It contributes to knowledge creation and dissemination, education and skills development, problem-solving and innovation, attracting funding and talent, and enhances curriculum development. It is also meant to inform business leaders and policy makers around ways to improve business and economic outcomes.
Academic research, however, can often be inaccessible to non-scholars, as the jargon and academic parlance can be confusing and difficult to read. In addition, academic writing always includes extensive literature reviews and methodologies, which, while crucial for academics, do not always matter to businesspeople who are looking for practical insights relating to that particular research. That is where white papers and books come into the fray.
Where academic articles focus on a single research question, books offer a broader and more comprehensive view of a topic. They are often also easier to read, making them more accessible. White papers, while academic, are shorter and easier to read than academic articles. They are designed to help business leaders by offering solutions to specific problems in a quick easy-to-read format.
In this edition of Acumen, we review three academic articles, a book chapter and two white papers.
Academic articles
Exploring the Digital Detox Journey Among Generation Y Instagram Users
Authors: Matiena Marie Scheppe, Anna Luise Seiffen & Adele Berndt
The article explores how Generation Y (Millennials) detox from the negative effects of social media usage, with a focus on Instagram. Social media has become ubiquitous and it is often a source of stress. GIBS research associate Professor Adele Berndt says, “Users can be addicted to platforms such as Instagram. As such, managing social media usage has become important for mental health, leading many to try controlling their use. This is particularly true for Gen Y, who grew up with technology and use Instagram regularly. This platform lets users post images and videos, making it increasingly addictive.”
The research studied Generation Y participants who were looking to reform their Instagram use. These participants undertook a detox to alter their behaviour. Over a two-week period, they maintained diaries to document the detox’s effects.
Key findings:
- The participants experienced both FOMO (fear of missing out) and JOMO (joy of missing out). FOMO led to missing out on their social connections, while JOMO meant they could engage in other activities such as walking and reading.
- After the detox, they returned to Instagram but were more conscious of their behaviour and reconsidered their future Instagram use.
This research is relevant in a world where mental health issues are increasingly being reported, and user well-being must become a priority. Berndt explains, “Platforms can apply these findings by providing digital nudges to encourage users to detox, and policy leaders can educate users regarding their use of social media.” In addition, advertisers should also be paying attention to this research. Berndt says, “Platforms and companies that advertise on these platforms must recognise that users need to take a break, and should consider the addictive aspects of Instagram.”
While this research is important for marketing leaders and policy makers, it is equally important for users of social media. Berndt says that everyone who uses social media can recognise the benefits of a digital detox, even if it is brief, and can utilise screen time management tools to do this, either individually or with others.
Journal: Information Technology & People; Volume 38(8), pp119-139
Link: https://doi.org/10.1108/ITP-07-2023-0721
Business Growth Mentorship for Female-Owned Enterprises in South Africa
Authors: Karabo Lekoloane, Anastacia Mamabolo & Gloria Mbokota
This article studies the impact mentorship has on female entrepreneurs, especially during the growth phase of their businesses. GIBS senior lecturer Dr. Gloria Mbokota says, “The research illustrates how mentorship for female-owned businesses in South Africa enhances essential cognitive, leadership, and business management skills necessary for business growth and stability.”
This is important research in the entrepreneurial space, and fellow author GIBS Professor Anastacia Mamabolo explains, “Few research projects have focused on women who have scaled their business despite the challenges in the business environment.”
Key findings:
- Entrepreneurs benefit from a progressive development of competencies throughout the various phases of entrepreneurship.
- It begins with first-order skills, such as analytical thinking, self-management, and the ability to articulate one’s perspective.
- These foundational skills then lead to the development of second-order skills, which encompass a broader range of business management and leadership abilities, ultimately resulting in competencies necessary for entrepreneurial scaling.
The findings help business leaders in how they create and implement targeted mentorship programmes for female entrepreneurs. Mbokota says, “They should carefully consider whether individual or group formats would be more effective in achieving specific business scaling goals. For instance, individual mentorship may be more beneficial for honing specific skills, while a group format could enhance networking opportunities and facilitate collaborative problem-solving.”
Mamabolo adds to this saying, “These tailor-made programmes should develop specific competencies for business growth rather than focusing on generic ones. Further, industry leaders should carefully consider whether individual or group formats would be more effective in achieving specific business scaling goals.”
This research is relevant to both entrepreneurs and business development practitioners involved in entrepreneurial learning, as well as institutions focused on entrepreneurship.
Journal: South African Journal of Business Management; Volume 56(1), a4958
Link: https://doi.org/10.4102/sajbm.v56i1.4958
Customer Education in Business-to-Business Contexts
Authors: Dorian-Laurentiu Florea, Deva Rangarajan, Maria Elena Raquel Nieto-Saucedo, Mesay Sata Shanka & Christian Nedu Osakwe
This article explores the impact customer education can have on business growth and sustainability in business-to-business (B2B) settings. Prof Dorian-Laurentiu Florea, Assistant Professor at the IÉSEG School of Management in France, says, “Our research shows that customer education is no longer optional but a strategic tool. Well-designed education builds trust, reduces misunderstandings, shortens sales cycles, and helps customers get more value.”
Key findings:
- The study reveals that customer education is not a one-off event but a process with three stages: preparing, deploying, and measuring.
- Companies must carefully identify customer learning needs, create useful and engaging content, and track results.
- The study also found that education works best when it is embedded throughout the customer journey, from raising awareness before purchase to onboarding and continuous learning after purchase.
When it comes to practically applying this research, Florea says, “Leaders can start by aligning educational efforts with business goals, prioritising key customers, allocating proper resources, and training staff to be effective educators.” This can be done by designing scalable but engaging educational formats, such as webinars, videos, or hands-on experiences. In addition, Florea says, “Businesses need to measure the impact, not only by customer satisfaction but also by concrete results like reduced support tickets, faster onboarding, or increased renewals.”
In an increasingly competitive world, this research is important to executives, sales leaders, customer success teams, and marketers in B2B industries. Florea says, “It also benefits anyone working in complex services or solutions where customer knowledge directly impacts success.”
Journal: Industrial Marketing Management; Volume 128, July 2025, pp54-70
Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2025.05.006
Book Chapter
Africa’s Automobile Sector: Development Opportunities in a Rapidly Changing Industry
Authors: Tilman Altenburg, Justin Barnes, Anthony Black & Mbongeni Ndlovu
This book chapter is extremely timely for the South African automotive sector given United States tariffs on South African exports. GIBS Professor Justin Barnes says, “The research highlights the importance of regional market and regional value chain development to the future of the African automotive industry.” He adds, “For the South African automotive industry specifically, this doesn’t necessarily make up for likely lost vehicle volumes from the US market, but it does highlight that there are major unrealised market and production opportunities within the region.”
Key findings:
- The continental automotive market has substantial potential, but only if African economies terminate the importing of second-hand vehicles from developed economy markets.
- Presently, only South Africa, Morocco, and Egypt prohibit the importing of second-hand vehicles. The balance of African automotive markets are dominated by second-hand vehicle imports, which decimates their new vehicle market potential.
- The termination of second-hand vehicle imports would not only increase vehicle production within the region, it would also increase automotive component production.
This research is important for industry and government leaders looking to develop African economies. Barnes says, “The research highlights the market and production opportunities that could be pursued by industrialists looking to benefit from the potential growth of the African automotive market.”
Book: Global Shifts in the Automotive Sector: Markets, Firms and Technologies in the Age of Geopolitical Disruption, Palgrave Macmillan, p317-344
Link: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-80641-4_13
White Papers
Developing the Board Leader: Beyond Compliance, to Stewardship and Leadership Development
Authors: Wendy du Plessis, Keith Fairhurst & Jackie Wilken
South Africa has one of the best company law rankings and a robust governance framework in the King IV Code. However, says the paper’s co-author Wendy du Plessis, “South Africa has recently experienced numerous corporate failures, such as Steinhoff, Tongaat Hulett, and EOH, not to mention those of state-owned enterprises.” This white paper addresses this critical challenge. GIBS faculty member Dr. Keith Fairhurst says, “Our research suggests that while boards often comply with formal requirements, many fall short in embodying the ethos of stewardship. The real gap lies not in frameworks but in the human competencies required to lead ethically and effectively in complexity.”
The paper aims to create an awareness that corporate governance goes beyond a tick-box approach to a code of good practice. Rather, it should constitute the framework and operational structure for the board to provide leadership and guidance to management.
Key findings:
- The importance of developing intrapersonal and interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence, authenticity, and the ability to foster constructive dissent.
- The paper argues that considering these recent corporate failures, the focus of boards has swung too heavily towards compliance, and boardrooms are missing an underlying ethos of stewardship.
- An obsessive focus on compliance results in a lack of engagement with ethical issues and a failure to identify potential ethical risks.
Fairhurst says, “Practically, industry leaders can apply this research by reimagining board development. Formal learning alone is inadequate. Instead, coaching, structured feedback, and experiential learning offer meaningful pathways to cultivating ethical identity and adaptive capacity in directors.” He adds, “ISO 37000 (a global benchmark for governance of organisations) reinforces this by framing governance as a human-based system, highlighting the need for integrated thinking, values-based leadership, and stakeholder accountability.”
This paper has been written with board members, compliance professionals, non-executive directors, legal professionals, auditing professionals, shareholders, and leadership coaches in mind. Du Plessis says, “The paper aims to provide a framework for and to stimulate debate on the particular competencies to be developed in board members that foster stewardship, ensuring their organisations go beyond shareholder value to social value.”
Fairhurst concludes by saying, “In short, to safeguard our institutions and restore trust, we must move beyond governance as structure and invest in governance as leadership.”
Link: https://content.gibs.co.za/cmscontent/media/utkavjkq/du-plessis_developing-the-board-leader.pdf
Finding Quality Data In Africa – Lessons from the Field
Authors: Helena Barnard, John M Luiz & Fang Lee Cooke
Africa is the world’s next growth frontier and collecting data from African economies is essential. However, getting quality data in Africa can be difficult. It is often outdated, incomplete or too limited for its purpose. GIBS Professor Helena Barnard notes that research on data collection in African economies is vital because they are so underdeveloped, poor, varied, and turbulent that data coming out of them is not as clear/obvious or in the form researchers would get in developed countries.
Barnard says, “Data is the foundation of all informed business decisions. Getting quality data in Africa is a business imperative. Often executives and even researchers just ‘shoot from the hip’ and then are surprised when their data is not accurate or disappoints.” She adds, “It is really important that when we do research in Africa, we try and build bridges and we don’t create artificial divides.”
Key insights:
- From a research perspective, Africa is not fundamentally different to other places, but its data-related challenges are more severe.
- When data is unavailable, alternative data sets need to be used, be it data from institutions like the World Bank or innovative data sources like MTN’s country-level earnings as a reflection of an economy.
- Innovative proxy data is important as it can be a reflection of the true state of the markets being studied.
- “Digital trace data” is a valuable source of data for both quantitative and qualitative data collection. This data can be collected from private service providers like MPesa, Mastercard, and DHL, as well as online platforms.
- All data should be analysed in the most robust manner possible and an explanation of what data has been used, and why it is important, given.
- Best practices should be shared and all data should be considered a public good and shared on open platforms.
This paper is essential reading for anyone looking to collect data in Africa: academics, NGOs, and businesses. Barnard says, “The paper gives a broad overview of the challenges researchers face collecting data and gives ideas on how to address these challenges. It is a very practical guide to both qualitative and quantitative research on the continent.” She concludes by saying, “It is not easy to obtain quality data about business in Africa, but we ignore doing so to our peril.”
Link: https://content.gibs.co.za/cmscontent/media/4wfkyjsx/barnard_finding-quality-data-in-africa.pdf
