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This study examines how formal and informal institutional pressures influence public sector financial reporting quality in Ghana. Despite ongoing public financial management reforms, challenges such as weak enforcement of standards, inconsistent disclosures, and limited transparency continue to undermine reporting quality. Existing research has largely emphasised technical and administrative determinants, with limited attention to the role of institutional pressures in shaping reporting behaviour. Grounded in Institutional Theory, the study adopts a quantitative approach and collects data from 344 senior finance officers across ministries, departments, and agencies in Ghana. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) is employed to analyse the relationships between regulatory environment, government structure, societal expectations, stakeholder expectations, and financial reporting quality. The results indicate that government structure and societal expectations significantly enhance financial reporting quality, while the regulatory environment and stakeholder expectations have no significant direct effects. The study contributes to institutional theory by demonstrating that formal and informal pressures exert unequal influence in a developing-country public sector context. It also extends public sector accounting literature by providing large-sample empirical evidence from Ghana. The findings suggest that improving reporting quality requires strengthening governance structures, enhancing civic accountability mechanisms, and improving enforcement capacity.

Decentralized approaches to solid waste management (SWM) have gained global attention because of their provision for the effective participation of local communities. This study investigates community participation in decentralized solid waste management policy-making processes, drawing insights from Ghana. Using mixed methods, the study reveals that community participation only takes place at the policy implementation stage and takes the form of planning and managing community-led solid waste management initiatives such as occasional community clean-up exercise during festivals and public holidays, which are usually organized on a frequent basis. Regarding the factors that promote the solid waste management policy-making process, it was realized that “including the community in the solid waste management policy-making process” was the most important factor for the community to participate in the solid waste management policy-making process. Based on these findings, the top-down approach in solid waste management policy should be reversed to bottom-up approaches.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the enforcement mechanisms and compliance challenges in Africa’s Continental Trade Regime. This study employed the qualitative doctrinal and policy research design to explore the issue of the enforcement of transport services regulatory matters within the context of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The study adopted a doctrinal analysis of the AfCFTA instruments with a combination of thematic policy reviews; hence, it relied exclusively on secondary qualitative data obtained from authoritative legal and institutional sources. Primary data sources and materials comprise the AfCFTA Agreement, Protocol on Trade in Services, the Dispute Settlement Protocol, and relevant annexes that govern regulatory cooperation, market access, and nontariff barriers. The data collection procedure involved a systematic desk review and thematic analysis for qualitative studies to analyse the data. The review shows four main enforcement mechanisms of the regulatory framework of transport services under the AfCFTA. These include legal obligations and notification requirements, institutional oversight by AfCFTA bodies, peer review and political accountability, and dispute settlement mechanisms are some of the most outstanding aspects of the AfCFTA Agreement. Factors including regulation fragmentation, the absence of enforcement powers, non-transparency, and restrictive market access conditions, insufficient professional standards in commonality, insecurity, and transport barriers challenges the effectiveness of enforcement mechanisms. The authors conclude that the design of the AfCFTA alone is not adequate in facilitating the opening of the transport service. The study therefore provides pragmatic measures to strengthen the institutional capacity, harmonise the regulations, and monitor compliance better. These reforms can influence the reduction of trade costs, the improvement of supply chain reliability, and the attainment of the AfCFTA's broader aim of economic integration across the continent.

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 article investigates the impact of Supply Chain Relationship Management (SCRM) on operational efficiency, with a specific focus on the mediating role of information sharing. SCRM has been widely recognized for promoting collaboration and improving operational outcomes in supply chains. However, the effectiveness of SCRM practices is significantly enhanced when accompanied by robust information-sharing mechanisms. The study utilizes Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to analyze data collected from 108 supply chain professionals in the Sunyani Municipality, Ghana. The results show that information sharing plays a critical role in mediating the relationship between SCRM and operational efficiency, highlighting its importance as a mechanism for facilitating better coordination, reducing operational costs, and improving lead times. These findings offer valuable insights into how inter-organizational collaboration and effective information exchange contribute to operational improvements in supply chains, particularly within the pharmaceutical sector in developing economies. The study contributes both theoretical and practical perspectives on supply chain management.  

This paper aims to examine the quantile-based frequency connectedness between cryptocurrencies and platinum returns across different market conditions and investment horizons. In this paper, it is also aimed to evaluate the asymmetric and time-varying spillover effects between cryptocurrency markets and platinum returns within short-, medium-, and long-term horizons. The study discussed the Heterogeneous Market Hypothesis together with the concepts of cryptocurrencies and platinum as part of the theoretical and conceptual foundations underpinning the analysis. The study adopted the positivist research paradigm, quantitative research approach, and explanatory research design. We employed a hybrid analytical framework combining Quantile Regression (QR), Quantile-on-Quantile Regression (QQR), and Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition (EEMD) to capture the non-linear and frequency-dependent dynamics between the selected variables. A dataset comprising daily prices of Cardano (ADA), Binance Coin (BNB), Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), TRON (TRX), Tether (USDT), Dogecoin (DOGE), Ripple (XRP), and platinum returns sourced from CoinMarketCap and the Bloomberg L.P. Terminal was analysed. The main findings of the study demonstrate that (i) the connectedness between cryptocurrencies and platinum returns is generally weak and predominantly inverse in the short term, indicating minimal immediate spillover effects between the two asset classes, (ii) medium-term relationships become significantly stronger with positive dependencies dominating across most quantiles, suggesting increasing integration driven by speculative investment flows and evolving investor sentiment, and finally (iii) long-run connectedness is highly asymmetric and predominantly positive, particularly from cryptocurrencies to platinum returns, although occasional negative dependencies at lower quantiles indicate limited hedging and safe-haven properties during extreme market downturns.  

This paper aims to examine the quantile-based frequency connectedness between cryptocurrencies and palladium returns across different market conditions and investment horizons. In this paper, it is also aimed to evaluate the asymmetric and time-varying spillover dynamics between cryptocurrency markets and palladium returns in order to determine their diversification, hedging, and safe-haven characteristics. The study discussed the Heterogeneous Market Hypothesis together with the concepts of cryptocurrencies and palladium as part of the theoretical and conceptual foundation of the analysis. We employed a hybrid analytical framework combining Quantile Regression (QR), Quantile-on-Quantile Regression (QQR), and Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition (EEMD) to capture the non-linear and frequency-dependent relationships between the selected variables. Daily time-series data on palladium prices and major cryptocurrencies, namely Cardano (ADA), Binance Coin (BNB), Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), TRON (TRX), Tether (USDT), Dogecoin (DOGE), and Ripple (XRP), sourced from CoinMarketCap and Bloomberg Terminal, were analysed over the study period. Main findings of the study demonstrate that (i) the connectedness between cryptocurrencies and palladium returns is generally weak in the short term, indicating limited immediate spillover effects between the two markets, (ii) medium- and long-term horizons exhibit stronger and predominantly positive connectedness across most quantiles, particularly from cryptocurrencies to palladium returns, suggesting increasing financial integration over time, and finally (iii) the cryptocurrency–palladium return nexus is asymmetric and state-dependent, with palladium occasionally displaying limited hedging and safe-haven properties during periods of market distress. The study concludes that cryptocurrencies primarily function as diversification instruments rather than consistent hedging assets against palladium market risks. Based on the findings, investors and portfolio managers are encouraged to adopt medium- to long-term investment strategies when integrating cryptocurrencies and palladium within diversified portfolios, while closely monitoring persistent cryptocurrency market trends that may influence palladium price dynamics over time.

This paper examined the connectedness between Copper returns and major cryptocurrency returns, with particular attention to their predictive ability and their roles in diversification and risk transmission across varying market conditions and investment horizons. In this study, it is also aimed to evaluate how these relationships evolve across different quantiles and frequency domains, thereby capturing both distributional asymmetries and time-dependent dynamics. We employed a hybrid analytical approach combining Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition and Quantile-on-Quantile Regression to decompose the return series and estimate dependence structures across multiple quantiles and time scales. A dataset comprising daily observations of copper and selected cryptocurrencies, Cardano (ADA), Binance Coin (BNB), Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), TRON (TRX), Tether (USDT), Dogecoin (DOGE), and Ripple (XRP), covering the period from 17 September 2014 to 17 April 2026 was analysed. The main findings of the study demonstrate that (i) short-term connectedness between copper and cryptocurrencies is generally weak, indicating limited immediate transmission of shocks; (ii) medium- and long-term results reveal stronger and more structured dependence, with certain cryptocurrencies, particularly Bitcoin and Binance Coin, exhibiting notable predictive influence on copper returns alongside time-varying co-movements; and finally (iii) the relationship is highly state-dependent, with stronger and asymmetric spillovers emerging during extreme market conditions, suggesting that cryptocurrencies primarily serve as diversifiers rather than consistent hedges. These results highlight the dynamic nature of the cryptocurrency–copper nexus and provide important implications for portfolio diversification, risk management, and financial market monitoring in increasingly interconnected global markets.

This paper examined the connectedness between silver returns and major cryptocurrencies, with particular attention to their predictive ability and their roles as hedging, safe-haven, and diversification instruments across varying market conditions and investment horizons. In this paper, it is also aimed to evaluate how these relationships evolve across different quantiles and frequency domains, thereby capturing both distributional asymmetries and time-dependent dynamics. We employed a hybrid analytical approach combining Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition and Quantile-in-Quantile Regression to decompose the return series and estimate dependence structures across multiple quantiles and time scales. A dataset comprising daily observations of silver and selected cryptocurrencies, Cardano (ADA), Binance Coin (BNB), Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), TRON (TRX), Tether (USDT), Dogecoin (DOGE), and Ripple (XRP), covering the period from 17 September 2014 to 17 April 2026 was analysed. The main findings of the study demonstrate that (i) the short-term connectedness between silver and cryptocurrencies is generally weak and statistically insignificant, suggesting limited immediate transmission of shocks between the two markets; (ii) the medium- and long-term results reveal stronger and more structured dependence, with cryptocurrencies, particularly Bitcoin and Binance Coin, exhibiting notable predictive influence on silver returns, alongside evidence of time-varying co-movements; and finally (iii) the nature of the relationship is markedly state-dependent, as certain cryptocurrencies display hedging or diversification benefits under specific market conditions, while others exhibit mixed or asymmetric effects, especially during periods of extreme market stress. The findings indicate that the cryptocurrency–silver nexus is dynamic and evolves across both time horizons and market states, offering delicate implications for portfolio diversification, risk management, and financial market monitoring in an increasingly interconnected global environment.

This paper examined the effect of TQM on environmental performance (EP) and the mediating role of innovation (INN) in this relationship. We employed a quantitative research method and collected cross-sectional data from 320 SMEs in the food and beverages manufacturing industry OF Ghana. We further utilised PLS-SEM to analyse the data collected. The main results revealed that TQM has a favourable and substantial impact on EP (β = 0.812, p-value = 0.000) and on INN (β = 0.771, p-value = 0.000). Additionally, INN has a favourable and substantial impact on EP (β = 0.163, p-value = 0.000), and, finally, INN partially mediates the direct link between TQM and EP (β = 0.126, p-value = 0.000). However, this mediating effect was strongly influenced by continuous improvement, employee involvement and product innovation. Therefore, SMEs in the food and beverages manufacturing sector should consider investing more in continuous improvement and employee involvement initiatives. Also, pay close attention to and adapt to changes in taste and market trends related to their products.