Bibliographie sélective OHADA

Corporate law is based on the premise that directors are fiduciaries of their companies. This is an unbending duty which has to be adhered to at all cost by individuals appointed as directors of a company. Previously the director’s duties were governed by the common law which often relied on the interpretation of the courts on a case by case basis. Therefore the courts would often arrive at different conclusions based on a similar set of facts. The advent of the 2008 Companies Act (Act 71 of 2008)1 brought about a major evolution in South African company law by partially codifying the fiduciary duties of the directors. Understanding fiduciary duties of a director is of significant importance in the modern democracy based on the fact that directors engage on the international spectrum. Company directors have discretionary power which may be abused if they are not familiar with the fiduciary duties. This study seeks to comprehend fully the fiduciary duties of a director of a company. These are the duty to act bona fide, the duty to act for a proper purpose, the duty to avoid conflicts of interest and the duty not to use a corporate opportunity and information for personal profit. This task will be undertaken both in terms of the common law as well as statute (Companies Act 2008 Act). The study will delineate the fundamental consequences of partial codification of these duties and set out the current legal position of the common law which operates in tandem with the statute. In addition, it will deal with whether the common law provisions are still applicable side by side with the statutes. The duties of a company director represent a subject that is not merely academic in nature, but one that is of vital importance in our ever changing commercial world. More and more people are appointed as company directors every day and often they do not know or understand the implications of what they have agreed to.

El presente trabajo constituye un breve análisis jurídico de una práctica atípica que ha venido desarrollándose en España durante los últimos años tomando como ejemplo el caso Hispania Airways, una sociedad mercantil dedicada al transporte de pasajeros, correo y carga que inició sus operaciones sin obtener la correspondiente licencia de explotación. Se abordan las posibles causas de la permisividad de este tipo de operaciones por parte de la autoridad aeronáutica.

LL.M. (Commercial Law) <br>The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa is the supreme law in the land. Thus, all law is subject to the Constitution and this inevitably includes the law of contract. The South African law of contract has been inherited from common law, namely Roman–Dutch law and has been applicable in South Africa to date. The Constitution states that the common law should be developed when it is not in line with the provisions of the Constitution. The values underpinning the Constitution are human dignity equality and freedom and these values must therefore be reflected in contractual relations. The common law principle of pacta sunt servanda, which means that agreements must be kept, at times this principle yields unjust and unreasonable results. The strict adherence to pacta sunt servanda has led to difficulties. The unenforceability of these contract terms has been shown in reported case law to stem from standard term contracts, unequal bargaining power and from persons who contract out of necessity. This dissertation concludes that South African law of contract and the current legal treatment of balancing contract law with constitutional values is unsatisfactory. The Bill on the Control of Unreasonableness, Unconscionableness, or Oppressiveness in Contracts or Terms which was tabled in 1998 should be revised and legislated, so as to regulate contracts and infuse the law of contract with the constitutional values of human dignity, equality and freedom.

L’Economie Sociale et Solidaire (ESS) est une nouvelle économie née des inégalités qu’ont connues les sociétés prolétaires mais qui de nos jours demeure une alternative pour lutter contre les conséquences désastreuses de l’économie capitalistique et de la mondialisation. Son principe de base étant de placer l’Homme au cœur de ses diverses activités et organisations, lui permet ainsi de promouvoir la solidarité, une gestion participative, etc. Cependant, elle doit faire face à des problèmes et surtout de financement. C’est dans ce contexte que nous nous interrogeons sur une question de grande actualité aussi en Afrique Sub-saharienne (AfSS) et particulièrement au Congo Brazzaville et au Sénégal à savoir : les mécanismes de financement de l’économie social et solidaire. L’objectif pour nous, est d’étudier les éléments qui forment, cadrent et financent l’ESS en AfSS et particulièrement au Congo-Brazzaville et au Sénégal et de vérifier si les dispositifs existants répondent-ils aux valeurs et principes de l’ESS t-elle que connu aujourd’hui dans le monde. De ce fait, et à partir de nos recherches, nous orientons notre travail sur : le Cadre théorique de cette ESS et ses pratiques en AfSS ; son cadre juridique et dynamique et enfin son rôle et système de financement dans l’activité économique au Congo-Brazzaville et au Sénégal. Ce qui nous a permis d’ailleurs de comprendre que l’ESS est un concept ancien dont les valeurs et pratiques ont toujours existés en AfSS. Qu’elle repose sur des dispositifs juridiques et des réseaux de promotion. Et que malgré quelques insuffisances notoires, les dispositifs financiers mis en place dans ces deux pays en particulier ont permis le développement et la modernisation des pratiques et organisations de l’ESS

L’arbitrage de droit commun est régi par l’Acte uniforme relatif à l’arbitrage, véritable loi de procédure harmonisée applicable dans les 17 États membres de l’OHADA. Aux côtés de l’arbitrage CCJA dont il est complémentaire, il a sa légitimité et sa vocation propre qui est de permettre le développement d’un arbitrage de proximité. Conforme aux standards internationaux, qu’il soit ad hoc ou institutionnel, il met au cœur du processus les parties, afin de créer une véritable culture locale de l’arbitrage. À ce titre, il donne un rôle essentiel aux institutions nationales d’arbitrage dont la connaissance de terrain et la proximité des acteurs permettent l’enrichissement de la lex arbitri, jusqu’à permettre aujourd’hui d’inspirer une réforme de cette loi uniforme de l’arbitrage OHADA qui tend vers toujours plus d’efficacité et de modernité. Il nous sera donné en particulier de faire part de l’expérience du Centre d’arbitrage du GICAM, Douala (Cameroun). The Uniform Act on arbitration is the ordinary law that governs arbitration. This Uniform Act is a harmonized procedural enactment that is applicable in the 17 member states of OHADA. It exists alongside, and is complementary to CCJA arbitration. But it has its own legitimacy and its own vocation, which is to allow the development of an arbitration of proximity. Whether considered from an ad hoc arbitration viewpoint, or an institutional arbitration viewpoint, the Uniform Act complies with international arbitration standards. It places the parties at the heart of the arbitral procedure in order to create a local culture of arbitration. In this regard, it provides an important role to national arbitration institutions whose understanding of the field and proximity to stakeholders permit the enrichment of the lex arbitri. Today, this role given to national arbitration institutions has inspired a reform of the Uniform Act on arbitration, which aspires for more efficiency and modernity. We shall, in particular, share the experience of the GICAM Arbitration Centre in Douala Cameroon.

A governança global é um fenômeno relativamente novo na ordem internacional. A responsabilidade social corporativa surge como um mecanismo da governança global no que tange à responsabilização das sociedades que assumem atribuição cada vez mais relevante diante do mundo globalizado. Os danos ambientais comumente são fruto da ausência de instrumentos efetivos de responsabilidade. O descarte de resíduos sólidos nos oceanos há tempos vem acontecendo e prejudica o meio ambiente marinho vinculado às águas brasileiras. A comunidade internacional enfrenta o descarte de resíduos em águas internacionais basicamente por meio da elaboração de uma legislação que objetiva regulamentar o despejo de resíduos nos oceanos. Assim, cabe investigar se há uma efetiva resposta ao enfrentamento do problema em termos da logística jurídica atualmente utilizada e sua fiscalização pela comunidade internacional. Parte-se da hipótese de que os instrumentos legais em vigor não se apresentam como uma solução estanque ao problema ante a argumentação da soberania dos Estados que leva a não observância das normas internacionais e a não responsabilização dos infratores. Um mecanismo mais eficaz em termos de regulamentação e de fiscalização, aliado à conscientização e educação ambiental são exigências que se fazem necessárias para combater os efeitos dessa prática que ecoa um dano permanente ao meio ambiente marinho. A metodologia utilizada neste trabalho dar-se-á através da análise teórica sobre o fenômeno a partir de doutrina selecionada que trata das construções conceituais que abordam o tema.

Many contemporary private and public enterprises have been hit by scandals and underperformance which have been linked to organizational leadership. This study therefore sought to establish the impact of leadership styles on organizational performance. Leadership and organizational performance crises that have rocked institutions such as Eskom, the South African Broadcasting Corporation and the South African Airways, Steinhoff, Enron and others necessitated the study. The study focused on MBA year three students (class of 2017) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The assumption has been that since these are masters’ students, they have once been exposed to various leadership styles, some of them are leaders, all have studied leadership styles and therefore likely to understand how these styles impact on organizational performance. This is a quantitative study. The total population was 140 students of which a total of 100 were targeted. Simple random sampling was used. Most of the participants revealed that there is a significant link between leadership styles and organizational performance. They unanimously agreed that there is definitely a noteworthy relationship between leadership styles and the organizational performance. The respondents also revealed that transformational leadership style is the most complimentary leadership style to organizational performance followed by strategic and open leadership styles respectively. Participants agreed that toxic leadership style and autocratic leadership style are undermining the organizational performance. It is therefore recommended that organizations ensure continuous checks on leadership in order to ensure that available leadership can assist in the realization of organizational goals. In addition, it is also recommended for organizations to assess the "type" of a leader in terms of leadership styles before he/she is promoted to take leadership roles in the organization in order to make proper placements. This will allow the organization to assess whether that type of a leader is suitable for the organization. Future research is needed on how models can be developed on how to make proper placements to leadership levels/roles. Research should also focus on how leadership styles dovetail with other organizational efforts that are meant to boost organizational performance.

It is not uncommon for states to engage in arbitration proceedings with their investors (“Investor-State Arbitration” or “International Investment Arbitration”) administered under the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes. When these parties engage in document production during evidentiary proceedings, there arises an issue with regards to documents requested by the investor, which is considered as a “state secret” by the state. Based on the IBA Rules on the Taking of Evidence in International Arbitration (“IBA Rules”), states may have particular interest to refuse the production of a document. This is based on the argument that a document may be exempted from production if the document qualifies as a state secret by virtue of Article 9 of the IBA Rules. This paper will discuss appropriate measures to be taken by tribunals in order to allow for material and relevant evidence to be produced during proceedings, which may be crucial in being able to prove the case of the investor in the case of a conflict pertaining to the production of documents containing state secrets.

In Africa, whatever the considered age group, there are more entrepreneurs in the early stages of entrepreneurship than anywhere else in the world (Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Report 2014). According to the gem survey (2014), 55.57 per cent of the population between 18–64 years expresses entrepreneurial intentions in Cameroon. Similarly, 37.4 per cent of the same age population is in the early course of their business activity. Between 2014 and 2015, total entrepreneurial activity has decreased in Cameroon (from 37.4 per cent to 25.4 per cent of all adults). Nonetheless, 61.1 per cent of the respondents think that entrepreneurship

Şirketler Topluluğunda Hakimiyetin Hukuka Aykırı Kullanılması başlıklı çalışmamız ile 6102 sayılı TTK ile ilk defa pozitif düzenlemeye kavuşturulan şirketler topluluğu sorumluluk hukuku incelenmiştir. Kanun koyucu TTK m. 202 hükmü ile alelade hakimiyet bakımından, TTK m. 203 vd. hükümleri ile de tam hakimiyet bakımından hakimiyetin hukuka aykırı kullanılması ve sonuçlarını düzenlemiştir. TTK'nın şirketler topluluğuna ilişkin hükümlerinin önemli bir kısmı AktG sistematiği örnek alınarak oluşturulmuştur. Bu doğrultuda şirketler topluluğuna ilişkin TTK sistematiği incelenirken Alman doktrinine de sıklıkla başvurulmuştur. Çalışmamız kapsamında TTK m. 195 hükmünde düzenlenen kontrol araçları ve hakimiyet kavramı; yönlendirme, talimat ve yapısal karar alınması yoluyla hakimiyetin hukuka aykırı kullanılması; kayıp-denkleştirme sistemi; hakimiyetin hukuka aykırı kullanılmasından kaynaklanan sorumluluk, unsurları ve öngörülen talep hakları ayrıntılı olarak incelenmiştir. The new Turkish Commercial Code (TCC) Nr. 6102 has introduced the notion of "groups of companies" to the Turkish Commercial Law; hereby the "groups of companies" concept was spelled out for the first time in Turkish law. This thesis examines corporate group law in Turkey and demonstrates the intragroup responsibility regime in comparison with the German system. TCC Art. 202 foresee the consequences of unlawful exercise of control in basic dominance/control. Whereas TCC Art. 203-206 regulate the responsibility regime regarding the unlawful exercise of control with regards to full-control. Turkish corporate group law has been enacted under the big influence of the German AktG-System. Although our thesis focuses on the analysis regarding corporate group provisions of the TCC, the research on German law also covers a significant part of our thesis. This thesis examines in detail the control instruments stipulated in TCC Art. 195, the concept of control, the unlawful exercise of control by means of TCC Art. 202/1, TCC Art. 203 and TCC Art. 202/2, the concept of disadvantage and adjustment, the different liability regimes with regards to the category of the unlawful exercise of control and the rights of action.

The primary contribution of the thesis is a theory enhancing the legal understanding of the phenomenon of virtual property, encompassing presentation of data and a new conceptual framework to interpret it. The author argues that the normative debates concerning the phenomenon have underestimated the importance of understanding and conceptualizing it first, and aims at amending this gap. The ‘virtual property phenomenon’ refers to the users of internet platforms and online computer games ‘possessing’ virtual items – digital objects that exist within these services – and getting into economic and social relations concerning these items, with other users, service providers and third parties. These relations are regulated by different types of service-specific rules – contractual and the ‘code’ – created unilaterally by the service providers, who additionally retain the ability to interpret and enforce them, using ‘digital force’, i.e. by modifying and deleting virtual items, and blocking users’ accounts. The primary challenge stems not from the fact that the phenomenon is not regulated, but from the fact that lawyers lack words – terms and concepts – to even conduct a meaningful debate about it, or how to respond to it. The thesis consists of six chapters. Firstly, the author describes the phenomenon and analyzes the theoretical and regulatory legal challenges posed by its emergence. Secondly, he critically assesses the state of the art. Thirdly, a methodology to address these challenges is proposed, which can also be used in other research projects concerning law and technology. Fourthly, the author explains how the process of digitalization has fundamentally challenged the assumptions that private law held about the structure of reality, and proposes new doctrinal tools to conceptualize it. Fifthly, the author presents a legally useful concept of virtual items, and argues that granting users property rights over them might not be the optimal means of realizing the property goals. Finally, the author proposes a normative solution, a correction of private law, responding to the new type of inequality in relations, namely a user protection law.

This dissertation examines the phenomenon of book digitization and the legal challenges for the creation of digital libraries. It explores whether the current copyright framework supports libraries in the digital era as they strive to remain the institutional guardians of our literary treasures. The thesis hypothesis is that the current framework is unsuccessful or inadequate in supporting libraries. To test this hypothesis and identify the legal inefficacies the dissertation examines context, i.e. the history and rationale for applying copyright rules to books and libraries, the copyright rules as applied to libraries before and after digitization was possible, various digitization projects and the practical challenges that digitization brought about, and, the relevant litigation which has started on both sides of the Atlantic covering over a decade now. Furthermore, the thesis explores normative directions of copyright rules, including their exceptions, applicable to libraries in the digital era. It ultimately proposes that among various players claiming this role, libraries, given their institutional functions and capabilities, should be attributed rights to digitization and a favorable legal framework for providing access to digital material.

The ability of an organization to adjust its operation in light of the evolving changes in their operating environment determines the sustainability of the business unit in both the short and long term. The objective of the study was to determine the response strategies adopted by Kenyan commercial banks in response to the interest capping laws. A descriptive cross-sectional design was used. The population of the study was 42 commercial banks operating in Kenya. Primary data was collected using a questionnaire that was both closed and open ended. Data was analysed using the descriptive statistics. The study found that banks have employed adaptation strategies through working with other partners in the banking sector to leverage their synergy and concentrate on areas that enhance competitive advantage. The research findings also reinforced the need for the banks to work together as a sector and attempt and change the laws that inhibit their operations through lobby groups in parliament and other forums. The study also show that there exists a link between firms‟ strategic activities and their strategic responses and therefore, bank managers should diversify their product range especially to the youth who are apt in using the mobile technology to access services and improve the bank level of efficiency and effectiveness in their operations. The study recommends that the commercial banks ought to conform to the regulations to attract customers while the Central Bank as a regulator should likewise be sensitive to the operating environment and should be flexible in setting the rules in order to attract investment and support the growth in the banking industry. The Interest capping law is still at its infancy stage in Kenya and thus there is room for further research as the full impact of the law is realized in the long term.

Les litiges font partie intégrante du monde des affaires. Les gérer efficacement constitue un défi majeur pour le maintien de la paix sociale et l’accroissement du business. Dans sa mission de sensibilisation aux Marl, le Centre d’arbitrage et de médiation de Madagascar (CAMM) a élaboré et proposé une Charte confiance de règlement des litiges. Cette Charte a pour objectif la continuité des affaires, le respect de la loi et un marché sain et prospère.

The thesis entitled ―Consumer arbitration in South Africa and its effect on the consumer‘s right to redress and enforcement ‖ notes with concern the outdated and inadequate nature of the Arbitration law currently applied in South Africa. The fact that the Act was enacted in 1965 and has never been amended highlights the desperate need to review the prevailing arbitration law with a view to aligning it with the current needs of the business world. The thesis addresses the concern that consumers are not adequately protected by the current arbitration law and thus substantially develops the discourse on the topic of arbitration in situations of unequal bargaining power. It raises three primary research questions in this context. The first question reads thus, if private arbitration is properly conducted should it still provide the parties with the envisaged benefits? Secondly, is private arbitration constitutional, especially as it impacts upon consumers‘ contracting with large corporations? Thirdly, is the private arbitration process as it is currently applied, constitutional as far as it denies parties an appeal on merits against an award that is clearly wrong? The thesis attempts to answer these questions and offer recommendations for the South African Law Reform Commission (SALRC) within the specific context of commercial arbitration. In addressing these research questions, the thesis incorporates a brief overview followed by a detailed discussion of the Arbitration law framework in South Africa and abroad. The discussion of arbitration abroad is done in order to identify best practices, which could be adapted to suit the South African environment. International Arbitration law receives attention and a few observations regarding how selected foreign jurisdictions treat arbitration. Finally, the thesis explores the possibility of establishing an independent institution that will be fully equipped to handle arbitration proceedings from inception to completion.