Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategies have gained global prominence, yet their efficacy has been compromised by inadequate integration and implementation, and rising incidences of greenwashing. Companies face financial, reputational and operational risks, with regional differences being quite apparent; capital flight in Europe, cost-related complications in Asia, human rights violation in Latin America and symbolic adoption in Africa. Institutional lack of capacity and application impedes the implementation of ESG in South Africa. This study examines the moderating effect of institutional pressure on the relationship between stakeholder responsiveness and ESG strategy in listed South African non-financial companies. The research design was ex-post facto, using a purposive sample of 145 companies out of 161 companies to ensure complete and consistent financial data. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the period 2014-2025 to encompass both short-term and long-term dynamics using the ARDL model with PMG estimation. The findings show that stakeholder responsiveness enhances ESG performance in the presence of strong institutional frameworks. Yet when supported by weak enforcement systems, it risks reactive and patchy policies that undermine long-term integration. The study concludes that the ESG strategy is determined by the dynamic nature of the relationship between institutional forces and stakeholder inclusivity with integration and dynamic capacity being indicative of the strategy. It is advised to engage stakeholders in a structured manner, to have resilient ESG capacity, and regulatory frameworks that align institutional needs with the needs of stakeholders to create synergy, legitimacy, and sustainable transformation.
This study examined how teacher education is taught for better future employment opportunities in the context of financial education and service-learning strategy. The study was mixed-method research; a pretest-posttest control group quasi-experimental research design. A service-learning treatment (experimental group) and a conventional teaching approach (control group) were used to test 83 pre-service teachers from the University of Ibadan and Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, Oyo, Nigeria, with financial knowledge as the dependent variable. The Financial Knowledge Scale (r = 0.75) was used to collect data. The results showed service-learning's significant effect on the financial knowledge of pre-service teachers, and that gender did not significantly affect financial knowledge. The two-way effect of treatment and gender was also not significant. The results in this study show that service-learning is an effective connection between financial skills theory and practice, and a promising method for enhancing financial literacy in teacher preparation. The paper suggests incorporating service-learning in financial literacy courses as a means for pre-service teachers to develop their skills in the context of their economic and financial responsibilities.
The 2023 Nigerian presidential election marked a major turning point in the Nigerian democratic trajectory given the political consciousness and mobilisation it attracted among the electorate. Linguistic-based studies on the 2023 Nigerian presidential election campaigns have probed their embedded thematic issues, identity construction, ideological expressions, as well as multimodal appeals. However, the nature and pattern of discursivity that drove the constructions of self and otherness in the campaigns have been largely underexplored. This study examines how political actors across political divides in the election campaigns constructed self and otherness using different discursive strategies. Guided by van Dijk’s concept of ideological square, the three most dominant political parties’ (All Progressives Congress, Peoples Democratic Party, and Labour Party) campaign speeches, retrieved from YouTube platform, constitute the data for this study. The descriptive research design was adopted in analysing the data. The discursive constructions of self and otherness manifest through historical reference, appeal to group identity, ethnicisation of opponents, and appeal to youth identification. The study elucidates the divisive and adversarial nature of political campaigns in the Nigerian evolving democracy where campaign language is characterised by incendiary rhetoric.
Horton's differentiation between traditional thought and modern scientific thought is bifurcated into two components. Horton argues that both traditional thought and scientific thought elucidate reality via the use of theoretical entities. Theoretical entities typically refer to concepts or objects postulated by scientific theories or philosophical ideas that are not directly observable or measurable. These entities often play a crucial role in explaining phenomena or in constructing models that help us understand the world around us. In traditional thought, theoretical entities encompass spiritual beings such as God, gods, and ancestors. Horton argues that these theoretical entities serve as mechanisms for elucidating phenomena in both the natural and social realms. This is achieved through the process of elucidating past events and forecasting future occurrences. This study will initially provide a concise overview of Horton's (1979) examination of the resemblances and distinctions between 'contemporary scientific mind' and 'traditional thought'. Furthermore, the research will evaluate Horton's assertion advocating for the differentiation between closed and open predicaments in the context of contemporary scientific and traditional thought systems. Furthermore, this paper will thoroughly analyse Bewaji's (2012) reactions to Horton's concept of closed and open predicaments. Ultimately, we will express our personal viewpoints regarding the purported resemblances and disparities between contemporary scientific thinking and traditional thinking, as well as the consequences of this differentiation for African philosophy. The problematic in the literature is to identify the reference of the word, African to philosophy. The idea is that people of Africa have different cultural beliefs and practices, philosophical thoughts, and territories that stretch from the continent (Africa) itself to the diaspora; notably North America and South American nations like Brazil, Cuba, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica etc.
At present, AI chatbots have impacted various sectors, including the healthcare system, through their sophisticated features. In the healthcare system, it helps improve patient engagement, administrative efficiency, and contributes to efficient service delivery to patients. AI chatbots, identified as intelligent systems, are designed to simulate human conversations. Its function includes automating routine tasks, providing personalised patient interactions, and also supporting telemedicine. All of these functions position it as being integral to contemporary healthcare innovation. However, in spite of the above benefits, there remains an ongoing debate on whether these technological capabilities could enable AI chatbots to replace or complement healthcare professionals within the healthcare sector. It is against this backdrop that this research contributes to this scholarship by evaluating user satisfaction and experiences with selected AI chatbot healthcare applications available on the Google Play Store. Hence, by analysing user feedback, this research aims to determine whether the level of satisfaction or dissatisfaction expressed by users supports the notion of AI chatbots replacing human healthcare professionals or, instead, reveals their role as tools that supplement and complement professional medical practice. This research adopts a mixed-method approach, combining qualitative content analysis with critical evaluation. Data is drawn from user reviews and ratings on the Google Play Store, after which thematic and interpretive analyses are conducted to draw insights and conclusions on the practical implications of AI chatbots in healthcare delivery. It concludes -however not on the extreme as a remarkable positive was recorded from users--, that AI chatbots are best positioned to complement healthcare professionals, rather than totally replace them.
