bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of Determinants of Dividend Policy in Vietnam and the US Markets
Authors: Nguyen Yen Hai Thi
Published: January 2025

This study aims to investigate determinants that impact a company’s dividend policy in the Vietnam and US markets by researching public nonbank financial firms from 2017 to 2021 by applying panel data of 30 businesses listed on the Vietnam Stock Exchange and 30 businesses listed on the American Stock Exchange during the reporting period. Panel data is constructed with four independent variables in the Vietnam market, including liquidity, size, profitability, and leverage, and five independent variables in the US market, including investment opportunities, liquidity, size, profitability, leverage. The model investigates the association between a firm’s dividend policy and the independent variables. The dependent variable in the panel model is the dividend yield, whereas the independent variables are Tobin’s Q (in the American market), current ratio, ln (total asset), return on equity, and debt-to-equity ratio. Other tests, including diagnostic tests (multicollinearity, heteroskedasticity, and Durbin-Watson), are also conducted in the study. This paper not only analyzes the determinants affecting dividend policy but also explores the dividend policy of the different researched markets. The first result implies that dividend yield changes in Vietnam can be explained by liquidity, size, and profitability; so, collected firms in Vietnam tend to pay dividends regularly. The second result shows that dividend yield changes in the US can be clarified by investment opportunities and liquidity, so collected firms in the US tend to reinvest in long-term growth objectives.
PENGARUH CREATIVITY IN ADS, CELEBRITY REPUTATION DAN ADS SCHEDULING TERHADAP CONSUMER ATTITUDE FORMATION YANG DIMEDIASI OLEH ADS EFFECTIVENESS
Authors: Andriyani Bianka , Wibowo Norbert Christian , Wahyuni Annisa Eka , Simbulan Sherly
Published: January 2025

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis pengaruh kreativitas dalam iklan, reputasi selebriti, dan penjadwalan iklan terhadap pembentukan sikap konsumen terhadap produk AQUA, dengan efektivitas iklan sebagai variabel mediasi. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode kuantitatif dengan pendekatan survei, di mana data dikumpulkan melalui kuesioner yang diberikan kepada 132 responden yang merupakan konsumen produk AQUA. Teknik analisis data yang digunakan adalah Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) untuk menguji hubungan antarvariabel penelitian. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa kreativitas dalam iklan, reputasi selebriti, dan penjadwalan iklan secara signifikan berpengaruh positif terhadap efektivitas iklan. Efektivitas iklan, pada gilirannya, berperan sebagai mediator yang signifikan dalam hubungan antara kreativitas iklan, reputasi selebriti, dan penjadwalan iklan terhadap pembentukan sikap konsumen. Temuan ini menggarisbawahi pentingnya elemen-elemen tersebut dalam merancang strategi periklanan yang efektif untuk membangun sikap positif konsumen terhadap produk. Studi ini memberikan kontribusi praktis dengan menunjukkan bahwa perusahaan perlu fokus pada kreativitas, memilih selebriti yang memiliki reputasi baik, dan menyusun jadwal iklan yang strategis untuk meningkatkan efektivitas kampanye dan daya tarik konsumen.
Effective Communication in a Global Context
Authors: Tinnefeld Thomas
Published: January 2025

This volume provides a comprehensive exploration of global communication in today's world. By examining the complex interplay of interconnectivity, interculturality, and interdisciplinarity, it provides insights for scholars, practitioners, and students alike. The range of topics covered, from the teaching of global English to the nuances of intercultural competence, reflects the multifaceted nature of communication in our modern era.
The ideas presented in this volume serve as a guide to improving our ability to communicate effectively across cultural and linguistic boundaries. The emphasis on the prefix inter- throughout the book emphasises the fundamental interconnectedness of all aspects of global communication and reinforces the holistic approach needed to understand and address the challenges of our time.
Ultimately, this collection of scholarly chapters not only contributes to the academic discourse on global communication but also offers practical insights for those seeking to improve their intercultural and interdisciplinary communication skills. As we continue to face the complexities of our interconnected world, the perspectives and knowledge shared in this book will undoubtedly prove invaluable in fostering more effective and meaningful global communication.
Perspektif Variabilitas Pengauditan dan Employee Fraud Tendency pada Entitas Otomotif
Authors: Saifudin  , Alinsari Natasia
Published: January 2025

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of auditing variability proxied by fraud diamond, auditor experience and due professional care on employee fraud tendency in automotive entities. This research method uses quantitative methods, with primary data on internal auditors at PT Nusantara Sakti in West Java and Central Java. The results of this study indicate that fraud affects employee fraud tendency, while auditor experience and due professional care have no effect on employee fraud tendency.
Return Saham Pada Perusahaan Perbankan Di Indonesia
Authors: Sunarwijaya I Ketut , Ernawatiningsih Ni Putu Lisa , Dwiastari Gek Ayu Sindy
Published: January 2025

A stock return is the result or rate of return of a stock or investment. Expressed as a fixed percentage. If the company issuing the stock is healthy, the stock price will tend to perform better and the return received will increase. Analysis is performed using factors of profitability, solvency, liquidity, operating cash flow, and company size to examine which factors influence stock returns. The purpose of this study is to review the impact of profitability, solvency, liquidity, operating cash flow and company size. Equity returns of banking companies listed on the Indonesian Stock Exchange for the period 2019-2021. The data collection methods used in this study are library research and documentation. The method used to determine the sample for this study is targeted sampling. The sample size for this study was 29 samples, for a total sample size of 87. The data analysis technique used was multiple regression analysis. The results of this study show that liquidity and firm size have a positive impact on stock returns. Solvency has a negative impact on equity returns. Although profitable, operating cash flow does not affect shareholder returns.
Entre o Documental e o Poético: Uma Conversa com Pauliana Valente Pimentel
Authors: Patrício Leitão Catarina
Published: January 2025

No atelier de Pauliana Valente Pimentel, no complexo dos Coruchéus em Lisboa, fotografias estão dispostas numa aparente casualidade. São vidas contadas em imagens, mas trespassa a tensão latente entre o documental e o poético — as subjetividades líricas que atravessam a objetividade da lente, transformam o quotidiano num espetáculo que acabou de terminar ou que está prestes a começar. Curiosamente é geóloga. Ainda que a fotografia seja determinante na ciência, foi na captação da geologia-humana que Pauliana Valente Pimentel encontrou a sua vocação: da sua obra transpira o cruzamento do universo onírico e o improviso narrativo, ainda assim real e concreto.
O percurso na fotografia começa em 1999, com a publicação de fotorreportagens para revistas de viagem enquanto ainda trabalhava como geóloga. Mas terá sido David Alan Harvey, fotógrafo da National Geographic e membro da Magnum entre 1997 e 2020, o impulso disparador da sua carreira na fotografia autoral. Contactou de perto ainda com Amy Arbus, Bob Sacha, Alex Majoli ou Erich Lessing, o que lhe permitiu refinar as estratégias plásticas, formais e técnicas, na constituição das fotonarrativas intensas que caracterizam o seu trabalho.
Images from Portuguese late colonialism by the lens of women photographers
Authors: Vieira Gomes Inês
Published: January 2025

This article examines the uses of photography by women within the Lusophone Africa and will consider what part their images played in the production of the colonial imaginary. The aim of this article is to survey the work of women who produced knowledge through the photographic lens and to question their absence in Portuguese historiography. By recognising women as active agents of the empire allows to give visibility to women photographers in colonial spaces while also refuting the label “women” as being a homogeneous category.
Considering some case studies, I will focus on the production of some women photographers from different backgrounds and with distinct purposes through a chronological perspective with the assumption of the relevant women’s contribution to the history of photography.
Successful surgical management of aural hematoma with the application of polycaprolactone splint in 7 dogs and 3 cats
Authors: Xie Yixing , Deng Yintong , Teng Xiaying , Li Heyu , Li Linghao , Xv Dongxin , Chen Yizhou
Published: January 2025

OBJECTIVE

To report cases of aural hematoma (AH) in 7 dogs and 3 cats treated with polycaprolactone (PCL) splint application.

ANIMALS

7 dogs and 3 cats.

CLINICAL PRESENTATION

4 dogs and 2 cats presented with generalized AH, whereas 3 dogs and 1 cat presented with localized AH. All cases were investigated between December 2022 and June 2024. The hematoma area was measured to allow appropriate sizing of the PCL splint material. The surgery involved aspirating the hematoma and applying PCL splints to the auricle with sutures.

RESULTS

The mean time of PCL splint application was 16.3 ± 4.6 days for all animals. Clinical signs were resolved in 5 dogs and 3 cats (8 of 10 AHs [80%]). Complications occurred in 3 cases. Two dogs (2 of 10 AHs [20%]) experienced recurrence at 7 and 10 days, which was suspected to be associated with the premature removal of the PCL splints; new PCL splints were applied to these dogs, and no recurrence of AH was observed upon their removal at 21 and 23 days. One dog exhibited localized wrinkling of the auricle. There were no other cases of recurrent AH during the long-term follow-up period of > 6 months.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

The PCL splint application is safe and efficacious for treating AH in dogs and cats, whether localized or generalized, initial or recurrent. This simple surgical procedure minimizes iatrogenic skin trauma, and this approach may represent a valid alternative to other available treatments.
Developing a trading strategy for investment portfolio construction based on leading indicators
Authors: MIRONOV Roman Yu. , SOFILKANICH Ivan V.
Published: January 2025

Subject. The article considers a trading strategy for investment portfolio construction, using leading indicators.
Objectives. The aim of the study is to shape an investment strategy with the preservation of capital in the stock market during crisis periods, based on leading indicators.
Methods. We employed traditional methods of cognition (analysis and synthesis, analogy, generalization, etc.), the graphical method, and backtesting.
Results. The paper highlights the main disadvantages of the existing methods of investment portfolio creation, classifies the most popular leading indicators according to their economic meaning, and tests them to predict the future dynamics of the S&P500 index. We offer a new approach to the formation of a securities portfolio based on leading indicators, and prove the effectiveness of the new trading strategy compared to the S&P500 index performance.
Conclusions. A trading strategy based on leading indicators enables investors to anticipate the onset of crisis periods to exit risky assets and predict the beginning of recovery phase of the economy to restore positions in market instruments. At the same time, the approach to forming an investment portfolio based on leading indicators has a wide scope for improvements, starting from combining various leading indicators and ending with the use of expert assessments to select an asset. This approach can be used by all groups of investors not only as a separate approach, but also in combination with other trading strategies.
Assessment of the state of regional social infrastructure facilities in the paradigm of their image transformation
Authors: SYCHEVA Irina V. , SYCHEVA Natal’ya A.
Published: January 2025

Subject. This article discusses the issues of development of the regional social infrastructure.
Objectives. The article aims to determine the parameters that help objectively assess the comfort conditions for providing social services, considering the education sector as a case study.
Methods. For the study, we used the methods of critical, systems, logical, and structural analyses.
Results. The article finds that potential consumers of services have increased requirements for transport accessibility, material and technical support, and catering. Environmental parameters are also important.
Conclusions. The results of the study can be used to develop programmes for the modernization of social facilities.
Environment Uncertainty, Earnings Volatility and Their Role in Financial Statement Fraud?
Authors: Lin Oktris  , Agustin Fadjarenie  , Apollo Daito  , Zuha Rosufila Bt Abu Hasan
Published: January 2025

This study examines the influence of environmental uncertainty (EU) and earnings volatility (EV) on fraudulent financial statements (FFS)  in Indonesia’s manufacturing sector. The research utilises observational data from 902 instances across 188 manufacturing companies from 2019 to 2023, employing multiple regression analysis to test the relationships between variables. The results reveal that EV has a significant positive effect on FFS, while EU does not show a significant impact. The novelty of this study lies in its integrative approach, considering the interactive effects between EU and EV, which have been underexplored in previous literature. The findings suggest that high earnings volatility can be an early indicator of financial statement manipulation. The practical implications emphasise the importance of closely monitoring earnings volatility by regulators and auditors as a preventive measure against financial fraud and strengthening internal control mechanisms and corporate governance to minimise the risk of financial statement manipulation.
Advancing Sustainability Through Artificial Intelligence: Implications for Firm Value in Indonesia
Authors: Mulyana Dendi , Widyaningsih Aristanti , Rozali Rozmita Dewi Yuniarti
Published: January 2025

This research seeks to explore the influence of AI adoption on ESG performance and further assess the mediation effect of ESG performance in the relation between AI adoption and firm value. The research was carried out from 2020 to 2023 on companies in Indonesia, yielding 288 observational data points. A multivariate analysis was performed utilising partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to assess the hypothesis. The findings from hypothesis testing demonstrate that AI adoption has a significant favourable impact on ESG performance. Similarly, ESG performance significantly enhances firm value. Additionally, the indirect effects analysis reveals that ESG performance effectively mediates the positive relationship between AI adoption and firm value. AI enhances ESG performance by serving as a strategic resource, improving efficiency, and advancing sustainability to meet stakeholder expectations, further enhancing corporate value. This research encourages government support, managerial integration, and standardised policies for AI-driven business sustainability.
Using the GPR Method to Detect Weak Zones in the Soil underneath the Foundation of the Ghaidan Building, Karbala City, Iraq
Authors: Mohammed Ammar J.
Published: January 2025

The study area holds great importance as it is situated in the historically significant region of Karbala, one of the most religious centers in the entire Islamic world. The Al-Hussein and Al-Abbas holy shrines are religious and archaeological sites, for more than 600 years ago. Karbala has more importance for all Islamic peoples because it is the place of Al-Imam Al-Hussein and his brother Al-Abbas holy shrines and martyr graves of Al-Hussein family and friends whom they had martyred beside him in Al-Tuff battle in the year 61 hijri. The word Karbala means soft earth, but historically, it meant life and safety. According to old Iraqi language the name of Karbala was country of safety.    Ghaidan building is located at the center of Karbala about 100 km south of Baghdad. It is a modern building that was built in 2020 on soil containing the ruins of an old building. The area of the building is 71 m2 and its dimensions are 6.20m ×11.45m.  A differential settlement of the soil occurred due to the dewatering process for a nearby building, which led to the withdrawal of fine soil particles and consequently the occurrence of cavities, and then differential settlement, which led to its inclination towards the southeast. The main purpose of conducting a Ground Penetrating Radar survey is to identify areas of weakness in the soil underneath the foundation of the building. The presence of cavities and weak zones in the soil underneath the foundation caused a movement of the building structure towards the southeastern side, which represents the front part of the building. It is indicated that the soil underneath the foundation down to 5.5 m is relatively loose (i.e., not compacted), which causes differential settlement and affects, to a large extent, the building structures.
Synthesis and Analysis of PVC Selective Membrane for Determination of Diazepam Based on Bulk Molecular Imprinted Polymer
Authors: Emad Maryam , Al-Bayati Yehya Kamal
Published: January 2025

study developed two electrodes using molecularly imprinted polymers (MIP) for the selective recognition of Diazepam (DZP). Ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) was employed as the cross-linking monomer to polymerize allyl bromide, which acted as the functional monomer. DZP was used as the template molecule during the polymerization process to introduce recognition sites in the polymer matrix complementary to its size, shape and functional groups. For comparison, non-imprinted polymers (NIP) were also synthesized using an identical combination of EGDMA and Allyl bromide as the MIP, but without the incorporation of the DZP template. Evaluations are conducted on the slop is 29.31258 and 25.818933, linearity range (M) 5×10-5-1×10-2,5×10-5-1×10-2, correlation coefficient 0.9964,0.9994 and the detection limit (M)5.5×10-6 - 5×10-6 relatively for DIA-MIP electrodes. Selectivity tests were performed for the interfering cations Al3+, Ca2+ and K+, which showed no inhibition of diazepam detection by the proposed electrode. The generated MIP electrode exhibited promising analytical characteristics, such as good selectivity against common interfering species.
La(III) and Ce(IV)Complexes of Novel Azo-Theophylline Ligand :Structural Analysis and Biological Effectiveness
Authors: Manulla Mohnned Hamady , Abbas Alyaa Khider
Published: January 2025

A novel compound, 8-[(E)-(3-hydroxyphenyl)diazenyl]-1,3-dimethyl-3,7-dihydro-1H-purine-2,6-dione (PAT), was synthesized via the diazotization and coupling reaction of m-amino phenol with theophylline. In addition, complexes of the ligand (PAT) with [Ce (IV) and La (III)] were synthesized. The structural features of the synthesized compounds were examined using several spectroscopic techniques including elemental analyses [CHN], Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV-Visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR). Other characterization techniques employed were magnetic measurement, molar conductance data, thermal analysis (thermogravimetric analysis, TGA), inductive coupled plasma (ICP), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Through the FTIR study, it was found that the PAT ligand behaves as a neutral N,N- bidentate ligand and that the two complexes have octahedral coordination geometry with six coordination sites. The ligand and its complexes were assessed as antioxidant by DPPH free radical scavenging with ascorbic acid as a positive control for comparative with the synthesized compounds which were appeared good activities, also all compounds were tested for their antibacterial activity via disk diffusion method (MIC) at two concentration (50 mg/ml and 100 mg/mol) they had varying effectiveness compared to amoxicillin as reference
Economic and financial viability of wheat production in Cameroon
Authors: Farida Adama , Leonard Ngonkeu Mangaptche Eddy , Gankou Jean Marie
Published: January 2025

This study evaluated the economic and financial profitability of wheat production in Cameroon using data from 300 individuals in Adamawa, North-West, and West regions. Key factors influencing profitability were identified through correlation heatmaps, pair-plot diagrams, and modeling algorithms (Generalized Least Squares, Random Forest, and Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator). Positive factors included production volume, packaging, and transportation costs, while negative factors included production workforce, experience, and fertilizer costs. The net margin for wheat production was positive at 76,691,000 FCFA, but financial profitability was low, with an import-to-export ratio of 0.16. The study highlights the need to enhance wheat production to reduce importation.
Kondisi Eksisting Ketahanan Pangan Rumah Tangga Petani: Peran Gender dan Pemberdayaan Istri Petani
Authors: Winarti Lili , Maswadi Maswadi , Permadi Rokhman , Juliyanto Leo
Published: January 2025

Household food security among pineapple farmers is one of the critical issues in the development of the agribusiness sector, particularly in East Kotawaringin Regency, Central Kalimantan. Although pineapples are one of the region's leading commodities with a production of 336.4 tons in 2022, their contribution to improving farmer welfare remains suboptimal. This study aims to examine the existing condition of household food security among farmers, the role of gender, and the empowerment of farmers' wives in East Kotawaringin Regency. The research was conducted in five districts with the highest pineapple production using the purposive sampling method, with 296 respondents determined using the Yamane Formula. Data analysis was carried out descriptively to identify socio-economic characteristics, levels of food security, gender inclusion, and the empowerment of farmers' wives. The results show that 71.62% of pineapple farmer households fall under the food-secure category, while 23.99% are slightly food insecure, and 4.39% are moderately food insecure. The leadership dimension contributes the most to the empowerment of farmers' wives (30.97%), followed by dimensions of production, income, resources, and time. The main challenges include low education levels, limited access to agricultural extension services, and gender-based barriers. This study emphasizes the importance of inclusive policies for women's empowerment in pineapple agribusiness to enhance food security and the sustainable welfare of farmer households.
Analisis Risiko Produksi dan Nilai Tambah Kedelai Sebagai Bahan Baku Pembuatan Tempe di Kecamatan Buay Madang Kabupaten Oku Timur
Authors: Sagita Yoka , Ogari Putri Ayu , Pusvita Ema
Published: January 2025

In the tempe making business, problems often occur that pose a high risk of loss. Production risk is the potential for undesirable events or conditions to occur that can disrupt or hinder the production process, resulting in a reduction in quality, quantity, or even stopping production. Business or activity of processing raw materials and semi-finished goods to add value and make a profit. This research aims to analyze the level of production risk experienced when processing soybeans as raw material for making tempeh in Buay Madang District, East OKU Regency. And to find out the amount of added value obtained from processing soybeans as raw material for making tempeh in Buay Madang District, East OKU Regency. The results of this research show that the business of processing soybeans into tempeh has an average total revenue received by tempeh producers of IDR 2,661,933. The tempeh business in Buay Madang District, OKU Timur, was declared to be protected from losses. This can be seen from the coefficient of variation (CV) value of less than 0.5, namely 0.02 and the lower limit (L) of more than 0, namely 2,581,731. and the business of processing soybeans into tempeh provides added value of IDR 1,368.32.
A Reflective Experience of Postgraduate Education in South African Higher Education Institutions
Authors: Abiwu Lawrence
Published: January 2025

Postgraduate education is a significant aspect of higher education that has a fundamental influence on the global economy, governance, and social justice. However, most postgraduate students go through diverse experiences as they struggle with constructing their identities toward becoming researchers. This article reflects upon the author’s lived experience during his postgraduate education in one of South Africa’s higher education institutions (HEIs). Reflecting on the author’s lived experience, the article aims to expound on challenges experienced by international postgraduate students in South African HEIs. Based on the lived experience, the author identified six themes that revolve around the experience of international postgraduate students: access to funding; study and work permit; employment opportunities; xenophobic attacks; research supervision; and cultural shock. The study recommends that to ensure that the right knowledge is produced for a knowledge-based economy and evidence-based practice, challenges associated with postgraduate education need to be addressed, with particular emphasis on culture diversity training for international students, development of clear guidelines for postgraduate research supervision, and recruitment of high-potential postgraduate students. The article provides a better understanding of the challenges faced by international postgraduate students in South African HEIs, which adds to the body of knowledge on the experiences of international postgraduate students.
African Customary Law and the Issue of Institutionalised Women’s Rights Abuse in Southern Africa
Authors: Kamdem Kamga Gerard Emmanuel
Published: January 2025

The purpose of this article is to explore the extent to which women’s rights in the southern African region have been subject to abuses in an environment that does not do much to deter such abuses. It provides insights into the institutionalised tension between African customary law and so-called modern law that date back to the colonial period. Women’s rights abuse experienced today is the result of the difficult co-existence between modern law and African customary law. The obvious form of these abuses is observable through the institutionalised incapacitation of women with focus on South Africa and Zimbabwe. By institutionalised, I mean  the action or lack of action from the executive, judiciary and legislature to address this scourge.
Digitally Mediated Research: WhatsApp Diaries in Times of Crisis and Beyond?
Authors: Papane Boitumelo , Anciano Fiona
Published: January 2025

The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown regulations implemented to curb its spread disrupted all facets of life. For many social scientists, it meant an inability to easily access research sites, creating a need for adaptation and resilience in data collection processes. One approach to answering these challenges has been the use of digital technologies for data collection. This paper critically reflects on the feasibility of digital research methods through the experiences of two research projects using digital diaries to understand community-based organisations. Together, the projects offer a longitudinal perspective on the use of digital diaries at the height of pandemic regulation and following from them. We conclude that, in the context of crises and an increasingly hybridised world, digital tools are an important alternative to traditional research methods; not necessarily replacing them but enhancing knowledge of social phenomena. However, the prevailing popularity of digital technologies for data collection, in the context of what we call a “convenience narrative,” has left thorough scholarly research compromised. As such, we outline best practices within a relatively new yet currently unstable methodological paradigm and argue for more research on the relationship between digital and traditional research methods.
Troubled Sea Off the Coast of West and Central Africa: Insights into the Gulf of Guinea’s Upsurge in Maritime (in) Security and its Impact on Human Rights and the Rule of Law
Authors: Kamga Gerard Emmanuel Kamdem
Published: January 2025

In this article, I review the upsurge in maritime (in) security in the Gulf of Guinea and its impact on human rights and the rule of law. For the past decade, the area has become a zone of recurrent naval threats for the shipping industry owing to repeated incidents of piracy, armed robbery against ships, kidnapping and transnational organised crime activities. Meanwhile, there has been an inflation of trans-border, intraregional and interregional cooperation agreements to tackle this issue. Despite such agreements, recent statistics confirm that the situation has not improved. The Gulf of Guinea, a strategic region in the maritime environment, has now become the world’s most dangerous area in terms of illicit maritime activities and human rights violations. This complexity between the surge of insecurity on the sea off the coast of West and Central Africa and the initiatives to remedy this phenomenon is the core of my analysis.
The Agreement Establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area: Historical Context and Evaluation of the Legal Texts
Authors: Shumba Willie
Published: January 2025

This article gives an overview of the historical developments that led to the establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The signing of the Agreement Establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA Agreement) on 21 March 2018 and its coming into force on 30 May 2019 was historic. The adoption of a legal framework and the legal texts of the AfCFTA was a major practical step towards fulfilling the dream of the continent’s political leadership of the African Economic Community envisioned under the Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community (Abuja Treaty). The speed with which the AfCFTA Agreement was signed and ratified shows Africa’s determination to boost intra-Africa trade. The agreement is a game changer for Africa. It lays a foundation for African Union members to conduct trade with one another. This article analyses the AfCFTA Agreement, which comprises the overarching framework agreement and its eight protocols. Each of these protocols interlinks and contributes to the objectives of the AfCFTA Agreement through deepening economic integration. The aim is to advance the creation of a continental customs union that will lead to a common market and an economic community in the future.
Advancing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA): Lessons from the Southern African Development Community Protocol on Trade
Authors: Vambe Beauty
Published: January 2025

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) was founded to integrate Africa’s regional economies into a single framework of trade liberalisation. However, some scholarly works suggest that the AfCFTA threatens the existence of Africa’s Free Trade Areas (FTAs) and Regional Economic Communities (RECs). Other critics suggest that the AfCFTA overlaps with the FTAs and the objectives of Africa’s RECs. In this article, I ask how the AfCFTA can sidestep the challenges experienced by RECs such as the Southern African Development Community (SADC). What legal frameworks has the AfCFTA introduced that further entrench the legal provisions found in Africa’s FTAs and RECs? This article advances a legal view that Africa’s RECs are the building blocks of the AfCFTA. While the AfCFTA may reproduce some of the trade provisions of FTAs and RECs, overlapping can have positive effects on bilateral trade relations with RECs. In addition, the AfCFTA has leveraged processes of regional economic integration to expand markets for RECs. This article exposes the interface between the SADC Protocol on Trade and the AfCFTA protocols. A qualitative approach based on a literature review of paper and internet sources and legal documents is used to argue that the AfCFTA has drawn lessons—both positive and negative—from the efforts of regional economic blocs in Africa to achieve flexible trade integration.
Developing a Business Intelligence Strategy to Support Teaching and Learning in Higher Education: The Virtual Business Intelligence Competency Centre (vBICC)
Authors: Sithaldeen Riashna , Kefale Kende , Galant Jaamia , Mudavanhu Precious , Sebothoma Dimakatso , Marquard Stephen
Published: January 2025

Significant inefficiencies in the higher education system have prompted institutions such as the University of Cape Town (UCT) to consider new strategies for student success, such as the application of business intelligence (BI) to teaching and learning. In 2019, a three-year project called Data Analytics for Student Success (DASS) was launched to develop and implement such a BI strategy. In 2020, the COVID-related shift to Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) made it more urgent than ever that the institution was able to make evidence-based decisions on how to respond to student needs in real or near-real time. Despite still being an informal structure, the DASS was able to provide this much-needed service to the institution and continues to support the teaching and learning agenda. As a community of data practitioners with differentiated domain expertise, we reflect on the work of the DASS to articulate how this approach is different to existing BI strategies within the institution and how it has contributed to the teaching and learning agenda. We then consider the challenges of sustainability and impact and propose a model of a virtual Business Intelligence Competence Centre (vBICC) as a framework that can harness existing strengths within the DASS and will also provide a set of organising principles that can take forward data capacity-building and leadership for evidence-based decision-making at institutions like UCT.
Female School Leaders Navigating Leadership During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Quintile 2 Ranking Schools in Gauteng, South Africa
Authors: Moyo Zvisinei , Naidoo Thavamoni
Published: January 2025

The proliferation of COVID-19 disrupted educational systems living school leaders struggling to find solid leadership practices as the pandemic responses and protocols were everchanging. This paper sought to explore how female school leaders in disadvantaged schools navigated gendered and professional roles during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using an interpretivist lens and a qualitative research approach the study collected data through semi-structured interviews and document review from six purposively selected female school leaders. Data was thematically analysed. Findings showed that patriarchal culture and gender stereotyping continue to exist. Social conventions such as empathy and sympathy have proven to be effective means of uniting subordinates; assertiveness strengthened leaders’ leadership styles. Socioeconomic inequalities and resistance affected female leadership. Female leaders encouraged teamwork and collaboration and drew on colleagues’ expertise and abilities, despite the demands of leading schools with minimal resources. Training and development are recommended to resolve gender-related challenges and the development and enhancement of 21st century classroom management skills. Support networks such as psycho-emotional support should be established and the distribution of viable resources to quintile 2 schools. The Department of Basic Education should provide internet connections and technological equipment to teachers and learners, particularly in underprivileged schools. This study offers insights into unique challenges, strategies, gender dynamics, and policy recommendations for support, contributing to discussions on equity, social justice, and intersectionality of gender and educational leadership. Future research should compare female leaders in disadvantaged public schools in South Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic with those in affluent schools, focusing on their experiences.
Translating Quality into Practice: Insights from South African Instructional Designers
Authors: Du Preez Isabella , Jacobs Lynette
Published: January 2025

The instructional design profession is on the rise in African higher education, but research on instructional designers' practices in Africa is limited compared to in the Global North. Contextual factors play a vital role in shaping instructional design approaches, and understanding how instructional designers perceive and ensure the quality of online learning materials is crucial. This study explores the perspectives of experienced South African instructional designers on quality, particularly in terms of pedagogy, during the creation of online learning content. Using the ADDIE model, and Margaryan, Bianco, and Littlejohn's 10-principle framework expanding the work of Merrill, the study conducted in-depth interviews with nine proficient instructional designers. While it was expected that instructional designers would rely on standardised quality assurance tools, the findings revealed a more eclectic approach, with designers drawing from various resources when crafting online learning materials. A key focus for these designers was establishing “human connectedness” through the intentional incorporation of teaching presence and collaborative learning activities. The quality principles mentioned align with the community-of-inquiry model, ensuring sound pedagogical practices in online education.
The Poetics of Pluriversality and Animist Realism in two Zimbabwean Short Stories
Authors: Mutekwa Anias
Published: January 2025

This article uses the prisms of pluriversality and animist realism in the critical exegesis of two Zimbabwean short stories, namely, Charles Mungoshi’s “The Mountain” in his short story collection,Coming of the DrySeason ([1972] 1981) and Petina Gappah’s “The Death of Wonder” in her short story collection, Rotten Row (2016). It argues that each of the short stories is informed by, and is a response to its specific context in the manner in which it deploys an animist realist lens to advance pluriversal praxis. Mungoshi’s short story, in a colonial context, tries to recover African indigenous animist epistemologies against the background of their extreme Othering by colonial modernist discourses. It does this via a quasi-cultural nationalist paradigm that, though, is fractured by the choice of narrative voice as well as the mode of narration. On the other hand, “The Death of Wonder,” in a manner that shows the endurance of the coloniality of knowledge, recovers similar marginalised discourses in the 21st century post-colonial context against the background of the cultural nationalism and anti-imperialism rhetoric of the Zimbabwean ruling elite. Through its animist aesthetics, it similarly fractures the essentialist perceptions of this cultural nationalism. Both texts ultimately advance pluriversality that recognises the symbiosis and complementariness of different knowledges in dealing with contemporary realities and challenges in the Zimbabwean context and beyond.
Stanley Nyamfukudza’s The Non-Believer’s Journey: A Critique of Zimbabwe’s Nationalist Discourses
Authors: Musvoto Rangarirai Alfred
Published: January 2025

This article argues that The Non-Believer’s Journey (1980), a novel by Zimbabwean author Stanley Nyamfukudza, is a narrative which is sceptical of the anticolonial nationalist project, specifically the liberation struggle of the 1970s in the then colony of Rhodesia. The discussion insists that Nyamfukudza’s novel subverts histories, metanarratives, and group identities that nationalists use in their attempt to concretise the idea of a homogeneous nation. In subverting these histories and narratives, Nyamfukudza shows that although the colonised black people in Rhodesia occupy the margins of the colony, they cannot be imagined in terms of homogeneity because they have different subjectivities. The article concludes that nationalism’s quest for homogeneity ironically becomes a force that represses the very colonised people that it seeks to liberate.
Securing Archives Against All Odds: The Kenyan Story of Digital Archiving Amid Risky Disruptive Technologies in Selected Universities
Authors: Erima Juliet , Garaba Francis
Published: January 2025

Archival repositories in universities have the responsibility of preserving and availing records that are trustworthy, authentic, reliable, and possess integrity. This is a tall order in the current technological dispensation where digital information systems and the internet are the kingpins driving the wheel of corporate governance the world over. This article explicates findings of a larger study that investigated digital archiving in six public universities in Kenya. The study was guided by three objectives: (1) to establish the state of digital archiving readiness in selected Kenyan universities; (2) to examine the risk exposures for digital archives in the universities, and (3) to propose strategies for safeguarding digital archives in the universities. The theoretical basis of the study constituted the records continuum model, the Open Archival Information System Reference model, and the Archives and Records Management Association Records Management Maturity model. Mixed methods triangulation was adopted following a multiple-case (embedded) design using a cross-sectional survey. The target population was 451 out of which a sample of 205 participants was purposely selected using stratified sampling techniques. The study found that public universities in Kenya were generally not ready for digital archiving, and were therefore exposed to records technology risks, legal and regulatory risks, administrative risks, and records control risks. Hence, the institutions faced challenges in the management of digital archives from creation and after their declaration as archives. The study proposed a digital archiving framework for adoption by public universities and other academic institutions.
An Investigation Into the Role of Coaching to Promote Ethical Leadership in Professionalising the Public Service in South Africa
Authors: Malatjie Izimangaliso
Published: January 2025

Over the years, in South Africa, there has been an increase in the number of transgressions in the public service. Instances have been reported where leaders were involved in unethical behaviour and unduly influencing supply chain-related decisions that would personally benefit them. Corrupt activities that have been reported range from unlawfully awarding tenders, spending public funds on incomplete projects, inflating prices, tender rigging, ghost employees, disbursing funds to non-compliant suppliers or for work not delivered, maladministration, illegal use of state resources, conflict of interest, theft, embezzlement of public funds and bribery. Such transgressions are often linked to a lack of ethical conduct and professionalism of leaders in the public service. The President of South Africa lamented about the extent of poor ethics and unprofessionalism of the public service, which can therefore be seen as a crisis and an opportunity to change the status quo. Advancing honesty, ethics and integrity in the public service is critical if we are to build a capable state. The South African government is concerned about the high levels of corruption in the public service. A high standard of professional ethics is therefore an essential matter that needs urgent attention. The aim of this study is to determine the role of coaching in developing ethical leaders to professionalise the public service. The study follows a qualitative approach. The findings of the study will benefit the public service by providing in-depth knowledge on how coaching can be used to promote ethical leadership and professionalise the public service.
Views of postgraduate students and postgraduates with reference to the competency-based postgraduate training programme for MD in pharmacology
Authors: Patel Dimbhrudra , Patharkar Jayant Trimbakrao , Narwane Sandeep
Published: January 2025

Objectives:

The curriculum for MD pharmacology was revised by the National Medical Commission in India in 2022. Hence, to know the views of postgraduate (PG) students and PG for the changes done and have future suggestions, this study was conducted.

Materials and Methods:

This was a cross-sectional observational study. The questionnaire was shared in the form of a Google link, which was kept open for 1 month, and the candidates were requested to share the message along with a link to the questionnaire with their colleagues in India. The study population was PG students in MD pharmacology and PGs from India. The sample size included all the responses (116) received within a month. The sampling method was Snowball Sampling. The data were collected in the form of a Google sheet and analysed using descriptive statistics.

Results:

One hundred and sixteen responses were collected after 30 days of sharing the link of Google Forms. Forty students and 76 PGs participated in the study. It was found that the majority of PG students and PGs believe that most changes from the new curriculum are required, except the inclusion of the District Residency Programme (DRP), Mandatory rotational postings and animal experiments.

Conclusion:

A new programme would be adequate, but it would be challenging to implement. DRP, Animal experiments and Mandatory rotational postings (according to the views of PG students) were perceived to be unimportant in the new program. Otherwise, in the views of Pharmacologists, the new programme is a welcome change.