International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science (2147- 4478)
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Leadership for service: Principals’ experiences of the influence of Servant leadership in Faith-based schools
Full text linkThis paper aims to explore how servant leadership practices influence the leadership of faith-based schools in South Africa. It also aims to assess how these leadership practices promote holistic development, ethical behavior, and community involvement within school settings. The study involved six purposively selected principals from faith-based schools across three provinces, all linked to the National Alliance of Independent Schools Associations, who have firsthand experience implementing servant leadership principles in their institutions. The researcher employed a qualitative case study design to explore the lived experiences of these school leaders. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, allowing participants to share detailed insights into their leadership practices, and analysed using emergent thematic coding to identify patterns and key themes directly from the narratives. The main findings of this study demonstrate that (i) servant leadership is seen as a genuine calling to serve, intertwining faith, mission, and personal values to focus on the development and well-being of students, staff, and the broader school community; (ii) it acts as a healing method, meeting emotional, spiritual, and relational needs while nurturing a supportive and caring school atmosphere; and (iii) it strikes a balance between task-oriented and people-focused responsibilities, along with (iv) encouraging collaborative decision-making, building community, and enhancing leadership skills among both staff and students. The study concludes that servant leadership in faith-based schools plays a crucial role in promoting holistic development, building a sense of community, and nurturing ethical, empathetic, and effective educational leadership. By blending spiritual values with practical management techniques, servant leaders not only boost academic performance but also enhance the overall well-being of school communities. These insights emphasise the significance of servant leadership as a foundational model for faith-based education and suggest its potential relevance in wider educational settings
Opportunities associated with family-owned businesses in Thohoyandou
Full text linkThis study aimed to suggest strategies for running sustainable family-owned businesses in Thohoyandou, Limpopo Province, South Africa. While family-owned businesses contribute significantly to employment and local economic development, their survival is often threatened by challenges such as poor financial management, family disputes, inadequate planning, and lack of government support. Using a qualitative exploratory design, semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten family-owned businesses operating in diverse sectors. Thematic Content Analysis revealed that strategies for sustainability include strengthening financial management systems, investing in skills development, formalising succession planning, embracing innovation and technology, and building strong customer relationships. The study concludes that long-term sustainability can be achieved when family-owned businesses integrate modern business practices with their cultural strengths. It recommends structured training, adoption of governance mechanisms such as family councils, and targeted government support tailored to rural enterprises
Legal pedagogy through AI: A justice-oriented approach for equity and transformation in South African higher education
Full text linkHigher 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
Food and service quality as drivers of customer satisfaction and behavioural intention at quick service restaurants in Tshwane Urban, South Africa
Full text linkThe continued increase in food demand globally, has witnessed a corresponding growth in the fast-food restaurant business. The study of food and service quality as major drivers of customer satisfaction and behavioural intention has therefore become a strategic area of interest. This study explored how food and service quality affect customer satisfaction and behavioural intention in the context of quick-service restaurants in Tshwane City of South Africa. Guided by a positivist philosophy, the study employed a deductive approach to theory development. A cross-sectional descriptive research design was adopted and a structured survey instrument was used to collect data from 173 online participants. The results were analysed using IBM SPSS 26, and partial least squares structural equation modelling in Smart PLS 4 to test hypotheses. The findings showed that although food quality had a significant positive effect on behavioural intention, it was not a predictor of customer satisfaction. All the elements of service quality exhibited significant positive influence on satisfaction and behavioural intention. This study offers invaluable insights for managers to embrace customer-driven strategies such as offering high quality food and service because the success of culinary business revolves around achieving customer satisfaction, which is vital for creating positive behavioural intentions. Future studies can be done using relatively larger sample sizes for more generalisability in related studies or other service domains
Developing an integrated framework for mitigating violent crime in the Ekurhuleni district: A comprehensive approach
Full text linkViolent 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
Organizational performance in volatile markets: Strategic leadership lessons from NSE-listed financial institutions in Kenya
Full text linkThis study investigates the influence of strategic leadership components on the performance of financial multinational companies listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) in Kenya. Specifically, it examines the effects of strategic controls, organizational capabilities, visionary leadership, and organizational change management on performance outcomes, measured through profitability and branch expansion. Employing a descriptive research design, the study targeted 14 listed commercial banks and 250 middle-level managers across marketing, relationship, and finance departments. A sample of 154 respondents was selected using stratified random sampling and the Taro Yamane formula. Data were collected via structured questionnaires incorporating five-point Likert scales and administered both electronically and through the drop-and-pick method. Analysis was conducted using SPSS, applying both descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings reveal that all four strategic leadership components significantly impact organizational performance, with organizational change management exerting the strongest influence. The study concludes that strategic leadership is pivotal for sustaining competitiveness and growth in Kenya’s financial sector. It recommends enhancing strategic reviews, fostering innovation and business intelligence, articulating clear organizational visions, and promoting adaptability, effective communication, and employee engagement to drive performance improvements
An applied study on the implementation of a multimodal explainable artificial intelligence system in long-term care institutions
Full text linkThis study investigates the effects of perceived ease of use (PEU), perceived usefulness (PU), and trust (TR) on behavioral intention (BI) toward adopting multimodal explainable artificial intelligence systems in long-term care institutions. Specifically, it examines the mediating role of PU in the relationship between PEU and BI and further analyzes how TR moderates the relationships of PEU and PU with BI. Data were collected through an online questionnaire administered to nurses, care attendants, and administrators working in long-term care facilities in Taiwan. A total of 150 questionnaires were distributed, and 125 valid responses were obtained, yielding an effective response rate of 84%. ncluded a clear, non-technical explanation of what a multimodal explainable AI system is, to help readers who are not AI specialists better understand the core conce. The empirical results indicate that PU, PEU, and TR all have significant positive effects on BI. Moreover, PU partially mediates the relationship between PEU and BI, while the interaction terms TR×PEU and TR×PU significantly moderate BI: when trust is high, the effect of PU on BI is strengthened, whereas the effect of PEU on BI is weakened. These findings suggest that, in high-trust settings, long-term care professionals are more willing to tolerate system complexity if the system is clearly useful. Based on these results, the study offers managerial and policy implications for integrating smart technologies into Taiwan’s long-term care sector, emphasizing the importance of usefulness, usability, and trust in enhancing technology adoption. This research extends the Technology Acceptance Model by integrating trust, providing new insights for digital transformation in long-term car
Analysis of the management systems for the control of issued firearms by the South African police services
Full text linkEffective governance of state-issued firearms remains a critical challenge within the South African Police Service (SAPS), where persistent firearm losses and administrative discrepancies undermine public trust, institutional integrity, and national safety. Although SAPS operates within a comprehensive regulatory framework—including the Firearms Control Act, Standing Orders, and National Instruction 6/2018—the gap between formal prescriptions and actual operational practices continues to widen. Guided by Systems Theory and the Work-As-Imagined/Work-As-Done (WAI/WAD) and Efficiency–Thoroughness Trade-Off (ETTO) models, this qualitative study examines how organisational structures, behavioural dynamics, and operational pressures collectively shape firearm management outcomes. Data were generated through semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and document analysis involving national, provincial, and operational stakeholders. Findings reveal that firearm governance failures are systemic rather than individualised, driven by inconsistent compliance, outdated monitoring systems, weak accountability mechanisms, and a culture that normalises deviations from prescripts. The study contributes theoretically by demonstrating how WAI/WAD misalignments and ETTO-driven behaviours manifest within high-pressure policing environments. Practically, it proposes an Integrated Firearm Control and Management Framework that addresses system-level vulnerabilities through enhanced oversight, digital tracking, strengthened training, and culture-focused interventions. The article offers a holistic understanding of SAPS firearm governance and provides actionable pathways for reform aimed at reducing losses, improving accountability, and realigning operational practice with legislative intent
Household welfare and energy access in East Africa: Impacts of off-grid solar home systems
Full text linkOff-grid solar home systems have become a central element of energy access strategies in East Africa, particularly in Kenya, Rwanda, and Tanzania, where pay-as-you-go models have expanded rapidly. This paper examines how household adoption of solar home systems affects welfare and education outcomes, using nationally representative surveys, regional solar irradiance data, and education indicators from UNESCO. The analysis applies an instrumental-variable strategy that exploits exogenous variation in solar irradiance to address adoption endogeneity. Results show that higher irradiance significantly increases the likelihood of adopting solar home systems, which in turn reduces kerosene expenditures, improves lighting quality, and supports longer study hours for children. Welfare gains are evident through higher household savings, improved perceptions of wellbeing, and reduced energy insecurity. Education outcomes benefit through increased evening study time and reduced school absenteeism during rainy months, when grid reliability declines. These findings align with emerging evidence from East Africa that off-grid solar can strengthen inclusive energy transitions and contribute to human development when supported by favourable financing models, consumer protection, and long-term system maintenance pathways. The results offer policy guidance for regional initiatives aiming to expand sustainable, affordable, and reliable household energy access
Examining how socioeconomic status affects primary school learners’ academic performance in Nzhelele West Circuit
Full text linkThis study examines the impact of socioeconomic status (SES) on the academic performance of primary school learners in the Nzhelele West Circuit of Limpopo Province, South Africa. Despite national attempts to enhance educational results, considerable performance gaps remain, especially in rural and semi-rural areas. The study used a qualitative descriptive approach to acquire a thorough knowledge of the lived experiences of learners, parents, and teachers. Data was produced by semi-structured interviews and focus group discussion in chosen primary schools of communities with different socioeconomic backgrounds. The findings reveal the conditions of low-SES, which include unemployment, low parental education levels, poor learning materials and unstable family conditions, as those that result in obstacles that weaken the ability of learners to concentrate, attend school, have motivation, and perform well as learners. Among the problems that were emphasized by the participants was food insecurity, inadequate literacy provisions at home, and overcrowded families. The study found that SES has extensive effects on educational achievement and suggests context-sensitive intervention, such as enhanced school-community collaborations, parental empowerment programs, and special support programmes to eliminate SES-based obstacles. The results can help in gaining a better insight about the intricate nexus of SES and academic performance in rural South African primary school educatio