Bibliographie sélective OHADA

As communication technologies have assisted in the rapid transfer of information and goods across borders, there has been a commensurate rise in transnational intellectual property litigation. In particular, use of the Internet for trade and consumption of information has led to simultaneous infringement of parallel intellectual property rights in multiple States. The chosen forum to resolve such a dispute is perceived to have significant effect upon the outcome of litigation. There is a need to closely evaluate current jurisdiction rules and recent reform proposals to determine the extent to which they facilitate or prevent litigants from making forum choices that can promote efficiency and fairness in the dispute resolution process. However, there is currently no formal international treaty that regulates how litigants may make forum choices during transnational intellectual property litigation. As a result, the range of forum choices available to litigants are determined by divergent domestic rules, meaning that litigants must enforce their intellectual property rights in forums within every State where the rights exist and have been infringed upon. In such as context, a critical issue is to consider is whether an international regulatory framework could be developed to facilitate appropriate forum choices which advances and calibrates efficiency and fairness in transnational intellectual property litigation. As most conceptions of appropriate forums are from a doctrinal perspective, it is necessary to create a theoretical framework to determine what constitutes an appropriate forum choice during a transnational intellectual property dispute. This theoretical framework can then be used to evaluate the merits of current rules on jurisdiction and determine whether they define a suitable range of available forums that allow litigants to make appropriate choices. The forum non conveniens doctrine also needs to be evaluated as it has the most developed case law that considers appropriate forums for civil disputes. Finally, the risks and benefits of developing an international regulatory framework needs to be examined to assess which method would be the most suitable way to facilitate appropriate forum choices. It is hoped that this research will assist courts and legal practitioners when making decisions about complicated jurisdiction issues during transnational intellectual property disputes, as well as enable policy makers to promote reform that facilitates more efficient and fair forum choices.

International investment agreements employ dispute settlement procedures that differ markedly from their counterparts in trade agreements. A prominent and controversial difference arises with respect to the issue of “standing”: Who has the right to complain to adjudicators about a violation of the agreement? While trade agreements limit standing to the member governments (state-to-state dispute settlement), investment agreements routinely extend standing to private investors as well (investor-state dispute settlement). We develop parallel models of trade and investment agreements and employ them to study this difference. We find that the difference in standing between trade and investment agreements can be understood as deriving from the fundamentally different problems that these agreements are designed to solve. Our analysis also identifies some important qualifications to the case for including investor-state dispute settlement provisions in investment agreements, thereby offering a potential explanation for the strong political controversy associated with these provisions.

Courts and arbitration tribunals aim to resolve disputes and make enforceable decisions in their distinctive way. However, unlike courts, tribunals lack state enforcement power to function independently. Consequently, arbitrating parties have had to approach the courts for various supports. However, while supporting arbitration, the Nigerian courts have been criticised for overwhelmingly undermining party autonomy. Thus, the determination of the extent to which Nigerian courts should participate in arbitration remains topical. This research reviewed the current regime governing the scope and limits to the court's roles in arbitration in Nigeria, aiming to find out the problematic areas where the court's roles have been a leeway to undermine party autonomy. The research found that the current practice in Nigeria generally observes party autonomy as an affirmative stance by the Nigerian courts and laws. It further found the areas where the Nigerian system has, nevertheless, created some leeway for the courts to undermine party autonomy. These include (i) the narrow phrasing and interpretation of Section 34 of the Act and some specific provisions, and their failure to set out a definite limit to courts' roles in arbitration, (ii) the application of the concept of constitutional supremacy which has been interpreted to allow Nigerian courts to participate in all cases including arbitration and override parties' agreement, (iii) absence of Institutionalised tracking and periodic recalibration of the relationship between the courts and arbitration, and (iv) judicialisation of administrative roles of the courts in arbitration. To this end, a legal and analytical review of these problematic issues was conducted, particularly using some elements of the legal comparative approach to analyse the problems in the light of the related practices in some similar or advanced jurisdictions such as the United Kingdom, Ghana and Malaysia. Lessons were drawn from the analysis. Short- and long-term recommendations were, therefore, made for law reforms in Nigeria, particularly towards recalibrating the court's roles in arbitration such as to wedge the loopholes in the system without which recalcitrant parties and jurists could take advantage to undermine party autonomy.

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.

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 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.

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

Where the parties to an international contract fail to specify the choice of law, a forum selection agreement is one of the most, if not the most, significant factors to consider in implying the choice of law in many international, supranational, regional instruments, and national jurisdictions. However, it is an ill-defined, notoriously complex, and hotly debated issue as to the weight that should be attached to a forum selection agreement in implying the choice of law. Hence, this article is devoted to discussing this topic from a comparative perspective, in order to propose a guide to global uniform criteria. To achieve this, the article covers all relevant international, regional, and supranational instruments, and selected legal systems in Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, the Middle East, and North and South America. The legal systems compared include those from the global North and global South, including common law, civil law, and mixed legal systems. The article’s core proposal is that an exclusive forum selection agreement should be a key factor in implying the choice of law. However, except in such cases as where a forum is chosen on a neutral basis, there should be a general requirement of corroboration with at least one other factor of significance. The aim of the proposal is to contribute to greater uniformity, predictability, and certainty in the global community in this field of law.