SA Journal of Business Management

Purpose: This study aims to analyse the position of 155 hotel managers in Africa and Asia about implementing sustainability practices (SP) focussing their competitive advantage (CA). Sustainability practices and CA are explained through the technology-organisation-environment (TOE) framework within the hospitality, tourism and travel industries.Design/methodology/approach: The Structural Equation Model based on Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) methodology was applied to hotels in African countries, including South Africa, as well as Asia. Six variables were analysed in order to study the impact of SP in CA.Findings/results: Findings imply that technological advancements, organisational commitments and environmental considerations collectively foster robust SP in emerging economies. The adoption of eco-friendly technologies (TS), the integration of sustainable policies (OS) and adherence to environmental regulations (ES) collectively contribute to the sustainability goals of hotels.Practical implications: The study reveals that hotels in emerging markets should strategically emphasise the TOE framework to enhance SP and CA. Investing in advanced technologies, implementing effective organisational practices and adhering to environmental standards significantly improve sustainability performance.Originality/value: While the TOE model has been extensively studied across various industries, limited research has explored its application in tourism. This study uniquely investigates how SP can enhance CA in the tourism sector through comparative analysis.

Purpose: This study addresses the qualitative research phase of a mixed methods study conducted to investigate patient acceptance of an app-based telemedicine service for primary care aimed at South African public health care sector patients.Design/methodology/approach: Qualitative data were collected by means of semi-structured individual interviews with patients who had exposure to an existing app-based primary care telemedicine service in South Africa named Kena Health. Thematic analysis of the qualitative data using ATLAS.ti software was conducted to identify the relevant antecedents of telemedicine service acceptance in the study’s context.Findings/results: Eight antecedents of app-based primary care telemedicine service acceptance among South African patients (who are predominantly reliant on public health care sector services to receive medical care) were identified, namely, perceived compatibility, perceived ease of use, relative advantage, price value, trust, innovativeness, privacy perception and care perception.Practical implications: To date, prior literature has not yet identified the specific antecedents that would apply to the acceptance of an app-based telemedicine service for primary care among South African individuals who are predominantly reliant on the country’s public health care system to receive medical care.Originality/value: Our study contributes to the literature by identifying which existing factors of technology acceptance apply to primary care telemedicine service acceptance, predominantly in the South African public health care sector context. Furthermore, additional antecedents of telemedicine service acceptance that have not been included in technology acceptance theory until present, that is, (positive) privacy perception and care perception are identified.

Purpose: There is a need to better understand the impact of different contexts depending on their economic and social development on women’s entrepreneurial experience, that is how belonging to certain cultures may affect women entrepreneurs’ experiences differently.Design/methodology/approach: Using interviews, this research explores the narratives of 35 women entrepreneurs in Nigeria (sub-Saharan Africa) in a context of scarcity and where the burden of care and support falls on women. It is important to understand how entrepreneurs feel and think about the barriers and catalysts they have encountered and their identity in specific contexts.Findings/results: In Nigeria, the discourse around women entrepreneurship revolves around personal characteristics that women should emphasise, such as self-confidence, self-efficacy and determination. Therefore, they build their identity in a communitarian and pluralistic way, which is not common in developed countries that are more individualistic.Practical implications: We cannot assume that a developed world perspective, however dominant, is well-equipped to explain entrepreneurship everywhere. In developing countries, women still must fight for their legitimacy as entrepreneurs, while in developed countries women show greater agency in trying to counteract the gendered construction of entrepreneurship.Originality/value: The article follows calls in the literature, specifically that dealing with women’s entrepreneurship, to contextualise the analysis, focus on developing countries and use a qualitative approach.

No abstract available.

Purpose: As elsewhere in the world, family firms (FFs) play a critical role in the South African economy. There is, however, scant research on how, if at all, listed South African FFs differ from their non-family counterparts concerning board composition and independence. The purpose of this study was to address this knowledge gap by investigating director and chair independence, chair-chief executive officer (CEO) role duality, board race and gender diversity, as well as board rotation at FFs listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) over the period 2006 to 2022. The study was informed by the agency, socioemotional wealth, and stewardship theories.Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected on 753 directors who served on the boards of 37 JSE-listed FFs. Data sources included Bloomberg and the FFs’ integrated reports and websites. Data were analysed by examining trends in the considered variables over time.Findings/results: While family involvement at board level remained relatively constant, considerably fewer family members served as board chairs and CEOs towards the end of the research period. Board independence increased significantly over the research period.Practical implications: Shareholder activists’ requests for improved board governance of JSE-listed FFs seem justified. Activists should, however, also consider the benefits of family stewardship when evaluating director and chair independence in these firms. This study also identifies practical implications for nomination committees and investor education.Originality/value: The use of multiple theoretical lenses provides a balanced view of board governance at JSE-listed FFs. The study contributes to the scant body of knowledge on board composition and independence in listed FFs in South Africa, which will enable future FF research.