Bibliographie sélective OHADA

This article examines the various regional and supranational organisations of emerging countries that could benefit from a codification of private international law rules. They include the Organisation for the Harmonisation of Business Law in Africa (OHADA), the African Union (AU) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). In addition, the article analyses the envisaged instruments that may be especially relevant in the context of the abovementioned organisations. These include the Preliminary Draft Uniform Act on the Law of Obligations in the OHADA Region, the proposed African Principles on the Law Applicable to International Commercial Contracts and the Asian Principles of Private International Law. More specifically, the article focusses on the provisions regarding the determination of the law applicable, particularly those rules relating to a tacit choice of law in international commercial contracts.

The study aims to find out how the provisions of the law are in violation of brand rights to nongender products and their protective forms, as well as how legal efforts should be made in violation of their laws. Legal protection for legitimate brands' owners is regulated within brand laws intended to give their owners exclusive rights. Legal measures that rights holders can make on broken brands can be made either by civil law or criminal law. Indonesia's brand registration system is a constituent system, and it is recommended that all efforts be quick to register a trademark or service brand for the creditor of intellectual property rights. The holding of a brand would be wise to appeal to the court immediately if there is any indication that a brand offense is committed by another and the cost is not greater.

This article argues for a fundamental raison d'être reconceptualization of international investment law (IIL) through Martha Fineman's 'vulnerability theory'. The theory helps identify the structural sources of IIL's shortcomings, whilst philosophically challenging the one-sided view that foreign investors are entitled to protections, but are free from obligations vis-à-vis the communities affected by their undertakings. Emphasizing the productive power of the state to take positive action that acknowledges ordinary citizens' embeddedness within, and dependence upon, surrounding structures, the vulnerability theory challenges the hegemonic perception of the state as a source of danger - a view which has hitherto undermined both the potency and the enforceability of investor obligations. Used as a heuristic device in studying both IIL's existing structures and the potential avenues for reimagining it, Fineman's theory not only shines a novel light on the foundational premises of IIL, but also grants theoretical traction to existing ideas about improving the system.

This study explores the creation of an African Continental Model Multilateral Tax Agreement (MMTA) to address the limitations of current bilateral tax treaties and enhance existing African Regional Economic Community (REC) frameworks for more effective taxation of cross-border business profits. Focusing on critical international taxation framework issues such as taxing rights allocation, Permanent Establishment criteria, and tax dispute resolution, it compares African REC MMTA provisions with those in non-African agreements to identify key weaknesses and propose improvements. The proposed MMTA aims to ensure equitable taxing rights, update nexus rules to capture both physical and digital businesses, and provide robust dispute resolution mechanisms to foster investment. It advocates for harmonized tax policies and tax agreements across African RECs to minimize tax competition, promote intra-African trade, and support regional economic integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). By aligning with the Abuja Treaty’s objectives, the framework seeks to enhance revenue mobilization and sustainable economic development in Africa. This research provides a roadmap for creating a tailored multilateral tax treaty that balances diverse regional interests, addressing Africa’s development financing needs while promoting cross-border taxation efficiency.

In law it is common to encounter two separate pieces of legislation which govern a single matter or transaction, for example, the Companies Act 71 of 2008 (the Companies Act) and the Securities Transfer Act 25 of 2007 both of which address the sale of shares. Similarly, the Income Tax Act 58 of 1962 (the Income Tax Act) and the Companies Act both have regulations which govern, respectively, tax law and company law matters in South Africa. These two Acts overlap in various business and commercial fields as tax is frequently an important component of any business transaction undertaken by a company. Issues, however, arise when the regulations in these two Acts, are inconsistent. This can be observed if one compares the current South African Income Tax and Companies Act, specifically as regards the sections involving merger and amalgamation transactions. Section 44 of the Income Tax Act governs merger and amalgamation transactions from a tax perspective and provides for tax rollover relief if certain requirements are met. The regulations governing mergers and amalgamations under the Companies Act are contained in sections 113, 115 and 116 of the Act. Although these sections in both Acts address the same transaction – a merger or amalgamation between two or more companies – there are several discrepancies between the regulations in the two Acts which appear to operate entirely independently of one another. In practice, one often sees that other sections in the Companies Act and Income Tax Act are used to achieve a merger due, in the main, to the uncertainties in the application of the relevant merger sections in the two Acts and the limited interaction between them. This study identifies and assesses the impact of the discrepancies identified in these two Acts in relation to merger and amalgamation transactions. The study makes recommendations to address these discrepancies and to align the South African Companies Act and Income Tax Act as regards merger/amalgamation transactions.

This thesis comprehensively investigates the relationship between default risk (DR) and earnings management (EM) by addressing inconsistencies in prior research regarding the level and direction of EM in response to varying levels of DR. The thesis extends beyond severe financial distress to include firms with low and medium levels of distress. It examines the non-monotonic relationship between DR and EM, considering accrual earnings management (AEM), real earnings management (REM), and total earnings management (TEM). The thesis also examines the impact of DR on the relative use of REM versus AEM. The moderating effect of the global financial crisis (GFC) on the relationship between DR and EM is also explored.Using a sample of 29,228 firm-year observations from 4,514 US-listed firms during 2001-2019, the study employs both the traditional two-step and the more recent one-step approaches to identify EM. Sensitivity analysis is conducted, including and excluding mining firms.The findings reveal a non-monotonic relationship between DR and REM, with a concave pattern observed for all measures of REM. Initially, REM increases as DR rises, but it subsequently declines with further increases in DR. AEM, on the other hand, shows a convex or monotonically decreasing relationship with DR, although statistical significance is not consistently observed. The results for TEM align with those of REM, indicating the dominance of REM in TEM. These findings remain consistent when excluding mining industry observations and using different measures for EM and DR.The implications of these findings are significant for managers, firms, regulators, lenders, investors, and other stakeholders. The non-monotonic relationship between DR and REM offers insights for decision-making and determining appropriate levels of EM during varying levels of DR. Regulators can utilise this relationship to identify potential risk areas and develop effective regulations. Lenders can assess financial statements more vigilantly, and investors can make more accurate risk assessments and informed investment decisions. The robustness of the results and the inclusion of different EM measures provide valuable insights to auditors, analysts, and government professionals, enhancing their understanding of the complexities and risks associated with EM during varying levels of DR.The study also uncovers that the relative use of AEM and REM is complimentary, but the impact of DR dampens the increase in REM for a given increase in AEM. This result holds across primary and alternative measures of DR and is of significant interest to managers, firms, regulators, and other stakeholders. It provides insights into the interplay between AEM and REM, enabling informed decisions about EM strategies under different levels of DR. Regulators can leverage this information to identify potential risk areas and develop effective regulations to mitigate EM practices that could lead to financial instability. Lenders and investors benefit from understanding how DR affects the relative use of AEM and REM, enabling them to assess financial statements and manage investment risk more accurately. The study’s findings contribute to a deeper understanding of EM dynamics and have practical implications for various stakeholders in the financial ecosystem.Furthermore, the thesis investigates EM measures during the GFC and the moderating effect of the GFC on the relationship between DR and EM. The inclusion of REM and TEM, in addition to AEM, provides a comprehensive understanding of how firms managed their earnings during the GFC, offering insights into the effectiveness and implications of different EM strategies during a financial crisis. It confirms the decline of AEM during the GFC, reinforcing existing knowledge about the impact of the crisis on EM practices. Additionally, it identifies a negative impact of the GFC on REM and TEM, providing further evidence of the challenges and changes in EM strategies faced by firms during the economic crisis. The study also finds an insignificant moderating effect of the GFC on the relationship between DR and REM, as well as DR and TEM, shedding light on EM variation across different economic stages.Overall, this thesis contributes to the EM literature by examining the non-monotonic impact of DR on EM measures, comparing different approaches to identify EM, exploring the moderating effect of DR on the relative use of AEM and REM, and investigating EM measures during the GFC. The insights from this research assist managers in decision-making, firms in adapting financial management strategies, regulators in developing policies, lenders in risk assessment, and investors in understanding the complexities and risks associated with EM. The findings have practical implications for various stakeholders in the financial realm, guiding decision-making, regulatory efforts, risk assessment, and investment strategies.Keywords: earnings management, accruals earnings management, real earnings management, default risk, global financial crisis, one-step approach, two-step approach.

The authors’ aim in writing The Concise Encyclopedia of Business Ethics (CEBE) was to provide readers with a useful, concise overview of key issues in business ethics. Our aim is not to be exhaustive, but to provide key definitions, main areas of controversy, and pointers for further reading. It is hoped that it will provide a useful reference guide for students, as well as a starting point for scholars in adjacent fields. Our commitment to sticking to what we consider to be essential topics inevitably means that some readers will find that we have left out what they take to be important topics. For the most part, we stand by our editorial choices. However, as a digital document, it is possible that the CEBE will change and grow slightly over the coming years. Readers are free to provide feedback and suggestions by emailing the authors jointly at editors@bejr.org

The research is premised on two important developments, accelerating technological innovation and shifts in dispute resolution paradigms. These advancements offer an innovative framework for dispute avoidance and a more efficient, transparent process for resolving conflicts, particularly in commercial settings. To make this case, we use blockchain technology and smart contracts as technological exemplars, and mediation as an example of dispute resolution mechanism that can be positively impacted by the use of the relevant technology. The potential of these technologies to promote dispute avoidance and the emerging legal frameworks for resolving blockchain technology and smart contract disputes were also explored. We also examine how blockchain technology and smart contracts can be integrated into the mediation process, the advantages, challenges, and possible solutions.

Criminal responsibility for corporate related human rights violations is a challenging and complex question in today’s world, this is partly because of the individual or personal character of criminal responsibility. It is held as a general rule that only human beings can commit offences. The primary objective of this research is to critically examine the human rights aspects of corporate criminal responsibility of companies in Cameroon. The conducts of business by various corporations in Cameroon are recognized as an impetus to economic, social, cultural and political advancement. With the rise in corporate crimes in the world today, the question has been whether a corporate body can be held liable for corporate crimes or not. The paper answers in the affirmative that a corporate body can be subject to criminal prosecution and liability for crimes occurring within the corporation especially in the domain of human rights. Considering that a corporate body cannot be imprisoned, or punished like an individual, there are ways to punish a corporation. A corporate body may be fined, ban, closed placed under judicial supervision for a specified period of time. With this in mind, the paper analyses the concept of corporate criminal liability with specific regards to corporate capacity, the basis upon which such liability attaches to a corporation and sanctions with the aim of illustrating the weaknesses of the different aspects trundled-out above.

Private investors’ land rights vary from country to country, depending on the legal system in place. The degree of openness of land laws determines the degree to which both domestic and foreign investors are attracted, as the latter aims to invest in countries with legal systems offering the most secure and sustainable interests. How can Congolese land laws be made more attractive to private investors in the real estate sector? Using exegetical and comparative methods, we will test our hypothesis that reform to increase the rights of private national and foreign investors to access land would be an asset. By comparing Congolese land law with other legal systems, and with current social and economic realities, we have concluded that accommodating land rights is a prerequisite for increasing both domestic and foreign private investment in real estate and an essential step towards boosting and modernizing real estate investment in the DRC.

This reprint covers 27 papers published in the Special Issue entitled Corporate Finance, Governance, and Social Responsibility, which examines several topics related to corporate finance, financial modeling, corporate governance, and corporate social responsibility. Corporate finance-related articles (Anton and Afloarei Nucu, 2021; Bae et al., 2023; Kedzior et al., 2020; Lts and Lukason, 2022; Miglo, 2020; Mihail et al., 2021; Mota and Moreira, 2023; Tsolas, 2021; Tudose et al., 2021; and Wen et al., 2021) focus on the drivers of the capital structure and firm performance, the effect of working capital management on profitability, and the link between derivative use and profitability. Regarding financial modeling, stock market volatility was explored during COVID-19 (Gherghina et al., 2021). Corporate governance studies (Aluchna and Kuszewski, 2020; Ararat et al., 2021; Ding and Chea, 2021; Kjrland et al., 2020; Loureno et al., 2021; Lukason and Camacho-Miano, 2020; Maier and Yurtoglu, 2022; Mihail and Dumitrescu, 2021; Mihail et al., 2022; Mihail and Micu, 2021; and Pourmansouri et al., 2022) examine the effect of corporate governance compliance practices, board attributes, or employee stock option plans on bankruptcy risk, performance, firm value, or earnings management. Regarding CSR (Bozos et al., 2022; Rossi et al., 2021; Saeed and Sroufe, 2021; Singh and Hong, 2023; and Tseng and Shih, 2022), the research focuses on how CSR affects financial performance, risk management, or analyst profits estimates.

International arbitration is often presented as an efficient and appropriate alternative to domestic court systems for resolving conflicts. For international arbitration to be effective, it is essential that the procedure adopted be open and accountable. This article will discuss the significance of openness in international arbitration and how it may promote justice, foster trust, and avoid corruption and misbehaviour.

La pêche est une activité humaine ayant un impact considérable sur l'environnement. Une mauvaise gouvernance, des mécanismes d'application faibles ou inexistants et des subventions excessives et non réglementées ont entraîné la surexploitation des stocks de poissons dans le monde entier, en produisant des conséquences potentiellement désastreuses sur l'écosystème marin et la sécurité alimentaire. Cependant, les pratiques de pêche non durables sont également liées à des abus à bord des navires de pêche : les organisations internationales et non gouvernementales attirent progressivement l'attention sur les pratiques répandues de violations des droits de l'homme et de crimes en mer, en appelant à repenser le régime international pour la conservation et la gestion des pêches en vue de concilier la sécurité économique et environnementale avec la dimension sociale de la pêche durable.Dans ce contexte, la présente thèse de doctorat aborde les problèmes conceptuels et pratiques qui se rattachent à la protection des individus impliqués dans ou autrement affectés par l'activité de pêche, en se concentrant particulièrement sur les victimes à bord des navires de pêche. La thèse s'appuie sur les études relatives à l'interaction des régimes en vue de favoriser le dialogue entre le droit international des droits de l'homme et le droit de la mer, deux régimes relevant du système plus large du droit international public. Après avoir exploré la portée de la question de recherche et fourni le contexte théorique et factuel, le premier chapitre se penche sur le régime du droit des droits de l'homme et examine la notion de juridiction telle qu'elle s'applique aux violations des droits de l'homme en mer, en étudiant en particulier l'utilisation potentielle de la norme sur la juridiction de l'État du pavillon comme critère pour attirer une violation des droits de l'homme à bord de navires de pêche relevant de la juridiction de l'État du pavillon. Le chapitre explore également le contenu et la portée des obligations en matière de droits de l'homme, en se concentrant notamment sur un ensemble de six droits prétendument violés à bord des navires de pêche, à savoir le droit à la vie, l'interdiction de la torture et des traitements inhumains et dégradants, l'interdiction de l'esclavage et des formes modernes d'esclavage, l'interdiction de la privation arbitraire de liberté, le droit à un travail décent et le droit à la santé. Ensuite, le deuxième chapitre se concentre sur le droit de la mer, en retraçant spécifiquement le développement historique qui a conduit à la consolidation du régime actuel de la pêche et en explorant la portée de la notion de pêche illégale, non déclarée et non réglementée et du phénomène de la criminalité dans le domaine de la pêche. Enfin, le dernier chapitre traite de la notion de juridiction telle qu'elle est utilisée dans le droit de la mer, en étudiant spécifiquement son contenu en ce qui concerne tous les acteurs étatiques de ce régime, à savoir l'État côtier, l'État du pavillon, l'État du port et l'État du marché. En particulier, ce chapitre examine de plus près les obligations de chaque État en ce qui concerne la protection de la personne à bord des navires de pêche, en accordant une attention particulière aux pouvoirs d'exécution de l'État côtier et à l'exercice par l'État du pavillon du contrôle des ses navires. Enfin, et surtout, il apporte un éclairage sur la contribution potentielle que les États du port et les États du marché pourraient apporter à la protection des personnes à bord des navires de pêche.

National Manpower Development Secretariat

This thesis examines two research questions: first, whether confidentiality in international commercial arbitration (‘ICA’) is an ‘accepted principle’, and second, if the answer to the first question is positive, whether confidentiality should be regulated by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (‘UNCITRAL’) Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration (1985), with amendments adopted in 2006 (‘Model Law’) and how such a provision would be framed. To place the questions in context, there is empirical evidence that confidentiality is expected by users of ICA but despite this expectation there appears to be no uniform approach on confidentiality in national laws and institutional rules.

This paper presents a shift-share decomposition of the role of structural change in driving labour productivity in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The paper further examines the effect that the observed structural change has had upon the dynamics of labour markets in SSA. The analysis is based on a newly constructed dataset, the Extended Africa Sector Database. This database updates and extends the Africa Sector Database of the Groningen Growth and Development Centre. It includes eighteen countries covering the period 1960–2015. Overall, the database shows that productivity growth has been slow, with large and persistent sectoral productivity gaps present. The extent of structural change has been higher than that observed in previous studies, however. But while the share of employment and value added in agriculture has declined, resources have been pulled into certain service sectors that have relatively low productivity, thus limiting aggregate productivity improvements. The general direction of structural change has not been towards the most productive sectors. Results of the labour market analysis complement this analysis, providing suggestive evidence of a role for labour market institutional arrangements in many SSA countries in affecting these outcomes.

This article summarizes insights from political science and empirical legal scholarship concerning selection and appointment of adjudicators to permanent international courts (ICs). This scholarship suggests that designers of ICs face challenging trade-offs in balancing judicial independence and accountability, as well as in promoting descriptive representation and necessary qualifications on the bench. The article considers different institutional design features related to appointment procedures: representation, reappointment, screening procedures and procedures for removing judges. Representation is discussed in a series of sections considering full or selective representation, voting rules and geographic and gender quotas and aspirational targets. Throughout, we draw on data on 24 ICs to illustrate the different appointment procedures and institutional features.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) and green marketing adoption is a twin trend that is fast becoming a global tendency amongst world economies, irrespective of socio-economic outlook. This paper pedagogically links the two concepts in the Nigeria business climes and explores, through a panoramic view the rate of adoption of CSR and green marketing in Nigeria. This study adopted an exploratory research design vis-à-vis a qualitative research approach. Based on the findings, this paper posits that corporate social responsibility in the Nigerian context is highly “localized” to reflect realities in the Nigerian socio-cultural space. However, green marketing adoption is near impossible for the average Nigerian organization; this is due in part to the enormous funds necessary for implementation of green marketing strategies in their businesses. This study therefore recommends the setting up of trust fund for companies (especially, small scale business) by government; this would give the companies the opportunity to fully develop and adopt green marketing strategy

Artificial intelligence with its fifth industrial revolution is fast griping the African continent. The emergence and adoption of artificial intelligence applications and systems is fast becoming a normal trend in emerging markets landscape across Africa. This paper is borne out of the need to identify challenges that professional grapple with in their quest to surmount the challenges posed by the realities of artificial intelligence applications in Africa. The study adopted the thematic style in presenting the challenges as well as the prospects of artificial intelligence applications for the accounting professional in emerging market. Some of the challenges of artificial intelligence application identified in this study include: complex algorithms, reduced investment, and software failure, lack of political will and limitations amongst others. On the other hand, opportunities of artificial intelligence in emerging market include transportation automation, technological cyborgs and robotic companions amongst others. From the findings, accounting professional are advised to strive harder in order to beat competition by delivering quality services to her clients through harnessing opportunities for rebranding, reengineering and radically improving the business and investment decisions which is the ultimate purpose of the profession. More so, they are encouraged to develop a novel set of proficiency revolving around data in the profession