This paper presents a systematic literature review, conducted following the PRISMA 2020 framework, to investigate the role of digital and technological tools in facilitating Circular Economy (CE) adoption within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Despite their critical contribution to global economies, SMEs encounter significant barriers, including financial constraints, technological complexity, and regulatory ambiguities that hinder their transition to circular models. This review synthesises evidence from 45 peer-reviewed journal articles, case studies, and industry reports published between 2018 and 2025. The findings demonstrate how technologies such as AI, IoT, and blockchain enhance resource efficiency, supply chain transparency, and product lifecycle management. Key enablers identified include government subsidies, targeted training programmes, and collaborative innovation networks, which collectively mitigate adoption barriers. Employing a critical analytical lens, this review moves beyond cataloguing tools, synthesising findings into an integrative framework that links SME digital maturity with circular innovation capacity. The study offers a unique theoretical contribution by merging the discourse on digital transformation with circular economy principles within the specific context of SMEs, an area that has not been thoroughly examined. Practically, it offers actionable implications for SME managers, policymakers, and technology developers, advocating for tailored, cost-effective digital solutions and coherent policy frameworks. By mapping the current research landscape and proposing a focused agenda for future inquiry, this review aims to accelerate sustainable innovation and bolster the competitiveness of SMEs in an evolving circular economy.

The study explored the causes of corporate failure among financial institutions using the Altman Z-scores. Traditionally, most finance professionals and firms depend on ratio analysis to determine performance, but the application of models like the Altman Z-Scores has hardly been utilized to analyze firm performance and predict potential failure. The major objective of this study was to assess the level to which Altman Z-scores can be used in determining corporate failures a year or two years before insolvency. The research used a mixed methods approach in gathering data. Financial data from annual reports and statements were quantitatively analyzed to compute key financial ratios essential for deriving the Altman Z-Score. Qualitative methods were also employed to explore best financial practices that can mitigate corporate failure risks in Zimbabwean financial institutions. A total of 20 industry experts, including financial analysts, regulators, and financial institution executives, were purposively selected based on their qualifications and experience, for interviews to gather qualitative data. The findings of the study highlight the Altman Z-Score model’s effectiveness in predicting financial distress well in advance while also highlighting governance, risk management, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency as critical areas for mitigating corporate failure. The effectiveness of the Altman Z-Score model and its reliability in identifying at-risk companies both two years and one year before failure was confirmed and the findings give pointers to consider in developing policies that promote financial stability and resilience in the corporate sector.

Smallholder farmers are the cornerstone of global agricultural value chains but are systematically excluded from the formal financial system, subjected to crippling obstacles such as unavailability of collateral and obscure patterns of trading. This situation is practically acute in Zimbabwe, where farmers face devastation due to crippling financial exclusion fueled by hyperinflation, insufficient collateral, and fragmented credit markets. This study examines how tokenization and blockchain can address this exclusion. The research is informed by Institutional Theory and the Capabilities Approach. A qualitative single-case study utilizing purposive sampling enrolled 32 participants from Zimbabwe's agricultural sector. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews (n=25) between agri-tech innovators, smallholder farmers, and union representatives, augmented by four focus groups and documentary analysis. Data were analyzed thematically using NVivo Version 15 with trustworthiness ensured via triangulation and member-checking. The results suggest that tokenizing farm assets has the potential to make pre-harvest finance accessible and bring transparency. Major impediments like digital literacy deficits, infrastructural constraints, and regulatory ambiguity inhibit adoption. The study concludes that blockchain must be co-designed within a zone which ranges from institutional deficits to farmers' financial capabilities and steers clear of technical solutionism if it is to unlock its transformative potential.

This study, using the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) Regression Model, investigated the extent to which good corporate governance practices can minimise or alleviate corporate failure in the Zimbabwean Financial Services Sector. The results of the study reflected that sound corporate governance has a positive effect on corporate success and can alleviate corporate failure. It is thus recommended that financial institutions continuously adhere to sound corporate governance practices to guarantee corporate success and alleviate the collapse of financial institutions as has been witnessed in the past. The findings of the study will assist policy makers, regulators and players in the financial services sector to adhere to sound corporate governance practices, given its impact on corporate success. Further research could be carried out with regards the implementation of sound corporate governance in parastatals, quasi-government institutions and private sector companies in other sectors other that the financial services sector and how it can be monitored or enforced.

In today's fast-paced and ever-evolving business landscape, effective risk management and pricing strategies have become crucial for organisations to stay competitive and maximise profitability. In order to effectively manage risks, identify possible threats, and seize opportunities, businesses need to take a proactive and holistic approach to risk management. The current business landscape has left businesses of any size or type, anywhere in the world, facing a wide range of risks which could cause them long-term harm, from financial penalty to reputational damage. Through a systematic review of the literature, this book chapter delved into the ways in which technology is being leveraged to ensure business resilience in risk management, exploring insights from different perspectives and providing an in-depth understanding of the options available. This book chapter also proposed strategic approaches to leveraging and integrating these technologies and innovations into effective risk management and ensure business continuity and resilience.