This paper investigates the extent of compliance by two State-Owned Utility Companies (SOUCs) in Sierra Leone with international best-practice corporate governance principles as prescribed by the Commonwealth Association of Corporate Governance (CACG) Code. The CACG Code (1998) is generally considered a benchmark for best-practice corporate governance in commonwealth and some non-Commonwealth countries worldwide. The study used a descriptive cross-sectional case study survey design with a quantitative approach, in which two purposively selected SOUCs, Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority (EDSA) and Guma Valley Water Supply Company (GVWC) were considered. Primary data were collected through a questionnaire survey of the selected SOUCs supplemented with secondary data from document sources. Quantitative survey data analysis was conducted using SPSS and Excel programs. It used simple descriptive statistics to describe corporate governance compliance of SOUCs. Using a compliance checklist of 39 provisions from the CACG Code, the study found that majority (62%) of the responses recorded a negative opinion about standard corporate governance compliance in the SOUCs, and that both SOUCs have an overall weak (47%) corporate governance compliance, with weak compliance at 48% and 46% in EDSA and GVWC respectively. The results indicate that SOUCs did not adhere to international best practice corporate governance, which could signal a lack of investor appeal. It could also be a signal to stakeholders that necessary steps must be taken to address poor corporate governance mechanisms in the SOUCs.

Purpose – The objective of this study is to explore the contribution of inventory management and levels in manufacturing and industrial companies to the competitiveness of the company in an uncertain macroeconomic environment, such as during times of crisis. The objective of the research is to ascertain the impact of consciously devised inventory strategies on cost efficiency, the amount of tied-up capital, and customer service levels, and, consequently, corporate performance. Design/methodology/approach – The study's methodology is based on a combination of primary and secondary research methods. The present study focuses on the period of crisis, which is defined as 2020-2022. The present study draws upon empirical data (i.e. inventory levels, turnover, orders, and average price) from a global market-leading manufacturing company in order to apply a range of inventory analysis techniques. Such techniques include ABC and XYZ analysis, as well as inventory turnover rate and inventory efficiency indicators. The objective of the analyses is to explore the relationships between inventory levels and the efficiency of company operations, supplemented by a synthesis of the relevant literature. Findings The findings indicate that an inventory strategy not devised with due rigour can give rise to excessively high inventory levels and consequent immobilisation of capital, whilst offering no assurance of enhancement in customer service. The integrated application of ABC and XYZ analysis methodologies facilitates targeted inventory management, thereby reducing inventory carrying costs and enhancing inventory turnover. Originality – The originality of the study lies in its interpretation of inventory management within the context of corporate competitiveness, thereby exceeding the conventional operational approach. The research is based on an empirical analysis of the total inventory of a global manufacturing company, which examines the economic implications of inventory decisions in a data-rich manner. A novel contribution is the integrated and critical application of ABC and XYZ analysis methods, which provides an opportunity to reinterpret corporate inventory practices. The study thus reinforces the strategic approach to inventory management on an empirical basis.

This white paper focuses on maintenance, monitoring and transfer of Ligand Binding Assays (LBAs) supporting vaccine immunogenicity studies and is part 3 of a series to harmonize method validation and bioanalysis. The objective of this series was identified during the drafting of the 2020 White Paper in Bioanalysis. The Workshop on Recent Issues in Bioanalysis (WRIB) produces the White Paper in Bioanalysis yearly, which is one of the high-profile articles published in the journal, providing detailed discussions and recommendations on Bioanalytical Method Development and Validation. Since 2017, participation by vaccine assay validation experts and regulators in the WRIB working groups has rapidly increased due to its unique format where industry leaders and regulators can meet and exchange ideas on topics of mutual interest. In early 2021, vaccine manufacturers approached WRIB to sponsor and support the authorship and publication of an overarching vaccine assay validation document based on the 2017-2020 discussions and consensus, starting with LBA, then followed by future papers on Molecular Diagnostics (MDx including both PCR and NGS), Biofunctional Assays (BFA) and Cell-Mediated Immunity (CMI) assays validation. Using the industry and WRIB vaccine network, a vaccine immunogenicity assay validation expert working group was assembled representing 16 global companies. The work on the first 3 white papers officially began in April 2021 focusing on vaccine immunogenicity ligand binding assays (Part 1 LBA Validation, Part 2 Assay Development, Part 3 Assay Lifecycle Management, Assay Maintenance, Monitoring and Transfer). In this publication (Part 3), the activities that are required to ensure consistency of assay performance following validation are discussed. In contrast to bioanalytical methods evaluating chemical and biological drugs (ICH-M10), there are no clear guidelines for methods supporting vaccine immunogenicity studies. Hence, the authors of this White Paper hope that this common effort will help close this regulatory gap. These harmonization white papers will collectively be pivotal for whole vaccine development process.

ABSTRACT Strengthening the management of local government debt is crucial for safeguarding national economic and financial security. As a central instrument for regulating government borrowing and preventing local debt risks, whether hardening budget constraints generates spillover effects on firms’ digital transformation remains an open question. From the perspective of China’s ongoing efforts to reinforce fiscal discipline, this study examines the impact and mechanisms of local government budget constraint hardening on corporate digital transformation, using matched data on listed firms and regional debt conditions. Our baseline evidence indicates that tighter budget constraints significantly accelerate firms’ digital upgrading. Mechanism analyses show that the effect operates primarily through the reallocation of financial resources and the improvement of internal corporate governance. Heterogeneity results further demonstrate that the promoting role of fiscal discipline is more pronounced among non-state-owned enterprises, firms operating in competitive industries, and capital-intensive producers. By uncovering how macro-level fiscal reforms shape micro-level strategic transformation, this paper enriches the literature on the real effects of local government budget constraint hardening and provides new empirical evidence on the institutional foundations of corporate upgrading.

ABSTRACT Among the many priorities of the state at independence, development remains an issue of central importance to this day. However, what demands attention is how development unfolds, especially in a resource-rich region, marked by violence and conflict, such as Manipur, India. This article posits that the different strategies, especially the developmentalist ideology of the post-colonial Indian state to develop the region has eventually turned the region into a market where various global and international financial institutions, private capital, and corporate houses are competing for resource exploration and extraction from the region. Based on an ethnographic study, it further looks into what development means to villagers, especially in a region that is witnessing incessant conflict. The article further probes the idea that the state-led developmental ideology is employed as an imperative tool for governance in the region.

Financed emissions and climate alignment of an LNG carrier with regard to investment portfolio achieving net-zero for international shipping

Enzyme Indicators (EIs) are strips of purified thermostable adenylate kinase (tAK) which are currently used across the world in the pharmaceutical industry to quantitatively assess bio-decontamination efficacy of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2).Adoption of EIs in hydrogen peroxide bio-decontamination cycle validation has increased across the pharmaceutical industry because of the numerous advantages they have over current assessment tools such as Biological Indicators (BIs). These benefits include a rapid result, reduced variation, and simplified handling due to the reduced contamination risk incurred from not using viable organisms. A number of pharmaceutical industry validation teams who have successfully integrated EI technology into their validation strategy, realized that it would be advantageous to have an EI industry working group to look together at the adoption of the technology and bring a standardization of the validation approach. This paper provides a comprehensive approach to analyzing and applying EI use following the extensive compilation of data and methods from leading global pharmaceutical companies, including the points that are to be considered for handling, use and data analysis of EIs within the steps of bio-decontamination validation.

Chile is widely regarded as a key global player in green hydrogen production due to its exceptional renewable energy potential, which enables low-carbon and competitive production costs. This article provides a comprehensive review of Chile’s green hydrogen sector, evaluating the transition from early strategic goals to the current phase of industrial scaling. It offers an integrated analysis of the regulatory framework, infrastructure deployment, and the techno-economic variables essential for integrating Chilean derivatives into global markets. The country has established a supportive framework through its National Green Hydrogen Strategy (NGHS), which sets out goals of 25 GW of installed electrolyzer capacity and USD 2.5 billion in annual exports by 2030. Despite these ambitious targets, actual deployment remains in the early stages, with only 3.9 GW currently in the implementation phase and a lack of fully operational industrial-scale facilities. Furthermore, initial NGHS projections suggested a levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) of USD 1.3–1.4/kg by 2030. However, current calculations point to a more complex reality of approximately USD 3.1/kg due to infrastructure bottlenecks and global supply chain pressures. While Chile’s renewable resources ensure low production-stage emissions, the absence of explicit regulatory carbon targets underscores the need for comprehensive life-cycle assessments encompassing manufacturing and global distribution. Overall, this review concludes that Chile should overcome persistent regulatory and logistical constraints to consolidate a robust and internationally competitive green hydrogen sector, aligned with its 2050 carbon neutrality objectives.

This paper selects panel data of A-share listed firms in energy-intensive industries from 2009 to 2021. It uses text analysis to count the frequency of digital-technology-related words in annual reports to measure the level of corporate digital technology integration, and adopts the LTFP method to evaluate the low-carbon transformation progress of energy-intensive firms. The paper empirically tests the effect and internal transmission mechanism of digital technology integration on green and low-carbon transformation. The results show that digital technology integration significantly promotes the low-carbon transformation of energy-intensive enterprises, and this conclusion remains valid after a series of robustness tests. Mechanism analysis indicates that digital technology integration boosts low-carbon transformation mainly by enhancing corporate R&D innovation capacity and reducing operating costs. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that the driving effect of digital technology integration is more prominent in large-scale firms, non-state-owned enterprises, and firms in central and western regions. Based on empirical findings, this paper puts forward targeted policy suggestions from two aspects: optimizing the external institutional environment and building internal corporate capabilities.

This study examines how external regulatory conditions and internal organizational capabilities shape corporate tax compliance among foreign investment enterprises (FIEs) in Azerbaijan. It develops an integrated framework that brings together enforcement-based factors, tax planning capacity, and institutional and governance quality. Using survey data from 266 foreign-owned firms, the study applies structural equation modeling (SEM) to analyse direct, mediating, and moderating relationships. The results show that stronger enforcement is associated with higher levels of compliance and encourages firms to develop tax planning capabilities. In turn, these capabilities contribute positively to compliance behaviour. The findings also indicate that tax planning capacity partially mediates the relationship between enforcement and compliance. In addition, institutional and governance quality moderates the link between enforcement and tax planning capacity, with the effect varying across institutional environments. Overall, the results suggest that corporate tax compliance is influenced not only by external regulatory pressure but also by firms’ internal capabilities and the broader institutional context. The study provides useful insights for policymakers seeking to improve compliance through coordinated regulatory and institutional reforms.

The fishing processing industry in Chimbote, Peru, reflects structural vulnerabilities typical of high-informality extractive sectors, including precarious working conditions and limited internal corporate social responsibility (ICSR), hindering progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 8 (SDG 8). Although prior research has linked ICSR to positive employee outcomes, the multilevel mechanisms through which these effects translate into organisational outcomes remain insufficiently understood. This study examines the relationship between ICSR and labour management through a multilevel sequential framework. Using survey data from 384 workers in fishing processing firms, a structural model was estimated to analyse the pathways linking ICSR with individual-, group-, and organisational-level labour management. The findings reveal that ICSR does not directly predict organisational-level outcomes. Instead, its effects operate through a sequential bottom-up process, where ICSR is associated with individual-level labour management, which in turn relates to group-level dynamics, ultimately contributing to organisational-level outcomes. This indirect-only mechanism highlights the central role of individual and group processes in translating organisational practices into broader organisational effects. These results contribute to the literature by providing empirical evidence of a multilevel transmission mechanism in a high-informality context, extending current understanding of ICSR beyond single-level models. From a practical perspective, the findings suggest that organisations seeking to improve labour conditions should prioritise interventions at the individual and group levels to achieve sustainable organisational outcomes aligned with SDG 8.

Tourism and hospitality organizations invest heavily in corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, yet employee turnover rates persistently outpace other sectors, suggesting disconnect between CSR design and retention outcomes. Drawing on attribution theory and signaling theory, this study investigates how internal CSR, directed toward employees, and external CSR, directed toward the community, help reduce turnover. Using survey data from 131 exhibition industry workers who reported retrospective employment histories, we employ recurrent-event survival analysis and regression analysis to test direct and mediating pathways. The findings indicate that internal CSR consistently reduces turnover, and that the integration of internal and external CSR creates a synergistic effect that further enhances retention. External CSR influences retention indirectly through affective commitment and organizational citizenship behavior. Internal CSR affects retention more directly. The results offer practical implications for tourism managers seeking to design CSR initiatives that strengthen long-term employee retention.

From orphan to global player: what 10 617 cowpea accessions reveal about geographic structure.

Democracy and foreign firms’ internal corporate social responsibility: evidence from World Bank Enterprise Surveys

Recruitment and selection constitute the foundational pillars of Human Resource Management, serving as the primary gateway through which organizations attract, evaluate, and onboard the talent necessary to achieve their strategic objectives. In the context of a large-scale, diversified manufacturing conglomerate such as Tata Motors Limited — one of India's most iconic automotive companies and a global player in commercial and passenger vehicles — the design and execution of an effective recruitment and selection process is of paramount strategic importance. This study examines the recruitment and selection process adopted by Tata Motors, analyzing its structures, methods, channels, and outcomes. The research is grounded in secondary data collected from academic journals, HR management literature, published organizational reports, Tata Motors' corporate disclosures, and industry studies on talent acquisition in the Indian automotive sector. The findings reveal that Tata Motors employs a comprehensive, multi-channel recruitment strategy that combines campus recruitment, lateral hiring, internal promotions, digital recruitment platforms, and employee referral programs to attract talent across diverse functional domains and organizational levels. The selection process at Tata Motors is rigorous and structured, encompassing multiple stages including written aptitude assessments, group discussions, technical evaluations, competency-based interviews, and psychometric testing, ensuring a thorough and objective evaluation of candidates. The study identifies key strengths of Tata Motors' recruitment and selection framework, including its strong employer brand, robust campus engagement program, and commitment to diversity and inclusion. Challenges such as talent scarcity in specialized technical domains, high competition from global automotive OEMs, and the evolving demands of the digital automotive era are also highlighted. The study concludes with recommendations for enhancing recruitment efficiency through greater digital integration, predictive analytics, and strengthened diversity hiring initiatives, providing actionable insights for HR practitioners in the automotive manufacturing sector.

In order to understand the dynamics of globalization and how international trade and globalization impact corporate behavior, this study examines the difficulties associated with market entry and how they affect the rate of internationalization. According to EFAS matrix analysis, market opportunities are typically greater than threats. However, little is known about how these difficulties specifically affect strategic decision-making in the context of global expansion. In order to close this gap, we used a qualitative case study methodology to investigate how businesses deal with difficulties entering new markets as a result of international competition. According to our research, companies with better strategic and analytical skills are comparatively better positioned to get past internationalization obstacles more quickly than their counterparts. Additionally, we list some financial advantages of overcoming these barriers, such as improved market accessibility, reduced expenses, and longer product life cycles that enhance businesses' operational results. This study provides valuable insights into the relationship between internationalization speed and entry barriers. It also offers useful advice for businesses looking to improve their global competitiveness by investing in economies of scale and increased purchasing power in order to consistently create new market strategies.

Purpose This study explores internal and digital communication, both formal and informal, through corporate networks aimed at employees, and its impact on workplace happiness in the retail sector, particularly in supermarkets. It also examines the moderating role of job tenure in the relationships among the variables analysed. Design/methodology/approach Based on a sample of 682 employees from a consumer cooperative in Spain, a quantitative study with a cross-sectional, correlational design was conducted. A partial least squares structural equation modelling approach was applied, and a multi-group analysis examined the moderating effect of job tenure. Findings The study highlights the central role of internal and digital communication in shaping employees' perceptions of corporate social responsibility and their workplace happiness. Digital internal communication is shown to be a key strategic resource for fostering more sustainable and healthy organisations. The results also confirm that job tenure significantly moderates these relationships, allowing better alignment of communication strategies based on employees' length of service. Originality/value By focusing on internal and digital communication within supermarket networks, this study offers fresh insights into communication management from a digital perspective, linking it to internal corporate social responsibility and workplace happiness. The research expands the theoretical framework and provides practical implications for improving working environments in the retail sector.

In response to the expansion of carbon neutrality policies, the aviation industry is actively advancing eco-friendly initiatives. In particular, carbon-free hydrogen gas turbines are gaining attention as a promising technology for next-generation aircraft engines. Global companies, including Airbus, are driving the development of hydrogen aircraft, while in Korea, Hanwha Aerospace and Doosan Enerbility are actively pursuing the development of hydrogen gas turbine engines. To achieve successful commercialization, hydrogen gas turbines—currently in the development phase—require a well-structured investment strategy that prioritizes key technological advancements. To address the need for such an investment strategy, the present study analyzes survey data from Korean experts and assesses Korea’s current technological readiness. The purpose of this study is to identify the technical elements necessary for hydrogen gas turbine development and to propose plans and strategies based on their development priorities. From the literature review, six main technical elements and 29 sub-technical elements, including combustors and turbines, were identified. Through an expert survey, the relative importance and level of technological performance of each element were analyzed, and each was placed in an importance-performance analysis (IPA) matrix. Among them, a total of six sub-technical elements were identifying as being in the “intensive investment” sector, where the relative importance is high but the level of performance is low. Further details of the analysis and managerial implications are provided in the body of the paper.

ABSTRACT Reaching global net‐zero targets has become an urgent priority as businesses and nations face increasing pressure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Achieving carbon neutrality in manufacturing supply chains requires comprehensive systemic changes across business processes. It demands forward‐looking strategies that guide companies toward long‐term sustainability and net‐zero objectives. While earlier research has identified several drivers and barriers, there remains a lack of clear, actionable roadmaps that companies can follow. This paper fills this research gap by determining 11 interdependent strategies and grouping them into six levels of hierarchy and discovering that they play the roles of driving and dependent. Results showed that important strategies consist of policy development and incentives, carbon accounting, collaborative learning, renewable energy adoption, low‐emission transportation, digitalization, and circular practices. Using expert insights and a multi‐round Delphi technique, the study identifies key strategies, which are then organized through total interpretive structural modeling (TISM) and cross‐impact matrix‐multiplication applied to classification (MICMAC) analysis. Results identify a pathway roadmap where strategies connect, allowing businesses to focus on initiatives including circular practices, digitalization, and waste reduction. Policy and incentives serve as essential tools, with companies responsible for turning concepts into key performance indicators. Our research offers a blueprint for global organizations to better align efforts, lower emissions, and work toward net‐zero. It outlines the relationship among the strategies and priorities needed by global companies and governments to develop effective cross‐border collaboration and coordinate sustainability efforts, thus supporting climate change commitments.

Corporate tax policy operates in a fundamentally international setting, generating cross-border externalities that national governments rarely internalize. This article reviews the economic foundations of international corporate taxation, assesses recent Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)/G20 reforms and argues for consolidating the existing system rather than pursuing far-reaching structural redesigns amid empirical uncertainty and geopolitical constraints.