The Moderating Role of Indigenous Knowledge Systems in the Relationship between Social Sustainability and Performance of Artisanal Miners in Bindura, Zimbabwe

Abstract

Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) have been noted to improve social sustainability development efforts in localised communities. In the context of artisanal miners (AMs), the argument is that including IKS in social sustainability (SS) efforts leads to improved financial and operational performance of these entities. In the Zimbabwean context, there is a dearth in the literature to support this argument. Thus, there is a research gap in the studies on how IKS influences SS practices of AMs and how this moderation impacts the financial and operational performance of the AMs. The study seeks to establish the moderating effect of IKS on the relationship between SS practices and the performance of AMs. The study is based on the positivist research philosophy and uses the deductive approach. The quantitative method is used. Data for the study were collected using questionnaires distributed to AMs in Bindura District of Mashonaland Central. A total of 372 responses were obtained from a sample of 400, indicating a 93% response rate. The study found that IKS have a statistically significant positive moderating role in the relationship between SS and the performance of the AMs. This means that if AMs include elements of IKS in their SS practices, they stand a high chance of improving their operational and financial performance. The study contributes to the sustainability agenda through showing how IKS can be used as a vector in improving the performance of AMs once it gets integrated in the SS practices. The study provides empirical findings on how IKS moderates the impact of SS on performance, in the context of AMs.