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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.

The local government in South Africa is important in providing critical services to communities, although local government is tasked with critical service delivery functions, many faces systemic challenges when fulfilling this responsibility. Mkhondo Local Municipality is no exception, challenges such as inefficiency, inadequate resource management, and limited public participation. This study is grounded in consequential theory, which underscores the significance of outcomes in assessing actions. This theoretical framework facilitates the exploration of strategic actions to enhance service delivery in Mkhondo. The aim of this article was to propose effective strategies to enhance service delivery at Mkhondo Local Municipality. This article adopted a qualitative methodology, with purposive sampling to select ten experienced participants from the supply chain management and finance units. Data was collected through one-on-one, semi-structured interviews with 10 key municipal staff members. The interview transcripts were analysed thematically using NVivo 12 to identify and organise the emerging themes. The results highlighted several barriers, including ineffectiveness of performance monitoring, inadequate procurement transparency, and minimal community involvement. The article recommends the implementation of performance-based accountability, improved stakeholder participation, and transparency in municipal procedures. It is recommended that municipal strategies are aligned with consequential theory to significantly improve service delivery. These interventions can foster greater transparency, efficiency, and public trust, providing a model for similar municipalities across South Africa.

Celebrity endorsement is a widely utilised strategic marketing method employed by companies globally. This study examines the influence of sport celebrity endorsement, with particular emphasis on Lionel Messi's effect on the profitability of the brands he represents. Two prominent brands, adidas and Louis Vuitton, both positioned within the top ten most valuable fashion brands in 2024, were selected for analysis. The study utilised secondary data to fulfil its aims. The findings indicate that Lionel Messi has a positive impact on profit generation for endorsed brands, underscoring the effectiveness of integrating high-profile sports celebrities into marketing communication strategies to enhance profitability. Brand managers who have not yet employed sports celebrity endorsements should consider this approach, as it has demonstrated a substantial impact on company profits. This study recognises specific limitations, as is common in research endeavours. Future research should evaluate the influence of local sports celebrities on the profitability of brands they endorse within the community. 

The research analysed a scoping assessment of conflict management studies among employees in developing nations, drawing on existing information. The study aimed to identify the conflict management tactics utilised by employees in developing nations and to assess the obstacles and outcomes related to conflict management practices in these contexts. This research was founded on a pragmatic viewpoint. A scoping review methodology was adopted utilising the PRISMA-ScR architecture. An iterative search was undertaken utilising terms such as “employee relations,” “conflict management,” and “developing countries,” based on six studies from various developing contexts. Studies were evaluated for relevance by examining titles, abstracts, complete texts, and methodological rigour following the removal of duplicates. A quality appraisal checklist evaluates the clarity of research aims, methodological transparency, relevance, credibility of findings, and overall confidence in the research, utilising thematic analysis.  The study indicated that the scoping review illustrates effective conflict management solutions employing a collaborative approach in developing nations and emphasises instances where interdisciplinary institutions enhance team cohesion, employee satisfaction, and workplace efficiency. These solutions encounter obstacles stemming from institutional deficiencies, insufficient funding, or inadequate training. The report advised that emerging nations require robust institutions that offer targeted training to enhance conflict management systems at all organisational levels

The aim of this paper was to analyse social entrepreneurs as the proponents towards achieving LED and ensuring the reduction of poverty and community empowerment. The emergence of social entrepreneurship in South Africa could improve LED, addressing imperative conundrums such as poverty, unemployment and inequality. The argument of this paper is that social entrepreneurs through their unique business models may play a critical role in ensuring a comprehensive LED, which could be sustainable to alleviate poverty and ensure community empowerment. The significance of social entrepreneurship cannot be circumvented in a country characterized by socio-economic ills, wherein people’s living standards continue to deteriorate. Thus, the capacity of both government and private sector remains questionable because of the perpetual challenges that ordinary people endure on the ground. Social entrepreneurs may help to rejuvenate underserved communities, especially in rural and township regions. The paper emphasized on how social enterprises foster inclusive development by generating employment, improving access to education, healthcare and financial services and uplifting historically marginalized groups like women and youth. This is a conceptual paper that adopted a literature-based methodology to fulfil its aim. It relied on secondary data sources to critique social entrepreneurship as a proponent for LED. The paper revealed that social entrepreneurs continue to play a significant role in improving the lives of the destitute both in rural and township areas. This paper underscored the need to have a proliferation of social entrepreneurs to resuscitate local economic hubs in South African rural and township areas. It concludes that for a comprehensive LED to take place, social entrepreneurs should be the paragons of LED.

Despite extensive legislations and child protection policies, Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) remains a persistent problem across South African rural communities. CSA remains a challenging issue globally with evidence of emotional and psychological impacts on victims, families and professionals assigned to respond to these incidents. This paper aims to examine institutional and  systemic barriers to preventing CSA in rural areas, with focus on low reporting and effective response to CSA cases focusing on Community Policing Forum (CPF), police officers and social workers. Guided by Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) the study adopted qualitative research approach to explore participants’ experiences of CSA investigation processes. Twenty-four participants: 5 CPF members, 15 police officers and 4 social workers were purposively selected. Data was collected through one-on-one semi structured interviews and analysed using Thematic Analysis (TA) informed by Braun and Clarke’s six phase approach. Three interrelated themes emerged: 1) insufficient knowledge, 2) Motivational fatigue, and 3) Dysfunctional institutional systems. Findings in this study revealed that failure to effectively respond to CSA emerges from inadequate facilities, individual capability and motivational fatigue. The study recommends clearly defined stakeholders’ roles, training, institutional support, and community-based prevention and awareness programmes. Furthermore, the study  recommends sustained intersectoral and multidisciplinary collaboration to address and eradicate barriers to CSA investigations through community-based programmes. Sustainable prevention method that can promote awareness, motivation, and effective collaboration to prevent, detect and diminish CSA are also essential to improve institutional accountability and ensure effective response to CSA in rural areas.

The current developments of geopolitical rivalry, pandemic disruptions, and techno-nationalism have led to a fundamental reconfiguration of the global economic order, creating strategic imperatives for the multinational enterprises (MNEs) that go beyond the traditional internationalization theory. This paper aims to contribute to the literature with a systematic review of the adaptation process of MNEs in the time of geopolitical fragmentation and deglobalization. We used PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) methodology to screen 200 initial records from Web of Science, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and JSTOR databases, resulting in 47 peer-reviewed articles, mostly published in the last eight years (2018–2026), and a few seminal articles from the past 30 years of international business studies. The analysis of our themes indicates that there are six main strategic response clusters: (1) reconfiguration of the supply chain, including reshoring, nearshoring, and friend-shoring; (2) geopolitical risk management via real options and diversification; (3) a renewed focus on regionalization over global integration; (4) digitalization as a strategic buffer; (5) nonmarket strategies, such as political adaptation and lobbying; and (6) de-internationalization, including staged divestment. We combine these themes into an integrative conceptual framework by integrating the EDGES themes (Economic Systems, Digital Disruptions, Geopolitical Fracture, Environmental Sustainability, and Socio-Cultural Ideology) with firm-level dynamic capability responses and performance outcomes. We find certain gaps that are of critical importance: lack of micro-level empirical evidence, lack of MNE perspectives from the emerging markets, and limited integration of artificial intelligence and geopolitics. The review contributes to the international business theory and provides practical guidelines for the management of MNEs in an increasingly fragmented world economy.

Section 24 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa guarantees everyone the right to an environment that is not harmful to health or well-being. It further requires the state to take reasonable measures to prevent environmental degradation, protect natural resources, and promote sustainable development. Despite this constitutional commitment, South Africa continues to experience increasing climate risks and environmental challenges. Small businesses, particularly those operating in informal and urban settings, are both contributors to and affected by these challenges. Their activities may contribute to environmental harm through poor waste management, inefficient energy use, and limited access to sustainable practices. At the same time, they remain vulnerable to climate impacts such as flooding, water shortages, and extreme weather events. This study examines how weaknesses in climate policy implementation undermine the practical realization of environmental rights under section 24. Using qualitative doctrinal and policy analysis, the study evaluates constitutional provisions, environmental legislation, climate policies, and governance frameworks. Literature reveal that South Africa has developed strong legal and policy frameworks, but implementation remains limited by weak enforcement, fragmented governance, inadequate institutional capacity, and poor coordination across government spheres. These challenges create a gap between constitutional commitments and the lived environmental realities of vulnerable communities and small businesses. Moreover, with appropriate support, these enterprises can adopt sustainable practices, improve resilience, and contribute to broader climate objectives. The study concludes that environmental rights under section 24 cannot be fully achieved through legislation alone. Effective implementation requires stronger accountability, coordinated governance, and practical support mechanisms. It recommends integrating small businesses into climate planning, improving access to climate education and green technologies, and providing incentives for sustainable practices. These measures can strengthen climate resilience, reduce environmental harm, and ensure that the constitutional right to a healthy environment is realized in practice.

Street food plays a vital role in the informal economies of many African countries, especially South Africa. However, evidence suggests that this food poses significant public health risks due to being prepared and sold under unsanitary conditions. This paper explored food safety challenges for street food vendors in Tshilamba, a rural township in Limpopo, South Africa, within the broader Southern African Development Community (SADC) context. This paper used a triangulated method to collect data from primary and secondary sources. It collected primary data from 23 street vendors and insights from 4 key stakeholders. The results indicate that over 80% of street food vendors work in informal, high-traffic areas such as bus terminals and marketplaces that often lack basic sanitation and infrastructure. This situation reflects comparable challenges faced by countries within the SADC region, such as Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe. In these contexts, vendors operating under analogous conditions are often subjected to eviction because of non-compliance with food safety regulations. Despite existing initiatives, food control programs throughout various regions of Africa continue to exhibit significant weaknesses and require substantial reform. Thus, the paper recommended the incorporation of informal food vendors into established food safety frameworks, the enhancement of regulatory oversight, and the allocation of resources towards the development of infrastructure that facilitates hygienic food vending practices. These actions are vital for improving public health and supporting informal livelihoods.

Armed conflict significantly disrupts public health systems, yet the mechanisms linking violence to endemic disease outbreaks remain insufficiently understood. This study examines how violent conflict affects disease governance and health service delivery across Sudan’s conflict-affected regions between 2000 and 2024. Using a spatial panel dataset that combines geo-referenced conflict events from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), epidemiological surveillance records, environmental indicators, and subnational governance measures, the analysis evaluates the relationship between conflict intensity, governance capacity, and endemic disease incidence. The results indicate that areas experiencing higher levels of violence exhibit significantly greater incidence of malaria, cholera, and measles. These effects are particularly pronounced where health infrastructure has been damaged and administrative capacity has weakened. Regions with stronger local governance demonstrate greater resilience, maintaining partial vaccination coverage and disease surveillance despite ongoing conflict. Spatial models further reveal significant spillover effects, with outbreaks spreading along displacement corridors and border regions. The findings highlight the central role of governance capacity in mediating health outcomes during armed conflict and underscore the importance of conflict-sensitive health interventions. Strengthening decentralized health governance, protecting health infrastructure, and improving cross-regional disease surveillance are essential for mitigating endemic disease risks in fragile and conflict-affected settings.