2149 research outputs found
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Study protocol: A mixed-methods investigation of the impact of health and safety practices on the business performance among street food vendors in Johannesburg
No full textThe informal street food sector serves as a vital component of urban economies in South Africa, providing affordable nutrition and employment. However, this industry struggles to comply with required health and safety practices and standards. This study protocol outlines a mixed-methods investigation into hygiene practices, regulatory compliance, and the intersection with business sustainability among informal food vendors in Johannesburg’s inner city. This study aims to investigate how vendors’ perceptions of health risks and benefits influence compliance behaviours and, in turn, how these behaviours impact operational efficiency, financial stability, and customer trust. Grounded in the Health Belief Model (HBM) and the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) framework, the research seeks to explore both behavioural drivers and performance outcomes associated with hygiene adherence. The study will employ structured stall observations, semi-structured vendor interviews, and customer surveys across high-density vending zones. Quantitative data will be analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, while qualitative data will be thematically analysed and triangulated with observed practices. The expected outcome is to identify key barriers and enablers of hygiene compliance and demonstrate how improved food safety practices contribute to business resilience, customer trust, and urban public health.
The findings aim to inform inclusive policy and innovative business support strategies that integrate informal vendors into safer and more sustainable food systems
Customer perceptions of hygiene and trust in Johannesburg’s informal food economy.
No full textBackground: Street food vending plays a central role in urban nutrition and informal employment across South Africa; however, its sustainability largely depends on consumer trust, which is strongly influenced by perceptions of hygiene. Objectives: This paper investigates customer expectations, observed hygiene behaviours, and purchasing decisions within Johannesburg’s informal food economy. Drawing on the Health Belief Model Mand behavioural economics, this study examines how visible hygiene practices shape customer trust, repurchase behaviour, and gendered risk perceptions. Methods: A cross sectional mixed-methods study was conducted among 110 consumers of street-vended food in Johannesburg’s inner city. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests to assess associations between observed hygiene practices, trust, and purchasing behaviour, while qualitative open-ended responses were analysed thematically. Results: Seventy-four per cent of customers reported preferring vendors with visible hygiene practices, defined as the use of gloves or aprons, clean food displays, Mand observable handwashing. However, only 41% consistently observed handwashing between transactions, and just 45% had seen any form of hygiene certification displayed. An association was observed between customer trust and repeat purchases (p < 0.001) and between PPE use and customer trust (p = 0.011). Women were significantly more hygiene-sensitive (p = 0.029), expressing greater concern about exposed food, hand contact, and environmental conditions. Thematic analysis revealed that over half of the respondents indicated that trust, once compromised by unhygienic conditions, frequently resulted in permanent customer loss. Conclusions: Customer trust in street food vendors is contingent on hygiene. Hygiene visibility is a core driver of loyalty, especially among female consumers. Interventions to improve food safety should incorporate behavioural insights, vendor-customer feedback loops, and public-facing certification strategies
"The buck stops here”: State and community hold a clay mine accountable for environmental harm in South Africa.
No full textMining often leaves behind degraded, unproductive land and polluted water. Ignoring Environmental Authorization conditions during mining operations is one contributing factor but a legal precedent against a clay mining operation in the Thabina Valley of South Africa may signal legal and restorative responses to mining violations. When the mine operator failed to implement the Environmental Authorization conditions, it led to severe erosion, stormwater pooling in excavations, encroachment onto traditional, sacred spaces and reduced land available for communal grazing and subsistence farming. A community-based organization exposed these socioecological impacts, prompting the state to initiate criminal proceedings. The situation began to turn around when the court not only imposed penalties but also monitored land rehabilitation efforts, highlighting a shift toward accountability. This study examines legal and restorative responses to mining violations using specialist reports, court records, and remote sensing analysis. The case describes the complexities of ecosystem restoration and offers insights for policymakers, infrastructure planners and environmental assessment practitioners in promoting responsible mining and land rehabilitation. It shows that legal mobilization serves as a mechanism for marginalized communities to assert their rights and hold industries accountable, particularly in contexts where government oversight is weak or absent
Exploring the import of mechatronics engineering in medicine: A review.
No full textBackground
The interdisciplinary nature of mechatronics has spurred huge progress in medicine to facilitate the creation of robotic surgery, wearable health monitoring, and bio-inspired robots. All these technologies enhance the precision of surgery, boost diagnostic capability, and enable real-time patient monitoring. For example, robotic assisted surgeries have recorded a 50% cut in complications and a 40% reduction in healing times, while wearable health technology has enhanced early anomaly detection by 80%, saving emergency hospitalisation.
Main body
This review critically examines the evolution and interdisciplinary applications of mechatronics in medicine focusing on problems including financial burdens, confidentiality of data, and compliance with regulation. Emphasis is placed heavily on the regulatory approval processes required by organisations such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) that typically delay the use of life-saving equipment by 3–5 years. In addition, the expensive price of robotic surgery systems (~$2 million per unit) and extensive training (20–40 procedures to be proficient) are inhibiting factors. New trends such as bioinspired robots and nanomedicine are also considered here, which have exhibited fantastic potential in minimally invasive therapy, and nanorobot-based cancer therapies have exhibited tumour growth inhibition by 50% while limiting systemic side effects.
Conclusions
To propel the ethical and sustainable adoption of mechatronics in healthcare, this review proposed the development of interdisciplinary partnerships among engineers, clinicians, and policymakers, simplifies regulatory clearance processes, and designs low-cost, scalable products. Through these avenues, mechatronics can proceed to revolutionise healthcare, enhancing patient outcomes and expanding the accessibility of cutting-edge medical technology
Establishing students’ satisfaction with a learning management system using a modified DeLone and McLean Model: A South African sample perspective.
No full textStudents’ use of LMSs in higher education institutions can be severely hampered by several factors that could lower their satisfaction. Good LMS service quality will increase student LMS satisfaction. Student LMS dissatisfaction will increase if the expectations are not fulfilled. The purpose of this study was to establish the factors influencing students’ satisfaction with IMFUNDO, the pseudonym for the LMS used at the University of Technology. This study was motivated by the literature that recommended further research on students’ LMS satisfaction. The quantitative method was used to attain the objective of testing the variables affecting students’ LMS satisfaction and validating the scientific model and hypotheses. The participants comprised 595 students from the Faculty of Science at the University of Technology in South Africa, who were selected using stratified random sampling. Data were gathered through student LMS satisfaction surveys. Data were analyzed using SPSS and AMOS version 29 software inferential statistics for validatingCFA and SEM. The results revealed that the alpha values for the entire questionnaire were 0.96. The results showed that the chi-square (χ
2) was statistically significant [χ2 = 743,52, df = 160, p < 0.0001]. The goodness of fit was TLI = 0.930, the CFI was 0.941, the RMSEA was 0.078, and all indicators were statistically significant (p < 0.0001). Using the conceptual framework that was grounded on the modified DeLone and McLean model was beneficial for the students at the University of Technology in South Africa. A mixed-method approach should be utilized to support the statistical findings with the participants’ opinions on this phenomenon
Effect of Tm doping on the magnetic, electronic and optical response properties of TiO2 for organic solar cell application: A density functional theory study.
No full textThe magnetic field contribution to charge transfers of active layer materials for organic solar cells has been topical recently. The current study focuses on the effect of rare earth Tm doping on the charge transfer and magneto-optical properties of TiO2. The Tm doping effect on TiO2 shows a transition from ferromagnetic—antiferromagnetic— ferrimagnetic features. A steady band gap narrowing is observed with Tm doping of TiO2, which suggests increased localized defect buildup within the electronic structure of TiO2. The transition from electropositive to electronegative charge transfer features suggests Tm doping can act as a means of tuning the optoelectronic properties of TiO2. Additionally, the asymmetric spin-up and down features of Tm 4f orbital states suggest it is an active agent in tuning the magneto-optical properties of TiO2 for improved organic solar cell harvesting
An intercultural communication management framework for culturally diverse organisations.
No full textIn the context of increasing globalisation and workforce diversity, organisations face growing challenges in fostering effective intercultural communication, collaboration, and cohesion among employees from varied cultural backgrounds. Poor intercultural communication can lead to conflict, misunderstanding, and decreased organisational performance. This study aims to propose a comprehensive Intercultural Communication Management Framework (ICMF) to enhance intercultural understanding, reduce communication barriers, and support inclusive, high-performing workplace cultures in multicultural organisations. A qualitative research design was adopted, involving a systematic literature review and analysis of strategic and policy documents to identify key gaps in current intercultural communication practices. The framework is theoretically grounded in Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Theory, offering a structured basis for analysing cross-cultural dynamics. The study finds that effective intercultural communication requires more than individual adaptation; it demands an organisational commitment to structured development of intercultural competencies. The proposed
ICMF includes three core phases, recognition, planning, and integration, and is supported by four key enablers: motivation, knowledge, skills, and character. These are presented as learnable competencies rather than fixed traits, with particular emphasis on empathy, flexibility, and curiosity. A strategically driven and continuously enhanced approach to intercultural communication can significantly improve intercultural competence and employee cohesion in diverse organisations. The ICMF provides a practical and adaptable model for guiding such efforts. This study contributes a novel conceptual framework that positions intercultural communication as a strategic organisational function, not merely a soft skill. It bridges a critical gap by integrating ethical principles, individual competencies, and institutional strategies. Future research should empirically validate the framework across diverse sectors to assess its practical impact on team performance and organisational outcomes
Understanding the influence of stratification for mine water management: a comparative study.
No full textManaging mine water in the best possible way is of great importance and depends on various factors like environmental protection, regulatory compliance and human health. To understand the complex chemical and hydrodynamic processes within the mine pool, it is critical to establish effective practices and management strategies. This study focuses on the characterisation of hydrodynamic processes affecting flooded underground mines, emphasising the importance of density stratification. The investigation of 29 ore and coal mine shafts and their corresponding physico-chemical depth profile measurements was aimed to compare the profiles with each other, while also taking into account the shaft geometry and the layout of the mine. Finding cross-links between the profiles, which allow universal statements on stratification in flooded underground mines, was the main objective. Results of this study indicate that stratification occurs in almost all flooded underground mines, and the uppermost stratified water body is usually located in the area of the first or second connected level. Furthermore, stratification is often responsible for considerably better quality of the uppermost water body. Hence, stratification is fundamental to mine water management and has a direct influence on the quality of the discharged water. This knowledge is invaluable in developing strategies to optimise mine closure, mine water management, treatment planning and future mine layouts
First-principles study of electronic and optical response properties of bimetallic-sulphide heterostructure supported dithiocarbonate complex for organic solar cells.
No full textThe use of molecular complexes in improving the transport properties of active layer materials for organic solar cells has been enormous in recent era. The current study focuses on the transport and optical properties of dithiocarbonate-based complexes on Tin sulphide/Cobalt sulphide heterostructure. The charge transfer properties show electronegativity features for the N-butylamine complex, whereas electropositive transport features are observed for the N-dodecyl amine and mixed (N-butylamine/N-dodecylamine) complex blend. This charge transfer behaviour is consistent with typical acceptor–donor features, which are associated with metal-thiocarbamate complex transport. The optical features for dithiocarbonate-based complexes supported metal sulphide heterostructure show increased absorption and reflective plasmonic features in comparison with pristine metal sulphide heterostructure. The study proposes the incorporation of a dithiocarbonate complex as support for metal sulphide heterostructure active layer material that can be used to drive improved charge transport and localized surface plasmon resonance, which is crucial for charge transport in organic solar cell devices
A systematic review on blockchain-based energy trading in a decentralized transactive energy system: Opportunities, complexities, strategic challenges, research directions.
No full textThe current hike in electricity demand, deterioration of electrical grids, and climatic conditions have necessitated the push for technology to enhance energy efficiency, optimize energy usage, and minimize greenhouse gas emissions. The Transactive Energy System (TES) is a highly favoured technology designed to provide solutions for optimizing energy usage since it incorporates economic and dynamic control mechanisms to balance the amount of energy generated and supplied. Cost savings present a clear advantage of TES for consumers, translating to reduced bills, and the platform enables customers with Distributed Energy Resources to trade their excess energy, transforming consumers into prosumers. However, energy trading in TES comes with challenges such as maintaining a dynamic balance between supply and demand, as well as issues of privacy, trust, and resilience. Blockchain Technology (BT)-based TES can address these challenges due to its reliability, transaction transparency, and robust encryption methods. However, BT has its shortcomings that need to be addressed. Therefore, this research analyzes the opportunities, limitations, challenges, and complexities of implementing blockchain-based energy trading platforms within a decentralized TES. This review adopted a systematic approach, known as the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses, to provide in-depth insights into the review purpose, methodology, findings, recommendations, and future research directions. It was observed from the review that certain challenges underscore the necessity for standardization in BT-based TES implementation. Moreover, it was discovered that decentralizing the TES energy trading infrastructure promotes energy democracy and that adopting fast computing techniques will facilitate digital and intelligent operations in TES. It was also found that the Directed Acyclic Graph-based distributed ledger may soon replace generic
blockchain, as it can simultaneously process large micro-transactions in P2P networks. It is observed that implementing a peer rating mechanism in the energy trading network will enhance participants’ commitment to their reputational standing in the market, while adapting analytical modelling for performance evaluation of this energy solution could equally be encouraged