Business, Economics and Management

Abstract: BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Previous research on corporate social responsibility (CSR) has mostly examined how it affects organization; very little has been done to look at how it affects employee behaviour. Furthermore, there aren’t many studies that look at the multi dimension CSR on employee’s behaviour. In this study, light was shed on its influence employee green behaviour (EGB). EGB is the term used to describe scalable acts and behaviour that employees take or initiate that are associated with and support environmental sustainability. In line with this social information processing theory, five-dimension of CSR were adopted, namely environmental, social, economic, stakeholder, and voluntariness, to disentangle its impacts on EGB. METHODS: The questionnaire survey approach was used, and the study examines a total of 261 collected responses from employees of manufacturing companies in Malaysia. FINDINGS: The empirical study discovered that environmental, social, economic, and stakeholder-related CSR significantly influence EGB, meanwhile, no significant impact of voluntariness-related CSR on EGB. The results revealed that the end users’ willingness to participate in recycling programs, laws and regulations, inconvenience of recycling and past experience were four key determinants significantly contributing to the willingness to pay for recycling e-waste. With regards recycling payment methods, most of the participants (36%) were in favor of deposit and refund scheme, while pre-disposal fees and advanced recycling fees came in second and third place (25.8% and 21%, respectively), making monthly payment of recycling fees the least preferred (10.2%). CONCLUSION: The study made a substantial contribution to the theoretical framework by validating the multi-dimensional CSR construct and its effect on EGB. The study emphasized the ways in which multi-dimensions CSR cultivates favourable employee attitudes and ethical commitment to environmental sustainability, providing particular insights for Malaysian manufacturing firms. Lastly, some significant theoretical contribution, practical implications, and exciting new avenues for this field of study were discussed.

Abstract: Emerging markets adopting the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) standards face a practical problem: global requirements assume reporting capabilities that local preparers often lack. This paper develops a unified yet flexible sustainability reporting framework, using as its context Cambodia, which is moving from voluntary environmental, social and governance (ESG) disclosure to mandatory reporting. Prior studies and a survey of 118 professionals revealed limited reporting experience, cost concerns and difficulty aligning ESG goals with business objectives. Six international frameworks were compared against five fittingness parameters: proportionality, implementation cost, pedagogical utility, strategic connectivity and compatibility with accounting frameworks. No single framework met all five. The ISSB standards performed best on proportionality, cost and compatibility, and Integrated Reporting on strategic connectivity and pedagogical utility. The proposed hybrid uses IFRS S1 and IFRS S2 as its technical baseline and the six capitals as its strategic architecture, supported by a three-step materiality process, ESG disclosure templates and proportionate measures, including a template for small and medium-sized enterprises. The fittingness parameters and hybrid architecture offer a potentially transferable model for other Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and emerging markets, such as Lao PDR, Myanmar and Viet Nam, as they move toward mandatory ESG reporting.

Abstract: Grid expansion depends on construction management teams that coordinate engineering, procurement, planning, field inspection and contractors under tight schedules. This article examines how psychological safety, leadership style and communication affected the performance of such teams in the Brazilian power sector. It is based on a qualitative, exploratory case study developed as the author's MBA final project, which related the leadership literature to recurring situations observed in electrical infrastructure construction management. The observations indicate that many delays and much rework came less from technical gaps than from information that surfaced late: risks were seen but not reported, for fear of blame. Teams led by accessible, emotionally balanced managers shared problems earlier, solved them faster and had fewer conflicts between areas. Short cross-functional alignment meetings, visual tracking of work and more operational autonomy were associated with these results.

Abstract: Ecosystem knowledge graphs make young firms' governance observable, but registers record its rarest relations unevenly. We build LUCE-KG, a graph of 15,493 Italian innovative start-ups and SMEs, and propose CRML, a few-shot learner whose predictions are explained by rules with confidences shrunk toward pooled rates by an empirical-Bayes estimator whose risk advantage we prove. On four graphs, shrinkage cuts the error of one-shot confidences by 47–76 per cent; on LUCE-KG, CRML recovers rare-office holders already in the firm as well as retrained embeddings, though no method finds new ones, gaining from observed links, not the ontology. Panel, clustering and explained machine-learning analyses of 11,764 firm-years show that specialised governance offices are associated with higher profitability across firms, not within them, and larger boards with lower. A firm-level classifier trained on link scores beats naive baselines (AUC 0.88 vs 0.81). Completion helps when trained for the firm-level quantity the analysis needs.

Abstract: This study examined the direct effect of five talent management practices (talent acquisition, training and development, performance management, reward and recognition, and retention) on organizational performance in the public sector of the Oromia region, Ethiopia, measured through the four Balanced Scorecard perspectives and framed by the Resource-Based View and the Ability–Motivation–Opportunity framework. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design covered six regional executive bureaus and produced 350 usable civil service questionnaires (91.15% response rate) and 12 key informant interviews. Covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) was run in IBM SPSS AMOS with 5000 bias-corrected bootstrap resamples. Model fit was excellent (χ² = 14.730, df = 17, p = 0.615; CFI = 1.000; RMSEA = 0.000), and the model explained 56.1% of the variance in performance (R² = 0.561). Training and development had the strongest direct effect (β = 0.288), followed by reward and recognition (β = 0.267), retention (β = 0.233) and performance management (β = 0.210), all at p<0.001. Talent acquisition had no detectable effect (β = 0.033, p = 0.409). Interviews showed that centralized civil service recruitment and generic written tests decouple hiring from the technical requirements of the bureaus, whereas internal human capital development drives administrative outcomes.

Abstract: Introduction: Race-based redress remains central to post-apartheid transformation, yet its implications for White workers’ and business owners’ belonging, dignity and perceived citizenship remain insufficiently integrated across the available evidence. The supplied literature describes both continuing structural inequality and contested workplace experiences of Employment Equity, Affirmative Action and Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE). Methods: The researcher selected Google Scholar, ERIC, OpenAlex, and Crossref as databases and information sources. The eligibility protocol restricted publication years to 2000–2026. COSTAQDA recorded source-level retrieval through OpenAlex (75 retrieved; 3305 available), Crossref (75 retrieved; 842 available). Where researcher-selected sources did not expose a suitable direct bulk-search connector, COSTAQDA used its OpenAlex/Crossref discovery bridge while preserving the researcher-selected source names in the PRISMA record. The identification run recorded 150 records before cross-source deduplication and 150 unique records after deduplication. Results: White employees’ accounts commonly associated Employment Equity with unfair treatment, restricted advancement, threatened belonging and concerns about merit, competence and dignity. Acceptance of redress was conditional rather than absent: participants could recognise historical inequality while rejecting opaque criteria, tokenism or perceived preferential treatment. Across the wider evidence base, formal compliance frequently coexisted with uneven communication, limited consultation and slow transformation. Conversely, training, support, autonomy, respect, employee participation and visible managerial commitment were described as enabling conditions. Evidence directly addressing White business owners and second-class citizenship was limited. Discussion/Conclusion: Race-based redress is experienced through the institutional conditions and interpersonal processes surrounding implementation, not only through policy design. The review supports neither a generalised claim that White South Africans experience institutional second-class citizenship nor a conclusion that redress is uniformly ineffective.

Abstract: Introduction: GDP rebasing and national-accounts revisions can improve the visibility of informal and MSME activity, but they also alter data sources, classifications, estimation procedures and the comparability of economic series. The supplied literature further indicates that GDP alone is insufficient for evaluating empowerment, enterprise performance and distributional outcomes. Methods: The researcher selected Google Scholar and ERIC as databases and information sources. The eligibility protocol limited publications to 2015–2026. The verified identification provenance did not record the exact calendar date of search execution; this differs from the publication-year eligibility range. We searched Google Scholar and ERIC using a prespecified Boolean strategy for studies published from 2015 to 2026. The recorded PRISMA workflow identified 150 records, removed 62 duplicates, screened 88 records, assessed 60 full texts and included 59 records. Results: Rebasing can broaden MSME visibility through newer surveys, administrative data and size-sensitive supply-use or input-output tables, but revised estimates are not automatically comparable across time or countries. Informality, unpaid work and non-observed activity remain central measurement gaps. The evidence supports multidimensional indicators covering income, employment, survival, household welfare, gender, productivity, sustainability and environmental effects. Transparent metadata, data governance, methodological validation and institutional capacity are enabling conditions. We found no direct, consistent comparisons of post-rebasing empowerment outcomes across all five BRICS economies. Discussion/Conclusion: GDP rebasing is best understood as an institutional measurement reform rather than a self-sufficient evaluation of MSME empowerment. Its policy value depends on transparent revisions, harmonised definitions, improved coverage of informal activity and complementary enterprise- and welfare-level indicators.

Abstract: Introduction: GDP rebasing and national-accounts re-benchmarking can change the measured size and structure of economic activity, yet their implications for the statistical visibility of South African micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) remain insufficiently established. MSMEs are frequently informal, heterogeneous and unevenly represented in formal statistical systems. Methods: The researcher-selected databases and information sources were Google Scholar, ERIC. The eligibility protocol limited publications to 2015–2026. The verified identification provenance did not record the exact calendar date of search execution; this differs from the publication-year eligibility range. We searched Google Scholar and ERIC for English-language peer-reviewed studies published from 2015 to 2026. The recorded PRISMA workflow identified 150 records, removed 73 duplicates, screened 77 records, assessed 28 full texts and included 28 studies. Results: The synthesis found that informality, record-keeping, business formality and operating conditions shape what becomes statistically visible. Comparative evidence indicates that rebasing can improve the macroeconomic baseline, but no supplied finding directly tests whether South African MSMEs become more visible after rebasing. Policy usefulness depends on disaggregated data, institutional capacity and reliable infrastructure. Evidence also diverges on MSME contributions to economic outcomes, showing that improved measurement does not automatically produce effective policy. Discussion/Conclusion: GDP rebasing should be understood as a conditional opportunity rather than evidence of improved MSME visibility. South African policy relevance requires explicitly integrating informal, sectoral, and firm-size information into national-account processes, supported by direct empirical research on benchmark revisions and post-rebasing outcomes.

Abstract: Introduction: South Africa’s informal economy supports livelihoods, employment, food access and local exchange, yet market participation is shaped by unequal institutional, political and social conditions. The supplied literature documents immigrant-specific barriers involving permits, documentation, banking, policing and xenophobia, while also describing Indigenous and locally embedded entrepreneurship through community legitimacy, trust and relational value. However, direct comparative evidence on economic capture, profitability and formal-market access remains limited. Methods: The researcher-selected databases and information sources were Google Scholar, ERIC. The eligibility protocol restricted publication years to 2018–2026. The exact calendar date of search execution was not recorded in the verified identification provenance; this is distinct from the publication-year eligibility range. A systematic review searched Google Scholar and ERIC using a predefined Boolean strategy and an eligibility range of 2018–2026. Results: Immigrant status was associated with additional institutional and security barriers, including permit delays, restricted banking access, inadequate protection, xenophobic violence and exclusionary practices. Immigrant entrepreneurs nevertheless mobilised family, migrant, community and transnational networks as alternative resources. Indigenous and locally embedded enterprise was associated with community legitimacy, trust, livelihoods and relational value, but the evidence did not demonstrate universally greater Indigenous market capture. Shared constraints included finance, infrastructure, skills, technology, workspace and regulatory support. Inclusive governance and cooperation were proposed but not comparatively evaluated. Discussion/Conclusion: Status influences market access through layered institutional and social mechanisms, but it does not provide a sufficient standalone explanation of unequal capture. Immigrant-specific exclusion operates within broader informal-economy constraints, while network agency and local embeddedness can moderate disadvantage.

Abstract: This study investigates the complex relationship between organizational culture and the governance of ethical artificial intelligence (AI) use, emphasizing the influence of cultural values on AI deployment and the reciprocal impact of AI on organizational culture. A quantitative research design was adopted, employing structured questionnaires distributed to senior executives, AI developers, compliance officers, and ethics officers from a range of organizations to obtain comprehensive data on perceptions, practices, and leadership attitudes concerning AI ethics. The results indicate that an ethically oriented organizational culture, characterized by transparency, accountability, and committed leadership, significantly strengthens responsible AI governance. In contrast, cultural resistance, apathy, and inadequate governance structures impede efforts to ensure the ethical deployment of AI. The findings underscore the pivotal role of leadership in shaping cultural norms and promoting environments that support ethical practices through policy formulation, training, and stakeholder engagement. The analysis also demonstrates that technical safeguards alone are insufficient; organizational values, interdisciplinary collaboration, and continuous learning are essential for addressing the ethical challenges associated with AI. The study recommends that organizations develop explicit ethical frameworks integrated into their culture, promote leadership-driven initiatives, and implement comprehensive governance mechanisms that address technical, social, and organizational dimensions. Ongoing education, stakeholder engagement, and cross-disciplinary collaboration are crucial for the sustainable adoption of ethical AI practices. Ultimately, cultivating an ethical organizational culture is both a strategic imperative and a moral responsibility for responsible AI innovation and the preservation of public trust.

Abstract: Introduction: Political contestation and coalition instability have become important features of South African municipal governance. The supplied evidence links unstable political arrangements with leadership turnover, delayed budgets, interrupted services and weakened long-term planning, while also indicating that coalition government is not uniformly harmful. Local economic development (LED) is additionally shaped by institutional capacity, policy coherence, stakeholder participation, resources and accountability. Methods: The researcher-selected databases and information sources were Google Scholar, ERIC. The eligibility protocol restricted publication years to 2017–2026. The exact calendar date of search execution was not recorded in the verified identification provenance; this is distinct from the publication-year eligibility range. A systematic review was conducted using Google Scholar and ERIC for English-language peer-reviewed studies published from 2017 to 2026. The recorded search strategy combined municipal governance, political contestation and LED concepts. Results: The synthesis found that coalition instability can redirect municipal attention from LED and service delivery toward political survival, but effects vary with coalition cohesion and institutional arrangements. LED performance was constrained by unclear mandates, weak skills, insufficient finance, limited coordination and inadequate monitoring. Political economy dynamics shaped whose interests were represented, with eThekwini-specific evidence indicating preferential treatment of formal businesses over street traders. Durable trajectories required political accommodation to be institutionalised through shared priorities, coherent planning, accountability and participation. Discussion/Conclusion: Political contestation influences LED through its interaction with administrative capacity, institutional rules and distributive power rather than through a simple coalition-versus-performance relationship. The evidence does not permit a firm prediction of eThekwini's post-2026 trajectory because direct evidence on its coalition dynamics and LED implementation remains limited.

Abstract: The number of first-generation professionals (FGPs) in the workforce is increasing. FGPs are the first in their immediate families to complete college and enter professional employment. They bring valuable strengths to the workplace, including resilience, motivation, proactivity, and fresh perspectives. However, they often struggle to build the workplace relationships that are central to successful socialisation. This paper examines three main barriers they face. The first is financial and time constraints, which limit participation in informal social activities. The second is the pressure to code-switch in workplaces whose culture differs from their own. The third is a lack of practical knowledge about networking, often caused by limited exposure to professional environments. The paper then proposes strategies for organisations and universities. Organisations can involve managers in relationship-building, create carefully matched mentoring and reverse mentoring programmes, support employee resource groups, and offer cross-departmental collaboration. Universities can expand access to paid work experience, facilitate professional networking, embed career coaching in degree programmes, and strengthen students’ self-efficacy. These measures are most effective when they complement one another and do not add financial or time burdens. By making relationship-building an explicit part of education and employee development, institutions can help FGPs turn their strengths into lasting career success.

Abstract: Brazil’s expanding corn-ethanol sector generates distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS), a coproduct used in animal nutrition, while road freight logistics may create opportunities to coordinate agricultural supply chains. Yet public production, livestock and distance indicators do not establish plant-level saleable supply, buyer demand, or an actual empty return movement. This study develops a reproducible open-data screening workflow linking an ANP-derived state-month corn-processing series, an EPE planning conversion factor, municipal livestock context, eight candidate municipal corridors, and an illustrative minimum-freight-floor scenario based on ANTT coefficients. The integrated series indicates 17.270 million tonnes of corn processed in 2024 and 21.449 million tonnes in 2025 (+24.2%). Applying the EPE planning factor of 0.212 tonnes of DDGS per tonne of corn yields derived estimates of 3.661 and 4.547 million tonnes, respectively; these are planning-factor estimates, not measured DDGS production. For January–September, reported corn processing rises from 15.509 million tonnes in 2025 to 18.938 million tonnes in 2026 (+22.1%). Eight candidate corridors span 91.3–569.1 km. Under the selected ANTT scenario and an assumed 32-tonne payload, the full-trip floor ranges from R$ 42.83 to R$ 155.77/t. Sensitivity cases allocating 25–50% of that floor to DDGS produce scenario allocations of R$10.71–R$77.89/t across the route set, but these are not observed savings. A break-even margin equation is provided for readers to populate with their own product prices, handling costs, buyer values and verified freight quotations. The study’s contribution is an auditable screening and reproduction protocol that distinguishes observations, derived estimates and assumptions, and makes explicit which commercial data are needed to assess market-specific profitability.

Abstract: Introduction: Township economies are shaped by interactions among state authorities, informal traders, community organisations and other local economic actors. The supplied literature links informal economic activity to livelihood support, institutional exclusion, community governance and contested implementation, but provides limited direct evidence about South African township resource control.Methods: The researcher-selected databases and information sources were Google Scholar and ERIC. The eligibility protocol restricted publication years to 2018–2026. The exact calendar date of search execution was not recorded in the verified identification provenance; this is distinct from the publication-year eligibility range. A systematic review was undertaken using Google Scholar and ERIC, with eligibility restricted to English-language publications from 2018–2026. The exact Boolean strategy, inclusion and exclusion criteria, PRISMA workflow, CASP appraisal and COSTAQDA-supported thematic synthesis were documented.Results: The evidence presents informal activity as economically valuable while reflecting restricted access to formal finance, infrastructure, predictable pricing and administrative procedures. Governance responses tend toward managed inclusion through simplified documentation, designated trading spaces and combined formal–informal arrangements. Community governance appears more accountable when supported by rights documents, constitutions, revenue procedures, financial rules and defined roles, but formal recognition does not ensure implementation or participation. These conclusions are primarily transferable observations because the extracted evidence contains very limited direct evidence from South African townships.Discussion/Conclusion: State and informal governance mechanisms appear capable of structuring access to resources, but the review cannot establish how they redistribute control within South African township economies. Stronger township-specific empirical research is required before definitive policy or causal conclusions can be drawn.

Abstract: Introduction: Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) may experience regulatory compliance requirements as relatively high fixed costs because managerial time, documentation, specialist expertise and financial resources are limited. The supplied literature also suggests that simplification, digitalisation and proportionate regulation may improve compliance efficiency, although deregulation can create risks for oversight and public-interest protection.Methods: The researcher-selected databases and information sources were Google Scholar, ERIC. The eligibility protocol restricted publication years to 2015–2026. The exact calendar date of search execution was not recorded in the verified identification provenance; this is distinct from the publication-year eligibility range. Google Scholar and ERIC were the researcher-selected information sources for English-language peer-reviewed publications dated 2015–2026.Results: The synthesis generated seven codes, three categories, two descriptive themes and four analytical themes. Compliance was commonly associated with disproportionate administrative and financial burden, particularly where requirements were complex, fragmented, frequently changing or inconsistently enforced. Digital services, interoperable registers, automation, training and institutional support could reduce manual work and improve transparency, but their benefits depended on implementation capacity and system fit. Simplification and deregulation supported access and innovation in some contexts but required safeguards. Compliance could also improve formalisation, reporting accuracy, legitimacy and stakeholder assurance.Discussion/Conclusion: The evidence supports proportionate, risk-sensitive and coordinated compliance rather than deregulation alone. Policy effectiveness depends on regulatory coherence, institutional capability, SME knowledge, digital infrastructure, accessible guidance and meaningful consultation.

Abstract: Introduction: Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) is intended to address apartheid-era exclusion through ownership, skills development, preferential procurement, enterprise development and wider economic participation. Its relationship with inclusive Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise (MSME) development, growth and sustainability remains contested because access to benefits is uneven and implementation may privilege formal compliance over substantive transformation.Methods: The researcher-selected databases and information sources were Google Scholar, ERIC. The eligibility protocol restricted publication years to 2015–2026. The exact calendar date of search execution was not recorded in the verified identification provenance; this is distinct from the publication-year eligibility range. Google Scholar and ERIC were the researcher-selected information sources. The eligibility period was 2015–2026.Results: B-BBEE provides an inclusion-oriented policy route and can support finance, women’s empowerment, enterprise development and procurement access. However, benefits are conditional and uneven. Compliance burdens, regulatory instability, weak institutional capacity, fronting, corruption, elite capture and symbolic compliance constrain inclusive outcomes. Enterprise and supplier development are most promising when linked to capability building, meaningful operational participation, transparent procurement, finance, quality systems, long-term relationships and coordinated stakeholder support. Direct evidence on long-term MSME survival and micro-enterprise outcomes remains limited.Discussion/Conclusion: BBBEE is neither uniformly ineffective nor consistently developmental. Its contribution to inclusive MSME growth depends on whether regulatory compliance is connected to measurable, broad-based and sustainable productive outcomes. A reoriented framework should reduce navigational burdens, strengthen accountability and monitor enterprise-level outcomes rather than relying primarily on scorecard attainment.

Abstract: Despite growing interest in artificial intelligence (AI) as a sustainability capability, evidence of its association with distinct environmental, social, and governance (ESG) outcomes remains inconclusive. Grounded in the Resource-Based View, Natural Resource-Based View, and stakeholder and institutional perspectives, this study examines IMD AI-maturity scores and Refinitiv ESG ratings for 119 large firms across ten industries. Hierarchical ordinary least squares regressions adjusted for industry, with HC3 robust inference, multiple-testing corrections, influence diagnostics, and industry interaction tests. AI maturity showed no statistically significant association with overall ESG (B = 0.121, p = 0.087) or Governance (B = −0.002, p = 0.986). Positive Environmental (B = 0.222, p = 0.019) and Social (B = 0.200, p = 0.022) associations did not survive Holm correction (adjusted p = 0.077); the Environmental finding was sensitive to an influential observation. Industry moderation was not detected (F(9,99) = 0.494, p = 0.876), although small sector samples limit precision. The study contributes by distinguishing aggregate from pillar-specific AI–ESG relationships and testing their sensitivity to alternative inference procedures. Theoretically, the findings qualify expectations that digital capabilities uniformly translate into sustainability advantages; practically, they favor evaluating AI investments using distinct, directly observed sustainability indicators rather than presuming broad ESG gains.

Abstract: Introduction: Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) certification and compliance evaluation are intended to support economic transformation, broaden participation and improve opportunities for historically disadvantaged enterprises in South Africa. Yet certification status is not necessarily equivalent to demonstrated transformation or MSME development. This review examined how BBBEE certification and compliance evaluation relate to evidential value for economic transformation and MSME development, including associated opportunities, risks, implementation conditions and evidence gaps. Methods: The researcher-selected databases and information sources were Google Scholar, ERIC, OpenAlex, Crossref. The eligibility protocol restricted publication years to 2013–2023. COSTAQDA recorded source-level retrieval through OpenAlex (75 retrieved; 660 available), Crossref (75 retrieved; 2656 available). Where researcher-selected sources did not expose a suitable direct bulk-search connector, COSTAQDA used its OpenAlex/Crossref discovery bridge while preserving the researcher-selected source names in the PRISMA record. The identification run recorded 150 records before cross-source deduplication and 144 unique records after deduplication. Results: Five higher-order conclusions emerged. BBBEE compliance provided signals of opportunity but not consistent proof of MSME development; market access was a principal linking mechanism; outcomes depended on implementation capacity, support and contextual fit; fronting, corruption and unequal distribution weakened evidential value; and the available evidence was fragmented and insufficient for certificate-level causal evaluation. Evidence included positive perceptions, procurement access, enterprise and supplier development, skills initiatives and employee inclusion, alongside adverse or uncertain business effects and implementation failures. Discussion/Conclusion: BBBEE certification is best interpreted as an access, compliance and accountability signal rather than as standalone evidence that economic transformation or MSME development has occurred. Stronger conclusions require transparent, longitudinal and outcome-linked analysis connecting certification records with firm, beneficiary and distributional outcomes.

Abstract: Introduction: South Africa’s Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) framework seeks to widen economic participation, yet the supplied evidence indicates that empowerment benefits may remain concentrated among relatively advantaged groups. Concerns therefore persist regarding elite capture, unequal benefit distribution, weak accountability, and limited evidence on how Enterprise and Supplier Development (ESD) screening and targeting operate in practice.Methods: The researcher-selected databases and information sources were Google Scholar, ERIC. The eligibility protocol restricted publication years to 1994–2026. The exact calendar date of search execution was not recorded in the verified identification provenance; this is distinct from the publication-year eligibility range. A systematic review was conducted using Google Scholar and ERIC, with eligibility restricted to English-language peer-reviewed studies published from 1994 to 2026.Results: The synthesis indicates that B-BBEE benefits are reported as insufficiently broad-based and vulnerable to elite concentration. Transparency, accountability, public participation, civil-society involvement, co-production, and partnerships are presented as safeguards, but direct evidence that these mechanisms prevent capture in ESD programmes is limited. Finance, information, training, and skills development may widen participation, although beneficiary experiences and business-performance effects are mixed. Direct evidence on eligibility verification, conflict-of-interest controls, appeals, audits, and procurement-level anti-capture mechanisms is substantially limited.Discussion/Conclusion: The evidence supports a governance and inclusion framework for reducing capture but does not establish that existing ESD screening or targeting practices have demonstrably prevented elite capture. Conclusions are constrained by heterogeneous evidence, limited South African coverage, methodological uncertainty, and a PRISMA identification discrepancy requiring verification.

Abstract: Introduction: Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) is intended to advance participation, enterprise development, supplier development, skills development and transformation in South Africa. Its contribution to the growth, performance and sustainability of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), however, remains contested. The supplied literature includes evidence of perceived benefits, developmental opportunities, resource constraints, compliance burdens and weak institutional implementation. Methods: The researcher-selected databases and information sources were Google Scholar and ERIC. The eligibility protocol restricted publication years to 2016–2026. The exact calendar date of search execution was not recorded in the verified identification provenance; this is distinct from the publication-year eligibility range. The review searched Google Scholar and ERIC using a predefined Boolean strategy covering MSMEs, B-BBEE mechanisms and enterprise outcomes, with publication eligibility restricted to 2016–2026. Results: B-BBEE appears most enabling when enterprise and supplier development is embedded in productive value chains, knowledge transfer, skills development and inter-organisational collaboration. Benefits are constrained by limited finance, collateral, infrastructure, market access, technical knowledge, planning and management capability. Legislative change, compliance complexity, weak communication, fragmented institutional support, corruption and fronting risks can displace substantive transformation. Perceptions of benefit coexist with weakly demonstrated direct effects on MSME growth and sustainability. Evidence is heterogeneous and direct longitudinal outcome evidence is limited. Discussion/Conclusion: B-BBEE should be understood as conditionally effective rather than uniformly successful or unsuccessful. Its developmental contribution depends on contextual inclusion, measurable outcomes, coordinated implementation, enterprise capability building and accountability. Stronger longitudinal and MSME-specific evaluations are required to establish causal effects on revenue, employment, productivity, survival and sustainability.