The surge in private international education provision, driven by globalisation, neoliberalism, and increased mobility, has transformed education into a global trillion-dollar industry, with Asia playing a pivotal role in this growth trajectory (ISC Research, 2023; Le, 2014; Machin, 2017). International schools are transnational spaces that serve as conduits for global mobility and the preparation of individuals for professional futures in transnational organisations (Machin, 2017; Lallo & Resnick, 2008). The burgeoning demand for high-quality education from the transnational capitalist class (TCC) has reshaped educational landscapes, with a notable preference for Western-style international schooling (Gumport, Lannozzi, Shaman, & Zemsky, 1997; ISC Research, 2023; Machin, 2017). As such, private education spending in Southeast Asia has reached nearly $60 billion (ISC Research, 2023).

Employee engagement is critical in driving organisational success. Leadership styles, behaviours, and competencies are vital in shaping employee engagement levels. Organisations need engaged employees to achieve business growth, market share, and competitive advantage. In South Africa, small, medium, and micro enterprises drive economic development, contributing 39% to the country’s Gross Domestic Product and employing approximately 60% of the labour force. South Africa’s low employee engagement levels hinder effective decision-making, talent retention, productivity, and business expansion, affecting the performance and sustainability of small, medium, and micro enterprises).

The World Economic Forum in 2020 drew attention to the U.S. Latino market as one of the fastest-growing economies, representing 18% of the demographic and contributing $2.8 trillion to the U.S. GDP in 2021. Recognizing the importance of full economic engagement by Latinos holds the potential to unlock multitrillion-dollar opportunities for organizations, as observed in a 2022 report by McKinsey & Company.

The Ugandan financial sector comprises non-deposit-taking microfinance institutions and deposit-taking institutions. Microfinance institutions provide financial assistance to the underprivileged worldwide to finance their small businesses. According to Ssekiziyivu et al. (2018), microfinance institutions in Uganda are essential in providing loans to support small and medium-sized firms that employ a large portion of the country’s workforce. Most microfinance institutions are non- deposit-taking microfinance institutions which lend to the majority of the small and medium-sized firms that contribute 20% of the gross domestic product and employ more than 60% of the labour force.