Society for the Study of Business & Finance- SSBFNET: E-Journals
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Leadership styles and their impact on organizational culture at Rand Mutual Assurance in South Africa
No full textThe issue of leadership styles, perceptions of employees, and culture within the organization of RMA was investigated. The study employed qualitative research with an interview of 15 participants at different levels of leadership. The results indicated the prevalence of transformational and servant leaders who increased engagement levels, trust, and feelings of ownership but made employees more responsible with fewer creative and morale levels at the transactions and autocratic levels. Quantitatively, the results showed an increase in employee engagement levels from 2022 (82%) to 2023 (85%), an increase in the perception of trust of employees with leadership levels (70% to 73.3%), and an increase in the perception of development of employees’ careers (65% to 70%). Finally, the study recommends that the development of employees’ leadership should take place in an organized manner with an official program of development of employees’ careers and that the standard of the leaders should remain consistent. Additionally, the study recommends that decision-making should take place with the participation of employees. Future research should involve bigger samples of the study
Understanding work engagement in South African higher education: Experiences from a technical department
No full textWork engagement is a crucial ingredient that cultivates an individual’s physical and general well-being in the workplace. This, in turn, produces organisational effectiveness and contributes to organisational success and sustainability. Concerningly, work engagement remains under-researched in South African higher education institutions. This study investigated the work engagement experiences of employees in a technical services department of a South African institution of higher education. The study employed qualitative research methods and phenomenological research design. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 10 participants. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data. The findings suggest that employees who have optimal work demands receive adequate support to discharge their work and feel engaged and attached to their jobs. The findings further suggest that personal and job resources contribute to improved engagement levels among employees. Organisations should enhance the work engagement of employees by effectively managing their job demands while providing adequate job and personal resources. This study provides insights into the importance of cultivating work engagement within the workplace and the ways to achieve this. The study further provides guidelines for enhancing engagement by highlighting four elements to consider: workload, skills and self-efficacy, tools and equipment, and supervisor and co-worker support.
Mitigating workplace stress in Emergency Medical Services: A Pastoral-Social Worker dialogue
No full textThis research investigates the prevalence, experiences, and impacts of stress among Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel, focussing on trauma within the South African context, occupational stress, and the breadth of emergency practice. Recent research emphasises the trauma faced by victims and the stress endured by carers. This qualitative phenomenological study utilised trauma theory as a framework, incorporating purposive sampling, in-depth interviews, and thematic analysis. The findings indicate that elevated demands and insufficient support adversely affect the biopsychosocial well-being of EMS personnel. The study posits that social workers and pastoral workers are essential in fostering supportive, growth-oriented work environments via interventions like Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) and labour relations policies aimed at alleviating occupational stress
The impact of Covid-19 on leadership and occupational health in remote work environments
No full textGiven the COVID-19 pandemic and the development of remote work, this conceptual study proposes integrating OHS leadership competences into responsible leadership education. This study teaches executives how to enhance employee well-being in distributed work contexts to help achieve UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). PRISMA was used to conduct a systematic literature review for transparency and rigour. The review used Web of Science, Scopus, and Sabinet scholarly sources. Qualitative thematic analysis with Atlas.ti identified key themes and research gaps in occupational health and safety, responsible leadership, and remote work. Leadership education and responsible leadership are linked to sustainable development and organisational sustainability. Leadership education still lacks occupational health and safety standards, especially for remote and hybrid work contexts exacerbated by the COVID-19 epidemic. Socio-economic vulnerabilities, violence, and climate change increase occupational risks and health inequities in Africa, highlighting this shortcoming. The suggested approach focusses adapting leadership education to remote work dynamics and including occupational health and safety competences. Online adult education is growing rapidly, offering a chance to adapt leadership development to Africa\u27s socio-cultural and economic conditions. The framework helps train leaders who safeguard health, promote ethical governance, and boost worker resilience in emerging workplaces.This study introduces a new interdisciplinary paradigm that merges leadership education and occupational health, a neglected area of research. In the post-COVID-19 setting, OHS leadership is vital to responsible leadership education, filling a vacuum in scholarship and practice. The framework helps educators, legislators, and leaders create safer, fairer, and more sustainable workplaces
The role of traditional health practitioners in healing mental illness in Allandale village Bushbuckridge Region
No full textTraditional Health Practitioners (THPs) have historically served as the primary mental healthcare providers in culturally rich communities, particularly in contexts where healing intersects with spirituality and collective experience. In regions like Bushbuckridge, many people suffering from mental illness relies on THPs due to their accessibility, affordability, and deep alignment with local belief systems. This widespread reliance, however, highlights a critical research and service delivery gap: while essential, traditional healing practices often operate without the benefit of biomedical validation and carry inherent potential risks associated with unregulated treatments. This study addresses this gap by exploring the specific ways THPs in South Africa manage mental illness. This paper is Grounded in Afrocentric theory, the research adopts a qualitative exploratory approach, utilizing desk-based analysis to synthesize and critique secondary sources. Findings confirm that the pervasive use of traditional medicine is driven by local socioeconomic factors and strong cultural beliefs. Crucially, traditional healing is viewed not as an inferior alternative, but as a culturally resonant and effective treatment method. The implications of this study are significant: to bridge the divide between perceived cultural effectiveness and biomedical necessity, it is strongly recommended that Traditional Health Practitioners and Western-trained doctors pursue collaborative integration to safely and comprehensively address the growing number of mental health challenges in these communities
Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) in business research: A simple guide for novice researchers
No full textThis review provides a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to the application of partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) for novice researchers. This is a conceptual and literature-based review that focuses on best practices and PLS-SEM literature. It highlights the rationale for using PLS-SEM, sample size, software tools, and essential metrics in PLS-SEM analysis. Drawing on best practices and recent literature, the review offers a framework for conducting and reporting PLS-SEM analysis. The review presents essential such as outer loadings, Cronbach’s alpha coefficients, average variance extracted (AVE), composite reliability, cross-loadings, Heterotrait-Monotrait ratio of correlations (HTMT), the Fornell-Larcker criterion, variance inflation factor (VIF), and redundancy analysis. Moreover, for more consistent results, the paper emphasizes on researchers to employ 10,000 bootstrap subsamples and Bias-corrected and accelerated (BCa) bootstrap in assessing the structural model. Insights regarding path coefficients, p-values, R-square (R2), f-square (f2), and Q-square (Q2), are also presented. Furthermore, the review underscores the trade-off between predictive power and model fit when applying PLS-SEM. The presented practical insights alert novice researchers in avoiding common pitfalls and enhance the methodological rigor of empirical research that utilizes PLS-SEM. This step-by-step guide supports early-career researchers and contributes to the ongoing debates on improving methodological clarity and transparency
Reassessing bilateral trade flows of an emerging economy through structural gravity: Case from Turkey
No full textThe findings underscore the significance of institutional stability and macro-financial predictability in maintaining export performance in volatile emerging economies. Enhancing regulatory quality, bolstering macro-financial stability, and augmenting enterprises\u27 capacity to manage risk will facilitate more robust export results. Incorporating institutional and financial frictions directly into gravity models offers a more accurate framework for policy assessment. This research employs a structural gravity model, estimated using Poisson pseudo maximum likelihood, to analyse Turkey\u27s bilateral export flows to 164 partner nations from 1996 to 2020. Political stability and exchange rate volatility are integrated as time-varying institutional and financial frictions. Indices of economic scale, geographical distance, and remoteness are incorporated to maintain alignment with structural gravity theory. The political stability of destination nations is a crucial positive factor influencing Turkish exports and signifies the existence of a governance premium. Exchange rate fluctuation exerts a sustained adverse impact, diminishing the anticipated advantages of nominal depreciation. Visual data indicates two consistent behavioural tendencies. Exporters are increasingly venturing into politically risky countries; yet, long-term export growth is constrained by institutional inertia and robust network dependencies. The findings indicate that institutional reliability and macro-financial predictability are crucial for maintaining export performance in volatile emerging economies. Enhanced regulatory quality, greater macro-financial stability, and superior firm-level risk management are essential for achieving more resilient export outcomes. Incorporating institutional and financial frictions directly into gravity models offers a more accurate framework for comprehending trade dynamics and formulating effective policies
Consumer perspectives on reverse logistics in e-commerce in Gauteng, South Africa
No full textThe rapid growth of e-commerce has significantly increased product returns, making reverse logistics a critical component of sustainable supply chain management. The purpose of this study is to examine consumer perspectives on reverse logistics in Gauteng, South Africa, where infrastructural constraints and diverse consumer expectations pose unique challenges. A quantitative research method was employed, with data collected from 250 online shoppers through a self-administered questionnaire. Exploratory factor analysis confirmed five underlying constructs, which are Return policy transparency, Efficiency of return process, Customer support, Customer satisfaction and Trust. Multiple regression analysis tested the construct\u27s predictive power. The findings reveal that Return policy transparency was the strongest predictor of consumer satisfaction, while efficiency and customer support were less influential in this context. The findings highlight that clear, accessible return policies improve consumer trust and satisfaction, even in the presence of operational inefficiencies. This study highlights that the strategic role of transparent communication instils positive return experiences in emerging markets. The study contributes to reverse logistics literature by integrating behavioral dimensions into operational frameworks and offers practical implications for retailers aiming to build consumer trust without heavily investing in infrastructural investments
Colonial Christianity & Vhavenda traditional beliefs/healing: Sociological & policy implication
No full textThis multidisciplinary study analyses the social dynamics of missionary Christianity\u27s influence on Vhavenda traditional belief systems and healing practices, emphasising institutional development, cross-cultural patterns, and contemporary policy implications. This study employs sociological frameworks of institutional analysis, cultural capital theory, and organisational change to examine how colonial-era religious institutions systematically eroded indigenous knowledge systems while establishing new social hierarchies and power structures. The analysis reveals that Vhavenda traditional belief systems, characterised by a complex monotheistic theology centred on Nwali (the Supreme Being), environmental spirituality, and comprehensive healing practices, encountered systematic institutional suppression beginning in the 1860s through the deliberate use of educational and healthcare systems as instruments of social control and cultural transformation. Cross-cultural comparisons among Maori, Australian Aboriginal, and North American indigenous experiences illustrate universal patterns of institutional colonisation, including the weaponization of educational systems, the medicalisation of indigenous healing practices, and the systematic devaluation of ancestral knowledge systems. Despite ongoing institutional persecution, traditional customs persisted through adaptive strategies such as syncretism, covert preservation networks, and community resistance mechanisms, demonstrating the resilience of indigenous social institutions. Current research reveals that 80% of African communities still depend on traditional medicine for primary healthcare, underscoring the ongoing significance and shortcomings of exclusively Western healthcare programmes.This study employs a historical-institutional analysis and cross-cultural synthesis of secondary sources, drawing on archival records, historical accounts, ethnographic literature, and sociological scholarship to examine patterns of religious colonisation and indigenous response across multiple contexts.This study enhances interdisciplinary scholarship by (1) employing sociological institutional theory to elucidate patterns of religious colonisation; (2) creating comparative frameworks for examining the suppression of indigenous knowledge in diverse global contexts; (3) recognising contemporary policy ramifications for healthcare systems, educational curricula, cultural preservation initiatives, and decolonisation efforts; and (4) offering actionable policy recommendations for the incorporation of traditional knowledge systems into contemporary institutional frameworks while respecting indigenous sovereignty and cultural integrity
Developing an integrated framework for mitigating violent crime in the Ekurhuleni district: A comprehensive approach
No full textViolent crime remains one of South Africa’s most persistent developmental and security challenges, undermining social cohesion, economic investment, and human well-being. This study examines the structural, institutional, and community-level determinants of violent crime in the Ekurhuleni District and proposes a context-specific Integrated Framework for Violent Crime Mitigation (IFVCM). Using a qualitative case-study design within an interpretivist paradigm, the research draws on semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and document analysis involving thirty participants (twenty SAPS officials and ten community stakeholders). Thematic analysis revealed three overarching determinants of violence: (1) socio-economic deprivation and youth marginalisation, (2) institutional fragmentation and resource constraints within policing, and (3) weakened community cohesion and declining public trust. These determinants interact to create a self-reinforcing cycle of exclusion, mistrust, and vulnerability to criminality. The proposed IFVCM integrates socio-economic interventions, community engagement, intelligence-led and technology-enabled policing, and strengthened inter-agency governance. The framework aligns with national priorities outlined in the National Development Plan (NDP) 2030, the White Paper on Safety and Security (2016), and emerging post-COVID violence trends in Gauteng. The study contributes theoretically by integrating multiple criminological perspectives and practically by offering a scalable, evidence-based approach for strengthening safety in urban environments