With its inherent characteristics of decentralization, immutability, and transparency, blockchain technology presents a promising opportunity to revolutionize the South African food supply chains. Blockchain technology, with its decentralized, immutable, and secure nature, offers solutions to these challenges by improving traceability and accountability across the supply chain. This study investigates the role of blockchain technology in enhancing transparency in the food supply chain among small and medium enterprises in South Africa. SMEs form a critical part of the country's agri-food sector but face challenges such as food fraud, inefficient inventory management, and lack of transparency, which impact food safety and trust. The research adopts a mixed-method approach, utilizing the Technology-Organization-Environment framework and Institutional Theory to explain blockchain adoption among SMEs. The results demonstrate that blockchain-enabled practices, such as smart contracts, records traceability, production tracking, and distribution monitoring, significantly enhance supply chain transparency. The findings highlight blockchain's potential to increase operational efficiency, regulatory compliance, and stakeholder trust. This research provides valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners, emphasizing the need for regulatory support and strategic investment in blockchain solutions to promote sustainability and competitiveness in the agri-food sector.
5G technology is transforming healthcare by enhancing precision, efficiency, and connectivity in diagnostics, treatments, and remote monitoring. Its integration with AI and IoT is set to revolutionize healthcare standards. This study aims to establish the state of the art in research on 5G technology and its impact on healthcare innovation. A systematic review of 79 papers from digital libraries such as IEEE Xplore, Scopus, Springer, ScienceDirect, and ResearchGate was conducted, covering publications from 2018 to 2024. Among the reviewed papers, China and India emerge as leaders in 5G health-related publications. Scopus, Springer Link, and IEEE Xplore house the majority of first-quartile (Q1) papers, whereas Science Direct and other sources show a higher proportion in the second quartile (Q2) and lower rankings. The predominance of Q1 papers in Scopus, Springer Link, and IEEE Xplore underscores these platforms’ influence and recognition, reflecting significant advancements in both practice and theory, and highlighting the expanding application of 5G technology in healthcare.
This paper explores the interconnected dynamics between governance, public debt, and domestic investment (also known as gross fixed capital formation (GFCF) in South Africa). It also highlights domestic investment as a key driver of economic growth, noting a consistent decline in investment since the country’s democratic transition in 1994. Moreover, this downward trend is exacerbated by excessive public debt, poor governance, and increased economic risks, discouraging domestic and foreign investments. The analysis incorporates two theoretical perspectives: endogenous growth theory, which stresses the significance of local capital investment and innovation, and institutional governance theory, which focuses on the role of governance in promoting economic development. The study reveals that poor governance, rising debt, and high economic risks have impeded GFCF and economic stability. By utilizing quantitative data from 1995 to 2023, the research concludes that reducing public debt, improving governance, and minimizing economic risk are critical to revitalizing domestic investment in South Africa. These findings suggest that policy reforms centered on good governance, effective debt management, and economic stabilization can stimulate investment, promote growth, and address the country’s economic challenges. This study offers insights into how governance and fiscal policies shape investment and capital formation in a developing nation, providing valuable guidance for policymakers and stakeholders working towards sustainable economic growth in South Africa.
The aim of our study is to provide information on how and to what extent professionals of art institutions in Hungary and Slovakia (contemporary galleries and museums) use artificial intelligence in their work processes. Our research focuses on the extent to which these institutions use artificial intelligence in the development of the institution’s operational strategy, or how they can embed the assumed usefulness of artificial intelligence in the operation of the institution, be it the creation of an exhibition, the textual processing of the professional life of an artist, or a about a tool that shapes the gallery’s marketing strategy. We conducted ten in-depth interviews in the two countries, the interviewees were selected using the snowball method. The interview took place among professionals and professionally credible artists who are actively active in contemporary fine art life. The results revealed that the use of artificial intelligence as a tool in the creative work processes is not a requirement in the field of culture, neither in Hungary nor in Slovakia. All the interviewees already had professional experience with AI, 90% of those interviewed would like to deepen their knowledge of the creative use methods of AI, e.g., by creating working groups in the workplace on an experimental basis. Based on our conclusions, we can say that artificial intelligence currently has no conscious strategic use in contemporary art institutions. It can be said that creative professionals are aware of the possibilities of using artificial intelligence in their own field of image, video, and text creation, but there is uncertainty on the part of creators and curators when it comes to copyright. The in-depth interviews provided source material for the compilation of a standardized set of questions for a larger survey of 300-500 people, proportional to the sample, so our presented results are partial results of a larger research.
This paper conducts a bibliometric visual analysis of the application of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) in education, using CiteSpace software. Drawing on data from the Web of Science, the study explores research trends and influential works related to UTAUT from 2008 to 2023. It highlights the growing use of educational technologies such as mobile learning and virtual reality tools. The analysis reveals the most cited articles, journals, and key institutions involved in UTAUT research. Furthermore, keyword analysis identifies research hot spots, such as artificial intelligence and behavioral intentions. This study contributes to the understanding of how UTAUT has been used to predict technology adoption in education and provides recommendations for future research directions based on emerging trends in the digital learning environment.
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