GWERU, Zimbabwe — Seasoned legal practitioner and governance expert Advocate Canaan F. Dube defended his doctoral thesis at Midlands State University’s (MSU) Gweru Main Campus on 9 March 2026, demonstrating how ethics-driven leadership directly secures the long-term sustainability of Zimbabwe’s listed entities.
The PhD viva voce represents a rigorous final examination where candidates must prove the originality and practical relevance of their research before a panel of academic experts.
Advocate Dube’s study, titled “Ethics Driven Leadership, Board Functions and Sustainable Firm Performance in Zimbabwe’s Listed Entities,” investigates the intersection of morality and corporate governance.
Analysis of data from 282 respondents across listed companies and regulatory bodies allowed the research to establish a statistically significant link between ethical leadership and robust firm performance.
The findings indicate that an ethical approach to leadership bolsters five critical organisational pillars: economic viability, social responsibility, governance standards, environmental stewardship, and ethical conduct.
Attending academics lauded the work as a pivotal contribution to the contemporary discourse on corporate accountability and sustainable business practices.
The event marked a poetic return for Advocate Dube, who previously served the institution as its inaugural Chairperson of Council during its formative years.
His transition from his former role as head of the University Council to a doctoral candidate underscores a profound commitment to lifelong learning and intellectual growth.
The successful defence illustrates how decades of professional legal experience can be synthesised with academic rigour to generate knowledge that strengthens national institutions.
Advocate Dube’s journey serves as a compelling testament that the pursuit of excellence is a continuous evolution, proving that the most impactful leaders are those who never cease to be students of their craft.