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As digital technologies and AI systems increasingly pervade banking services, understanding customers’ digital capabilities and awareness of AI ethics principles is paramount. This paper delves into these critical aspects among banking clientele. Employing a survey research approach with a cross-sectional design, an online survey via Google Forms was distributed to 500 banking customers, of whom 466 responded. The survey evaluated respondents’ digital competencies and AI ethics awareness through multiple-choice questions and Likert scale items. Utilizing IBM SPSS version 28 and Microsoft 365 analysis software, descriptive statistics and statistical analysis were conducted to discern trends and patterns. The key finding emphasizes the urgency for financial institutions to invest in digital technologies enhancing customer experiences and fostering ethical AI adoption. A significant policy implication underscores the need for policymakers and regulatory bodies to collaborate with the banking sector, developing clear guidelines for responsible AI practices, prioritizing customer privacy, data protection, and fairness in AI algorithms. This study also introduces the CORE AI framework, concentrating on responsible AI adoption, customer-centricity, and strategic optimization, promising positive outcomes for stakeholders. The original contribution of this research lies in its comprehensive exploration of the nexus between digital competencies and AI ethics awareness.

Tackling the issues posed by climate change and the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions has led to the development of novel adsorbent materials tailored for clean energy solutions. Advancements in machine learning (ML) have enabled significant progress in identifying, designing, and optimizing materials with enhanced efficiency and economic viability for clean energy applications. This review provides an overview of key ML techniques and their applications in the development of robust adsorbent materials, with particular emphasis on thermal adsorption energy storage. We examine recent progress in using ML models to predict the adsorption capacities of various gases, including H₂, CH₄, CO₂, and biogas, in metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). Quantitatively, ML models have achieved prediction accuracies with mean absolute errors as low as 0.1 mmol/g for hydrogen adsorption and 0.05 mmol/g for CO₂ adsorption in select MOFs. Pivotal case studies demonstrate how ML has expedited the performance enhancement, stability prediction, and material identification processes for MOFs, with a comparison drawn between the adsorption performance of MOFs and zeolites, where MOFs have shown up to 50 % higher gas uptake in some cases. Finally, we discuss challenges such as limited high-quality data and algorithmic complexity, while highlighting future opportunities for integrating ML with MOFs to improve adsorption energy storage. This review offers critical insights for advancing ML-assisted MOF research in clean adsorption energy applications.

Growing research interests in energy service companies (ESCOs) has led to an increase in published research spanning the past decade. However, attempts to map global ESCO-related research have been sparse. The aim of this paper is to map the trends in ESCO, to appraise the state of the field in global ESCO research, and to identify current research gaps. This is achieved by conducting a systematic literature review and qualitative analysis of recently published research papers. The study uses bibliographic, co-citation, and keyword analysis to identify recent trends in global ESCO research. The results show that the aspects of ESCO that most studies have focused on are business models, market development, barriers, and drivers of ESCO, stakeholders in ESCO, energy performance contracts, and risk management in ESCO. In addition, the study identifies two main research gaps in ESCO research. These are public-private partnerships in ESCO programs and the development of a harmonised measurement and verification method for energy savings as the research gaps in ESCO studies. The outcomes of this study would be useful for understanding current developments in global ESCO research and to guide the next frontier in the subject.

This study assessed the process contributions to life cycle impacts of six developed municipal solid waste management (MSWM) options (A1-A6) for Harare. Results show that waste collection contributes to increased acidification, eutrophication and global warming of 0.012, 0.0002 and 0.065 species.yr respectively as well as human health impact potential of 34 DALYs across all the MSWM options. Anaerobic digestion contributed to increased acidification, eutrophication and global warming impact potentials of 0.053, 0,008 and 0.043 species.yr respectively and 52 DALYs under MSWM options A3 to A6. Overall, incineration performed better than landfilling. The recovery of 20% of the recoverable materials for reuse and recycle under MSWM options A5 and A6 contributes to impacts reductions of -0.05, -0.004 and -0.26 species.yr with regards to acidification, eutrophication and global warming respectively and -56 DALYs with regards to human health. Therefore, strategies earmarked at reducing the positive contributions need to be developed.

The development of artificial neural network (ANN) models for the prediction of failure of water pipelines in rural communities is undertaken. The research use analytical procedures. This approach was illustrated using a 10-year primary pipelines failure data taken from a typical isolated settlement. Four ANN models were established; three models based on specific material type and a combinatorial model. Validation of the models on unseen data gave impressive results, on the basis of the performance indices. The sensitivity analysis shows that the pipe thickness impacts the model output most, whereas the installation year had the least relative importance in predicting pipeline failure. The models predicted failure parameters appreciably, and determined the benefit index, which allows the elaboration of a strategy for achieving realistic maintenance policies. The study shows that the ANN supported with EPANET software can provide a good means of analysing pipeline failures and optimising the maintenance function.

The quantum of minerals extracted from ore is critical for the success of mineral processing, hence the necessity to optimise the process flows in order to recover as much minerals as possible. The aim of this research was to identify bottlenecks and recovery-hampering factors within the comminution and flotation circuits of the concentrator plant at a platinum processing company in Zimbabwe. Modelling and simulation of the circuits were carried using Arena and Limn simulation software to optimise the process flows for improved throughput, maximum mineral recovery and enhanced efficiency and productivity. Alternative configurations of the layout of equipment were tested and compared with the original setup. The recommended reconfiguration of the circuits achieved increases of 2.97% in mineral recovery and 4 grams/ton in productivity resulting in a maximised output for the sustainable processing of platinum ore.

Sub-Saharan Africa suffers from a persistent shortage of engineering skills required to drive industry in this dynamic era of rapid technological changes. This has been exacerbated by the mismatch of skills produced by universities and those required by industry, partly attributed to lack of access to modern equipment and technology by engineering academics to adequately dispatch appropriate skills to future engineers. A recent audit conducted in Zimbabwe revealed a 62% skills deficit, mainly in the engineering and technology sectors. The University of Zimbabwe, in collaboration with six other institutions of higher learning in Southern Africa embarked on and successfully managed the Enriching Engineering Education Program from 2013 to 2015, financially supported by the Royal Academy of Engineering. This project was aimed at enhancing the quality and relevance of engineering graduates and this was accomplished through secondments of engineering academics to industry to improve their skills and access to modern equipment, knowledge sharing workshops and conferences to boost the quality of research as well as continuous professional development training for engineering academics and technicians. This initiative was largely successful, based on student evaluations, buy-in and support from local industries as well as the number of industrial design projects and innovations that were generated, some of which have since been patented and commercialized. These achievements motivated other institutions to join and the initiative has been expanded to the Higher Education Partnerships for Sub-Saharan Africa. This paper outlines the activities and achievements of this initiative and demonstrates how the expanded version will utilize two approaches of design thinking and systems thinking for capacity building and sustainability in engineering education and regional integration.

Southern Africa and indeed Zimbabwe, which is in the center of this region, is endowed with a plethora of natural resources including abundant exposure to solar radiation throughout the year. However, the potential to harness this resource remains untapped largely due to lack of capacity and technology. This research aimed at developing an intelligent single axis solar tracking device through the conceptualization of various possibilities and ultimately the design, development and optimization of the selected concept. Apart from being costly, existing solar tracking systems have a low solar conversion efficiency and are difficult to maintain in developing countries. Three possible concepts were analyzed and the most appropriate solution was selected using the binary dominance matrix. The selected concept was developed and optimized to maximize the solar panel’s efficiency by tilting the panel to be perpendicular to solar radiation at all times. The system consisted of a solar panel, a stepper motor, a Light Dependent Resistor (LDR) sensor and an Arduino Mega microcontroller. The output from the LDR sensor determined whether there was sufficient radiation, prompting calculation of the desired tilt angle and subsequently the output speed of the stepper motor. Experiments were carried out to determine the effects in efficiency of the proposed system over the fixed 24 W solar panel, the results of which showed a 25 % increase in efficiency, high enough to justify implementation as the range for existing systems is 15-20%. The solar tracker was successfully developed using locally available materials to track maximum solar radiation throughout the day. The total manufacturing costs amounted to USD 147, a feasible and economical venture that can readily be implemented and competitive on a commercial scale. A number of enquiries have been received and the developers are in the process of registering a patent for this affordable tracker.

Wall plastering is a laborious and often time-consuming process for the construction industry. Mortar spraying is the rendering of mortar at high velocity to achieve compaction and placement at the same time. This research aimed at conceptualizing various options, leading to the development, design and fabrication of a semi-automated machine to reduce the amount of time taken in plastering. A mortar spaying machine was designed, manufactured and tested, using locally available materials. It improved the surface finish and protected the wall from moisture weakening the structure. In an effort to identify a gap locally, a survey was also conducted in Harare, Zimbabwe through timing different builders whilst plastering. The survey revealed that the use of a trowel can cover an average of 5m2/hour. However, with the mortar spraying machine, an area of 30m2/hour can be covered. The mortar spraying machine was fabricated from light materials and weighed just below 20kg, making it flexible and mobile with the addition of poly-wheels. Pre- mixed wet mortar was placed into the hopper and stirred by a conveying screw, driven by a power drill. After rendering, a straight edge was used to level the sprayed mortar. The mortar spraying machine had a maximum volume flow rate of 10l/min. The set-up was designed to reduce the power consumed since most of the material flowed by gravity. The machine had a simple layout and minimal parts to accomplish the mechanization of plastering. The design has managed to bring many positive attributes to the construction sector such as, reduced lead time to provision of houses, ergonomics, reduced labour costs and quality product in terms of consistence and compaction of plastering compared to the manual method.

This study explores the temporal trend in electricity consumption since the introduction of prepaid metres in low-income households of Soweto and compares the findings with high-income households. Monthly electricity consumption data (over 96 months: 2007–2014) for 4427 households in Soweto, for both low- and high-income households, was collected from Eskom. Using a simple linear model to analyse consumption trends in low-income households, we ascertained that electricity consumption has decreased by 48% since the inception of prepaid metres. Nonetheless, it is noted that 60% of household incomes are spent on electricity bills, which is way above the threshold set for energy poverty. Comparatively, high-income households consume less electricity than low-income households do. Overall, the prepaid metre programme is producing expected results for Eskom but remains a challenge for low-income households, which are still entrenched in energy poverty. We call for an energy policy that is tailored for each income groups and the formulation of laws and policies to protect the energy vulnerable households.

Purpose: The research paper aims to unveil the practical use of Lean Six Sigma and its effectiveness as a business survival strategic tool by a chemical product realization concern, as well as to establish the market and business performance impacts on the manufacturing entity. Design/methodology/approach: A case study approach was pursued with a multi-national chemical manufacturing entity in South Africa. A comprehensive literature research was undertaken to establish the contemporary tools used for implementing Lean Six Sigma, and the classification and flow of tools and steps undertaken to ensure the successful and effective application of Lean Six Sigma in a manufacturing organization and the benefits derived. The critical success factors and reasons of ineffective use of tools are reviewed. To ensure that a comprehensive research was conducted which is relevant to the body of knowledge in engineering, recent articles on the application of Lean Six Sigma were selected and reviewed during the progress of the study to add impetus to the relevance of the findings. Findings: The research findings were mainly based on the inferences obtained from a chemical product manufacturing concern in South Africa, to distinguish the efficacy and relevance of Lean Six Sigma as strategic business survival tool and imputing strategic resonance to corporate strategy. Research limitations/implications: This research was limited to distinguishing Lean Six Sigma as a business survival strategic tool and an ultimate enhancer of market performance for a chemical product manufacturing entity. The implementation and evaluation of the Lean Six Sigma methodology as a business survival strategic and market performance enhancement option for the case study organization was entailed as the corollary of deductive resemblance to similar entities. Practical implications: This study enables continuous improvement practitioners to evaluate the Lean and Six Sigma practices. The advantages posed by the simultaneous and optimized application of the two approaches versus individual application were assessed and verified to produce enhanced continuous improvement. This poses further challenges to scholars and academics to pursue further researches on the practicality of applying Lean Six Sigma as a strategic option. Originality/value: The paper prompts the efficacy of well publicized methodologies and evaluates their implementation for strategic performance for manufacturing organizations. The practical application, constraints and resultant effects of deploying Lean Six Sigma were reviewed to give impetus to the methodology.

Purpose: All built facility begins to show signs of deterioration immediately after the facility is completed and put to use, thus necessitating routine maintenance. Increase in defects due to age, usage, and other factors, requires extensive maintenance activities known as renovation. The data used for a typical renovation plan can be collected using the condition assessment (CA) tool which depends on physical inspection of the defects or through a facility condition index which hinges on harnessing and analyzing the information in the operational history of the facility. The purpose of this paper is to examine the quality of a typical renovation plan using both tools. Design/methodology/approach: The single case study of qualitative research was adopted. The data were collected through the principle of semi-structured questionnaire complemented with interviews and document analysis. The documents include periodic operational reports and a CA report used for planned renovation exercise of the Facilities Management (FM) Unit in a higher education institution in South Africa. Findings: The findings revealed that although the FM Unit produces periodic reports, but there was no evidence of detailed analysis of the reports. Therefore, the programmed renovation exercises are based purely on the information from a CA. Research limitations/implications: This research is a single site case study of qualitative research; the data collected are limited and not sufficient for generalization of the results. Furthermore, the lack of record of the analysis of the operational history in the periodic reports negatively affected the computation of facilities condition index (FCI). Thus it was not possible to demonstrate the strength of FCI over CA from empirical information. Originality/value: The quality of a typical renovation plan is influenced by the tool used for data collection. Although the CA tool is commonly used, experience shows that the renovation exercise developed from such records is prone to many execution setbacks, such as frequent scope changes and the associated cost and time overruns. These setbacks can be minimized if the FCI is used as the tool for data collection.

Industry is faced with increased challenges relating to transferring knowledge due to the complex nature of the manufacturing process. This paper is part of a comprehensive research study to develop a knowledge transfer model for improving productivity. Although knowledge management research generally flourishes, few investigations have been made into the transfer of knowledge in the cable industry. A questionnaire survey was therefore conducted with a total of 135 respondents. Taking the view that cable systems are a production processes, this paper develops a conceptual framework for improving the productivity rate, and affords a preliminary validation. Not much research has surveyed this concept of knowledge transfer in the manufacturing sector. The findings will therefore add to the existing body of knowledge and improve the productivity ratio in cable firms. The model suggests that management can create a working environment which promotes knowledge transfer which requires a large amount of interaction. In addition to this, future research can utilize the model to afford a wider-ranging depiction of the determinants of transferring knowledge.

In a circular economy, resources are kept in use for as long as possible, extracting the maximum value from them whilst in use, then recovering and regenerating products and materials at the end of each service life. To enable a transition to a circular economy it is important to establish the factors that would trigger and sustain such an economy and the extent to which aspects of the circular economy are already embedded in countries. This research focused on a comparative analysis of the United Kingdom and South Africa composite manufacturers in relation to circular economy for composites materials. Key considerations such as the drivers, sustainers, barriers, ownership models, volume of composite waste from production operations, and current recycling or disposal practices were studied. For both countries, the opportunities to reduce cost were found to be a very strong and a common driver and sustainer for re-use and recycling of composite waste from manufacturing operations. The range of findings helps in understanding the national context and international synergies in transition to circular economy for composite materials.

This research focused on studying the statistical process control tool in manufacturing systems with the broad aim of upgrading them to improve on quality and cost effectiveness. It represents an attempt to address the deficiency in the literature of SPC implementation. With emphasis on early detection and prevention of the problems, SPC was shown to have a distinct advantage over quality methods such as inspection of end product. There was need to check gauges and machines, and determine need for some maintenance or overhaul work to be carried out as faulty machines could not produce quality good products. There was need for operators to be trained, new documents to be produced and actions for the future to be agreed on. A system of reviewing the progress and monitor the result was to be effected with as much priority as that given to financial results.

The research is an investigation into prospects of improving operational efficiency in a manufacturing system through enterprise resource planning (ERP). This was done on a South African company which is into linen manufacturing and making uniforms for the hospitality industry. This was achieved by improving effective communication among departments to meet delivery dates. ERP framework was designed to reduce work in progress on the shop floor and inventory. Integration of firm's activities, intra organizational communication and wider collaboration were some of the pillar considered in the process to achieve a reduction in working capital. Wastage in the form of material or energy, inventory, defects or wasted capacity, was eliminated for effectiveness. Reduction of product cycle times was done through minimizing set-up and delays, coordinating machine maintenance with production operations and optimizing space in order to better utilize workers, equipment and workstations.

A detailed discussion is made on how to develop an implementation procedure for design for environment (DFE) management program. A foundry manufacturing enterprise was chosen for comprehensive assessment and recommendation in this research. The main thrust of this work was to develop theory on how DFE could be comprehensively and consistently managed in daily business situation of product development. It was realized that an integration of environmental management systems, design for Environment, and integrated product development was necessary to achieve this. It was found that an intersection existed where three areas needed to coexist. Hence, theory and a model needed to be developed that explained and guided the management of DFE in the industry. The use of DFE for foundry industry would go a long way in preserving the environment and reducing costs for production hence create more profits.

The escalation of natural disasters in the last two decades or so and their devastating effects on developing countries in general and Africa in particular, has been frequently mentioned in the topical literature. Devastating impacts in African and other developing countries have often been attributed to the failure of formal (state and market) institutions for risk management, frequent in these countries. While the predominance of informal response mechanisms has been acknowledged in these countries, they are presumed to disintegrate in the face of covariate shocks. This article argues that an overly ambitious emphasis on states and markets and a negligence of the role of informal, socially embedded institutions in the effective management of natural disasters is grossly responsible for the negative effects of natural disasters and their perverse implications on Africa’s development. A multi-sector framework that can be used for modelling natural disaster management in Africa which has the potential of reducing the negative consequences of disasters is suggested. This is based on the premise that natural shocks must be perceived as social phenomena that are best managed with the participation of those involved. Empirical evidence is included, and the implications of a multi-stakeholder approach to managing disasters to enhance development in Africa are discussed.

In recent times, effort has been made by researchers all over the world to develop composite materials that will be eco-friendly and affordable. Based on this, this study focused on the development of improved thermal and fire properties of the polymer (epoxy) using Cucumeropsis mannii shell granules (CMSg). Epoxy + 20wt% CMSg composite was produced by solution casting method. The thermogravimetric (TGA) and cone calorimetry were used to determine the relevant characteristics of the composite. The temperature of thermal maximum decomposition was shifted to a higher temperature for the composite. The epoxy released 6.63% heat during burring and 6.73% mass loss over that of the developed composite. About 58.93% delayed time was obtained for the composite before burning commenced. The results show that the tested material can be used for increasing the thermal and fire properties of epoxy matrix composites for engineering application.

The current study focuses on investigating the effect of milling parameters on the microhardness during dry and flood milling of Ti-6Al-4V. Dry and flood milling were performed while varying spindle speed (120, 150, and 180 rev/min), depth of cut (1, 1.5 and 2 mm), as the feed rate (4.6 mm/min) was kept constant. Subsequent to milling, milled surfaces microhardness were measured and microstructure evolution was analysed using an optical microscope. It was established that the deformation of beta phase increased with increase of spindle speed during dry milling while during flood milling there was no microstructural change associated to the increase of the spindle speed. On the other hand, the hardness increased as result of increase of spindle speed during both dry and flood milling. Flood milling generated a maximum hardness of 338.44 HV at 180 rev/min which is superior to maximum hardness of 336.36 HV produced during dry milling. Dry milling at 1.5 mm depth of cut generated maximum deformation of beta phase while during flood milling maximum deformation was recorded at 2 mm depth of cut. The hardness increased with increment of depth of cut during flood milling while it decreased with increase of depth of cut during dry milling.