Loans are a critical transmission channel for commercial banks as well as an important revenue source. Macroeconomic factors are not within the control of commercial banks, however, select factors are observed to have a direct impact on lending behaviour in studies around the world. This study examined the relationship between macroeconomic variables and the lending behaviour of banks in South Africa for the period ranging from 2001 to 2022. Quarterly time series data was employed using the Autoregressive Distributed Lag Model (ARDL). The empirical results of the paper revealed that there is a long-run relationship between the repurchase rate (repo rate), inflation, the real effective exchange rate (REER) and lending behaviour in South Africa. The REER and inflation were both found to have a positive relationship, whilst the repo rate had a negative relationship. In addition, Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the activity rate and sovereign credit rating (SCR) changes returned insignificant results. Overall, these findings show that select macroeconomic factors do influence lending behaviour in South Africa. Furthermore, the results suggest that monetary policy decisions have a direct influential effect on lending and the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) has implemented their policies effectively.

This study explores how Jordanian telecom companies can balance Internet of Things (IoT) driven automation with maintaining genuine consumer-brand connections. It seeks strategies that blend IoT automation with personalized engagement to foster lasting consumer loyalty. Employing qualitative research via semi-structured interviews with IT and customer service managers from Jordanian telecom companies. IoT-driven automation in Jordan’s telecom sector revolutionizes consumer-brand relationships by enabling data-driven personalization. It emphasizes the importance of IoT proficiency, transformed marketing strategies, and the need to balance personalization with consumer privacy. Interviews stress the significance of maintaining authentic human connections amidst automation. Strategies for Jordanian telecom firms include integrating IoT data into CRM systems, employing omnichannel marketing, balancing automation with human interaction, adopting a consumer-centric approach, mitigating security risks, and leveraging IoT insights for adaptive services. These approaches prioritize consumer trust, personalized engagement, and agile service adaptation to meet dynamic consumer preferences. This research provides actionable strategies for telecom firms on effective IoT integration, emphasizing the need to maintain genuine consumer relationships alongside technological advancements. It highlights IoT’s transformative potential while ensuring lasting consumer loyalty and business success. Future research avenues could explore longitudinal studies and the interplay between AI and IoT in telecom services.

The purpose of this study is to explore factors influencing the blockchain adoption in agricultural supply chains, to make a particular focus on how security and privacy considerations, policy support, and management support impact the blockchain adoption intention. it further investigates perceived usefulness as a mediating variable that potentially amplifies the effects of these factors on blockchain adoption intention, and sets perceived cost as a moderating variable to test its influence on the strength and direction of the relationship between perceived usefulness and adoption intention. through embedding the cost-benefit theory into the integrated tam-toe framework and utilizing the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) method, this study identifies the pivotal factors that drive or impede blockchain adoption in the agricultural supply chains, which fills the gap of the relatively insufficient research on the blockchain adoption in agriculture field. the results further provide empirical evidence and strategic insights that can guide practical implementations, to equip stakeholders or practitioners with the necessary knowledge to navigate the complexities of integrating cutting-edge technologies into traditional agricultural operations, thereby promoting more efficient, transparent, and resilient agricultural supply chains.

This study explores the potential of digital preservation in the documentation of colonial cultural heritage in Egypt. It also explores the stories behind historical wars to revive these sites and attract different segments of visitors. Documentation of these sites should enhance Egyptian colonial cultural heritage sites, which include battlefields, war memorials, commanders’ palaces, assassination and murder spots, cemeteries, and mausoleums. The purpose of this study was fulfilled through field visits supplemented with in-depth interviews with experts on colonial heritage sites in Egypt. The findings showed that technology could play a key role in implementing the storytelling documentation and interpretation of colonial history and its relevant events at the Egyptian sites. However, to date, these sites have not made the best use of technology for digital preservation and documentation due to many challenges. The study recommends that decision-makers should integrate technological innovation, which can revitalize the communities built on the ruins of colonialism and revive the heritage of popular resistance. Technological innovation could be implemented not only in digital preservation and documentation but also in service and marketing of these colonial heritage sites.

The purpose of this study is to provide empirical evidence about the relationship between Organizational Culture and Knowledge Management in public sector organizations in Colombia. This research is based on information obtained from a survey applied to workers in different positions and areas of four organizations in the Colombian government at the departmental level. A survey of 22 items measured Organizational Culture, and 19 items measured Knowledge Management. The results show that the strongest correlation is between a flexible organizational structure and leadership that foments the development of worker capabilities to register and use knowledge. Furthermore, to achieve efficiency the public organizations should foster adaptability to environment, a well-defined management and value-oriented human behavior and overcome barriers such as bureaucracy, inefficient administration, and make adequate knowledge management.