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This study investigates how geopolitical risk moderates the relationship between investor attention and stock market volatility in both emerging and developed markets. To achieve this objective, the GARCH-MIDAS model is employed to decompose daily market returns into short- and long-term volatility components. The Google Search Volume Index is used as a proxy for investor attention along with country-specific geopolitical risk indices which are assessed for the period spanning from 2014 to 2023. The findings reveal that the effect of investor attention on stock market volatility is not uniform but instead varies across and within developed and emerging markets. Furthermore, GPR is found to be a crucial factor that can either weaken, magnify, or change the nature of the relationship between investor attention and volatility depending on the surveyed economy. The findings highlight the critical role of geopolitical risk in shaping market dynamics, suggesting that both investors and policymakers should incorporate geopolitical factors in risk management and portfolio strategies. The study contributes to existing literature by providing a novel perspective on how geopolitical risk moderates the relationship between investor attention and market volatility, utilizing a comparative analysis across different economic regions, which has not been done before.

Global consumers are experiencing the adverse effects of over-indebtedness, which impacts their well-being. This study article emphasises the significant repercussions experienced by consumers regarding their welfare due to over-indebtedness. A qualitative research approach was employed to identify a deliberate sample of five registered debt counsellors and financial planners. Semi-structured interviews were employed, and theme qualitative analysis was performed. The results indicate that excessive debt adversely affects consumer well-being and quality of life. Inadequate financial well-being was recognised as the primary catalyst that exacerbated other issues for over-indebted consumers, including deteriorated physical and mental health. Moreover, stress and stigmatisation have been identified as detrimental consequences stemming from financial hardships. This article demonstrates that financial debt is correlated with and adversely affects consumer physical and mental well-being, highlighting the necessity for immediate solutions, including enhanced financial education and more robust laws.   

Parents and caregivers of children with developmental disabilities have a dual responsibility of addressing the child’s unique developmental needs while also negotiating broader societal expectations surrounding caregiving. Sustaining a balance between caregiving demands and personal well-being is often challenging, which increases their vulnerability to burnout and adverse mental health outcomes. This qualitative study used focus group discussions to explore the lived experiences of caregivers who were raising children aged 6 months to 12 years with various developmental disabilities in a rural setting. Participants were purposefully recruited from a regional hospital in northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, where they were accessing healthcare. Eighteen (n = 18) isiZulu-speaking caregivers participated in five focus groups. The data were analysed using a thematic approach that followed a set framework. Three overarching themes and eight subthemes emerged from the data, capturing their experiences, the intersecting challenges they encountered, and their responses to and adaptations to the undesired outcomes. The findings showed a significant gap in knowledge and access to information regarding children's conditions among families, community members, and health professionals. Psychological acceptance was foundational for coping with challenges and was perceived as essential, requiring a swift adjustment to their current reality. This study highlights the persistent and multifaceted challenges faced by caregivers of children with developmental disabilities. The primary burdens are rooted in systemic issues, specifically healthcare limitations and educational barriers. The findings show an urgent need for structured interventions that prioritise caregiver mental health.

In the past, accounting education has frequently placed an emphasis on individual abilities and processes; nevertheless, the field of accounting in the real world requires collaboration and critical thinking. This study investigates the ways in which collaborative learning practices might transform accounting classes into communities that actively solve problems, so better preparing students for the issues they would face in their professional lives. The research investigates the use of small-group work, think-aloud protocols, and peer knowledge sharing in the context of financial accounting education. This is accomplished through the observation of classrooms and the analysis of teaching techniques. The findings indicate that when students take part in collaborative problem-solving activities, they have the opportunity to acquire a more profound comprehension of various topics, a more enhanced awareness of their own thought processes, and improved analytical abilities. This study demonstrates how collaborative learning environments are similar to professional accounting practices. These environments are characterised by teams working together to analyse complex financial data and make decisions based on that analysis. Among the important tactics that have been discovered include think-aloud protocols that clarify thinking processes, planned group activities that foster multiple points of view, and opportunities for peer teaching that reinforce learning through discussion. According to the findings of the research, collaborative learning not only improves the problem-solving abilities of individuals, but it also helps to cultivate vital professional qualities such as communication, teamwork, and critical evaluation of various approaches. These discoveries have significant repercussions for accounting educators who are interested in moving beyond the conventional teaching methods and adopting methods that are more interesting and productive for their students. According to the findings of the study, the establishment of collaborative learning communities in accounting education necessitates the meticulous organization of group activities, the competent facilitation of peer interactions, and the establishment of a classroom culture that places a high value on different thinking and the exchange of information. Accounting students benefit from this method because it helps them improve their technical and analytical skills while also preparing them for the collaborative nature of professional work.

The Marshall-Lerner condition states that a trade balance improves after currency depreciation if trade elasticities exceed one. Using the Vector Error Correction Method (VECM), this study tests the condition for South Africa, focusing on how exchange rate changes affect the trade balance under a floating exchange rate regime. The analysis examines short- and long-run impacts on exports and imports to assess whether exchange rate adjustments can improve the trade balance. Findings reveal that global income growth and exchange rate appreciation positively influence exports, while imports increase with both appreciation and higher domestic income. Although exports and imports respond strongly to exchange rate changes, the Marshall-Lerner condition does not hold for South Africa, suggesting that exchange rate adjustments alone may not improve the trade balance.

This study examines the integration of digitalization, mobile applications, and vernacular languages in Small, Medium and Micro Enterprise (SMME) management within KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. A quantitative descriptive analysis was conducted using systematic probability sampling of 147 SMMEs across five sectors (agriculture, hospitality, construction, healthcare, and transportation) in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands region. Findings reveal significant gaps between policy support and the actual implementation of digital-vernacular language integration, with 45% of respondents indicating inadequate policy support and 58.9% expressing dissatisfaction with the current progress of digitalization.  Results suggest the need for targeted policy interventions to support the digital transformation of SMMEs that incorporate indigenous language capabilities. The study contributes to understanding the intersection of digital transformation and linguistic diversity in emerging economy entrepreneurship management, and the dynamic capabilities theory was undertaken as the benchmark to support the literature. The findings revealed a disconnect between the provision of support from policymakers and authorities regarding the program of action and deliverables that could help SMMEs integrate their entrepreneurial management with the demands of digitalisation, including resources and capabilities. The findings further exposed the gap between the expectations of SMMEs and the current level of digital and vernacular language integration in terms of systematic support and deliverables. Additionally, the findings characterized the slow pace of transformation supported by policymakers in digitalization, mobile applications, and the adoption of vernacular languages, which is already at an advanced stage in similar emerging economies in the global South.

The current global headwinds of trade wars triggered by the imposition of tariffs have rattled the geopolitical landscape, with policymakers having to repurpose their leadership acumen in the context of innovation within the public sector.  The contemporary era of the 5th Industrial Revolution, characterised by fast-advancing innovative technologies, has spurred the leaders to take the public spaces to the forefront and centre of their decision-making. These uncertainties and predictabilities have exerted more pressure on policy-makers and authorities to prioritise their leadership and innovative prowess to embrace the new normal of e-commerce, big data and cloud computing pervasiveness in the organisational environment. The study examined the collaboration of the transformational leadership perspective within the demands and challenges of the innovation culture and corresponding permutations within the public sector for the optimisation and maximisation of public value and social good. The study adopted an interpretivist research philosophy predicated on the inductive solicitation of the participants' inputs based on theoretical insights, expertise and experiences within the challenges juxtaposing leadership and innovation assimilation. A rigorous analysis of the extraction of contributions within the study findings revealed unbalanced nuances of innovation as an integral organisational inevitable culture, processes and intervention which should be led by the decision-makers and practitioners.  The implications indicate the urgent priority for the public sector entities to invest in innovations in infrastructure, facilities and software coupled with capabilities to drive this integral deliverable. Furthermore, findings presented that the adopted innovations demonstrated to be beneficial in terms of advancing service delivery expectations.

Technology, innovation, and economic shocks have transformed global financial markets. The latest global health pandemic has been compared to the 2008 global financial crisis, as investors, lawmakers, and regulators worldwide worried about economic collapse. Johannesburg Stock Exchange is Africa's largest. The JSE names SIFIs, whose failure would threaten SA's economy. Uncertainty increases failure risk, as seen in the GFC and COVID-19. This study examined how economic shocks affected investor confidence in South Africa's growing financial market, the JSE 15 Index. Analysis of data from January 1999 to December 2023 examined short- and long-term stock market impacts, the role of the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) in stability, and investor conduct during crises. The two economic shocks' effects on JSE 15 index stock prices were examined using Autoregressive Distributed Lags (ARDL) and correlation analysis. ARDL determines short- and long-term macroeconomic cointegration. Three macroeconomic variables—interest rates (T-Bills), inflation (CPI), and real effective exchange rate (REER)—are used to track their fluctuation during crises. The analysis shows a shift in investor confidence reflected in a considerable decline in financial performance throughout the crisis. As investors' risk tolerance differs, diversification benefits made abnormal returns unimportant. SARB's monetary and fiscal policies mitigated the pandemic. South African investors were also wary due to internal issues. The study shows that global commodity prices and currency rate volatility affect investor confidence more than domestic policy in emerging economies, adding to behavioural finance.

This study’s objectives were to assess the extent the AEO programme contributed to improved customs tax compliance among participating businesses and how the AEO programme has affected trade facilitation in South Africa. A mixed-method research approach was used, combining qualitative and quantitative data from a survey. The sample size was 22, selected through purposive stratified sampling, including 1 tax lecturer from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and 21 middle management employees from the South African tax administrator’s AEO department. Key informants reported that the AEO programme has enhanced compliance rates through the implementation of improvement initiatives, the establishment of partnerships, and support for non-compliant applicants. The AEO programme is a voluntary initiative created by the World Customs Organisation in order to ensure compliance and facilitate trade. The programme enhances trade by offering dedicated support through CRM teams, streamlining business operations, and ensuring the swift release of goods.