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Job satisfaction and turnover: The role of creativity, engagement, and decent work amongst employees
(AOSIS Publishing, 2024-11-08) Chinyamurindi, Willie T.; Mashavira, Nhamo
Orientation:
The South African public service faces the challenge of a high labour turnover among its employees. There is a need for strategies to not only keep employees happy at work but also to retain them.
Research purpose:
The study investigates the determinants of job satisfaction and turnover intention accounting for the role of employee creativity, engagement and decent work.
Motivation for the study:
There is a need for strategies to not only retain employees within the public service but also to ensure the employees are satisfied with their jobs.
Research approach/design and method:
A cross-sectional survey was conducted with a convenience sample of 304 employees working within the South African public service in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) (version 25) and the Linear Structural Relations (LISREL) software packages were used to analyse data.
Main findings:
It was established that higher ratings of decent work experience relate positively to employee ratings of engagement in the work and that they also influenced outcomes such as job
satisfaction and employee turnover intentions.
Practical/managerial implications:
The findings are a useful precursor in improving not just the work experience for employees but also work related outcomes such as job satisfaction and turnover intention.
Contribution/value-add:
The study findings give practical interventions to address the challenge of high turnover and the dearth of job satisfaction among public service employees.
Mathematical modelling of biogas yield from a greenhouse biogas digester fed with cow dung
(University of Fort Hare, 2024-07) Mzobotshe, Mandilakhe; Mukumba, P.
This study investigated biogas optimization using a solar greenhouse digester with cow manure feedstock. The methodology involved physicochemical analysis of feedstock, continuous monitoring of operational parameters, and development of mathematical models. A thermal analysis of the system was conducted. The temperature sensors were strategically positioned within the balloon digester and greenhouse envelope, while meteorological factors were measured using a pyranometer and weather sensors.
The results demonstrated optimal performance at mesophilic temperatures (35±1°C) and pH range of 6.8-7.2. Over the 39-day retention period, the system produced 18.269 cubic meters of biogas, comprising 58% methane (CH4) and 41% carbon dioxide. The process achieved a chemical oxygen demand (COD) destruction rate of 56.31%. The low COD destruction rate can be attributed to the system's lack of a stirring mechanism, which affected the biogas yield and its composition. The multiple linear regression model for temperature prediction achieved an R-squared value of 0.985, and with a root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.341 while the non-linear response surface model for biogas yield reached 0.986 with a root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.0239.
The greenhouse enclosure effectively maintained optimal conditions, enhancing microbial activity and biogas production efficiency. These findings advance the understanding of solar assisted biogas systems for sustainable energy production.
Exploration of 5G-based educational private network using network slicing
(University of Fort Hare, 2025) Mehlo, Ayabonga; Nomnga, P.
This study examines the application of 5G-based private education networks, utilizing network slicing to overcome the constraints of traditional 4G/LTE systems in educational settings. Employing the Design Science Research Methodology (DSRM), researchers developed and tested a specialized 5G network architecture through simulations. Findings indicate that network slicing significantly enhances resource management, delivering low latency, high throughput and improved security for essential educational tasks such as virtual learning, realtime assessments and collaborative platforms. Despite these advantages, the approach highlights equity issues, as low-priority users experience increased latency and diminished service quality. The study also notes a small number of limitations, including the high initial deployment costs, difficulties integrating with current infrastructure and the requirement for strong security measures to protect educational data. The research underscores 5G’s transformative role in advancing digital education, fostering enhanced connectivity, supporting sophisticated learning tools and enabling hybrid education models. Key recommendations include adopting dynamic slicing strategies, integrating edge computing and implementing policies to ensure equitable access and scalable solutions in educational networks.
Financial sector development and sources of economic growth in the Southern African Development Community region
(University of Fort Hare, 2025-06) Magadla, Masitandaze; Kapingura, F M; Ngonisa, P
The importance of financial sector development to the economy cannot be underestimated. However, the majority of the countries in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region have low levels of financial sector development. It is against this background that the study sought to investigate the effect of financial sector development on sources of growth in the region, utilising the Generalised Method of Moments (GMM) technique for the period from 2011 to 2021. Based on the available literature, which indicates that the major sources of growth in which financial sector development influences economic growth are total factor productivity and domestic investment, two models were estimated. The first model looked at the effect of financial sector development on total factor productivity. The empirical results revealed that when the financial sector is measured by domestic credit to the private sector, it has a positive effect on growth. However, when it is measured by the Z-score, representing stability, it was found to have a negative effect on growth. The same result was also obtained on the second model in which the source of growth was measured by domestic investment. The results from the study do highlight that there is a conflict between the growth of the financial sector and stability. This therefore suggests that authorities in their pursuit of growing the sector should also be cognisant of the importance of the stability of the sector.
Fintech-based financial inclusion and banks’ risk-taking: the role of regulation in Sub-Saharan Africa
(Emerald, 2024-06-06) Chinoda, Tough; Kapingura, Forget Mingiri
Purpose – The study examines the role of regulation in the fintech-based financial inclusion (FBFI)–risktaking nexus in the Sub-Saharan African (SSA) region.
Design/methodology/approach – Using a sample of 10 countries in SSA over the period 2014 to 2021, the study employed the fixed-effect regression model and the two-step generalized method of moments (GMM) estimator.
Findings – The results show that FBFI mitigates commercial banks risk-taking in SSA. But as FBFI progresses, the association takes the shape of an inverted U, increasing risks initially and decreasing them later on. Effective supervision and regulatory quality, in particular, are essential in moderating this relationship by offsetting the adverse consequences of FBFI in its early stages.
Research limitations/implications – First, while our sample is limited to banks in ten SSA countries, future studies could extend the sample size, enabling more explicit generalization of the results. Second, the FBFI–bank risk nexus can be explored further by comparing diverse forms of fintech participation, such as fintech company investment, fintech technology investment, cooperation with specific fintech service providers and cooperation with Internet giants.
Practical implications – Policymakers, banks and fintech companies should collaborate to certify the sustainable utilization of fintech tools to ensure financial inclusion. Policymakers should craft policies that encourage effective supervision and regulatory quality of fintechs since they reduce banks’ risk-taking practices, which usually have positive effect on the economy.
Originality/value – The study adds value to the debate on the role of regulation on the FBFI–risk-taking nexus, taking into account countries that are at different levels of development.