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The effect of disaggregated country risk on foreign portfolio Investment flows in South Africa
(University of Ljubljana School of Economics and Business, 2025) Muzindutsi, Paul Francois; Govender, Tristan Kyle; Nkwanyana, Nokwanda; Zulu, Sanelisiwe; Myeni, Nondumiso; Khuzwayo, Sinegugu; Dube, Fikile
This study explores the relationship between disaggregated country risk and foreign portfolio investment (FPI) flows in South Africa, focusing on both the long-run and short-run effects of economic, financial, and political country risk measures on net foreign purchases of shares (NFPS) and net foreign purchases of bonds (NFPB) during the period from 1995 to 2019. We employed autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) and nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag (NARDL) models to assess the relationships between the variables. The results indicate that all disaggregated country risk measures have a long-run effect on NFPS and NFPB, and the impacts of these risks are asymmetric. Specifically, low levels of economic risk are associated with a decline in foreign equity flows and an increase in foreign bond investments in the long run, while high levels of economic risk correlate with a rise in both foreign equity and bond investment flows. Conversely, both high and low levels of financial and political risk lead to a decrease in NFPS and NFPB. Notably, financial risk was the only country risk measure found to significantly impact NFPB in the short run. The findings highlight the importance for policymakers to understand these complex relationships in order to implement strategies that foster a mutually beneficial economic, political, and financial climate in South Africa, encouraging FPI while maintaining sovereignty. © 2025 School of Economics and Business University of Ljubljana.
The ‘return’ of land grabbing?
(Routledge, 2025) Serrano, Angela; Hall, Ruth; Dell’Angelo, Jampel; Kay, Sylvia; Coronado, Sergio
This introductory paper to the Special Forum on ‘The Return of Land Grabbing’ examines the evolving dynamics of land grabbing. We argue that land grabbing never disappeared but has persisted and transformed, shaped by geopolitics, financialization, and climate policies. The forum advances debates by assessing knowledge and offering new insights into actors, mechanisms, and governance. Through diverse case studies and theoretical contributions, we present perspectives on the entangled dynamics of land grabbing, geopolitical shifts, financialization, green grabbing, and resistance. We invite reflections that respond to the changing nature of land grabbing—its drivers, forms, and sites of contestation.
Global modeling of trifluoroacetic acid surface concentration and deposition from the gas-phase oxidation of a wide range of precursor hydrofluoroolefins
(Royal Society of Chemistry, 2026) Khan, M. Anwar H.; Mendes, Danielle C.; Holland, Rayne E.T.; Garavagno, Maria de los Angeles; Orr-Ewing, Andrew J.; Stanley, Kieran M.; O'Doherty, Simon J; Young, Dickon; Vollmer, Martin K.; Antony, Alvin John; Karamshahi, Fatima; Wallington, Timothy J.; Percival, Carl John; Bacak, Asan; Derwent, Richard G.; Shallcross, Dudley E.
Oxidation of hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs) is a source of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) in the lower atmosphere. TFA is deposited in precipitation and accumulates in water bodies and at land surfaces and concerns have been raised over its environmental impact. The formation and distribution of atmospheric TFA from the gas-phase oxidation of fifteen HFOs were studied. The deposition of TFA associated with regional emissions of HFOs were examined using a global three-dimensional chemical transport model, STOCHEM-CRI, where hypothetical scenarios with annual emissions of 1, 10 and 100 Gg for each of the HFOs were modelled. Globally, between 54 and 78 Gg year−1 of TFA are produced in scenarios using lower and upper limit TFA yields, respectively. The most significant contributors to the TFA formation are found to be HFO-1234yf (9.9 Gg year−1, 13–18%), HFO-1225yeZ (8.5 Gg year−1, 11–16%), HFO-1225yeE (8.6 Gg year−1, 11–16%) and HFO-1216 (7.5 Gg year−1, 10–14%). The tropospheric global burden and lifetime of TFA are found to be 0.54–0.78 Gg and 3.8 days, respectively. Atmospheric levels of TFA from HFO oxidation are highest in northern mid-latitudes, with up to 1.5–2.0 ppt in Europe, 0.5–0.7 ppt in Asia, and 0.5–0.7 ppt in North America during the northern hemispheric summer. TFA is mainly deposited in North America, Europe, and Asia, with deposition rates of up to 0.5 × 10−3 Mg km−2 years−1, 1.0 × 10−3 Mg km−2 years−1, and 1.0 × 10−3 Mg km−2 years−1, respectively. A metric called the TFA deposition potential (TDP) is proposed that quantifies the extent to which different HFOs contribute towards enhanced environmental TFA deposition, relative to that from the oxidation of the most widely used HFO (HFO-1234yf).
Human resource management in the public sector: a study on recruitment, selection and retention practices in South Africa.
(AOSIS (pty) Ltd, 2025) Nzimande, Christopher S.; Ruggunan, Shaun D; Maramura, Tafadzwa Clementine; Olabiyi, Olaniyi Joshua
Orientation: Despite the essential importance of strategic human resource management in facilitating effective service delivery, numerous government departments continue to encounter ongoing challenges in attracting and retaining qualified personnel.Research purpose: This study investigates recruitment and selection strategies, the strategic role of human resource management (HRM) and factors influencing employee retention in the public service organisations.Motivation for the study: There is limited research critically analysing recruitment, selection and retention practices within the South African public sector. This study aims to provide insights into the organisational and systemic factors influencing workforce management in government institutions. By examining recruitment strategies, selection processes and employee retention methods, the research identifies both challenges and opportunities to enhance human resource management in the public sector.Research approach/design and method: A qualitative, case study design was adopted. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with departmental staff and stakeholders and analysed thematically.Main findings: Four primary themes were identified: (1) the existence and effectiveness of recruitment strategies, (2) the impact of selection methods, (3) the role of the human resources manager and (4) employee retention practices. Findings indicated limited awareness and inconsistent application of formal recruitment approaches, with an overreliance on informal networks and a lack of standardised, competency-based selection procedures. Practical/managerial implications: The human resources manager was recognised as a strategic contributor; however, their effectiveness was constrained by bureaucratic processes and resource limitations. Employee retention challenges were attributed to the absence of structured career development programmes, mentorship initiatives and effective leadership.Contribution/value-add: This study contributes to the global discourse on public sector human resource management by examining recruitment, selection and retention practices through the frameworks of the resource-based view and human capital theory. Utilising insights from South Africa, it identifies key challenges and effective strategies that can enhance workforce stability and improve public service delivery in comparable public sector environments worldwide.
A diffusion-retarded strategy for practical zn–i2 batteries under harsh conditions
(John Wiley and Sons Inc, 2026) Lian, Zheng; Yang, Wu; Wu, Zhenzhen; Zhong, Linxin; Liu, Zhexuan; Chen, Zhongxin; Lian, Guanwu; Iwuoha, Emmanuel Iheanyichukwu; Ocakoǧlu, Kasım; Lu, Jun; Zhang, Shanqing; Zhou, Guangmin; Peng, Xinwen
Zinc–iodine (Zn–I2) batteries attract increasing attention for inherent safety and cost-effectiveness. However, challenges like sluggish iodine kinetics and polyiodide shuttle effect seriously impede their practical viability. Herein, we develop a diffusion-retarded strategy, where carbon cage-encapsulated Cu-doped zno nanoparticles are tailored on scalable carbon paper substrates as iodine cathodes to simultaneously retard polyiodide shuttle effect and accelerate iodine species reaction kinetics. Specifically, the physical barrier formed by carbon cage and porous fiber effectively retards the diffusion of polyiodides, while the intermodulated single-atom Cu sites and adjacent Zn sites in Cu–zno nanoparticles show remarkable catalytic activity and chemisorption for iodine species, respectively. Hence, the obtained Zn–I2 batteries exhibit an ultra-low polarization voltage of 26.7 mv (1 A g−1) and endure an ultra-long cycle life over 40 000 cycles at 5 A g−1. Notably, the batteries maintain over 5000 cycles with a capacity degradation rate of barely 0.007% per cycle at 60 °C, while the capacity decline is 20.8 mah g−1 under −20 °C (vs. 25 °C), as well as over 1150 cycles at a negative/positive (N/P) ratio of 2.5. Overall, high-performance Zn–I2 batteries under harsh conditions through the diffusion-retarded strategy provide valuable guidance for rational cathode designs toward practical Zn–I2 battery systems