South Africa’s border posts are increasingly becoming crucial hubs for organized crime posing serious national and regional security implications with far-reaching consequences. The country’s national security, economic stability, and community safety are significantly jeopardised by organised criminal enterprises at border posts. As a result, the porous borders of South Africa have fostered an environment that is conducive to a variety of unlawful activities, such as the smuggling of drugs into the country and human trafficking. This paper seeks to identify political, economic, and social factors that lead to organised crime, corruption, and weak border management systems. The paper employed a secondary data analysis of existing scholarly articles, government reports as well as relevant case studies. The study found that local communities are most affected by illegal activities at the ports of entry. The findings further emphasize the importance of inclusive approaches in responding to security challenges that address cross-border flow regulation, fight corruption in service delivery, and promote community resilience. The paper concludes with recommendations for strengthening border controls towards enhancing cooperation between countries and curbing transnational crime networks.

This study aimed to examine the compliance of post-disaster emergency assembly areas with their planning criteria in the Battalgazi district of Malatya province. This district is one of the settlements that was most affected by the two big earthquakes that occurred in Türkiye on 6 February 2023. The emergency assembly areas were evaluated qualitatively based on the criterion of “appropriateness”, with the sub-variables of “usability”, “accessibility”, and “safety”. They were also evaluated quantitatively based on the criterion of “adequacy” with the sub-variable “per capita m²”. There are a total of 103 neighborhoods in the district. However, there are only eight emergency assembly areas in total within its boundaries. According to the results of this study, only 7.5% of the current population of the district resides within 500 m of the emergency assembly areas. The fact that four emergency assembly areas (Hürriyet Park, Şehit Kemal Özalper High School, the Community Garden, Battalgazi Municipality) are situated next to each other and there are emergency assembly areas in only six of the 103 neighborhoods within the municipal boundaries shows that were significant problems in the decisions made regarding their locations. In addition, it was determined that there were disadvantages in terms of accessibility and usability within the criterion of appropriateness, while there were some positive aspects in terms of safety. When examined with regard to the criterion of adequacy, it was determined that the emergency assembly areas at Mişmiş Park, the Community Garden, Battalgazi Municipality, and Şehit Kemal Özalper High School were most adequate, while the emergency assembly areas at Hürriyet Park, Fırat Neighborhood Mukhtar, Nevzat Er Park, and 100 Yıl İmam Hatip Secondary School were least adequate.

The purpose of the study was to examine the role of personalization in motivating senior citizens to use AI driven fitness apps. Vroom’s expectancy theory of motivation was applied to examine the motivation of senior citizens. The responses from participants were collected through structured interviews. The participants belonged to South Asian origin belonging to India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan. The authors adopted a content analysis approach where the gathered interview responses were coded in the context of elements of Vroom’s theory. The findings of the study indicated that a highly personalized approach in the context of motivation, expectancy, instrumentality and valence will motivate senior citizens to use AI based fitness apps. The study contributes to the personalization of AI fitness apps for senior citizens.

Combining physical, social, and economic elements, urban planning plays a critical role in creating sustainable, resilient, and livable urban environments. It encompasses the regulation of land use, infrastructure, transportation systems, and environmental resources, with a focus on sustainable urban design and green infrastructure. While progress has been made, there are still areas that have not been fully explored, including the integration of renewable energy sources and the development of urban environments that are resilient to environmental stresses. This study aims to analyze the direction and scope of urban planning research and to identify research gaps in this area. The method used is bibliometrics by analyzing data obtained from the Scopus database in January 2024. The results of this study showed that Yufeng Zhang, a professor at Wuhan University, China, was the most productive author in producing publications, namely 22 documents. In addition, the article produced by Qianqian Zhou is also influential in this research topic because it gets a number of citations, as high as 204 citations. Additionally, the results indicate the current focus of research on sustainability, adaptation to climate change, and technology in urban planning. These findings can guide future research, direct policy, and ensure an interdisciplinary approach to modern urban and regional challenges.

This study examines the impact of Human Resource Management (HRM) practices, specifically Compensation, Job Design, and Training, on employee outcomes, including Engagement, Efficiency, Customer Satisfaction, and Innovation within an organizational framework. Employing a quantitative research methodology, the study utilizes a cross-sectional survey design to collect data from employees within a public service organization, analyzing the relationships through structural equation modelling. Findings reveal significant positive relationships between HRM practices and employee performance metrics, highlighting the pivotal role of Employee Engagement as a mediator in enhancing organizational effectiveness. Specifically, Compensation and Job Design significantly influence Employee Engagement and Efficiency, while training is crucial for driving Innovation and Customer Satisfaction. The practical implications of this research underscore the necessity for organizations to adopt integrated and strategic HRM frameworks that foster employee engagement to drive performance outcomes. These insights are vital for HR practitioners and organizational leaders aiming to enhance workforce productivity and innovation. In conclusion, the study contributes valuable perspectives to the HRM literature, advocating for holistic HRM practices that optimize employee well-being and ensure organizational competitiveness. Future research is encouraged to explore these dynamics across various sectors and cultural contexts to validate the generalizability of the findings.

Purpose—In the business sector, reliable and timely data are crucial for business management to formulate a company’s strategy and enhance supply chain efficiency. The main goal of this study is to examine how strong brand strength affects shareholder value with a new Supplier Relationship Management System (SRMS) and to find the specific system qualities that are linked to SRMS adoption. This leads to higher brand strength and stronger shareholder value. Design/Methodology/Approach—This study employed a cross-sectional design with an explanatory survey as a deductive technique to form hypotheses. The primary method of data collection used a drop-off questionnaire that was self-administered to the UAE-based healthcare suppliers. Of the 787 questionnaires sent to the healthcare suppliers, 602 were usable, yielding a response rate of 76.5%. To analyze the data gathered, the study used Partial Least Squares Structural Equation modelling (PLS-SEM) and artificial neural network (ANN) techniques. Findings—The study’s data proved that SRMS adoption and brand strength positively affected and improved healthcare suppliers’ shareholder value. Additionally, it demonstrates that user satisfaction is the most significant predictor of SRMS adoption, while the results show that the mediating role of brand strength is the most significant predictor of shareholder value. The results demonstrated that internally derived constructs were better explained by the ANN technique than by the PLS-SEM approach. Originality/Value—This study demonstrates its practical value by offering decision-makers in the healthcare supplier industry a reference on what to avoid and what elements to take into account when creating plans and implementing strategies and policies.