Orientation: Digitalisation presents opportunities and challenges for organisations. However, an organisational pursuit of digitalisation depends on the perceived benefits it offers. Research purpose: This study examined respondents’ perceptions of the benefits of digitalisation for organisations in the manufacturing, retail, and financial industries in South Africa. Motivation for the study: There is limited empirical research performed on the benefits of digitalisation for organisations across multiple industries in emerging economies such as South Africa. Research design, approach and method: A combination of non-probability sampling techniques was used to target non-managerial employees and managers from organisations in the finance, retail, and manufacturing industries in South Africa listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, with a total of 111 usable responses received. Quantitative data were collected via a questionnaire and processed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 31. Descriptive statistics, Exploratory Factor Analysis, one-sample t-tests, and Analysis of Variance were used to analyse the data. Main findings: The study delivered a one-factor model, indicating that the respondents had positive perceptions of the benefits of digitalisation for their organisations. The study also revealed significant differences across industries. Practical/managerial implications: The results reflect a positive mindset towards digitalisation, which contributes to readiness for change within organisations, and demonstrate the need for industry-specific digitalisation strategies. Contribution/value-add: The findings of this study provide empirical evidence from an emerging economic context and support the Resource-Based View by illustrating that the benefits of digitalisation for organisations depend on industry type and are driven by organisational capabilities.
Orientation: Service fairness in industrial business-to-business procurement remains under-examined, particularly in emerging-market supply relationships. Research purpose: This study examined the associations between four service fairness dimensions and business-to-business (B2B) customer loyalty in South African cement supply relationships. Motivation for the study: Evidence on multidimensional fairness in industrial procurement remains limited despite repeated buyer-supplier interactions and operational dependence. Research design, approach and method: A quantitative cross-sectional online survey was conducted among organisational cement buyers in Gauteng. Of 300 survey links distributed, 220 completed questionnaires were received. After seven multivariate outliers and five cases with missing model indicators were excluded, 208 responses were analysed. Statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) was used for supplementary one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), while analysis of moment structures (AMOS) was used for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modelling. Discriminant validity was assessed using the Fornell-Larcker criterion and the heterotrait-monotrait (HTMT) ratio. Main findings: The model explained 56.5% of loyalty variance. Procedural fairness (β = 0.438, p = 0.003) and informational fairness (β = 0.186, p = 0.006) had significant positive associations with loyalty. Distributive and interpersonal fairness were not significant. The highest HTMT ratio was 0.887. The duration of support, but not the preferred brand, was associated with differences in several construct scores. Practical/managerial implications: Cement suppliers should apply ordering, allocation and complaint-resolution procedures consistently and provide timely, specific and credible explanations when supply conditions change. Contribution/value-add: The findings extend service fairness model (FAIRSERV) to industrial procurement and identify process-level and information-level fairness as the clearest unique fairness correlates of B2B loyalty in the sampled relationships.
Orientation: Foreign direct investment (FDI) is vital for economic growth and development in sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. Research purpose: This study investigates the relationship between institutional quality and FDI in 40 SSA countries from 2000 to 2021. Motivation for the study: Despite FDI’s importance, SSA countries face institutional challenges that may deter investment. Understanding how institutional factors affect FDI is crucial for effective policy formulation. Research design, approach and method: Using a quantitative approach, the study employs yearly panel data and the system generalised method of moments to control for endogeneity, autocorrelation and unobserved heterogeneity. Variance inflation factor checks for multicollinearity, while CD Pesaran and Friedman tests assess cross-sectional dependence. Main findings: Institutional quality positively and significantly impacts FDI in SSA countries. Measures including rule of law, government effectiveness, control of corruption, regulatory quality, voice and accountability, political stability and corruption perceptions increase FDI, while the political rights index negatively affects it. Practical/managerial implications: Sub-Saharan African governments should continuously reform institutional frameworks, benchmarking successful countries to remain competitive in attracting FDI. Contribution/value-add: The study offers empirical evidence on the critical role of institutional quality in driving FDI inflows, providing nuanced insights for policymakers.
Orientation: Leadership is essential for the effective performance of organisations. Therefore, understanding the appropriate leadership styles for non-profit organisations (NPOs) helps develop employee attitudes that can improve service delivery. Research purpose: This study examined the mediating effect of self-esteem on the relationship between servant leadership and organisational commitment. Motivation for the study: One of the critical challenges confronting NPOs in South Africa is the inability to influence employee attitudes. Accordingly, servant leadership has been identified as a significant predictor of employee attitudes, such as organisational commitment. Research design, approach and method: This study adhered to a positivist paradigm and the quantitative approach. Data were collected from a sample of 208 employees working in a selected NPO in the North West province of South Africa. SMART PLS4 was used to analyse data using structural equation modelling. Main findings: The results revealed that servant leadership had a significant impact on self-esteem and organisational commitment. Furthermore, the results showed that while self-esteem significantly predicted organisational commitment, it partially mediated the relationship between servant leadership and organisational commitment. Practical/managerial implications: In line with the research results, this investigation suggests that NPOs cultivate a culture that fosters a servant leadership style. Contribution/value-add: This study focused on the non-profit sector, which has primarily been underexplored in leadership studies.
Orientation: Indigenous communities possess deep knowledge of local environments, which allows them to contribute valuable insights to resource management, conservation and ethical business practices. This study integrates knowledge management with business strategic management to explore the intersection of Tshivenda Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) and business ecosystems. Research purpose: To understand how indigenous African communities, who possess deep knowledge of local environments, can contribute valuable insights to resource management, conservation and ethical business models through the adoption of IKS. Motivation for the study: The study aimed to identify essentials within small and medium enterprise (SME) business ecosystems that support business sustainability through IKS adoption. Research design, approach and method: The study used a qualitative research methodology, employing a two-round Delphi technique. The Delphi panel consisted of seven purposively selected experts in Tshivenda IKS, SME African business and business sustainability. The panel reached consensus by agreement on proposition wording to establish ecosystem elements based on Tshivenda IKS for resource use by agriculture, forestry and healthcare SMEs. Main findings: The study identifies nine IKS propositions as declarative statements of relationships necessary between SME strategy and Tshivenda IKS to enhance resource usage in a business ecosystem. Practical/managerial implications: The study concludes that integrating IKS into business practices is crucial, as acknowledging IKS practised by the local communities has value in creating sustainability. Contribution/value-add: Business ecosystems, made up of interconnected micro, market and macro-environmental factors, can benefit from IKS considerations. By integrating IKS, businesses can have more sustainable, culturally respectful practices that enhance environmental stewardship and collaboration.
Orientation: Although academics’ work–life balance (WLB) challenges are well documented in well-resourced institutions, they remain underexplored in resource-constrained higher education contexts. Research purpose: This article examines the nature of WLB challenges faced by academic staff in a resource-constrained higher educational institution in South Africa. Motivation for the study: the is a need to examine WLB in South African higher education, where instability, resource constraints, disruptions, and intensified demands create underexplored Global South challenges. Research design, approach and method: Seventeen academic staff members across multiple faculties at a South African public university participated in semi-structured, in-depth interviews. Purposive sampling ensured representation across academic ranks and disciplinary areas. Data were analysed using iterative thematic analysis. Main findings: The study found that academics face multi-level WLB challenges stemming from individual, interpersonal, and organisational constraints, including workload demands, limited institutional support, and misaligned expectations and resources, they use adaptive coping strategies to try and balance work and personal responsibilities. Practical/managerial implications: Higher education institutions should strengthen support networks, implement flexible workload policies, and offer accessible, self-paced professional development. Contribution/value-add: This study advances work-life integration literature by examining academics’ challenges in resource-constrained higher education settings.
Orientation: Successful entrepreneurial talent recycling boosts economic performance, according to empirical research. Academic research on the sustainability challenges of recycled entrepreneurs is scarce. Research purpose: This study aimed to explore the sustainability challenges faced by recycled entrepreneurs operating and managing enterprises in Botswana. Motivation for the study: The research landscape on recycled entrepreneurs, particularly in developing nations, lacks depth and coherence. Research design, approach and method: An inductive method and qualitative descriptive design were employed to conduct online and face-to-face interviews with 12 participants, followed by data analysis using the five-loop spiral analysis approach. Main findings: The findings highlight that although the sustainability challenges of recycled entrepreneurs overlap with those of other entrepreneurs, key distinctions exist. Sustainability challenges are a valuable, rare, inimitable and non-substitutable (VRIN) resource and extend the resource-based view (RBV) theory. Practical/managerial implications: Policymakers and ecosystem architects should develop targeted programmes for recycled entrepreneurs. Incubators and accelerators can customise curricula to the RBV reality of recycled entrepreneurs Contribution/value-add: Although research on recycling entrepreneurial talent is still in its early stages, this study serves as a foundational reference for future investigations in this domain.
Orientation: TikTok is increasingly dominating the marketing landscape in developing countries, serving as a key channel for reaching young consumers. As such, it is imperative to understand consumers’ attitudes towards TikTok marketing. Research purpose: This study investigated the moderating role of digital burnout (DB) in the influence of social influence (SI), perceived enjoyment (PE), and content relevance (CR) on the attitudes of Zimbabwean Generation Z (Gen Z) consumers towards TikTok marketing. Motivation for the study: Generation Z accounts for more than two-thirds of Africa’s population and is a heavy user of TikTok. For marketers, understanding Gen Z’s attitudes towards TikTok marketing becomes a strategic priority. Research design, approach and method: The study follows the positivist paradigm and utilises a quantitative method. Data were collected from 341 randomly selected Gen Z TikTok users and analysed using Structural Equation Modelling. Main findings: Social influence, PE, and CR significantly affected Gen Z consumers’ attitudes towards TikTok marketing. Additionally, DB moderated the relationships between SI, PE, CR, and consumer attitude. Practical/managerial implications: Generation Z consumers’ attitudes are shaped by peer norms, online networks, and TikTok marketing messages that align with their socio-cultural contexts. Contribution/value-add: The study advances knowledge of TikTok marketing in developing countries, which are characterised by a youthful population and high social media usage. It highlights the crucial attributes shaping Gen Z consumers’ attitudes and demonstrates how DB influences young consumers’ attitudes towards TikTok marketing.
Orientation: South Africa’s skills development system requires organisations to participate in workplace-based learning through mandatory levies and Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs). Graduate internship programmes are a common organisational response, yet their design and developmental value vary widely. Research purpose: This study examines how organisational and managerial responses to skills development regulation shape the management and developmental effectiveness of graduate internship programmes. Motivation for the study: Although internships are widely implemented, many generate limited developmental and organisational returns. Understanding how compliance is managed within organisations is essential for improving internships as capability-building interventions. Research design, approach and method: A qualitative, interpretive design was employed. Data were collected through 48 interviews and focus groups with: (1) senior managers, (2) human resource (HR) and learning professionals, (3) mentors, and (4) graduate interns across public, private and state-owned organisations. Data were analysed using the Gioia methodology. Main findings: The findings reveal a compliance–capability continuum. Compliance-oriented approaches prioritise audit and funding requirements, resulting in limited learning and organisational capability development. Capability-oriented approaches integrate regulatory requirements into strategic HR systems, using structured mentorship and aligned incentives to support graduate development and organisational learning. Practical/managerial implications: Managers can enhance internship effectiveness by aligning compliance processes, mentorship practices and performance systems with developmental objectives. Contribution/value-add: The study demonstrates how regulatory compliance can be managed strategically to support organisational capability development and improve the return on investment in graduate internships.
Orientation: South Africa’s fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector faces food traceability challenges because of fragmented systems, manual procedures and poor information sharing. Technologies such as enterprise resource planning (ERP), quick response codes and radio-frequency identification often operate in silos, limiting interoperability and food safety. Research purpose: This article proposes a blockchain-based framework grounded in network theory that integrates existing technologies with blockchain to provide decentralised, end-to-end traceability across the supply chain. Motivation for the study: Fragmented systems, manual procedures and poor supply chain information sharing in South Africa’s FMCG sector compromise traceability, affecting both safety and efficiency. This study addresses the blockchain integration gap by proposing a network theory-based blockchain framework for secure, end-to-end traceability. Research design, approach and method: The study employed a qualitative, interpretivist approach, using purposive and snowball sampling to conduct semi-structured interviews and focus groups with participants from food manufacturing FMCG companies with active global company prefixes (GCPs) in Gauteng, South Africa. Data were analysed using content analysis with ATLAS.ti. Main findings: Three findings emerged: (1) limited information sharing undermines traceability and safety, (2) ERP systems lack farm-to-fork capabilities, and (3) non-integrated systems cause inefficient tracking and recalls. Practical/managerial implications: Fast-moving consumer goods companies must integrate traceability technologies and automate data collection to strengthen food safety, recalls and consumer trust. Contribution/value added: The study recommends technology adoption, inter-organisational adoption and investment in integrated traceability systems. The proposed framework supports food safety, consumer trust and supply chain resilience.
Orientation: Corporate sustainability is an evolving construct shaped by multiple interpretations and contextual meanings. This plurality affects managerial action and underscores the need for studies to deepen theoretical and practical understanding. Research purpose: This study aims to synthesise the scholarly debate through a structured scoping review at the intersection of sensemaking and corporate sustainability. The systematic synthesis of a decade of scholarship provides a firmer conceptual grounding for future research. Motivation for the study: Despite growing interest, research at the intersection of organisational sensemaking and corporate sustainability remains fragmented and conceptually underdeveloped. This study addresses this gap by mapping thematic patterns, identifying silos, and exposing overlooked perspectives. Research design, approach and method: Based on 104 peer-reviewed articles (2014–2024), this structured scoping review uses thematic analysis and bibliometric techniques to trace the field’s evolution, drawing on Scopus and ScienceDirect for cross-disciplinary synthesis. Main findings: Three dominant thematic clusters around which sensemaking processes in corporate sustainability are articulated are revealed: (1) Responsibility, (2) Leadership, and (3) Strategy. An integrative conceptual framework is proposed, offering an interpretive lens to advance practice and future scholarship. The findings expose conceptual silos and underexplored empirical contexts as avenues for future research. Practical/managerial implications: Management could utilise the study’s findings to provide actionable insights for aligning strategic intent with sustainable practice, especially in conditions of ambiguity. Contribution/value-add: By presenting a framework that uncovers corporate sustainability interpretations in practice, the study not only advances scholarship in an underexplored domain but also highlights key theoretical tensions and outlines a future research agenda.
Orientation: Pay inequality remains a persistent challenge in South African organisations, particularly in competitive sectors such as fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG). Unequal and opaque pay practices shape perceptions of fairness, trust and legitimacy, influencing employee engagement and retention decisions. Research purpose: This study explores employees’ experiences of pay inequality and how fairness perceptions influence engagement and retention in a South African FMCG context. Motivation for the study: Despite frameworks promoting equal pay for work of equal value, pay disparities and opaque remuneration practices persist. Understanding how employees experience pay inequality is essential for organisations seeking to strengthen trust, commitment and retention amid intensifying competition. Research design, approach and method: A qualitative, interpretivist design was employed, using semi-structured interviews with 11 FMCG employees. The study integrates Equity Theory and Social Exchange Theory to explain how pay inequality is interpreted as both a fairness judgement and a relational signal, shaping retention over time. Main findings: Pay inequality is interpreted as a fairness and legitimacy issue. Inconsistent pay structures, opaque decision-making and limited transparency intensified social comparison, undermined trust and contributed to psychological withdrawal, disengagement and increased openness to external opportunities. Practical/managerial implications: Organisations should address pay equity and governance by implementing consistent, transparent remuneration systems, strengthening communication and aligning transparency initiatives with corrective action to reduce disengagement and retention risk. Contribution/value-add: This study offers context-sensitive insights into pay inequality in South African FMCG organisations, extending equity and exchange perspectives and informs fair pay governance and retention strategies.
Orientation: Digital transformation has reconfigured customer-firm interaction in automotive retail, shifting service encounters towards hybrid digital-physical journeys. Research purpose: This study examines whether the satisfaction-trust-commitment mechanism proposed by commitment-trust theory remains valid in digitally enabled dealership contexts and whether perceived service innovation conditions these relational pathways. Motivation for the study: Most relationship quality research continues to reflect pre-digital, high-contact environments. Research design, approach and method: A cross-sectional survey of 463 South African automotive customers was analysed using covariance-based structural equation modelling (AMOS). Data were collected between November 2024 and April 2025. Validated multi-item scales measured satisfaction, trust, commitment and perceived service innovation. Moderation was assessed using a latent interaction term. Main findings: Satisfaction significantly strengthens trust, with both constructs predicting commitment, confirming the robustness of the commitment-trust theory in hybrid service environments. Trust partially mediates the satisfaction-commitment relationship. Perceived service innovation functions as a contextual, rather than a relational mechanism, indicating that customers evaluate technological and relational value through separate cognitive pathways. Practical/managerial implications: This study refines digital relationship marketing theory by establishing a boundary condition, namely that perceived service innovation does not alter core relational mechanisms. This conceptual clarity advances understanding of how digital tools integrate within hybrid service ecosystems. Managerially, the findings demonstrate that technological upgrades alone cannot compensate for weak relational foundations. Dealerships must pair digital process efficiency with transparent communication, reliable service delivery and consistent interpersonal engagement to strengthen trust and sustain long-term commitment. Contribution/value-add: This study proved that digital and interpersonal cues jointly inform satisfaction and trust.
Orientation: Process digitalisation has been increasingly adopted as a strategic means of enhancing organisational performance. However, the digitalisation of inefficient processes risks perpetuating existing shortcomings by consistently delivering suboptimal results. Repetitive tasks are often default candidates for digitalisation, and some procurement tasks fall into this category. Research purpose: Guided by four research questions, this study seeks to investigate the persistent bottlenecks arising from the entity’s reliance on manual practices in contract management, aiming to improve efficiency, transparency and overall process effectiveness. Motivation for the study: Too often, procurement value is measured through cost savings, which are commonly achieved through sourcing and contracting. However, contract management remains a complex administrative task that is often disproportionately dependent on account managers for execution and oversight. This study investigates the digitalisation of the contract management task in the procurement process within a Water Utility in South Africa. Research design, approach and method: A single-case qualitative research design was employed, using semi-structured interviews with key personnel involved in procurement activities within the selected entity. The data were thematically analysed to extract insights. Main findings: The findings reveal critical gaps in contract management, characterised by inefficiencies, inconsistencies and delays stemming from manual workflows. The study highlights that effective digitalisation requires not only technological adoption but also organisational readiness and supportive environmental factors. Practical/managerial implications: The digitalisation of the contract management task should be aligned with the organisation-wide digital strategy. Investing in digital infrastructure should be prioritised and supported by a skills audit and subsequent staff training. Contribution/value-add: This study contributes by revealing contract management gaps driven by inefficient, inconsistent manual workflows, and shows that successful digitalisation requires both technology adoption and organisational readiness with supportive environmental conditions.
Orientation: Role clarity is considered essential in the fulfilment of obligations in temporary employment relationships. Research purpose: This study aimed to determine employees’ and employers’ experience of role clarity in relation to the psychological contract in temporary employment relationships in the Nigerian service industry. Motivation for the study: Empirical investigations to examine the relations between role clarity and psychological contract in direct temporary employment relationships from the separate perspectives of employees and employers are lacking. Research design, approach and method: The study adopted a cross-sectional survey research design to collect data from a total sample of temporary employees (n = 354) and employers (n = 105) in the direct temporary employment relationship through a self-reported online survey. The data collected were analysed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and structural equation modelling to establish the structure of the measuring scales and test the stated hypotheses. Main findings: The findings indicate that a strong relation exists between employees’ and employers’ experience of role clarity and psychological contract in temporary employment relationships. Practical/managerial implications: Temporary employees and employers would not want to risk the consequence(s) of role ambiguity and unmet expectations in the exchange relationships. Contribution/value-add: This study differs from extant studies and provides a new conceptual and structural outlook in the employment relations field and empirically establishes that psychological contract has a strong nexus with role clarity for employees and employers, such that the extent of fulfilment of obligations is dependent on the extent of role clarity in a temporary exchange relationship.
Orientation: South Africa’s retail sector, the nation’s second-largest employer, faces a leadership skills gap threatening competitiveness in the Industry 4.0–5.0 era. Research purpose: This study investigates misalignment between retail education at Public Higher Education Institutions and retail sector leadership competency demands, proposing evidence-based curriculum strategies. Motivation for the study: Retail leaders require technical proficiency, adaptability and customer-centric skills for sustainable transformation, academic programmes prioritise theoretical knowledge over practical competencies. This disconnect limits graduate employability and threatens sectoral sustainability, necessitating curriculum reform. Research design, approach and method: Qualitative interpretative phenomenological analysis employed sequential multi-methods data collection through semi-structured interviews with 12 human resources (HR) specialists from major retailers and content analysis of curriculum documents from Public Higher Education Institutions offering Advanced Diplomas in retail. ATLAS.ti facilitated data analysis. Main findings: Significant competency gaps exist between retail priorities (self-leadership, adaptability, communication and customer centricity) and academic focus (theoretical knowledge and analytical skills). Two contrasting personas, Cindy (industry ideal) and Gwen (academic product), illustrate this gap, underscoring balanced practical-theoretical curricula. Practical/managerial implications: Recommendations address self-leadership development, customer-centric approaches and experiential learning while maintaining academic rigour. Industry-academia partnerships can bridge skills gaps and enhance graduate readiness. Contribution/value-add: This research advances curriculum theory by integrating theoretical foundations with industry competencies. Evidence-based personas offer novel frameworks for understanding academic-industry divergence, contributing implementable solutions for skills shortages.
Orientation: Corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the mining sector is often critiqued for its limited impact on economically vulnerable communities near extraction sites. A significant challenge lies in the diverse perceptions surrounding the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of CSR initiatives, resulting in initiatives that fail to address the unique needs of affected communities. Research purpose: This systematic review analyses CSR in mining literature from 2020 to 2025, introducing the ‘Earthquake Epicentre Model’ to refine CSR interventions for greater impact. Motivation for the study: The model proposes concentrating CSR investment at a mining ‘epicentre’ near operational sites, diminishing proportionally with distance to reflect the disproportionate impact on nearby communities. This model also integrates a flexible, zone-specific stakeholder participation approach. Research design, approach and method: This inquiry adopts a systematic review to delineate prevailing lacunae in the literature on CSR practices in the mining sector, with reference to community-level concerns. Main findings: The systematic review of literature pointed out a pattern of spatial inequity in CSR benefits. Communities closer to the mine received less investment than those further away. Practical/managerial implications: The Earthquake Epicentre Model is significant for mining companies, government policies and community development practitioners. Adoption of the model can directly improve the social performance of mining companies, their relationships with local communities and the companies’ contributions to sustainable development. Policymakers can also use the model to design equitable and effective CSR regulation and guidelines. Contribution/value-add: The Earthquake Epicentre Model addresses these gaps by spatially and proportionally allocating CSR resources relative to the impact level of each community, ensuring maximum benefit for those most impacted.
Orientation: Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are vital for economic growth and innovation, yet limited access to finance remains a critical barrier to their sustainability and expansion in developing economies like South Africa. Research purpose: This study investigates the accessibility of funding from commercial banks and development finance institutions for SMEs in the Northern Cape, South Africa. Motivation for the study: The research addresses the specific financial constraints and institutional limitations impacting business growth within the Northern Cape’s unique economic landscape. Research design, approach and method: Using purposive sampling, data were collected from 100 SMEs via structured surveys and analysed through descriptive statistics, regression analysis, and Chi-square tests. Main findings: Formal financing significantly predicts turnover growth (OR = 2.45, p = 0.023). Ownership type was also identified as a key determinant of funding access. Conversely, BEE initiatives showed no statistically significant relationship with SME growth metrics, highlighting a gap in intervention effectiveness. Practical/managerial implications: To bolster SME sustainability, policymakers should prioritise targeted financial support and streamlined formal funding access. Additionally, BEE programs require significant restructuring to effectively meet the financial needs of small businesses. Contribution/value-add: This study contributes empirical evidence from the Northern Cape province, highlighting how formal financing access, ownership structure, and institutional mechanisms shape SME growth outcomes.
Orientation: The Zimbabwean food industry faces challenges in adopting sustainable strategic management practices (SSMPs) because of the volatile global business environment. These practices are crucial for maintaining competitive advantage and ensuring long-term sustainability, but not following the right formulation, implementation, and evaluation can lead to initiatives failing to address the issues. Research purpose: This study investigates the adoption and implementation of SSMPs in Zimbabwe’s food industry, identifying drivers and obstacles, analysing the impact of global business landscape, and suggesting strategies for improving sustainable practices. Motivation for the study: Driven by the urgent need for sustainable development and strategic resilience in fluctuating markets, this study seeks to provide insights that can enhance the adaptive capacity of Zimbabwean food businesses. Research design, approach and method: Employing a qualitative methodology, the research utilised stratified and purposive sampling to conduct interviews with 23 participants from five key gatekeeper entities within the Zimbabwean food sector. Main findings: The findings indicate that while SSMP adoption is recognised as beneficial, its implementation is hampered by resource constraints, regulatory challenges, and a lack of strategic alignment with international best practices. Practical/managerial implications: To foster effective SSMP adoption, managers should focus on enhancing resource allocation, aligning practices with global standards, and fostering a culture of sustainability within their organisations. Contribution/value-add: This study contributes to the literature on strategic management by providing context-specific insights into SSMPs in Zimbabwe, offering practical recommendations for improving sustainable practices in volatile environments.
