.
Contrary to the widely held belief that informal small enterprises underperform and lack growth potential, emerging research suggests that some can be productive and contribute to economic development. The key challenge is identifying these high-potential enterprises and understanding the factors that drive their performance to inform targeted policy interventions. Drawing on firm-level data from 305 informal microenterprises in Malawi’s baobab sector, we employed structural equation modelling to examine the influence of entrepreneurial motivation (necessity versus opportunity) and business practices on firm performance. The results reveal that opportunity motivation has a significant positive effect on firm performance, measured by annual net profit, and that this effect is partly explained by the adoption of business practices such as marketing, financial planning, costing, and record-keeping. In contrast, necessity motivation exhibits no significant relationship with firm performance. These findings contribute to the identification of informal microenterprises with growth potential, offering insights for entrepreneurs and policymakers on factors that enhance performance while advancing literature on entrepreneurial motivation and firm success in the informal sector.
PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore human resource management practices in family firms, bridging current gaps in knowledge and offering evidence-based suggestions for improvement.Design/methodology/approachThis scoping review adhered to the Arksey and O'Malley (2005) procedure and PRISMA-ScR guidelines in undertaking a synthesis of HRM practices in family businesses. Literature from five databases (2000-2025) was screened. Thematic analysis was employed in determining the main HRM practices, with rigour and transparency maintained for qualitative synthesis.FindingsThe present study reveals that family businesses predominantly use informal human resource management (HRM) practices, including nepotistic hiring, subjective performance evaluations and unplanned succession planning, to suppress workforce diversity and innovation. It presents a hybrid HRM model that integrates planned labour management and the trust relationship to enable family firms to remain in business, retain people and be competitive in the long term.Practical implicationsAccording to this study, changing the rules requires that HRM be made more official in family businesses. For example, the wage law should be improved, and HR should be encouraged to go digital. This would introduce hybrid HRM models combining formal structures with trust-based management. It uses a resource-based view, agency theory and institutional theory ideas by examining how HRM has changed over time in family companies.Originality/valueThe paper contrasts relational trust-based and formal HRM approaches to show how HRM in family firms functions differently. Beyond legislative necessity, it proposes a blended HRM approach that considers cultural values. Integrating RBV, agency theory and institutional theory challenges typical assumptions and offers a distinctive human resource management approach for emerging nations.
Abstract In traditional face-to-face mode of education, keeping an eye on students’ concentration is still quite difficult, especially in large or packed lecture halls/classrooms where teachers are unable to consistently monitor minor behavioural indications of disengagement. In this paper, we propose a framework—Student Attentive Analysis using Computational Intelligence (SAA-CI). SAA-CI is a real-time, privacy-conscious framework that uses non-intrusive still-image sequences to evaluate students’ attentiveness using computer vision and deep learning. SAA-CI takes periodic snapshots and uses OpenCV and Dlib to extract important behavioural indications such as gaze direction, head attitude, eyelid movement, yawning, and facial expressions, in contrast to current systems that rely on continuous video or invasive sensors. These traits are recorded as temporal vectors and classified using a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) network that has been improved with an attention mechanism. Through an instructor dashboard and adaptive intervention engine, SAA-CI provides actionable pedagogical insights and binary attentiveness forecasts (Attentive/Not Attentive). Scientific benchmarking experiments on the DAiSEE dataset and a special SAA-CI-Local classroom dataset show that SAA-CI performs better than current baseline techniques, with 92.6% accuracy, a 9.4% gain due to the attention mechanism, and additional gains from data augmentation. The findings illustrate that SAA-CI maintains high dependability across a range of classroom behaviours, functions effectively in real time, and protects student privacy with optional anonymization and low data retention. By providing a scalable, morally sound, and pedagogically significant attentiveness monitoring solution for contemporary educational settings, SAA-CI improves intelligent classroom analytics.
This study examines the role of absorptive capacity in the relationship between entrepreneurial innovation and agribusiness competitiveness in Ghana. Grounded in dynamic capability and resource-based view theories, data were collected from three top management members of 170 agro-business firms and analyzed using Smart PLS-SEM (v4) for path modeling. Findings indicate that an entrepreneur’s ability to learn and adapt significantly influences their capacity to innovate and develop competencies that enhance competitiveness in the agribusiness sector. Specifically, absorptive capacity enables entrepreneurs to generate market-leading innovations, strengthening firm performance relative to competitors. The study contributes to theory by highlighting entrepreneurial absorptive capacity as a critical mechanism linking innovation to competitive advantage and by integrating dynamic capability and resource-based perspectives in the context of Ghanaian agribusiness. Practically, the results suggest that agribusiness managers and policymakers should invest in research and development, foster collaborations with academic institutions and industry experts, and provide employees with the skills, resources, and technologies necessary to acquire, assimilate, and apply external knowledge. These strategies can enhance innovative capabilities, improve operational performance, and support sustainable competitive advantage in a dynamic market environment.
PurposeDuring peak times, such as Friday prayers and Eid, mosques accommodate large crowds, presenting unique facilities management (FM) challenges in maintaining functionality and efficiency. This study examines the impact of technology-driven FM on campus mosque facilities, focusing on Muslim students' perceptions in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana to support academic success, student well-being and spiritual engagement.Design/methodology/approachThe research adopts a quantitative approach within the positivist paradigm, utilising deductive reasoning to collect structured data using closed-ended questions. The study used both random and convenience sampling. Data was gathered from 248 Muslim students who are registered members of the Ghana Muslim Students Association (GMSA). SPSS version 26 descriptive statistical tools were used to analyse the data in frequencies and percentages.FindingsThe results emphasise the importance of technology-driven facilities management in improving mosque functionality, accessibility and student satisfaction. The study indicates that well-managed mosque facilities significantly contribute to students' academic and personal growth by providing a supportive environment for spiritual and academic activities. Digital tools such as prayer reminders, booking systems and online communication platforms are essential for balancing academic commitments with spiritual practices, enhancing students' overall well-being.Originality/valueThis study is one of the first to examine the role of technology-driven facilities management in supporting Muslim students' academic and well-being within campus mosques in Ghana. It provides valuable insights into how educational institutions can optimise mosque facilities through technology.
