Midlands State University

The study investigated the extent to which relational transparency as a dimension of authentic leadership served as a predictor of organizational resilience within Zimbabwe’s construction sector. Motivated by the evident instability and high attrition rate among the construction firms in Zimbabwe, this study sought to examine whether the presence of relational transparency contributed to organizational adaptability and survival amid diversity. The research evidence, both international and local revealed a notable paucity of studies directly examining the intersection between relational transparency a key strand of authentic leadership and organizational resilience, particularly within the African context. The relational transparency variable has been fully conceptualized over time and over a number of fields but its measurement has remained relatively subjective. Drawing from the theory of authentic leadership and Organisational Resilience theory the study sought to determine how the dimension of relational transparency relatively advocated by Walumbwa et al., (2009.) enhances the adoptive capacity of the organisations in the construction sector. A cross-sectional research design was employed. The population was approximately 3000 companies in the construction sector. Using the Taro Yamne sample size formula, a study sample of 353 was used. Statistical analysis using a structural equation modelling (SEM) determined a significant positive relationship between relational transparency and organisational resilience (β = 0.276, p < 0.05). This paper positioned relational transparency, a key constituent of authentic leadership as a potentially critical and vital determinant of organizational resilience in settings inundated and experiencing volatility. The findings substantiated the hypothesis that relational transparency is a significant predictor of organizational resilience in the Zimbabwe construction industry, particularly during periods of crises and disruption. These results provided empirical support for integrating relational transparency as a constituency of authentic leadership into leadership development and crisis preparedness strategies within the sector.

Plastic waste presents a critical environmental challenge in Africa. This systematic review evaluates business model types, environmental and socio-economic benefits, and implementation challenges associated with circular economy innovations adopted by African entrepreneurs to mitigate pollution. The search strategy systematically combined indexed databases including Web of Science and ScienceDirect with Google Scholar and grey literature via organizational websites to mitigate geographic and publication bias. Data were analyzed using thematic synthesis and categorized by: (1) plastic waste business models, (2) environmental benefits, (3) socio-economic outcomes, and (4) implementation challenges. Results indicate that African entrepreneurs primarily adopt downcycling business models, which effectively divert waste and create significant green employment. However, limitations in current material recovery systems persist despite these benefits. Entrepreneurs face high upfront costs and socio-cultural biases that restrict access to formal credit and advanced processing technologies. Given that the circular economy is a socio-economic necessity for Africa, policy interventions should prioritize technical training and specialized green finance to de-risk high-value technologies, dismantle social barriers, and ensure the long-term viability of green start-ups.

OBJECTIVE: To (1) examine Malawian physical therapists' knowledge and beliefs about osteoarthritis (OA), and their perceived capabilities to deliver an OA management program to people with knee and hip OA, and (2) identify barriers and facilitators for an OA management program in Malawi. DESIGN: Two-phased mixed-methods formative evaluation. METHODS: In phase 1, Malawian physical therapists participated in the Good Life with osteoArthritis in Denmark (GLA:D) Australia training course and answered quantitative precourse and postcourse questions that were descriptively summarized, and analysed using McNemar's test, where appropriate. In phase 2, semistructured focus groups generated qualitative data that were thematically analyzed and mapped to the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. Mixed-methods data were integrated through triangulation. RESULTS: Eleven Malawian physical therapists (9 [82%] female, 10 [91%] with 5-10 years of clinical experience) participated. From pretraining to posttraining course, participants' knowledge of OA management (percentage change) increased regarding the benefits of therapeutic exercise (91%), importance of weight management (82%), and acceptable symptoms profile (73%). Participants' confidence and beliefs in managing knee and hip OA also increased. Implementation barriers included program costs, current medical management of OA with painkillers, and infrastructure challenges. Implementation facilitators included the content and organization of GLA:D, adaptability of the program, and OA awareness and education among other health professionals. CONCLUSION: Knowledge, confidence, and beliefs in managing knee and hip OA improved post-GLA:D training in Malawian physical therapists. Increasing education of physical therapists, other health professionals, and the public about evidence-based OA management and making contextual adaptions to the GLA:D training and program structure may facilitate implementation of OA management program, such as GLA:D, in low- and-middle-income countries. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2026;56(3):193-208. Epub 4 February 2026. doi:10.2519/jospt.2026.13317.

The biological control and invasion sciences are long-standing research fields that have accrued enormous fundamental and applied interest. However, their theoretical and practical integration remains in its infancy. Utilizing an expert elicitation process with participants spanning these sciences, we identify conceptual parallels and future opportunities to strengthen links and address future challenges in both fields. We found that the biological control and invasion sciences face pervasive context-dependencies that must be understood to improve outcome predictions, including climatic changes, spatiotemporal scales, and 'ecological surprises'. Both sciences would further benefit from terminological streamlining to improve communication, sharing of emerging technologies, and mitigation of the taxonomic decline. The two fields are strongly affected by social perceptions and awareness by decision makers, requiring more effective engagement and translation efforts. Our exercise promotes cross-cutting interdisciplinary advances to improve understanding of fundamental ecological and evolutionary processes, socio-ecological challenges, and management efficacy across the biological control and invasion sciences.

In the past decade, there has been a significant rise in the consumption of wild collected horned melon (Cucumis metuliferus). Commercial production of the crop is growing, yet little information is available on its agronomy. Seed germination experiments were carried out at Midlands State University, to establish the effect of seed maturity at harvest, and the slimy seedcoat on germination of horned melon seed. Seed was manually extracted from fruit harvested at the mature green fruit (MG), colour break stage (CB) and fully ripe (FR) stage. Three replicates of fifteen seeds from each colour group were placed in petri dishes lined with cotton wool, wetted with distilled water and placed in an incubator at 25°C. The petri dishes were arranged in a completely randomised design. The MG seeds showed 0% germination, whereas 13% of the CB seeds germinated by the end of the experiment. Seeds obtained from fully ripe (FR) fruits showed the highest germination rate (56%) (P < 0.05) and germinated in the shortest period. In the second experiment, seed harvested from the CB and FR stages were used, with one set of the seed having the slimy seedcoat removed and the second set having the slimy seedcoat intact. There was no significant interaction between seed harvesting stage and slimy seed coat removal (P = 0.331). However, removing the slimy seed coat significantly enhanced germination, with seeds lacking the coat showing 86.7% germination, 27.5% higher than those with an intact seed coat (59.2%) (P = 0.001). Removal of the slimy seedcoat improved seed germination in both the laboratory (P < 0.001) and greenhouse pot (P = 0.021) experiments. Significant germination improvement occurred when slimy seedcoat was removed.

This study examined the relationship between physical distribution practices and supply performance in beverage manufacturing firms in Harare, Zimbabwe. This study also explored the moderating role of organizational resilience in this relationship. This study used a quantitative approach, employing a structured questionnaire administered to 113 employees in the beverage manufacturing industry. The data were analyzed via multiple and hierarchical regression techniques to test both direct and moderating associations. The findings indicate that route optimization, order fulfillment lead time, packaging, and return management are positively associated with supply chain performance. In addition, organizational resilience significantly moderated the relationships among route optimization, return management, packaging, and order fulfillment lead time. The originality of this study lies in its empirical demonstration of organisational resilience as a factor that moderates the association within the physical distribution–performance nexus, an area that remains underexplored in the Global South, particularly in Zimbabwe. Integrating organizational resilience into this relationship provides a novel theoretical lens for understanding how resilience is associated with supply chain performance under disruption-prone conditions. This study recommends beverage manufacturing firms to institutionalize resilience-building through scenario planning tools, comprehensive risk assessments, and proactive risk response frameworks to improve their preparedness for volatile environments.

This study offers a novel contribution to the literature in the field by specifically examining the impact of mobile banking on corporate financial reporting and compliance within the context of Commercial Bank of Zimbabwe, an area that remains underexplored in existing research. Using a cross-sectional design and a mixed-methods approach, the study analysed data from a purposive sample of 73 employees across various departments at CBZ Zimbabwe. The research uniquely assesses how mobile banking influences profitability, cash flows, and operational efficiency, while also identifying strategic approaches to enhance financial reporting through digital platforms. Statistical tools included descriptive statistics, Likert-scale evaluations, and trend analysis, supported by data visualization through tables, charts, and percentages. Key findings indicate that mobile banking significantly improved the timeliness and accuracy of financial reporting, while its effect on regulatory compliance adherence was mixed due to issues such as inconsistent customer adoption and data integration challenges. Importantly, the research reveals a shift toward diverse mobile banking channels, including banking apps, SMS banking, and video conferencing, moving beyond traditional platforms like WhatsApp chatbots. These results provide actionable insights for banking institutions aiming to enhance financial transparency and compliance through mobile technologies. The findings also offer valuable guidance for policymakers seeking to support digital transformation in the financial sector while safeguarding reporting standards.

Social media plays a critical role in human rights advocacy and awareness. This study examines how human rights activists in Zimbabwe used hashtags to mobilize support for human rights issues. The study investigates the correlation between human rights activism and hashtags, utilizing digital and alternative public sphere theories. Methodologically, the study employs a qualitative approach, utilizing digital archives for data collection and Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) for analysis. The findings show that activists used hashtags to mobilize support for Job Sikhala and justice for the murder of Moreblessing Ali. Hashtags such as #FreeWiwa, #StandWithWiwa, and #JusticeForMoreblessingAli raised awareness of the violations against Sikhala and Ali. The results confirm that hashtags enable discussions, advocacy, and lobbying for human rights. Additionally, activists invoked religious beliefs in these campaigns.

Cattle and pig farming play a critical role in sustaining livelihoods and ensuring food security in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, diseases and conditions leading to carcasses and offal condemnation at abattoirs are significant threats. This study sought to address gaps in recent data relating to the causes of carcass and offal condemnations in cattle and pigs at selected abattoirs in the Matabeleland region of Zimbabwe and the resulting economic losses. Meat inspection condemnation records for the period 2017 to 2022 were accessed from the Veterinary Public Health Department in Bulawayo. A total of 402,668 cattle and 55,177 pigs were slaughtered during this period. Pigs had significantly higher organ condemnation rates than cattle (4–12% vs. 0.5–1.6%). The liver was the most condemned organ in cattle, mainly due to fasciolosis, while the lungs were most condemned in pigs, primarily from contamination. Partial and whole carcass condemnations were more common in cattle (1,957, 0.5% of carcasses examined) than pigs (28, 0.05% of carcasses examined), mostly due to Taenia saginata and Taenia solium cysticercosis, respectively. Economic losses were estimated at USD 551,038 for cattle and USD 21,252 for pigs. Our study provides insights into important zoonotic and food safety issues in livestock production in Zimbabwe and baseline data to inform interventions to reduce condemnations and associated economic losses.