Research Outputs

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http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11837/3278

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    Academic-faculty environment and graduate employability: variation of work-readiness perceptions
    (Elsevier, 2022) Chigbu, Bianca Ifeoma; Nekhwevha, Fhulu H.
    Graduates with a high level of competence can cope better with the disequilibria triggered by events such as shifting labor processes and job transitions. This study examined the relationship between prospective graduates' perceived job preparedness and the university's role in preparing students for the workforce. A sample of 335 South African university students was used. We discovered that skill inequalities vary greatly between faculties. Collegiate skill preparation of students for the workplace can explain the disparities in graduate skill development and recruitment opportunities. Universities and their faculties must reimagine themselves as the primary drivers of graduate skill development and expand pipelines for the most vulnerable prospective graduates to contribute to global skills need.
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    The extent of job automation in the automobile sector in South Africa
    (SAGE Publications, 2022) Chigbu, Bianca Ifeoma; Nekhwevha, Fhulu H.
    This study argues that the automobile sector’s body shop is fully automated, the paint shop is 80% automated, there is about 20% technology utilization in the car assembly line, and the supply for logistics is making a lot more use of machines as well. These percentages are an indicator of how workers have lost the contest with technology in the industry. Many workers are being deskilled and the remaining workers are being reshuffled to assembly lines likely to be automated with time. There should be interventions to ready the workers to adapt to society and the economy, or there will be massive unemployment.
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    The effectiveness of innovative pedagogy in the industry 4.0: Educational ecosystem perspective
    (Elsevier, 2023-01) Chigbu, Bianca Ifeoma; Ngwevu, Viwe; Jojo, Avela
    Higher education institutions have been aware of the mutually beneficial interaction between Higher Education 4.0 (HE4.0), Industry 4.0 (I4.0), and Work 4.0 (W4.0). Teaching and learning (T&L) are best accomplished through the novel and blended approaches in today’s smart manufacturing, services, and labor processes. The traditional T&L methods no longer complement the fourth industrial revolution and the future of work skills. Little research has focused on innovative pedagogies in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) globally and especially in South Africa from the Learning Ecosystem Framework perspective. This paper begins to address this void via a review of academic literature, aiming to understand new pedagogies of teaching and learning in HEIs and their effectiveness as we move into HE4.0. The emphasis of higher education research worldwide should be on reviewing and synthesizing current research outputs rather than performing new studies since there are fewer systematic literature reviews and a blend of systematic-narrative literature review approaches published in higher education journals. In light of this, exhaustive systematic-narrative literature reviews have been conducted to aggregate research findings within the context of global higher education pedagogy. Combined, this encompasses an analysis of 138 papers across different academic databases. We concluded that integrating teaching and learning methodologies such as flipped classroom, SCALE-UP, and blended teaching and learning are the most effective, sustainable, and student-centered pedagogy. Combining these teaching and learning approaches will ensure that students receive dynamic support, hands-on activities, practical assessments, active collaboration, and inquiry-based learning. Overall, our findings revealed that we need all parts of the learning ecosystem to work together toward teaching and learning that is transgressive, innovative, transformative, diverse, and inclusive with the I4.0, HE4.0, and W4.0 in mind – that is, if we aim to achieve effective blended teaching and learning, and sustainable student-centered academic output. Here, we point out where these discoveries might take us in research and what policies should be revised.
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    Managers’ perception of ethics in public entities and service delivery using the corporate virtue scale
    (Taylor and Francis Group, Routledge, 2023-03) Cheteni, Priviledge; Shindika, Emmanuel Selemani
    Ethical culture is the epitome of the success of various organizations and a prerequisite for progress. This study aimed to examine the construct validity of the Corporate Virtue Scale (CEV) and find if there is any association between ethical culture and its impact on employees’ wellbeing. The sample was composed of 277 managers from various government entities in the Buffalo Municipality in South Africa. A confirmatory factor analysis was used to validate the eightfactor CEV scale. The employees’ perceptions of ethical culture in public entities were associated with their stress levels and emotional exhaustion. Thus, the findings of this study revealed that the ethical culture of organizations plays a huge role in the wellbeing of employees. The study concludes that the CEV scale is a proven instrument with construct validity. The recommendation is that the government should focus on simplifying rules and procedures that help to cultivate an ethical culture within public entities.
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    Bridging the disconnection between donor support and democratisation in South Africa: The case of the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality
    (Taylor and Francis, 2023-05-01) Bosompem, Henry K.; Nekhwevha, Fhulu H.; Read, R.
    This paper is on the role of the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality in bridging the disconnection in donor assisted projects and electoral administration and the perceptions of state institutions in an interface with donor support, electoral dynamics and democratisation in the municipality. The study on the perception of the BCMM on donor support and democratisation is to ascertain the reciprocal relations the BCMM have with donors, including government and stakeholders in an election and the local community where they operate. This paper argues that donor support to a large extent induces democratisation but no political democracy can survive and flourish if the mass of its people remained in poverty, and in a state of inequality and unemployment without real prospects for a better life. Although the state policies ensures and facilitates inter alia the free market economy, the deregulation of public institutions and state sponsorship of infrastructural development, the citizens in the local communities have been mostly impoverished as a result of their inability to access fully the benefits that were supposed to have been administered to them by sub-state institutions and donor managers. The study utilized the qualitative research approach and data was analysed through content analysis. The emerging findings indicate that donor conditionalities promote good governance, transparency and free and fair representation. The findings further shows that donor support in the municipality reduces poverty through academic skills training, vocational skills training, Agricultural entrepreneurship and Agro-processing. Nevertheless, the paper is of the view that the municipality and local communities are at a tipping point with regard to what can only be described as unequal and exploitative relationship between donor elites and community voters. The outcome of this paper and recommendations has great implications and influence for municipal officials, Communities voters, policy makers, Departments and Ministries, the Independent Electoral Commission, Social institutions, organizations and economic managers and administrators in developing countries.
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    Exploring the concepts of decent work through the lens of SDG 8: addressing challenges and inadequacies
    (Frontiers Media, 2023-11-20) Chigbu, Bianca Ifeoma; Nekhwevha, Fhulu H.; Kerla, M.
    Promoting decent work and sustainable economic growth within the framework of Sustainable Development Goal 8 (SDG 8) entails addressing gender inequality, the consequences of market economies, and the role of the informal sector while also considering environmental sustainability. Research on SDG 8 remains limited, often adopting an appraisal perspective, and the concept of decent work within this goal remains relatively unexplored. Additionally, the focus on the challenges and inadequacies of achieving sustainable economic growth through decent work in the context of SDG 8 is insufficient, resulting in significant knowledge gaps. To contribute to filling these gaps, this paper adopts a descriptive and critical review perspective, systematically analyzing 108 journal papers and reports to investigate the concept of decent work within SDG 8. The research addresses the challenges and inadequacies related to decent work embedded in SDG 8. The review reveals that while progress has been made in tackling gender inequality in the labor market, gender bias, income discrepancies, and underrepresentation of women in senior positions persist, hindering inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all – SDG 8. Moreover, SDG 8’s focus on inclusive and sustainable development falls short of effectively addressing market economies’ structural disparities, insecure working conditions, and exploitative labor practices. Additionally, support for informal sector workers, who lack essential rights such as legal protection and social security, remains insufficient. Ecological destruction is sometimes an unintended consequence of purely market-based labor markets with an emphasis on economic growth, with SDG 8 lacking sufficient integration of environmental sustainability in its framework. The novelty of this study comes from its in-depth, critical, and policy-focused analysis of the ideas around decent employment in the context of SDG 8. The findings underscore the importance of providing fair, safe, and secure employment opportunities to support economic growth and development while upholding workers’ rights. In conclusion, we emphasize the crucial role of promoting decent work and sustainable growth in achieving SDG 8’s overall objectives, as it directly impacts other SDGs.