ABSTRACT. Purpose: In the wake of lockdown regulations and limited mobility during the COVID-19 pandemic, dining habits shifted towards usage of food delivery apps to avoid physical interaction. Nonetheless, it is unknown whether the COVID-19 pandemic had an influence on the adoption of food delivery apps. As the pandemic had a great influence on changes in people’s behaviour, it is important to consider the pandemic as a contextual factor influencing the adoption of food delivery apps. This study aims to analyse the adoption of food delivery applications during the COVID-19 pandemic using the extended technology acceptance model (TAM). This study further examines the moderating effect of education and age. Method: Data were collected from 282 food delivery application users in South Africa. Partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) analysis was used to analyse the relationship between the variables and the test hypotheses. In addition, partial least squares multigroup analysis (MGA) was used to examine the moderating effect of education level and age. Findings: The results indicated that perceived ease of use has a significant impact on perceived usefulness and attitudes, perceived usefulness has an impact on attitudes and continuous intention, attitude influences continuous intention, and social pressure and convenience influence attitudes. The perceived COVID-19 threat had no impact on attitudes, and education and age had no significant impact on any relationships. The findings are imperative for restaurants and mobile application designers, as they enable more effective strategic management planning. Originality: This study is the first to empirically employ TAM to analyse the adoption of food delivery applications during the COVID-19 pandemic.

ABSTRACT. On the basis of the conducted research global theoretical trends that relate to modern supply chains were identified. It resulted in the creation of a set of 14 key non-one-directional supply chain trends. Further research related to expert assessment and projection of the development potential of the identified trends made it possible to determine the realization time disseminate supply chain trends in the business environment. The article focuses on presenting the results of in-depth research consisting in expert assessment of the development potential of one of 14 key Digital Supply Chain trends. In order for the Digital Supply Chain trend to be practically materialized and implemented in business conditions, it is necessary to effectively break down barriers. Therefore, as a result of the study, the most important barriers were identified. They often require systemic changes, financial outlays, effective influence and popularization, as well as changes in awareness. Finally, as a result of expert assessment, the realization time of the Digital Supply Chain (DSC) in business conditions was estimated and the key effects of this trend were identified.

ABSTRACT. Social media platforms were initially encouraged as a means for socially interacting with family and friends. However, with the rapid advancements in the commerce environment, social media platforms have soon become known for conducting business transactions, which prompted the formation of social commerce as an extension to electronic commerce. Worldwide, Facebook and WhatsApp are two of the most popular and widely used social media platforms. Both Facebook and WhatsApp offer an array of functions that are perceived to be valuable for business transactions, including the ability to create virtual groups. Virtual groups are not only used for the purpose of socialising, but also for marketing products and services. In particular, it offers businesses and individual sellers the advantage of creating a niche environment in which consumers who share similar needs and interests can collaborate. Despite the benefits of these virtual groups, businesses and individual sellers should continuously monitor whether their social media groups are satisfying consumers’ needs. Dissatisfied consumers might resort to supporting competitors, which will influence customer retention and loyalty, and ultimately the profitability and success of a business. The purpose of the study was to determine the influence of ease of use, usefulness and information quality on consumers’ satisfaction with purchasing from Facebook and WhatsApp groups. An external international research company was utilised for the data collection of this study, which resulted in 412 participants who completed the electronic self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, correlation analysis and regression analysis were the statistical techniques applied in the data analysis. The findings of this study indicate that the ease of use, usefulness and information quality of Facebook and WhatsApp groups have a statistically significant positive influence on customers’ satisfaction with purchasing from these groups. Moreover, from the factors measured, usefulness is the strongest contributor towards the consumers’ satisfaction with purchasing from Facebook and WhatsApp groups. As such, it is recommended that businesses and individual sellers on social media groups, such as Facebook and WhatsApp groups, concentrate on ensuring that the groups remain easy to use and that the information provided is of high quality so that the potential buyers perceive it to be useful for their needs. The results and recommendations emanating from this study contribute towards the limited literature available on social media groups and provide insight to maintaining consumers’ satisfaction with purchasing from these groups.

ABSTRACT. In the training process for table tennis players, providing strategic information analysis of their opponents is crucial. The application of big data analysis and data mining techniques becomes increasingly important in the sport technology. In this study, professional table tennis professionals collected information from past match videos, and record the types of serves and receptions, the placement, the number of strokes, and the points gained or lost by the players. Using statistical analysis and professional examination and description, the relationships between the players and their match strategies were analyzed. In addition, the collected match information was analyzed using advanced algorithms such as FP-Growth in the data mining process to establish association rules and gain a deeper understanding of the players' characteristics. The experimental results were based on the analysis of match video of Taiwan's top table tennis player, Lin Yun-Ju. Both the manual and computer analyses showed that Lin Yun-Ju had better performance in the attack-after-service phase. Furthermore, the computer analysis revealed that most of the lost points were from rally phase, the rule confidence level was 64.8%. If the serve was side under spin and the lost points were from rally phase, the confidence level was 64.3%. If the points were gained then serve type was side under spin, the confidence level was 61.4%. Compared with the professional analysis, data mining provides more strong rules which have higher confidence level compared with other rules. Then, the results offer table tennis players clearer training improvement suggestions based on the association rules. This can be used to adjust their match strategic design.

ABSTRACT. Manufacturing and possession of technological devices such as cell phones have grown rapidly in the recent years as a result of modernization and technology advancement. The invention of these devices has brought a lot of benefits to mankind and a huge development to the telecommunication industry. Even though these technological devices are known to be beneficial to mankind, studies have reported that they could also have some negative impacts which can have a lasting effect on the users. One of such effects is the possibility of their causing damages to human health through exposure to a type of radiation called Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields (RF-EMFs) which is emitted from the antenna of the cell phones. Several studies have predicted a link between exposure to radiation from these devices and possible health effects as a result of excessive and long-term exposure. For example, some studies have reported that exposure to radiation from cell phones early in life (childhood) and continuous exposure through adulthood could lead to the development of certain diseases such as some types of cancers later in life. Some studies have also reported that this radiation could affect the brain of children which is the most targeted part of the body, and this makes them more vulnerable than adults. Another effect that has been consistently reported over the years is how cell phone usage has could negatively affect the academic performance of young people at schools. Studies have reported an association between prolong and excessive use cell phones and distraction, lack of concentration and decline of attention span which has further resulted in poor academic performance among these young people. Despite these various reports about these possible negative effects about cell phone usage, not many efforts have been made to give education especially to young people on these issues. This study has specifically focused on young people. This is because according to statistics, they happen to form the largest percentage of cell phone users globally. In addition to that, most of the young people of today were born in the era of technology, so they virtually started using these devices at early ages. The purpose of this study is to examine an awareness about potential negative impacts of cell phone usage among youngsters. In achieving the purpose of this study, a group of students (twenty) from a university residence in Pretoria South Africa will be interviewed on the usage of cell phone and to find out if they are ever aware of some negative impacts that cell phone can also have. The result of the study will help the researchers to make recommendation to the educational institutions and other stakeholders like parents and guardians on how to begin to educate as early as possible these younger generation about the negative impacts these devises could likely have. This education is very important in the sense that it will safeguard their lives from any possible hazards and help them to take necessary precautions to avert future problems.

ABSTRACT. This paper examines an overview of the foundation and evolution of climate change awareness in local governments in South Africa. Municipalities in South Africa has a constitutional mandate to promote and protect the environment and thereby to take action to mitigate and adapt to climate change. The author explores the idea that to be more sustainable as a municipality and to provide an environment that is not harmful to present and future generations, the evolving legislations should be interpreted and applied. Local governments in South Africa are bound by national legislation, and in addition to various environmental and local government laws. South African municipalities are subject to Schedule 4(B), read with section 156(1), of the Constitution, which states that municipalities (local government) have the power to execute law-making and executive powers. The duty to provide every person with an environment that is not harmful to his or her health or well-being of the benefit for present and future generations is prolonged in section 4 of the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act 32 of 2000 (hereafter the Systems Act). Arguably climate change adaptation will be best managed by provinces and local governments. This can be achieved by the adoption of the Principle of Subsidiarity. The Principle of Subsidiarity means that the national government should not exercise functions that can be exercised best by a smaller and lesser body such as a local government. This principle can be explained to stipulate that governance should take place as close as possible to the citizens. Therefore, when implementing the Principle of Subsidiarity, the state shall only take action in so far as the objectives of the proposed action cannot be effectively performed by the communities. Legislation and case law must be understood within the context of mitigation and adaptation in the climate sector and how local government with the (Principle of Subsidiarity) can achieve this objective. The paper presents the environmental impact of climate change and how the local government dispensation can address this phenomenon through the notion of developmental local governments.

ABSTRACT. As an important aspect of a student’s life, satisfaction with a residence is a good predictor of preference for such housing. The current study used 5 predictors (bedroom environment, building quality, washroom facilities, leisure facilities, monthly rental) of student satisfaction with housing to determine the influence of functional factors on student preference for student housing. The constructs were measured using varying number of items as some were dropped to improve factor loadings. A five-point Likert scale was used for measurement, ranging from 1 (extremely unimportant) to 5 (extremely important). A non-probability convenience sampling was used to form the sample for the study, from which data was collected through online surveys. SPSS and AMOS version 28 were used for data analysis, and the results showed that bedroom and washroom facilities had positive influence on satisfaction, which eventual had positive influence on preference. No distinction was made between on- and off-campus students as the focus was on overall student housing. This confirmed finding from extant literature as discussed. Both the theoretical and managerial implications of the findings were discussed. The overall findings were that functional congruence theory is relevant to study student housing preference. Factors such as monthly rental, building quality and support facilities were not important in predicting student satisfaction with student housing. Limitations and recommendations for future studies were also made. Among possible recommendations, future studies can conduct a similar study to compare the results for on-campus, off-campus accredited and off-campus non-accredited student housing. Investigating self-congruence factors would also bring interesting comparison against functional congruence factors.

ABSTRACT. The use of chatbots for customer service in the financial sector has increased significantly in recent years. However, customer satisfaction with chatbot interactions remains a concern for financial institutions. This study investigates how the interactive features associated with financial chatbots, such as personalized responses, visual aids, gamification, and sentiment analysis can enhance customer satisfaction. Adopting an interpretive qualitative research approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with banking customers who had used chatbots as part of a customer service encounter. Thematic analysis was employed to analyze the data, and the findings suggest that personalization, natural language processing, empathy, and emotional intelligence are crucial factors which enhance customer satisfaction when it comes to chatbot interactions. The study also highlights the potential of advanced technologies such as sentiment analysis and voice recognition to enhance engagement and personalization as part of chatbot interactions. Overall, the study provides guidance for financial institutions seeking to implement or improve their chatbot customer service offerings, and it advances knowledge around the use of chatbots in the financial sector.

ABSTRACT. Introduction: Unemployment links with human rights at some point in life. Some human rights can only be met when there is an employed breadwinner in the family. Unemployment can also be a crime generator. The South African government noted this challenge and developed the National Development Plan (NDP) of 2030 under the stewardship of the National Planning Commission (NPC) in the office of the Presidency. This plan articulates the aims and objectives in reaching the goal for driving economic growth through various means, including sustainable job creation. The plan also envisages an economy serving all South Africans aimed at eliminating poverty, reducing inequality, and creating economic growth by creating eleven million jobs by 2030. As a result, the NDP of 2030 gives a summary of the programmes that were created to encourage, support, and develop entrepreneurship and Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) to create jobs; and to curb unemployment growth through the establishment of State-Owned Companies such as the Small Enterprise Financial Agency (SEFA) to help prompt employment and prevent crime motivated by joblessness. This was meant to encourage people who are self-employed and with an interest in job creation by establishing a small business through financial assistance. However, criminals also observed such opportunities. Financial institutions such as the SEFA are likely to be a target of crime, which goes against their mandate to create jobs. The South African government therefore created laws to assist in regulatory compliance to minimise and combat corporate fraud. Objective: The main objective of this research was to evaluate corporate fraud at SEFA and to establish other successful methods at a global glance to mitigate corporate fraud at financial institutions and boost the economic growth in South Africa. Rationale: Employment for individuals is particularly important, since it gives them a sense of independence to do things which are desired, either for themselves or family members. These tasks entail the buying of food, paying for transport, nurturing talents through education, and paying for tuition fees, medical aids, and other general needs. Not being able to afford these things gives rise to negative feelings. Such negative feelings may trigger individuals’ frustration levels causing them to do things that they would not normally do. Some of these deeds include resorting to a life of crime. However, some individuals also commit corporate fraud not because they cannot afford something but merely out of greed. Corporate fraud affects a country’s economic growth. The more individuals are employed to take care of themselves, the more pressure is on the government to focus on other important projects to benefit the lives of the people in the country. Therefore, this study focused on corporate fraud within direct lending products, as it is the most targeted product with major potential monetary losses. A direct lending product is an investment activity that addresses the financing needs of start-ups and relatively new entrepreneurs who are often not fundable by commercial financiers. Consequently, an evaluation of all the stages, such as the application process, approval process and the post-approval stage to establish where the gap or opportunity lies was of vital importance to secure the SEFA direct lending product; and to prevent corporate fraud at financial institutions. Methodological rigor: This study adopted a mixed method research approach. It was an empirical research in nature and followed an explanatory research design. A selection of probability and non-probability sampling methods were used to collect data. The sample consisted of SEFA staff dealing with the direct lending product in the eight SEFA provincial branches within South Africa. A mixed analysis was conducted to obtain the outcomes of this research – whereby MS Word (2016) graphs and MS Excel (2016) were used, which are matched with the data collected from the questionnaire survey and interviews. Major contributions: The beneficiaries of this research include potential victims of corporate fraud, such as the SEFA; entrepreneurs; Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises; the South African Criminal Justice System entities such as the South African Police Service, the courts and the correctional services, regulatory authorities; the South African government and local communities. This study’s findings make a valuable contribution as a practical, new framework which could be used to speed up the economic growth process through job creation without the extreme threat of corporate fraud. This would be possible if the South African historical factors, demographics, and acknowledgement of new talent for job creation are considered for economic growth and the prevention of corporate fraud. The recommendations can be used to achieve some of the NDP of 2030s goals for sustainable employment through self-employment programmes in South Africa. Additionally, scholars can use the recommendations and conclusions of this study in their respective fields. Implications: The threat of corporate fraud in the SEFA direct lending product is a reality. Modus operandi of corporate fraud occurs through impersonation, submission of forged documents, and also defrauding of clients who already applied for funding and are awaiting the outcome of the application. Successful methods to curb corporate fraud includes the identification of risks and educational training on how to detect it. Instances of fraud increase despite the measures put in place to uphold the law and encourage economic growth for the country. It is recommended that State-Owned Companies reach out to a legitimate target market for local economic growth; and that the SEFA implement best practices as outlined in this study’s conceptual framework to pinpoint motives, opportunities, and other contributing factors to minimise corporate fraud, specifically customised for the financial business environment; and enhance economic growth in South Africa.

ABSTRACT. On 15 March 2020, President Ramaphosa declared the Covid-19 pandemic a national disaster, further announcing strict measures to control this catastrophe under the Disaster Management Act [DMA] (Act No. 57 of 2002). With the onset of the State of Disaster, the South African Police Service (SAPS) saw its mandate expand to include the enforcement of Regulations. The need for a review of the impact of SAPS frontline policing during COVID-19 and its ability to enforce the DMA Regulations while still executing its original mandate of maintaining the safety and security of all South Africans arose. This study attempts to investigation the impact of the SAPS on policing during the covid-19 pandemic in South Africa. This qualitative article adopted the non-empirical research design: Systematic review. This study is completely based on the secondary data. A systematic review was done in detail for the collected literature. The key findings indicated that SAPS faced numerous challenges of understanding and enforcing numerous new and frequently changing regulations. Furthermore, operational and administrative resources were inadequate at the best of times. Based on the findings, the authors provided, possible recommendations such as: It is recommended that future regulations provide for alternative law enforcement action in cases of less serious transgressions. It is further, recommended that future regulations be developed to allow complexities of some communities with a high-density population and accompanying socioeconomic conditions which the regulations should take into consideration and allow for variations.

ABSTRACT. Recruiting and retaining students is increasingly challenging in a highly competitive higher education arena. Various external factors influence first-year students’ choices of career and preferred higher education provider. Determining first-year students’ prior knowledge and reasons for making these choices could help higher education institutions to understand first-year student cohorts better and inform appropriate marketing strategies and content. This study explores first-year students’ prior knowledge of higher educational institutions, various qualification offerings, reasons for selecting a college at a university as a higher education provider, and reasons for selecting a particular qualification. The study was conducted in a specific business college at a comprehensive university in South Africa. Most of these first-year students are first-generation students from lower-income communities and public high schools. A qualitative research method guided this study. An online survey with 28 open-ended questions concluded the data collection. The findings were analysed through inductive content analysis and indicated that many first-year students make uninformed and unguided choices about their career-based qualification and higher education institution. This study contributes to the body of knowledge by providing a pan-African perspective on first-year students’ prior knowledge of study and career opportunities and higher education institutions, and on their reasons for selecting specific career qualifications and a college at a university as their preferred choice for higher education studies.

ABSTRACT. Transportation is responsible for the movement of goods and services as well as people from one point to the other, however for an effective transport system to take place there should be good road infrastructure or good road system to effectively connect all places around the country. This article focuses on the e-toll roads in the Gauteng area. The article aims to determine the perceptions of road users towards e-tolls and the e-toll use continuation. This article considers the following variables, namely e-toll charges, attitude towards e-tolling, consumer trust of e-tolls and e-toll use continuation. A quantitative approach was adopted in which a survey questionnaire was used to collect data from 350 road users in the Gauteng province. The article used a non-probability convenience sampling technique to select respondents. Data was analysed with the aid of two software packages, namely the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS version 28.0) and the Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS version 28.0). The results of this article provide useful information on the funding of the roads in Gauteng province (South Africa). This article also creates literature on the already limited literature on the e-tolls and lastly government or policy makers could benefit from the information on this article regarding e-toll charges, attitude towards e-tolling, consumer trust of e-tolls and e-toll use continuation.

ABSTRACT. This study develops three propositions for application of prospect theory in a sales promotion context. The main contribution of the paper is that it combines prospect theory and hedonic editing rules with fundamental conditions of marketing exchange in order to predict consumers’ evaluations of sales promotions. More specifically, price of a promoted product and type of incentive (monetary vs. nonmonetary) are defined as major factors affecting consumers’ choice of evaluation strategy (integration vs. segregation).

ABSTRACT. This study aimed to explore industry experts lived experiences with human resources management students doing work-integrated learning. The literature reviewed revealed that positive and negative behaviours and attitudes can hamper or enhance human resources management (HRM) students' chances of being absorbed into the labour market. This study was qualitative, and an interpretivism paradigm influenced it. Five (n=5) industry experts from retail, investment, labour movement, HRM professional body and the university of technology participated in this study. They had sixty years of working experience; 3 were males, and two were females. Regarding race, 4 were black, and 1 was white. The data showed that industry experts' experienced HRM students lacked initiative, business acumen and curiosity. Students who came to the workplaces had a theory, and some had a challenge in putting theory into practice. The industry experts experienced those HRM students doing work-integrated learning (WIL) lacking soft skills like time management and how present and express themselves. It also emerged that HRM students did not know how to use Excel, a software used in the industry for data analytics to make business decisions. This study's practical implications showed managers' gaps and focused areas on competencies to improve their curriculum. This will equip HRM students to be absorbed in the labour market or open their consultancy organizations.

ABSTRACT. Sports footwear brands are becoming very popular, especially among Generation Y consumers. The purpose of this study is to determine the factors relevant to sports footwear branding and assess their influence in building consumer attitudes and purchase intentions of sports footwear brands. The study followed a descriptive research design and implemented a quantitative method. The participants of the study were drawn from Generation Y consumers. The results of the study indicate that brand image, brand association, brand name, and brand endorsement have a statistically significant impact on consumer attitude toward sports footwear brands among generation Y consumers. Furthermore, the results indicate that consumer attitude does in turn influence consumers’ purchase intention of sports footwear brands. The study offers recommendations for sports footwear branding and suggests ways how to influence Generation Y consumers' attitudes and purchase intentions of sports footwear brands.

ABSTRACT. A growing body of research focuses on university brand personalities as higher education institutions (HEIs) endeavour to use brand personality elements in their brand communication to cultivate enduring and robust HEI brand relationships. This qualitative study explores student-university brand identification and brand personality to understand the most appropriate themes for HEIs brand communication efforts with stakeholders. This exploration’s data analysis is carried out by the thematic analysis of short reflective narratives provided by postgraduate students in a workshop at a single HEI, based on Rauschnabel, Krey, Babin and Evan’s (2016) six dimensions of their university brand personality scale (UBPS). Findings from this study demonstrate that students actively sought a sense of congruence between their self-identity and the brand personality projected in their short reflective narratives. The findings illustrate the valuable insights provided by students’ ascribed brand personalities in terms of student-university identification. The findings emphasise that HEIs can differentiate their brands by involving students in co-creating brand value to foster authentic considerations of their market positioning in their brand communication.

ABSTRACT. There has been a rise in the number of companies incorporating feminism into their marketing practices in the promotion of social change. This study investigated the impact of feminist social marketing advertisements on the behavioural intention of men to support feminist beliefs. Three focus group discussions were conducted with 23 Cape Town-based men aged 18 to 24 after which the data was analysed using a deductive thematic analysis. The results showed that feminist social marketing advertisements did have an impact on the behavioural intention of the respondents towards supporting feminist ideals. Further insights showed that these advertisements positively affected support of feminist ideals. However, the advertisements did not affect men’s purchase intention as other motivational factors superseded the positive sentiments towards the social feminist marketing advertisements. The study offers marketers practical insights and recommendations regarding the underlying factors impacting the effectiveness of their advertisements.

ABSTRACT. Generation Z is the generation, coming after Millennials and before Generation Alpha. Although there is not a clear-cut consensus on the time span covering the birth dates of Gen-Zers, it is generally assumed that Gen-Z comprises consumers who are born from mid-1990s to early 2010s (i.e. 1997-2012). They are also known as ‘digital natives’ since they have grown up with Internet and other information and communication technologies. It is obvious that their preferences and behavior are shaped by how they grew up. There are several unique characteristics of Gen Z, which differentiate them particularly from the Generations X and Y. The way they live, communicate, shop and consume are all completely different from previous generations. Members belonging to Gen Z are known as tech-savvy, cautious about climate change and sustainability issues, focus on innovation, look for convenience, and more careful about how they spend their budget. All these divergent attributes of Gen Z consumers bring them under the spotlight of both academicians and practitioners. It is widely accepted that Gen Z has an inclination for online shopping, however, it is crucial to understand what they really look for or how marketers can get their attention. Hence, in this study, it is aimed to figure out the determinants that might influence their repeated purchase decision from online marketplaces. In other words, the main purpose is to discover what attributes really affect Gen Z for re-patronage or being a loyal customer of a marketplace. Since, there is a great competition among both local and international marketplace brands, the study will bring important insights about the little-known customer cohort; namely-Gen Z regarding their loyalty in the online market. In line with the research purpose of this study, the data have been collected from 250 Gen Z consumers whose ages range from 1997 to 2006 via an online survey. The respondents are asked about their most favorable online marketplaces as well as their frequency to shop from these marketplaces. Based on the literature, twelve attributes regarding the online marketplaces are identified and then respondents are asked which of these attributes determine their loyalty towards their favorable marketplace. It has been found that perceived value, visual appeal, responsiveness, efficiency, and fulfillment dimensions are the main determinants of Generation Z’s loyalty towards marketplaces, whereas, design appeal, system availability, privacy, trust, compensation, contact and interactivity have no significant impact on the re-patronage of these consumers.

ABSTRACT. This paper examines the relationship between team motivation, productivity, and Agile methodologies in the context of the Nigerian software development industry. The study highlights the unique challenges faced by Nigerian software developers and proposes working culture best practices to enhance motivation and productivity. As the Agile approach becomes increasingly popular globally, understanding its implications for motivation and productivity in different cultural contexts is vital. We commenced with a literature review, exploring the definitions and historical development of motivation, productivity, and Agile methodologies and discussed the adoption of Agile in the Nigerian software development space and its impact on the industry's growth. The review also delves into the role of team motivation in Agile projects, the potential benefits of a motivated team, and the perceived correlation between motivation and productivity in Agile environments. Drawing from the literature, the paper presents a framework that identifies key motivational and productivity factors in the Agile software development context. The framework serves as a guide for Nigerian software development companies looking to implement working culture best practices that align with Agile principles. There is an emphasis on the importance of understanding and addressing the specific challenges faced by Nigerian software development companies in fostering a working culture that supports team motivation and productivity. By implementing these working culture best practices, Nigerian software development companies can create an environment that encourages innovation, collaboration, and growth. This, in turn, can improve motivation and productivity, enhancing competitiveness in the global market and contributing to the continued success of the Nigerian software development industry. The paper concludes with recommendations for future research, including expanding the literature review, conducting cross-cultural comparisons, designing empirical research projects, and investigating other factors that contribute to the success of Agile methodologies.

ABSTRACT. Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCGs) are products that quickly sell in retail outlets necessitating frequent replenishment. Standard groceries in supermarkets, as well as records and tapes sold in music stores, are examples of fast-moving consumer items. This paper examines customer perceptions toward the potential of self-service technologies in the FMCG industry of South Africa. The technology acceptance model (TAM) was utilised to establish the extent to which customers are willing to adopt self-service technologies for grocery shopping in South Africa. The study was quantitative in nature adopting the survey method. Non-probability sampling, a form of convenience sampling was used in determining the study’s respondents. A research instrument was developed from the TAM and distributed online to willing participants. Data was collected from 258 willing respondents over a two-month period who had purchased FMCG’s. Key findings established that the perceived usefulness of FMCG self-service technologies directly and positively influenced consumer attitudes toward these technologies while behavioural intentions to adopt FMCG self-service technologies and actual use of these technologies had the strongest association in the views of customers.

ABSTRACT. MIS is an organisational and technical system that employs information technology to collect, process, acquire, store, search and disseminate data in order to improve management's ability to analyse, evaluate and enhance overall corporate performance. When properly implemented, MIS will assist the organisation to achieve a high level of efficiency in its operational functions. The study employed a quantitative approach and a descriptive research design. Data collection were administered using a close-ended online questionnaire after a non-probability convenience sampling technique was adopted to select the respondents. The data were analysed by means of Pearson correlations to quantify and gain more insights into the relationships between variables. Based on the findings there is a relationship between the institution and potential benefits of the implementation of MIS and the findings also show that the successful implementation of MIS has improved the operational functions of the administrative employees at the college. Based on the analysis, some factors were identified as influential and crucial to the adoption of MIS towards enhancing the administrative efficacy at Sekhukhune TVET College.

ABSTRACT. Rationale: Gender Based Violence and femicide (GBVF) is a scourge that affects many people in South Africa and other countries around the world. The scourge of GBVF has seen many lives being lost at an alarming rate. The most common lives lost are those of women and children. South Africa is a country that is faced with a high crime rate. GBVF is however one of the most escalating crime in the country. Given that Higher Education Institutions (HEI) are places of teaching and learning, GBVF attacks have to be limited if not entirely prevented from occurring at HEIs. High rates of Gender Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) in South Africa, including those in HEIs, have prompted considerable research into understanding its causes. Studies focusing on GBVF at universities have found alcohol to be a significant contributor to GBVF cases on campuses. This research paper aims to assess the most mentioned contributing factor to GBVF attacks at the Tshwane University of Technology which was alcohol. Methodology: In this paper, the researcher analysed alcohol related GBVF attacks from the perspectives of Tshwane University of Technology’s (TUT) GBVF stakeholders. The researcher made use of the nonprobability sampling method when selecting the participants. That was because the participant comprised of TUT;s GBVF stakeholders. Semi structured interviews were conducted with 12 of 35 TUT’s GBVF stakeholders to analyse the stakeholder’s perception of alcohol as a contributing factor to reported cases of GBVF on campuses, 7 online and 5 in person. The aim of the article was to contribute to knowledge on how alcohol contributes to gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) attacks and the serious threats that it on the pose the lives of students on campuses. The data was analysed using themes and eventually, the data was interpreted, and the findings reveal that alcohol is a major contributing factor to GBVF related cases on TUT campuses. Major contributions: The paper posits that sustainable development goals can be supported by security and safety education on campus, where security refers to the state of being free from danger or threats and safety applies to creating protection from risks or dangers. This article aims to examine male students’ perspectives on the alcohol-violence nexus by focusing on how alcohol shapes experiences of gender, sexuality and violence on a university campus. The findings further outline that male students use alcohol to give themselves the courage to attack those vulnerable, such as women and homosexuals. Alcohol is also exploited as currency to coerce women that are not financially stable into submission to sexual favours. The easy access to places where alcohol is sold is identifies as a major challenge that fuels GBVF related attacks from intoxicated students. The prevention efforts in educational contexts must address the ways in which alcohol contributes to students’ experience of GBVF attacks on campuses. TUT as an HEI has an image to protect, having cases of GBVF occurring at the HEI can place the institution in a very difficult position. By means of putting measures in place to ensure that GBVF attacks are prevented, TUT can then ensure that more students and staff members can learn and work at a safe environment.

ABSTRACT. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the strategic process for effectively dealing with online public service failures as recovery strategies in Pakistan. The specific context is the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), Post office Pakistan, and the Citizen Portal of Pakistan. The study uses a qualitative approach, including semi-structured interviews and online reviews to collect data from both customers and public service managers. Thematic analysis was used to identify and analyze key themes related to online public service failures and recovery strategies in Pakistan. The study provides several recommendations for government-based organizations to enhance their performance, meet customer needs, and remain competitive in the marketplace.

ABSTRACT. Public transportation is any form of shared transportation open to the general public and used to move people and goods. People who use public transit have access to mobility, jobs, community resources, healthcare, and leisure activities. It is undeniable that transportation plays a critical role in embracing the positive impact of disruption in futurism. Given that Zambia is a landlocked nation, road transportation dominates the sector. Moreover, people travel by road to get from one location to another, mainly through inter-city buses. Following the liberalisation and privatisation of the Zambian economy in 1994, the state-owned urban bus company of Zambia (UBZ) was remarkably transformed into a private sector company. The liberalised economy operators emerged and have taken over the business successfully amidst a competitive business environment through different service offerings. One critical market for long-distance buses is students from various higher learning institutions, which use this mode of transport frequently. Using the service quality model, the study investigates the service quality offered by long-distance buses from the students’ perspective. Therefore, the study aims to ascertain the relationship between service quality factors (tangibility, reliability, assurance, empathy, and responsiveness) and customer satisfaction. The study investigates the impact of each service quality factor on transport students’ satisfaction. Using a quantitative cross-section survey design, primary data from 262 students at a Zambian Public University were collected and analysed. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis were conducted. Correlation analysis shows that students' satisfaction was highly correlated with all independent variables, i.e. (tangibility r=.603, p<.01; r=., reliability r=.493, p<.01; assurance r=.608, p<.01; empathy r=.586, p<.01, and responsiveness r=.614, p<.01). Furthermore, after accounting for the control variables, a two-stage hierarchical multiple regression was used to analyse the association between the set of independent variables and the dependent variable. The final model shows that reliability (B=.046, SE=.063) was not statistically significant. Furthermore, Assurance (B=.194, SE=.068) and Empathy (B=.185, SE=.063) were statistically significant ( p<.05). Additionally, Tangibility (B=.252, SE=.059) and Responsiveness (B=.202, SE=.062) were statistically significant (p<.001). The findings reveal the key antecedents for influencing public transport users' satisfaction from students’ perceptions. The study suggests critical elements of service quality that transport policymakers and owners can leverage to improve service quality amidst heightened competition in the sector.

ABSTRACT. The study determined the antecedents of employees’ well-being at four municipalities in the Nkangala District. Affective events theory (AET) was deemed the appropriate theoretical framework for this study. The literature showed the amount of workload leads to either negative or positive emotions, ultimately impacting employees' well-being. The study followed a quantitative approach and was influenced by a positivist paradigm. Out of that, a total population of 2941 employed at four municipalities under study, 808 employees participated in this study, translating to a response rate of 27.47%. The convenience-sampling technique was used in this study due to the lack of a sampling frame. Data were analyzed using means, standard deviations, exploratory factor analysis, Pearson correlation and multiple regression. A Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 28 was used to analyze data. Finding revealed that positive emotions did not significantly predict employees’ well-being. The regression model with negative emotions and workload had an R-squared of 60%, and the workload was the highest predictor (β=0.73, p<0.01). These findings suggest that the workload of municipality employees should be kept at optimal levels to avoid unintended consequences resulting from work stress.

ABSTRACT. This study aimed to identify the mediating role of knowledge Withholding behaviors on the impact of organizational memory facets (administrative, technical, and cultural) on employees' high performance in the telecommunications sector in the Sultanate of Oman. The study population consisted of employees of the telecommunications sector in the Sultanate of Oman (Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, Oman Telecommunications Company Omantel, Omani Qatar Telecom Company Ooredoo, Vodafone Oman). An easy sample was used and (250) questionnaires were distributed to the sample members, the descriptive and analytical approach was adopted in this study, and multiple regression analysis to test the hypotheses. The results showed that the three dimensions of organizational memory were available at a high level, and the study showed that knowledge sharing among sector members is good, and has a significant impact on employees' high-performance, and this effect is reduced by the presence of the mediating role of knowledge-withholding behaviors as well as reducing the impact of organizational memory on employees' high-performance levels. Recommendations were presented to enhance and consolidate the concept of organizational memory and effective participation among the members of the telecommunications sector in the Sultanate of Oman.

ABSTRACT. Chapter 7 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 (hereafter referred to as the Constitution) gives credence to the establishment of municipalities (South Africa 1996). As self-governing institutions, municipalities are mandated to follow principles of democracy, accountability and good governance. This is demonstrated through the delivery of basic services, cultivating healthy and safe environments, and encouraging civil society and private organisations to partake in municipal programmes and processes. Municipalities, as the sphere of government closest to the people, are directly responsible for ensuring that communities have water and sanitation, access to decent housing, refuse services, developed and maintained infrastructure, electricity and that community members have a voice that affect their existence (Corruption Watch 2021; South Africa 1996). Sadly, the aforementioned services, are but a dream for most South Africans who continue to live in squalor and sordid conditions. It was reported in 2021 that 64 municipalities were dysfunctional and that the dysfunction was attributed to “poor governance, weak institutional capacity, poor financial management, corruption and political instability”. (MFMA 2020-21 Consolidated General Report on Local Government Audit Outcomes 2022: 4). Legislation and regulations such as: the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act, 2004; the Financial Intelligence Centre Act, 2001; the Public Finance Management Act, 1999; the Local Government: Municipal Finance Management Act, 2003 to name but a few, and a host of international conventions and agreements South Africa is party to, were promulgated with the view to govern operations at national, provincial and local government. A plethora of Codes of Conduct are available in the South African public sector, governing the behaviour and work ethic of public officials, councillors and the like. Yet corruption and maladministration at local government level prevail (Corruption Watch 2021). Therefore, the Local Government Ethical Leadership Initiative was launched in 2020 with the view to devise another Code focused on Ethical Governance in South African Local Government by October 2023 (The Ethics Institute 2022). The question arises whether another Code of Conduct is needed and whether the problem with existing Codes does not lie with their enforcement. On the African continent, in Nigeria in particular, corruption in all societal spheres appear widespread as well. In a paper titled “Ethnicisation of corruption in Nigeria” the author, Arowolo (2022: 246), contends that corruption is fuelled by and is a derivative of the nature of the ethnic composition in Nigeria. Arowolo (2022: 253) notes that despite the establishment of anti-corruption institutions and the adoption and deployment of various measures corruption in the country continues unabated. The author grapples with the question around how to “de-ethnicise” corruption. In the South African context, public sector organisations have very little “teeth” when it comes to the implementation of Codes of Conduct and the aversion of maladministration and corruption. In this context the researcher vies with the question posed by Hartley (2019: 163): “What does the modern policy practitioner do while awaiting this proverbial earthquake (continuous corruption and maladministration and the collapse of public sector institutions), the trigger for a new way of thinking, and the shift in epistemological paradigm?” The research questions this paper wishes to address is: What role does ethnicity, ethnic leadership and ethnic governance play in relation to the implementation of Codes of Conduct at local government level? It is hoped that this paper will make specific theoretical contributions to the literature on ethnic leadership and its impact on governance in general. To this end, a qualitative research approach will be employed. Secondary sources of information, constituting document analysis, premised around ethnic leadership and ethnic governance, as well as the legislative framework governing South African local government in particular, and anti-corrupt behaviour, in general, will be explored. Braun and Clarke’s (2006) thematic analysis method will be used to search across the secondary data in order to identify, analyse, and report repeated patterns.

ABSTRACT. The demand for counterfeit luxury is increasing due to its accessibility, but the motivator behind purchasing counterfeits is not only related to price. Instead, understanding the role of internal traits (personality) and the desire to act independently when intending to purchase counterfeit luxury provides a better understanding of the intention to purchase counterfeits. Therefore, the aim of the study was to determine the impact that personality factors have on consumers’ intention to purchase counterfeit luxury and the moderating role that independent self-construal plays. Data were collected using an online self-administered questionnaire and 519 responses were obtained. Using multiple regression and moderation analyses, the hypotheses were tested and it was found that materialism, brand consciousness, status consumption, and personal gratification impacted the intention to purchase counterfeit luxury, with independent self-construal moderating these relationships. This demonstrates that consumers who are materialistic, conscious of the brands they purchase, and purchase due to the need to obtain status intend to purchase counterfeit luxury. However, the sense of accomplishment (personal gratification) revealed a negative yet positive relationship with the intention to purchase counterfeit luxury, demonstrating that the more individuals are concerned with their sense of accomplishment, the less likely they are to purchase counterfeit luxury. The study provides a theoretical contribution by including an understanding of the need to be unique (independent self-construal) when purchasing a product category typically influenced by social needs. In addition, the study gives authentic luxury manufacturers the opportunity to develop marketing strategies in an aim to deter consumers from purchasing counterfeits.

ABSTRACT. There have been ongoing debate and research on consumer behaviour and actions in relation to AI agent service failure vs human agent and how organisations design the appropriate recovery and response strategies to counteract these challenges. Artificial intelligence (AI) is a growing contemporary issue in today’s time and being heavily leveraged by organisations as part of their marketing strategy. Drawing on existing literature and a number of relevant concepts from the field of AI agent service failure and service failure recovery strategy, the current study utilises the expectation discrepancy theory and frustration aggression theory to develop a conceptual framework to explore the phenomenon on the perception of different customer segments on AI agent manipulation behind the scenes by humans in the organisation and its impact on the perceived fairness of offer (AI agent vs human agent). The main findings reveal the complexity on AI agent vs human agent preference by various customer segments and factors which shape the customer expectation and its impact on perceived fairness of offer.

ABSTRACT. The beauty product industry is one with a lucrative forecast, as this industry had a global revenue of approximately 571.1 billion US dollars in 2022, expected to grow by 3.8% annually. Whereas natural or green beauty products contributed 37 billion US dollars to the total value of the beauty product industry in that specific year. This may be due to consumers increasingly becoming aware of the effect their lifestyle and behaviour have on the environment. Accordingly, they are more conscious about purchasing environmentally friendly and ethically sourced products. This is especially true regarding beauty products, as this market has broadened substantially in the green sphere. Consequently, competition in the green beauty product industry is increasing significantly, and therefore it is of utmost importance for retailers in this industry to retain consumers by increasing product loyalty. In order to increase product loyalty, a thorough understanding of the factors that might affect consumers’ loyalty towards products is needed. To this end, a model that can be used to measure green beauty product loyalty will assist marketing academics and practitioners. As such, this study focused on validating a green beauty product loyalty model within the South African context. A descriptive research design was followed, collecting data from a sample of 500 participants by means of a computer-administered survey. The factors included in the specified measurement model comprised green beauty product loyalty, quality perception, price perception and green trust. The data was analysed using collinearity diagnostics, confirmatory factor analysis, nomological, convergent and discriminant validity analysis, internal-consistency and composite reliability analysis and model fit indices. The results conclude that green beauty product loyalty is a four-factor model, exhibiting internal consistency reliability, as well as, composite reliability, together with construct, convergent and discriminant validity, presenting no multi-collinearity issues and good model fit indices. As such, this empirically-validated model serves as a good foundation for marketing academics and practitioners in understanding the factors influencing consumers’ product loyalty when it comes to green beauty products.

ABSTRACT. As social media becomes an integral part of sales strategy and tactics in the information age, the current study examines the relationship between consumers’ loss of control in their social media use and its effect on their online purchasing behaviour. Key moderators such as time spent, and level of self-control failure are further examined on this relationship using a large sample of ‘digital natives. Analysing the dataset via PLS-SEM, the study findings revealed that consumers’ loss of self-control on social media, irrespective of the time spent on social media or the consumers’ level of self-control failure, positively influences online purchasing behaviour. Furthermore, it appears this likelihood holds when consumers have a low level of social media self-control failure. However, group differences for consumers with a high level of social media self-control failure and spending more time on social media show a significant but inverse relationship with online purchasing behaviour. The results show that brands must be aware of social media self-control failure and its potential to influence sales. Thus, offering managerial insights and expanding the contribution to sales management research in light of growing technological disruptions.

ABSTRACT. Combined with the increasing demand for organic foods throughout the world, South Africa has seen a rise in the demand for safer sustainable business practices and organic products. Based on the increased demand for organic products, prices should begin to decrease, which is believed to enhance the likelihood that consumers will begin to purchase more organic products. Factors including health consciousness, environmental knowledge, environmental concern, attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control may also influence consumers’ purchase intentions with reference to organic products. Consequently, the question then posed is, what are the antecedents that influence Generation Y consumers to purchase organic products within South Africa. The sample for this study comprised 500 Generation Y consumers drawn from across South Africa. The data was collected by a specialist data collecting organisation. The target market consisted of South African consumers, ranging in age from 18 to 35 years. The collected data was analysed using outlier statistics, descriptive statistics, Pearson’s Product-Moment correlation coefficient and structural equation modelling. The findings indicated that the organic food purchase intention measurement model is a seven-factor structure comprising health consciousness, environmental knowledge, environmental concern, attitude toward organic food, subjective norms, perceived behaviour control and purchase intention. The measurement model exhibited acceptable fit indices, construct validity and reliability.

ABSTRACT. The Internet has had a significant impact on interactions between customers and businesses as well as service delivery. Failures of online services are unavoidable; yet, social media presents potential for the expedient recovery of offline services. The current study investigates customer satisfaction in relation to customers of luxury fashion brands and explores the motivations and barriers to satisfaction following a negative service experience. In light of the dearth of research on the drivers of customer satisfaction among luxury fashion customers, this study investigates customer satisfaction in relation to customers of luxury fashion brands. This paper presents management and marketing insights for fashion and luxury managers who are looking to enhance customer satisfaction through a variety of methods. It explores the range of recovery strategies that may be employed and discusses the many ways in which these strategies can be implemented.

ABSTRACT. Wearable activity tracking (WAT) devices have completely transformed consumers’ and athletes’ health, activity and sports performance monitoring and management. With an expected 48.2 billion USD generated by the end of 2023 and an estimated 105.3 million units to ship globally by 2024, the wearables market is evidently growing significantly. Given the commercialisation of smart wearables since 2009 and the ever-increasing research being conducted on this topic, several gaps remain. While there are studies that have investigated adoption intention, there is no conclusive evidence of the gender differences in relation to consumers’ perceptions of WAT devices, including the generational differences linked to attitude and purchase intentions. To fill the gap in the literature, while providing a departure point for global research, this study investigates the gender differences in relation to the factors influencing Generation Y student consumers’ WAT device usage intentions. Generation Y consumers, aged 18-24, the typical age for university students, are at the forefront of WAT device usage. The possible reasons for this generational domination include the traits associated with Generation Y consumers and the student segment, namely being technologically astute, trend setters, innovators, future earners with disposable income and, perhaps, being prone to peer pressure. As such, the target market for this study comprised of Generation Y student consumers. The theoretical frameworks underpinning this study comprised the technology acceptance model, the theory of reasoned action and the theory of planned behaviour, which are sensible adoption models for novel technologies. Given the need for Generation Y consumers, specifically students to “fit in with peers”, these models were extended to include social image as an additional factor. Consequently, this study investigates gender differences in South African Generation Y student consumers’ adoption intention of WAT devices, reporting on the differences for attitude, perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEOU), subjective norms (SNs), perceived behavioural control (PBC) and social image. This study followed a descriptive research design and cross-sectional approach was followed. A convenience sample of 600 Generation Y students, aged 18 to 24 years, was selected. Data analyses comprised a Mahalanobis distance test, reliability and validity analysis, descriptive statistics, an independent samples t-tests and regression analysis. Scale reliability and validity was confirmed. The findings, in relation to WAT device ownership, which was low at the time of data collection (5.8%), plays a vital role in the results presented in this study. In terms of the descriptive statistical analysis, Generation Y student consumers have an overall positive attitude towards WAT devices (X=4.91; p<0.001) and are likely to purchase and use such devices soon (X=4.82; p<0.001). Furthermore, high mean scores were recorded for PU (X=4.71), PEOU (X=4.39) and PBC (X=4.67). Although, for the social factors, namely subjective norms (X=3.31) and social image (X=3.55), lower than expected mean scores were achieved. These findings are arguably due to the respondents’ unfamiliarity with the technology at the time of data collection, so much so that, to them, owning WAT devices was not regarded as a social norm, nor were they perceived as technology that could enhance their social standing or help them fit in with peers. Regarding the independent samples t-test, of the seven factors only one was shown to have significant gender differences, namely PEOU. That is, there were no differences between male and female Generation Y student consumers regarding their attitude towards WAT devices (p>0.05; p=0.972), their intention to purchase such devices (p>0.05; p=0.853), their perceived usefulness of these devices (p>0.05; p=0.416) or their perceived behavioural control (p>0.05; p=0.131). Furthermore, there were no significant differences between male and female Generation Y student consumers regarding subjective norms (p>0.05; p=0.398) associated with WAT purchase intentions, nor the social image factor (p>0.5; p=0.467). While most of the factors are statistically non-significant, there are gender differences to consider, albeit small. That is, for the one significant variable (PEOU), males recorded a higher mean value (X=4.576) than their female counterparts (X=4.268), with a mean difference of 0.308. The implication of this finding is that male Generation Y student consumers perceive WAT devices as easier to use than female students. Addressing this disparity, marketing practitioners need to adapt their marketing strategies emphasising how easy these devices are to use and target female consumers with the information. The attitude and intention factors produced almost exact mean scores, therefore indicating no definitive preference based on gender. Again, while non-significant, males recorded higher mean scores (X=4.713) than female respondents (X=4.696) with regards to the perceived usefulness of WAT devices, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control and social image. This suggests that male Generation Y student consumers perceived WAT devices as useful to a higher degree, that they have the resources to use these devices and that using these devices are somewhat of a social norm while it can enhance their peer standing, albeit slightly, compared to female Generation Y student consumers. Overall, the findings align with statistics indicating that the South African wearable activity tracker market is dominated by male consumers. The most important findings, as linked to the primary purpose of this study, relate to the gender difference in relation to the factors influencing male and female Generation Y student consumers’ WAT device usage intentions. From the regression analysis, it is evident that for male student consumers, only three of the six factors, namely their attitude, perceived ease of use and behavioural control have a statistically significant influence on their WAT device usage intentions. Female student consumers, on the other hand, overlap with male students in relation to the three latter factors, but to them, perceived usefulness and social image were also direct influencers of their usage intentions. Therefore, in comparison, female student consumers are more likely to use wearable activity trackers if they provide useful health and activity-related metrics, whereas for male students, the utility of these devices are insignificant to their usage intentions. Similarly, female student consumers also believe that owning a WAT will help them fit in and feel part of a social group, more so than male students. The findings of this study have several practical, managerial and theoretical implications. Furthermore, WAT device manufacturers, resellers, marketing practitioners and academic researchers can benefit from and use the findings and suggestions posed from the study to target Generation Y student consumers and, perhaps, all South African consumers more effectively, while focusing on the difference between gender. To address the differences, despite being statistically non-significant, WAT manufacturers and resellers need to ensure their marketing strategies, targeted at females, highlight the necessary skills and knowledge needed to use WAT devices. In line with the argument that Generation Y students prioritise their social standing among peers, while constantly attempting to feel part of a social group, this study found significant differences for this factor. This implies that female Generation Y student consumers are less concerned with and do not believe that WAT devices will advance their social standing, nor their ability to fit in. On the contrary, male Generation Y student consumers believe that having a WAT device is necessary to feel part of a social group.