underlying causes of relapse among service users who have undergone substance abuse treatment in Kwaggafontein, Mpumalanga, South Africa. Employing a qualitative research method, data were collected through in-depth interviews with service users and social workers from rehabilitation centres (SANCA). The findings revealed that relapse is primarily driven by persistent drug cravings, emotional distress, peer influence, and limited developmental opportunities. These results underscore the urgent need for comprehensive relapse prevention strategies, including community-based education, aftercare programs, life skills development, and sustained emotional and psychological support for substance services users. The study further recommends incorporating stress management techniques such as mindfulness, assertiveness training, and the creation of strong support networks, facilitated by social workers, to enhance long-term recovery outcome
Forging a strategic partnership: How defense cooperation became the cornerstone of Qatar-Türkiye relations?
No full textThe emergence of defense diplomacy is closely tied to the post-Cold War shift in the understanding of international security and related policies. This shift provided a broader perspective on the roles of armed forces, extending beyond their traditional defensive or deterrent functions. In this context, defense diplomacy has been recognized as an effective tool for crisis prevention, enhancing state influence, maintaining regional balance, and strengthening international relations. Over the past two decades, Qatar and Türkiye have cultivated deep and friendly relations, concluding numerous military agreements. These ties were significantly intensified following the signing of a pivotal defense agreement on December 19, 2014, which established a Supreme Strategic Committee. This committee convenes annually to deepen bilateral cooperation. The agreement established a legal framework for enhancing collaboration in areas such as joint defense, military training, and the development of military industries. This research argues that defense cooperation forms the backbone of relations between the two countries, fostering interdependence and strengthening ties across various fields. In 2019, Qatar and Türkiye agreed to further bolster their bilateral relations, signing several agreements in trade, industry, and technology, with a continued strong emphasis on military and defense cooperation. The research concludes that the defense sector is a cornerstone of the growing strategic partnership between Qatar and Türkiye
The effect of macroeconomic variables on JSE size-based indices returns: Evidence from switching market conditions
No full textThe Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) is considered a cornerstone of the South African economy, with its size-based indices serving as critical benchmarks for passive investment and portfolio construction. Although macroeconomic variables affect stock returns, the existing literature has primarily relied on linear models which yield heterogeneous results and do not allow for the dynamic and changing structure of financial markets. Consequently, this study investigates the nonlinear, regime-dependent effects of key macroeconomic variables such as inflation, money supply, short- and long-term interest rates, GDP, and the real effective exchange rate (REER) on the returns of the JSE Fledgling, Small-Cap, and Mid-Cap indices. Utilizing monthly data from 2002 to 2024, the study employs a two-state Markov Regime-Switching which allows the study to endogenously address the changes in bull and bear market regimes. The most pressing finding is that the Real Effective Exchange Rate (REER) is a consistently positive driver of returns across all market conditions, while the influences of other variables, such as interest rates and GDP growth, are highly dependent on the market regime (bull or bear) and the specific index size. Finally, these findings lead us to conclude that the relationship between macroeconomic fundamentals and stock returns is not a constant phenomenon but rather is fundamentally dependent on the regime, lending strong support for the Adaptive Market Hypothesis. This insight is significant for investors and portfolio managers, underscoring the necessity of adaptive, regime-sensitive strategies for effective risk management and portfolio allocation on the JSE