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This study examines the long-run relationship between foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows and institutional quality within the Arab Maghreb Union (AMU), focusing on Algeria, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia over the period 2002–2019. Drawing on institutional theories of FDI, the analysis employs governance indicators such as political stability, control of corruption, government effectiveness, regulatory quality, and rule of law to assess their influence on investment dynamics. Using panel unit root and cointegration tests, the study confirms the existence of a stable long-term equilibrium among the variables. The Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares (FMOLS) estimator is applied to quantify these relationships. Empirical results indicate that control of corruption, political stability, and regulatory quality exert significant positive effects on FDI inflows, even after accounting for macroeconomic controls. Conversely, government effectiveness and rule of law show no statistically significant impact in the presence of the macroeconomic control variables. These findings underscore the critical role of institutional quality in shaping the investment climate of AMU economies. Policy implications suggest that targeted reforms such as strengthening anti-corruption frameworks, enhancing political stability, and improving regulatory governance can bolster institutional credibility, mitigate investment risk, and attract sustainable FDI to the region.  

The study examines how quality of governance influences the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows in Sub-Saharan Africa. The study adopts a quantitative research strategy that utilises panel data of selected countries during 28 years, that is, 1996-2023. Indicators of governance like Government Effectiveness (GE), Political Stability and Absence of Violence (AV), Rule of Law (RL), Regulatory Quality (RQ) and Voice and Accountability (VA). The findings indicate that Strong Governance frameworks significantly enhance FDI inflows in Sub-Saharan Africa. VA was found to be a very strong positive determinant. GE and PS were also found to have negative relationships in within-country analyses. The IFRS adoption, being a uniform variable throughout the sampled countries, was observed to increase investor confidence. These results imply that the improvement of governance are synergies that help to establish the stable, transparent, and predictable environment sought by investors. Thus, policymakers can improve the governance systems and provide citizen involvement in order to boost foreign investment and attract sustainable capital and economic growth in the region.

This study examines the impact of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) on economic growth in South Africa over the period 2000 to 2023. An Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression model was employed to assess the relationship between FDI inflows and Gross Domestic Product (GDP), while controlling for key macroeconomic variables. The findings reveal that FDI exerts a significant positive influence on economic performance, with a 1% increase in FDI inflows associated with a 1.93% rise in GDP. However, high inflation exerts a detrimental effect, with a coefficient of -1.99, highlighting the importance of macroeconomic stability. The analysis also indicates that trade openness contributes positively to economic growth, while political risk remains a substantial deterrent to investment, as shown by a coefficient of -3.11. These findings underline the importance of maintaining a stable political environment, managing inflation effectively, and enhancing trade liberalisation to maximise the benefits of FDI. Policy recommendations include strengthening regulatory frameworks and fostering trade openness.

This paper examines the causal relationship between foreign divestment (FD), economic growth, and financial development in African countries between 2000 and 2020. The research addresses the inadequately studied influence of macroeconomic variables on FD, focusing on the African context, where scholarly investigations on FD remain scarce. The study seeks to provide policymakers with insights on strategies to mitigate FD outflows and promote sustainable development. The research employs the Dumitrescu-Hurlin Panel Causality test to investigate causal relationships between FD, economic growth, and financial development. The study uses panel data covering multiple African nations over two decades, offering a robust temporal and spatial analysis. The approach emphasises examining unidirectional and bidirectional causation within the macroeconomic framework, contributing to a nuanced understanding of the interplay between these variables. The main findings of the study reveal a unidirectional causation between FD and economic growth across African countries, although this relationship is not consistent in all instances. Additionally, a bidirectional causal relationship is identified between FD and financial development (FIN). These findings underscore the interconnectedness of FD with macroeconomic stability and highlight the importance of fostering economic growth and financial sector development to address FD outflows effectively. This study contributes to the underexplored area of FD in African nations by highlighting its causal relationships with economic growth and financial development. It offers valuable insights for policymakers, scholars, and multinational enterprises (MNEs). The findings further underscore the importance of sound governance practices, economic stability, and financial sector development in mitigating FD outflows and fostering sustainable development in Africa.

Foreign capital inflows (FCI) are essential for economic growth in developing countries. This study examines the socioeconomic factors affecting FCI in 31 Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries, utilizing panel data from 1985 to 2019 and employing the System GMM dynamic modeling approach. The findings indicate that when foreign direct investment (FDI) is treated as an endogenous variable, real interest rate (RIR), life expectancy (LEX), GDP growth rate, and food security (foodsec) have significant positive impacts. Conversely, the real exchange rate (RER) and inflation (INF) negatively correlate with FDI. Human capital investment is not statistically significant while the relationship between lagged FDI and current FDI is positive but nonsignificant. When foreign portfolio investment (FPI) is considered an endogenous variable, only food security exhibits a positive and statistically significant factor, suggesting that food security can enhance FPI flows. The study recommends that SSA countries aiming to attract more FCI should focus on improving healthcare, food security, and education. It is also suggested that countries should develop highly skilled R&D employees, public and private scientific research institutions, and industrial concentration in a country because they fundamentally drive the development and success of foreign capital flow levels. Central banks should also implement effective strategies to optimize capital flows by advancing financial institutions.

The overarching aim of this study is to shed light on the effects of the competitive dynamics between local and international enterprises in townships and rural regions of the Chris Hani District Municipality (CHDM), Eastern Cape province, South Africa. To achieve this aim, our study compares the effects of these selected strategies between local and foreign businesses owned by local and foreign traders in townships and rural areas in the CHDM. We employed a quantitative research approach using questionnaires to gather data. In the complete model, the indirect effect of product diversification (PD) on competition dynamics (CD) through pricing strategy (PS) is minimal and non-significant. Similarly, for foreign businesses and local businesses, the mediation effect remains negligible. These findings suggest that while PD influences CD directly in some contexts, PS does not play a significant intermediary role. Overall, the results highlight the direct impact of PD on CD, particularly for foreign businesses. The mediating role of PS is negligible, and the importance of diversification for competition differs significantly between foreign and local businesses. These findings suggest the need for tailored diversification strategies based on the business context to enhance competitive positioning

This paper explores the role of strategic government communication in attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to Zimbabwe in the post-Mugabe era, using a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) methodology. The study investigates how government communication strategies, including diplomatic engagement, national branding, and media outreach, influence investor perceptions and contribute to economic growth. The review identifies key insights, noting that Zimbabwe’s efforts to rebrand itself through campaigns like "Zimbabwe is Open for Business" have enhanced its image internationally and attracted investments, particularly in the mining and infrastructure sectors. However, the study highlights several challenges, including political instability, inconsistent policies, and competition from other African nations, which continue to hinder Zimbabwe's full potential in attracting FDI. The findings suggest that while strategic communication has been effective in improving Zimbabwe’s image, further steps are needed to ensure consistent policy frameworks and address investor concerns regarding security and economic stability. The paper concludes that sustained efforts in refining communication strategies, alongside policy consistency, are essential for Zimbabwe to become a more competitive investment destination. Additionally, future research directions are proposed, including comparative studies with other African nations and an exploration of the role of non-governmental actors and digital platforms in enhancing FDI attraction.  

Despite extensive research on foreign direct investment (FDI), the specific dynamics and determinants affecting FDI inflows to South-Eastern Asia remain largely unexplored.  This study using Dunning's OLI theory to identify the economic determinants of foreign direct investment (FDI) and examines the correlation between FDI inflows and the ease of doing business (EODB).  This study aims to examine the effect of ease of doing business indicators on foreign direct investment inflows and the degree to which they affect the volume of FDI inflows in South-Eastern Asia.  Interest in the determinants of foreign direct investment has surged, as it is regarded as essential for capital inflows to poor countries.   This research utilises a Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares (FMOLS) panel regression to analyse FDI flow variations among seven countries—Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam—during the period from 2006 to 2019.  The results indicated a substantial and enduring correlation between foreign direct investment (FDI) and the enforcement of contracts, investor protection, tax compliance, and GDP per capita.  The research underscores the significance of EODB variables in attracting FDI to South-East Asia.  Policymakers must prioritise enhancing the business environment by streamlining processes, including investor protection and tax system simplification.  By prioritising certain sectors, governments can cultivate a more conducive environment for foreign investors, leading to heightened FDI inflows.  The results suggest that targeted reforms in these critical sectors can significantly enhance South-East Asia's appeal as a foreign direct investment destination.

Global trade has significantly expanded over the past thirty years in both developed and emerging economies, a phenomenon assisted by advancements in transportation, telecommunications, and industry. Extensive trading fosters financial links between national economies, hence promoting economic progress. This article aims to investigate the interrelationship among foreign direct investment, trade, and South Africa's economic growth.  Econometric techniques, including the autoregressive distributed lag bound test, were used to annual data from 1988 to 2022. The findings indicated that economic growth is positively affected by foreign direct investment and exports in both the short and long term. This indicated that foreign direct investment and exports are substantial contributions to economic growth.This analysis indicates that both foreign direct investment (FDI) and trade significantly impact the macroeconomic environment and influence economic growth. Developing countries such as South Africa must use diverse strategies to guarantee elevated rates and quality of economic growth. Improvements in the investment climate and the establishment of incentives are necessary to enable the equitable allocation of resources across various sectors to address employment challenges, poverty rates, and the maintenance of growth. Export-oriented strategies should be adopted. Therefore, it is essential to analyse the determinants of economic growth by examining foreign direct investment and trade in the context of South Africa, particularly in relation to the country's performance as measured against the National Development Plan targets since the post-1994 period.

There is a limited amount of literature and data available on the topic of foreign divestment in African countries. The majority of research examining international divestment have primarily concentrated on a single-country context and have utilised factors at the level of individual firms. Unlike other papers, this study took a comprehensive approach by examining foreign divestiture across multiple countries on a continental scale. We analyse the correlation between foreign divestment, financial development, and economic growth over both short and long periods using annual data from 2000 to 2020 in 35 African nations. The principal estimating technique employed was the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) co-integration approach. The study's primary findings revealed a favourable enduring correlation between foreign divestiture and financial development, while indicating an unfavourable enduring correlation between foreign divestment and economic growth. Furthermore, the study found that there is a negative correlation between international divestiture and financial development in the short term. On the other hand, there is a positive and significant correlation between foreign divestment and economic growth. Thus, it is imperative for policymakers to implement rules with efficiency and promote foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows in order to enhance economic growth and development in African countries. Additionally, it is imperative for authorities to establish a surveillance system to monitor these connections and adapt policy accordingly in light of evolving economic conditions. The results of this study will not only enhance scholarly discussions, but also offer valuable insights to policymakers, practitioners, businesses, and foreign investors on how to effectively execute policies that promote economic growth and foreign investment in Africa. Moreover, this study provides suggestions for future investigations in the field of foreign divestment.  

This study looks at potential barriers to internationalization that SMMEs in South Africa may face while implementing service quality strategies. The contingency theory, which underpins this essay, emphasizes the necessity for SMMEs to employ a variety of techniques for resolving issues that may impede the implementation of a service quality strategy for the international market. Thematic analysis methods were used in this paper's qualitative research technique, and secondary sources were predominantly used to acquire data on both the private and public sectors. A comprehensive search was used to find the foundational literature for the qualitative study. The results obtained indicate that SMMEs struggle to put their specific strategies into practice because of things like management support, vision barriers, resource barriers, organizational leadership and commitment issues, a lack of knowledge about international markets, technological barriers as a barrier to strategy implementation, and culture, environment, and change management. The authors recommend small and medium-sized enterprises (SMMEs) devote sufficient effort, resources, and staff to the implementation of their service quality improvement strategy for internationalization. Furthermore, it is advised that SMMEs prioritise service quality strategies for internationalization as well as the necessity of pursuing joint ventures with other multinational enterprises. High leadership dedication, increased global technology improvement, and consideration of environmental considerations will all contribute to improved service quality for the international market. All of this is done to make it easier to implement a strategy and supply appropriate services to all SMMEs in South Africa.