Western-centric studies on opportunity-based entrepreneurship have dominated the literature on female entrepreneurs. Existing research has also tended to focus on the experiences of women in the formal rather than the informal sector. In this article, we examine female necessity entrepreneurs' experiences of learning financial and business skills in the informal street trade in South Africa. The theoretical framework for this research, which was located within a critical feminist paradigm and used a feminist phenomenological design, drew on African feminisms, resilience, and informal learning. Phenomenological, in-depth, face-to-face interviews were conducted with a convenience sample of twelve women in the informal street trade in the Durban area of KwaZulu-Natal, to capture the essence of their experiences of running their businesses. The main findings showed that poor black women, especially those trading without permits in the informal street trade, faced multiple challenges, but were able to learn some of the financial and business skills necessary for survival. However, this learning was reactive, problem-centred, observation based, imitative, and partial. These findings emphasised the need for these entrepreneurs to upgrade their financial and business skills in order for their businesses to remain sustainable. The study recommended various targeted policy initiatives to support female necessity entrepreneurs.
{"title":"Learning Financial and Business Skills for the Sustainability of Female Necessity Entrepreneurs in the Informal Street Trade in South Africa","authors":"M. Cloete, S. Maistry, Shakila Singh","doi":"10.51415/ajims.v5i1.997","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.51415/ajims.v5i1.997","url":null,"abstract":"Western-centric studies on opportunity-based entrepreneurship have dominated the literature on female entrepreneurs. Existing research has also tended to focus on the experiences of women in the formal rather than the informal sector. In this article, we examine female necessity entrepreneurs' experiences of learning financial and business skills in the informal street trade in South Africa. The theoretical framework for this research, which was located within a critical feminist paradigm and used a feminist phenomenological design, drew on African feminisms, resilience, and informal learning. Phenomenological, in-depth, face-to-face interviews were conducted with a convenience sample of twelve women in the informal street trade in the Durban area of KwaZulu-Natal, to capture the essence of their experiences of running their businesses. The main findings showed that poor black women, especially those trading without permits in the informal street trade, faced multiple challenges, but were able to learn some of the financial and business skills necessary for survival. However, this learning was reactive, problem-centred, observation based, imitative, and partial. These findings emphasised the need for these entrepreneurs to upgrade their financial and business skills in order for their businesses to remain sustainable. The study recommended various targeted policy initiatives to support female necessity entrepreneurs.","PeriodicalId":389941,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Inter/Multidisciplinary Studies","volume":"6 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128164327","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 1900-01-01DOI: 10.51415/ajims.v4i1.1053
T. Petrus
Perhaps the most significant global impact of the Covid-19 pandemic is that it has catalysed accelerated innovation and change across various sectors. Businesses have had to pivot and innovate to survive in the “new normal”, medical and health care industries have had to adapt rapidly in order to stay ahead of the growing global health crisis brought on by the pandemic, and governments have had to think out of the box to manage the political, social and economic challenges engendered by Covid-19. Amidst all of this, the Higher Education sector has also been forced to adapt to the challenges of the pandemic. In the South African context, innovation in higher education has focused mostly on teaching and learning, specifically the accelerated shift from traditional face-to-face teaching to the use of online learning platforms. However, what has been neglected is innovation in knowledge production and research. This article explores the role of academic researcher coaching as a support mechanism to enhance innovation and knowledge production through postgraduate academic research. It is argued that academic researcher coaching will become an increasingly valuable tool to provide holistic support to researchers, and that complements the traditional research supervisor role.
{"title":"The Role of Academic Researcher Coaching in Enhancing Innovation and Knowledge Production in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in South Africa","authors":"T. Petrus","doi":"10.51415/ajims.v4i1.1053","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.51415/ajims.v4i1.1053","url":null,"abstract":"Perhaps the most significant global impact of the Covid-19 pandemic is that it has catalysed accelerated innovation and change across various sectors. Businesses have had to pivot and innovate to survive in the “new normal”, medical and health care industries have had to adapt rapidly in order to stay ahead of the growing global health crisis brought on by the pandemic, and governments have had to think out of the box to manage the political, social and economic challenges engendered by Covid-19. Amidst all of this, the Higher Education sector has also been forced to adapt to the challenges of the pandemic. In the South African context, innovation in higher education has focused mostly on teaching and learning, specifically the accelerated shift from traditional face-to-face teaching to the use of online learning platforms. However, what has been neglected is innovation in knowledge production and research. This article explores the role of academic researcher coaching as a support mechanism to enhance innovation and knowledge production through postgraduate academic research. It is argued that academic researcher coaching will become an increasingly valuable tool to provide holistic support to researchers, and that complements the traditional research supervisor role.","PeriodicalId":389941,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Inter/Multidisciplinary Studies","volume":"239 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"134268868","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rapid technological growth, consumer fulfillment, shorter product life cycles, and more penetrating international competition define the business environment nowadays. The new competitive environment has required companies to acquire new ways of effectively pursuing a competitive advantage, since the competitive advantage of a firm now depends on operational efficiency and productivity across its functional areas. The main purpose of this research was to study the relation amongst supply chain capabilities (supply chain network design, supply chain information capabilities, and supply chain integration) and supply chain agility on firm performance in the Gauteng province’s manufacturing sector in South Africa. Structured questionnaires were circulated to different manufacturing firms in the Gauteng province. Data was analysed using SPSS and AMOS 26.0 software. Results showed that the level of firm performance in the manufacturing sector is dependent upon the effectiveness of supply chain capabilities and the existence of a sound long-term relationship between partners in the supply chain. Manufacturing managers and proprietors may be able to enhance the levels of firm performance by making improvements to supply chain technologies and improving supply chain agility by cultivating long-lasting sound relationships with key suppliers and customers.
{"title":"Do Supply Chain Capabilities have an Impact on Firm Performance? A Case of the Manufacturing Sector in Gauteng Province","authors":"M. Tlale, Johan Van der Westhuizen, E. Chinomona","doi":"10.51415/ajims.v4i1.938","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.51415/ajims.v4i1.938","url":null,"abstract":"Rapid technological growth, consumer fulfillment, shorter product life cycles, and more penetrating international competition define the business environment nowadays. The new competitive environment has required companies to acquire new ways of effectively pursuing a competitive advantage, since the competitive advantage of a firm now depends on operational efficiency and productivity across its functional areas. The main purpose of this research was to study the relation amongst supply chain capabilities (supply chain network design, supply chain information capabilities, and supply chain integration) and supply chain agility on firm performance in the Gauteng province’s manufacturing sector in South Africa. Structured questionnaires were circulated to different manufacturing firms in the Gauteng province. Data was analysed using SPSS and AMOS 26.0 software. Results showed that the level of firm performance in the manufacturing sector is dependent upon the effectiveness of supply chain capabilities and the existence of a sound long-term relationship between partners in the supply chain. Manufacturing managers and proprietors may be able to enhance the levels of firm performance by making improvements to supply chain technologies and improving supply chain agility by cultivating long-lasting sound relationships with key suppliers and customers.","PeriodicalId":389941,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Inter/Multidisciplinary Studies","volume":"52 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128758734","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 1900-01-01DOI: 10.51415/ajims.v5i1.1202
Giles Duniya, Kehinde Adewumi
The arguably retrogressive development of infrastructures, socio-political systems and technology in most African states casts a shadow of doubt on Africa’s claim to modernity and by extension, postmodernity. Within the context of the arts, the argument of this paper is premised on two questions: Why do some Nigerian artists claim to be post-modern? What is the viability of such a claim, in a country that, one is wondering whether it is even a modern society? To proffer answers to these questions, the paper enunciates a historical overview of contemporary African art and artists vis-à-vis the generalized concept of post-modernity, from the subjective view that its conceptualization and understanding, have a direct influence on contemporary artistic practice and expression. The paper then interrogates certain arts, within the context of their postmodern trend. The paper's conceptual framework is premised on Peroziosi’s (2009) postulation that artworks are reflective of their original time, place, and production circumstances. The authors conclude that contemporary artists’ responses to and their manifestation of postmodernist trends are such that can be categorised into three: Those who aspire faithfully to postmodernist principles; those who are inspired by postmodernism but want to progress their society by socio-political and economic reflections, criticism and advocacies as well as those who ordinarily would not have been artists perhaps, if not for the freedom provided by postmodernism.
{"title":"Contemporary Nigerian Artists' Response to Postmodernist Trends and Its Implications for Effective Artistic Growth","authors":"Giles Duniya, Kehinde Adewumi","doi":"10.51415/ajims.v5i1.1202","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.51415/ajims.v5i1.1202","url":null,"abstract":"The arguably retrogressive development of infrastructures, socio-political systems and technology in most African states casts a shadow of doubt on Africa’s claim to modernity and by extension, postmodernity. Within the context of the arts, the argument of this paper is premised on two questions: Why do some Nigerian artists claim to be post-modern? What is the viability of such a claim, in a country that, one is wondering whether it is even a modern society? To proffer answers to these questions, the paper enunciates a historical overview of contemporary African art and artists vis-à-vis the generalized concept of post-modernity, from the subjective view that its conceptualization and understanding, have a direct influence on contemporary artistic practice and expression. The paper then interrogates certain arts, within the context of their postmodern trend. The paper's conceptual framework is premised on Peroziosi’s (2009) postulation that artworks are reflective of their original time, place, and production circumstances. The authors conclude that contemporary artists’ responses to and their manifestation of postmodernist trends are such that can be categorised into three: Those who aspire faithfully to postmodernist principles; those who are inspired by postmodernism but want to progress their society by socio-political and economic reflections, criticism and advocacies as well as those who ordinarily would not have been artists perhaps, if not for the freedom provided by postmodernism.","PeriodicalId":389941,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Inter/Multidisciplinary Studies","volume":"8 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116784125","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 1900-01-01DOI: 10.51415/ajims.v4i1.1023
Stuart Perrin, Hua Sun
Higher education is coming under increasing pressure. Central to this is the global growth in disruptive technologies, accelerated by responses to the recent global pandemic. The pressure on how education is taught is immense, especially as concurrently there is a change in the career objectives of graduates, and the skill sets required by employers, with transferability high on the wish list. This paper provides a discussion and case study of how one institution has taken up this challenge through the development of a new educational model, named Syntegrative Education. It highlights how Syntegrative Education, through symbiotic partnerships with industry, creates an industry-oriented ecosystem, embracing learning, research, innovation, entrepreneurship and social interaction, matching the learning experience with dynamic AI oriented industry employability demands, ensuring all graduates are future ready with entrepreneurial graduate attributes. The case study focuses specifically on the innovative change to delivery and assessment. Through the industry partnerships, students are introduced to research and inquiry based learning through real-life problems, proposed and initiated by industry. Industry also works as mentors for the students alongside academics. The article concludes by highlighting the potential for other institutions who wish to follow the same route of curriculum development.
{"title":"Graduate Employability through Industry-Oriented, Problem-Based Learning: A Case Study","authors":"Stuart Perrin, Hua Sun","doi":"10.51415/ajims.v4i1.1023","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.51415/ajims.v4i1.1023","url":null,"abstract":"Higher education is coming under increasing pressure. Central to this is the global growth in disruptive technologies, accelerated by responses to the recent global pandemic. The pressure on how education is taught is immense, especially as concurrently there is a change in the career objectives of graduates, and the skill sets required by employers, with transferability high on the wish list. This paper provides a discussion and case study of how one institution has taken up this challenge through the development of a new educational model, named Syntegrative Education. It highlights how Syntegrative Education, through symbiotic partnerships with industry, creates an industry-oriented ecosystem, embracing learning, research, innovation, entrepreneurship and social interaction, matching the learning experience with dynamic AI oriented industry employability demands, ensuring all graduates are future ready with entrepreneurial graduate attributes. The case study focuses specifically on the innovative change to delivery and assessment. Through the industry partnerships, students are introduced to research and inquiry based learning through real-life problems, proposed and initiated by industry. Industry also works as mentors for the students alongside academics. The article concludes by highlighting the potential for other institutions who wish to follow the same route of curriculum development.","PeriodicalId":389941,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Inter/Multidisciplinary Studies","volume":"54 77 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115776133","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
South Africa continues to grapple with water insecurity, especially regarding access to rural household water. Access to water in rural areas is communal, yet its distribution remains uneven. A mixed-methods approach was used to elicit data for this study. Quantitative data were collected from 211 households using the survey method where a questionnaire was administered. Qualitative data were collected using key-informant interviews with 20 participants. Quantitative data were analysed using the SPSS software. Qualitative data were analysed using the thematic content analysis technique. The findings indicate that water resource management is intertwined with water allocation. Evidence from Goboti and Khubvi reflect structural inequities and the lack of equalisation of opportunities, especially considering the absence of socially inclusive policy interventions, including the Water Services Act (No. 108 of 1997), which has arguably failed to address the challenges impeding rural household water provision. Further, findings unveiled the fallacy that rural households have a greater acceptance of communal water. This study reflects on how the mandate for transformation has been ignored, prompting the need to understand the implications of lack of water in resource-constrained rural settings. Thus, it is imperative to focus on representation and inclusion within rural communities. More importantly, a commensurable allotment of water resources in South Africa’s post-apartheid extractive political economy and political power of water management remains necessary if water access must be attained.
{"title":"Reflections on Rural Household Water Insecurity: Evidence from Goboti and Khubvi in the Eastern Cape and Limpopo Provinces, South Africa","authors":"Zibongiwe Mpongwana, Kemist Shumba, S. Bracking","doi":"10.51415/ajims.v4i1.994","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.51415/ajims.v4i1.994","url":null,"abstract":"South Africa continues to grapple with water insecurity, especially regarding access to rural household water. Access to water in rural areas is communal, yet its distribution remains uneven. A mixed-methods approach was used to elicit data for this study. Quantitative data were collected from 211 households using the survey method where a questionnaire was administered. Qualitative data were collected using key-informant interviews with 20 participants. Quantitative data were analysed using the SPSS software. Qualitative data were analysed using the thematic content analysis technique. The findings indicate that water resource management is intertwined with water allocation. Evidence from Goboti and Khubvi reflect structural inequities and the lack of equalisation of opportunities, especially considering the absence of socially inclusive policy interventions, including the Water Services Act (No. 108 of 1997), which has arguably failed to address the challenges impeding rural household water provision. Further, findings unveiled the fallacy that rural households have a greater acceptance of communal water. This study reflects on how the mandate for transformation has been ignored, prompting the need to understand the implications of lack of water in resource-constrained rural settings. Thus, it is imperative to focus on representation and inclusion within rural communities. More importantly, a commensurable allotment of water resources in South Africa’s post-apartheid extractive political economy and political power of water management remains necessary if water access must be attained.","PeriodicalId":389941,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Inter/Multidisciplinary Studies","volume":"32 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"126926060","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 1900-01-01DOI: 10.51415/ajims.v5i1.1181
Fiona Langry, R. Rena
The informal business sector in many developing economies is often seen as a driver of economic growth due to the role that this sector plays in the creation of employment opportunities, increasing the social activities of its communities, and providing business opportunities for rural entrepreneurs. The informal economy has been known to be insulated from macro-economic volatility in the global markets, but this could be an oversight on the part of the national government as they have not taken this sector into account when determining GDP or strategic imperatives to bolster the economy. The COVID-19 pandemic showcased how unprepared many economies were in the face of harsh government-imposed lockdowns and the resultant job losses that occurred due to individuals being unable to go to work. The South African government, whilst acknowledging the informal sector and the subsequent economic and social role it plays, lacks the necessary policy framework and enablement of this sector, as well as a platform that enables the continuation of business practices for informal traders that will protect them from the daunting impacts of a pandemic or another global catastrophe. The purpose of this study is to comprehend and analyse the socio-economic ramifications of the COVID-19 epidemic and its impact on the informal economy in South Africa. To do so, the study utilises discourse analysis and which is carried out using a secondary data collection approach. Theses for master's and doctoral degrees, papers presented at conferences, policy documents, government gazettes, statistical data from governments, and reports from international organizations are all taken into consideration. Articles published in scientific journals that have been subject to the process of peer review are also taken into account. According to the findings of the study, in order to protect the informal sector from unforeseen disasters in the future, it is recommended that policies and protection mechanisms be put into place.
{"title":"The Socio-Economic Implications of the COVID-19 Pandemic and its Impact on the South African Informal Economy","authors":"Fiona Langry, R. Rena","doi":"10.51415/ajims.v5i1.1181","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.51415/ajims.v5i1.1181","url":null,"abstract":"The informal business sector in many developing economies is often seen as a driver of economic growth due to the role that this sector plays in the creation of employment opportunities, increasing the social activities of its communities, and providing business opportunities for rural entrepreneurs. The informal economy has been known to be insulated from macro-economic volatility in the global markets, but this could be an oversight on the part of the national government as they have not taken this sector into account when determining GDP or strategic imperatives to bolster the economy. The COVID-19 pandemic showcased how unprepared many economies were in the face of harsh government-imposed lockdowns and the resultant job losses that occurred due to individuals being unable to go to work. The South African government, whilst acknowledging the informal sector and the subsequent economic and social role it plays, lacks the necessary policy framework and enablement of this sector, as well as a platform that enables the continuation of business practices for informal traders that will protect them from the daunting impacts of a pandemic or another global catastrophe. The purpose of this study is to comprehend and analyse the socio-economic ramifications of the COVID-19 epidemic and its impact on the informal economy in South Africa. To do so, the study utilises discourse analysis and which is carried out using a secondary data collection approach. Theses for master's and doctoral degrees, papers presented at conferences, policy documents, government gazettes, statistical data from governments, and reports from international organizations are all taken into consideration. Articles published in scientific journals that have been subject to the process of peer review are also taken into account. According to the findings of the study, in order to protect the informal sector from unforeseen disasters in the future, it is recommended that policies and protection mechanisms be put into place.","PeriodicalId":389941,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Inter/Multidisciplinary Studies","volume":"18 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"126722932","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 1900-01-01DOI: 10.51415/ajims.v5i1.1052
G. Ekobi, L. Mboh, P. Tanga
Indigenous knowledge is the cornerstone of the society’s agricultural growth; however, its documentation and dissemination remain big challenges. This paper explores the contribution of indigenous knowledge to agricultural growth in the Disaneng community. A qualitative research approach was employed in the study. Twenty participants took part in the study and semi-structured and unstructured interview guides were utilized to collect data from participants. The thematic approach was used to analyze results and five themes emerged during the study. Key themes that emerged include weather patterns, land preparation, seed selection, soil fertility, and stockpiling. The findings revealed that locals are endowed with indigenous knowledge (IK) on land preparation, seed selection, stockpiling, and soil fertility, and this promotes agricultural growth. The study concludes that IK acts as a vehicle for enhancing agricultural growth. However, challenges such as disregard of IK by some religious beliefs continue to hinder the application of IK for the growth of agriculture. Hence, for IK to continue influencing agricultural growth positively, effective measures should be introduced to mitigate the hindrances.
{"title":"Contribution of Indigenous Knowledge to Agricultural Growth in South Africa: A Case of Disaneng Community in the Ratlou Local Municipality","authors":"G. Ekobi, L. Mboh, P. Tanga","doi":"10.51415/ajims.v5i1.1052","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.51415/ajims.v5i1.1052","url":null,"abstract":"Indigenous knowledge is the cornerstone of the society’s agricultural growth; however, its documentation and dissemination remain big challenges. This paper explores the contribution of indigenous knowledge to agricultural growth in the Disaneng community. A qualitative research approach was employed in the study. Twenty participants took part in the study and semi-structured and unstructured interview guides were utilized to collect data from participants. The thematic approach was used to analyze results and five themes emerged during the study. Key themes that emerged include weather patterns, land preparation, seed selection, soil fertility, and stockpiling. The findings revealed that locals are endowed with indigenous knowledge (IK) on land preparation, seed selection, stockpiling, and soil fertility, and this promotes agricultural growth. The study concludes that IK acts as a vehicle for enhancing agricultural growth. However, challenges such as disregard of IK by some religious beliefs continue to hinder the application of IK for the growth of agriculture. Hence, for IK to continue influencing agricultural growth positively, effective measures should be introduced to mitigate the hindrances.","PeriodicalId":389941,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Inter/Multidisciplinary Studies","volume":"38 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"122088802","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
COVID-19 was discovered in Wuhan, China in December 2019 and since then it has spread to all parts of the world. The world almost came to a standstill in 2020 as only essential services were allowed to operate and those who could work remotely, worked from home. For the first time in modern history, newsrooms were moved to homes, classrooms moved online, and many other services were reconfigured. Online services and the internet became essential. In this context, questions like, “How do educational systems react ethically to the ongoing challenges raised by the pandemic?” and, “What ethical values should underpin the resetting of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs)?” need to be answered. In this paper, based on desktop research, an examination of some of the ethical challenges confronting those running HEIs, researchers and lecturers as they are adapting to the ‘new normal’ is explored. This new operating environment creates difficult ethical choices. Findings from this study has shown that all South African HEIs managed to transition to online learning. However, the transition was not uniform, given the country’s background and economic divide. A number of barriers such as cost, electricity availability and internet access have been identified. Recommendations are made as to how HEIs in South Africa may protect their integrity and at the same time adapt to the new normal.
{"title":"COVID-19 and Beyond: The Ethical Challenges of Resetting Higher Education Institutions Services during and after the Pandemic","authors":"T. Ramsuraj","doi":"10.51415/ajims.v3i1.973","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.51415/ajims.v3i1.973","url":null,"abstract":"COVID-19 was discovered in Wuhan, China in December 2019 and since then it has spread to all parts of the world. The world almost came to a standstill in 2020 as only essential services were allowed to operate and those who could work remotely, worked from home. For the first time in modern history, newsrooms were moved to homes, classrooms moved online, and many other services were reconfigured. Online services and the internet became essential. In this context, questions like, “How do educational systems react ethically to the ongoing challenges raised by the pandemic?” and, “What ethical values should underpin the resetting of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs)?” need to be answered. In this paper, based on desktop research, an examination of some of the ethical challenges confronting those running HEIs, researchers and lecturers as they are adapting to the ‘new normal’ is explored. This new operating environment creates difficult ethical choices. Findings from this study has shown that all South African HEIs managed to transition to online learning. However, the transition was not uniform, given the country’s background and economic divide. A number of barriers such as cost, electricity availability and internet access have been identified. Recommendations are made as to how HEIs in South Africa may protect their integrity and at the same time adapt to the new normal.","PeriodicalId":389941,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Inter/Multidisciplinary Studies","volume":"5 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"134443939","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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