In many South African universities, full research students receive little support during the research conceptualisation stage of the research journey, other than that provided by their supervisors, who tend to have limited time to engage with their students. Furthermore, during the proposal phase, scant attention is paid to the role of writing in research conceptualisation and scholarly development. In an attempt to address this neglect, the authors of this article worked collaboratively with academic staff from two schools within the Faculty of Commerce, Law, and Management at the University of the Witwatersrand to pilot academic literacies-informed projects aimed at integrating writing in the first year of existing postgraduate research programmes. This article provides insight into factors that constrain and enable such an integration endeavour. Data was collected through focus group discussions with the project teams from the participating schools. Drawing on Margaret Archer's structure, culture, and agency as the analytical framework, five themes emerged from the data: leadership and oversight, supervision and postgraduate pedagogy, supervisor awareness and support, the postgraduate research education curriculum, and student engagement and commitment. The authors discuss these themes in terms of their enabling and constraining dimensions, and conclude with observations that could inform similar initiatives in other postgraduate research programmes.

The President's power to grant pardons, remit fines, penalties or forfeitures and the nature of the accountability for the exercise of such power remains unclear. The question of accountability relates to whether the President has a constitutional obligation to disclose the reasons for his decision. The nature of the power is broadly formulated and should undergo reform to enhance the attendant accountability. Over the years, there were debates on whether the granting of pardons constitutes administrative action in terms of the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act (PAJA). Because it is a power that potentially has an adverse effect on rights enshrined in the Bill of Rights, it is submitted that it should be construed in terms of PAJA. Similarly, the role of Parliament in exercising oversight over the process is unclear and inadequate. The article submits that the President should exercise the power together with the relevant Cabinet Minister, and subject to legislative endorsement.

This study investigates the relationship between the South African electoral system and its consequential effects on legislative oversight. Through an analysis of historical data, electoral structures, and parliamentary dynamics, this study aims to illuminate the various ways in which the chosen electoral system shapes the nature and efficacy of legislative oversight mechanisms. The study delves into the features of South Africa's electoral model, exploring how proportional representation and constituency-based elements influence the conduct of elected representatives in Parliament. In addition, this study assesses the implications of these electoral dynamics for the ability of parliamentary bodies to oversee effectively the conduct of the executive branch in order to ensure accountability and transparency in the governing process. By examining the impact of one-party dominance in Parliament as a consequence of the electoral system, this study provides insights into the intricate interplay between electoral systems and the crucial function of legislative oversight in fostering a robust democratic system.

Resumen La inteligencia artificial presenta importantes desafíos; es necesario que gobiernos e instituciones evalúen sus consecuencias y efectos para abordar los cambios que implica. El objetivo de este estudio es comparar las regulaciones sobre inteligencia artificial en España, la Unión Europea y Estados Unidos, y examinar cómo podrían afectar la formulación de políticas de comunicación y, en última instancia, a los medios de comunicación. La metodología utilizada incluye el estudio documental, para localizar hallazgos clave, y el análisis comparativo de las regulaciones sobre inteligencia artificial. La inclusión de la inteligencia artificial en los medios de comunicación requerirá control sobre decisiones y efectos, lo cual plantea nuevos interrogantes sobre la formulación de políticas de comunicación.

Resumo A Inteligência Artificial apresenta importantes desafios, é necessário que governos e instituições avaliem as consequências e efeitos da inteligência artificial para abordar as mudanças que implica. O objetivo deste estudo é comparar as regulamentações sobre inteligência artificial na Espanha, na União Europeia e nos Estados Unidos e examinar como elas poderiam afetar a formulação de políticas de comunicação e, em última instância, os meios de informação. A metodologia utilizada na pesquisa inclui o estudo documental para localizar achados-chave e a análise comparativa das regulamentações sobre inteligência artificial. A inclusão da inteligência artificial nos meios de comunicação exigirá controle sobre suas decisões e efeitos, o que levanta novas questões sobre a formulação de políticas de comunicação.

Abstract Artificial intelligence (AI) presents significant challenges. Governments and institutions must assess the consequences and impacts of AI to address the resulting changes. The objective of this study is to compare AI regulations in Spain, the European Union, and the United States and to examine how they could affect the formulation of media policies and, ultimately, the media industry. The research methodology involves a documentary study to uncover key findings and a comparative analysis of AI regulations. Integrating artificial intelligence into the media industry will require oversight of its decisions and effects, thereby giving rise to new questions regarding the formulation of communication policies.

RESUMEN El gobierno corporativo nace ante la crisis de Wall Street, y crea la necesidad de que los tomadores de decisiones respondan a los accionistas por sus prácticas de negocio. A raíz de esto se elaboró un estudio cualitativo al sector cooperativista costarricense por medio de un muestreo de experto sobre los factores predominantes para la implementación de gobierno corporativo. Mediante la alternativa metodológica alcanzable, propuesta por Pablo Cáceres, se detectó que existe una diferenciación potestativa del legislador costarricense para supervisar los controles monetarios de las cooperativas, lo que implica una desventaja en cuanto a la presencia de estructura de regulación y fiscalización robustas y actualizadas.

RÉSUMÉ La gouvernance d'entreprise est née dans le sillage de la crise de Wall Street et crée la nécessité pour les décideurs de rendre compte aux actionnaires de leurs pratiques commerciales. C'est pourquoi une étude qualitative a été menée dans le secteur coopératif du Costa Rica, par le biais d'un échantillonnage d'experts, sur les facteurs prédominants de la mise en œuvre de la gouvernance d'entreprise. En utilisant l'alternative méthodologique viable proposée par Pablo Cáceres, il a été identifié qu'il existe une différenciation discrétionnaire du législateur costaricien pour superviser les contrôles monétaires des coopératives, ce qui implique un désavantage par rapport à la présence de structures de régulation et de supervision robustes et actualisées.

ABSTRACT Corporate governance emerged in response to the Wall Street crisis and created the need for decision-makers to be accountable to shareholders for their business practices. In light of this, a qualitative study was conducted on the Costa Rican cooperative sector through expert sampling to identify the predominant factors for implementing corporate governance. Using the feasible methodological alternative proposed by Pablo Cáceres, it was found that there is discretionary differentiation by the Costa Rican legislator in supervising the monetary controls of cooperatives. This implies a disadvantage in terms of the presence of robust and up-to-date regulatory and oversight structures.

RESUMO O governo corporativo nasce diante da crise de Wall Street e cria a necessidade de os tomadores de decisão responderem aos acionistas por suas práticas de negócio. Como resultado disso, foi realizado um estudo qualitativo sobre o setor cooperativista costarriquenho, por meio de uma amostragem de especialistas, sobre os fatores predominantes para a implementação do governo corporativo. Através da alternativa metodológica viável proposta por Pablo Cáceres, foi identificado que há uma diferenciação discricionária do legislador costarriquenho para supervisionar os controles monetários das cooperativas, o que implica uma desvantagem em relação à presença de estruturas de regulação e fiscalização robustas e atualizadas.

BACKGROUND. Africa has seen an increase in the number of health research projects being conducted on the continent, particularly clinical trials. Ideally, this should be accompanied by a commensurate improvement in research ethics review capacity to competently provide the much-required research ethics oversight. Unfortunately, this is not the case in many African countries, which are still grappling with weak research ethics oversight capacity, not only at national level but also at institutional level. OBJECTIVES. To describe the proposal by Kenya's national research ethics regulatory authority, the National Commission for Science Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI), to build the capacity of its National Scientific and Ethics Committee (NSEC), tasked with providing the required research ethics oversight in the country. METHODS. This is the proposal submitted by NACOSTI to the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership for funding of a project entitled 'Strengthening Research Ethics and Oversight in Kenya' (STReK). It describes the activities involved to strengthen the NSEC to provide the required research ethics in the country, and to build the research ethics capacity of research ethics committees (RECs) it has accredited, through training and mentorship programmes, to enable them to efficiently review research proposals. RESULTS. Proposed activities of the project are presented. Implementation of the activities described is ongoing. CONCLUSION. Lessons learnt in this regard may be of benefit to other research ethics regulatory authorities in resource-constrained countries aiming to strengthen their research ethics oversight capacity.

Artificial light at night (ALAN) has increasingly been recognised as one of the world's most pernicious global change drivers that can negatively impact both human and environmental health. However, when compared to work elsewhere, the dearth of research into the mapping, expansion trajectories and consequences of ALAN in Africa is a surprising oversight by its research community. Here, we outline the scope of ALAN research and elucidate key areas in which the African research community could usefully accelerate work in this field. These areas particularly relate to how African conditions present underappreciated caveats to the quantification of ALAN, that the continent experiences unique challenges associated with ALAN, and that these also pose scientific opportunities to understanding its health and environmental impacts. As Africa is still relatively free from the high levels of ALAN found elsewhere, exciting possibilities exist to shape the continent's developmental trajectories to mitigate ALAN impacts and help ensure the prosperity of its people and environment. SIGNIFICANCE: We show that the African research community can usefully accelerate work into understudied aspects of ALAN, which demonstrably impacts human and environmental health. Africa presents a unique, and in places challenging, research environment to advance understanding of this global change driver.

Resumen El fortalecimiento de la fiscalización es un desafío actual para los gobiernos subnacionales, que buscan fomentar los mecanismos de control y frenar la corrupción. En Sonora las recientes reformas a la Constitución y a la Ley de Fiscalización local, le conceden la autonomía plena a la entidad fiscalizadora, por otra parte, los gobiernos municipales presentan dificultades en el cumplimiento de las observaciones derivadas del proceso de fiscalización. Esto se puede atribuir a las pocas probabilidades de ser sancionados. El objetivo de este trabajo es presentar un análisis comparativo del cumplimiento de las observaciones hechas por el Instituto Superior de Auditoria y Fiscalización del Estado de Sonora (ISAF) a los Ayuntamientos del estado de Sonora y reflexionar sobre las posibles consecuencias o sanciones por no ser solventadas. Como metodología se utilizó el estudio comparativo, está dividido en dos bloques, uno comprende los años (2015 y 2016) antes de obtener su autonomía el ISAF y los otros (2017 y 2018) con autonomía plena. así como las últimas reformas en materia de fiscalización, además se realizaron solicitudes de información al ISAF para indagar sobre las sanciones impuestas a los Ayuntamientos.

Abstract Strengthening auditing is a current challenge for subnational governments, which seek to promote control mechanisms and curb corruption. In Sonora, the recent reforms to the Constitution and the Local Control Law grant full autonomy to the control entity, on the other hand, the municipal governments present difficulties in complying with the observations derived from the audit process. This can be attributed to the low probability of being penalized. The objective of this work is to present a comparative analysis of compliance with the observations made by the Superior Institute of Audit and Control of the State of Sonora (ISAF) to the Municipalities of the State of Sonora and to reflect on the possible consequences or sanctions for not be solved. As a methodology, the comparative study was used, it is divided into two blocks, one includes the years (2015 and 2016) before the ISAF obtained its autonomy and the others (2017 and 2018) with full autonomy. as well as the latest oversight reforms, information requests were also made to the ISAF to inquire about the sanctions imposed on the City Councils.

Resumen Este artículo aborda el control parlamentario en Argentina desde la dimensión de las comisiones parlamentarias. ¿En qué medida los parlamentos ejercen el control/supervisión desde el ámbito de las comisiones? Esta investigación se propone responder esa interrogante examinando una muestra especial de Comisiones Especiales de Control (CEC) en el Congreso desde la perspectiva de la teoría de la delegación. Para ello se elabora un marco analítico que examina, por un lado, la relación de agencia de esas comisiones con las burocracias y las cámaras del Congreso y, por el otro, cómo ejercen el control ex ante y ex post. En este marco, se desarrolla una medición cuantitativa de los poderes de control de las CEC, los cuales luego serán analizados en relación a la teoría del cartel de partido en Argentina.

Abstract This article approaches the legislative oversight in Argentina at the parliamentary committee level, a research dimension that hasn’t been discovered yet. How do these committees oversee the federal agencies? In response to this issue, a special sample of Oversight Special Committees (OSC) of the Argentine Congress is analyzed from the delegative theory perspective. In this sense, an analytic framework is drawn up to examine, on the one side, the agency relation of the OSC with bureaucracies and the Congress houses, and on the other side, how they exert the ex ante and ex post control. Then, a quantitative measuring of the control power of the OSC is developed on the basis of that analytic framework. Finally, they are analyzed in relation to the party cartel theory in Argentina.

Nas últimas décadas, o Brasil obteve importantes avanços no combate à epidemia de tabaco. No entanto, dados recentes nacionais apontam para uma provável estagnação na queda da iniciação ao tabagismo entre jovens e adolescentes. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a evolução no tempo do cumprimento da lei que proíbe a venda de cigarros para menores de idade no Brasil. Para tal, utilizaram-se os dados da Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde do Escolar das edições de 2015 e 2019. Foram estimadas proporções para indicadores “sequenciais” criados da combinação das respostas às perguntas “alguém se recusou a lhe vender cigarros?” e “como conseguiu seus próprios cigarros?”. Houve uma queda, entre 2015 e 2019, na proporção de fumantes entre 13 e 17 anos que tentaram comprar cigarros nos 30 dias anteriores à pesquisa (72,3% vs. 66,4%; valor de p ≤ 0,05). Contudo, independentemente do ano da pesquisa, cerca de 9 em cada 10 adolescentes fumantes tiveram sucesso em alguma tentativa de compra de cigarros. Desses, aproximadamente 7 em cada 10 utilizaram a compra ativa como a principal modalidade de acesso ao cigarro, sendo que a respectiva compra em estabelecimentos comerciais autorizados (vs. com ambulantes) aumentou entre 2015 e 2019 (81,1% vs. 89,6%; valor de p ≤ 0,05). Em 2019, 70% dos adolescentes que compraram cigarros em estabelecimentos comerciais autorizados realizaram a compra avulsa. O descumprimento de leis voltadas à prevenção da iniciação ao fumo é um enorme obstáculo para a redução da proporção de fumantes. O fortalecimento das ações legislativas e de fiscalização, aliado a ações educativas e de sensibilização junto aos varejistas, é fundamental para proteger as novas gerações quanto aos efeitos nocivos do uso do tabaco.

En las últimas décadas, Brasil ha logrado importantes avances en el combate a la epidemia del tabaquismo. Pero, recientes datos nacionales apuntan a un probable estancamiento en la recucción de la iniciación tabáquia entre jóvenes y adolescentes. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar la evolución en el tiempo de cumplimiento de la ley que prohíbe la venta de cigarrillos a menores en Brasil. Para ello, se utilizaron datos de la Encuesta Nacional de Salud del Escolar de 2015 y 2019. Se estimaron proporciones para los indicadores “secuenciales” creados desde una combinación de las respuestas a las preguntas “alguien se negó a venderte cigarrillos” y “cómo conseguiste cigarrillos”. Hubo una disminución entre 2015 y 2019 en la proporción de fumadores de entre 13 y 17 años que intentaron comprar cigarrillos en los treinta días antes de la encuesta (72,3% vs. 66,4%; valor de p ≤ 0,05). Sin embargo, independientemente del año de la encuesta, alrededor de 9 de cada 10 adolescentes fumadores tuvieron éxito en algún intento de comprar cigarrillos. De estos, aproximadamente 7 de cada 10 utilizaron la compra activa como el principal método de acceso a cigarrillos, y la respectiva compra en establecimientos comerciales autorizados (vs. con vendedores ambulantes) aumentó entre 2015 y 2019 (81,1% vs. 89,6%; valor de p ≤ 0,05). En 2019, el 70% de los adolescentes que compraron cigarrillos en establecimientos comerciales autorizados los compraron sueltos. El incumplimiento de la ley destinada a prevenir la iniciación al tabaquismo es un gran obstáculo para reducir la proporción de fumadores. El fortalecimiento de las acciones legislativas y de fiscalización, sumado a acciones educativas y de sensibilización con los comerciantes, es fundamental para proteger a las nuevas generaciones de los efectos nocivos del consumo de tabaco.

In recent decades, Brazil has made significant progress in fighting the tobacco epidemic. However, recent national data suggest a probable stagnation in the reduction of smoking initiation among youth and adolescents. The objective of this study was to evaluate the evolution over time of compliance with the law that prohibits the sale of cigarettes to minors in Brazil. To this end, data from the Brazilian National Survey of School Health conducted in 2015 and 2019 were used. Percentages were estimated for “sequential” indicators created by combining answers to the questions “Did anyone refuse to sell you cigarettes?” and “How did you obtain your cigarettes?” There was a decrease between 2015 and 2019 in the percentage of smokers aged 13 to 17 who tried to buy cigarettes in the 30 days prior to the survey (72.3% vs. 66.4%; p-value ≤ 0.05). However, regardless of the survey year, approximately 9 out of 10 adolescent smokers were successful in an attempt to buy cigarettes. Of those, approximately 7 out of 10 used direct purchase as the main method of obtaining cigarettes, with purchases at licensed commercial establishments (vs. street vendors) increasing between 2015 and 2019 (81.1% vs. 89.6%; p-value ≤ 0.05). In 2019, 70% of teenagers who bought cigarettes at licensed commercial establishments purchased single cigarettes. Non-compliance with laws aimed at preventing smoking initiation is a huge obstacle to reducing the proportion of smokers. Increased implementation of legislative measures and oversight of cigarettes sales, combined with educational and awareness actions with retailers, is key to protecting new generations from the harmful effects of tobacco use.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: The research aimed to uncover potential lessons from the international experience regarding corporate social responsibility (CSR) applications in the retail sector DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: This study followed a qualitative document review approach, employing a literature review and content analysis. The document review focused on empirical work mainly done towards the latter part of the 20th century on the continents of Asia, the Americas, Europe and Africa. The document review approach allowed for a broad view of CSR applications in the retail sectors of multiple countries, with a specific focus on their maturity level and transformative CSR best practices FINDINGS: The findings suggest that countries have different maturity levels with variant regulatory interventions. Countries such as India and the UK are trend leaders in their explicit CSR regulatory language. This is in stark contrast with the relatively vague CSR articulation in countries such as Poland and Egypt and limited to no regulatory intervention in countries such as the USA, Mozambique and Kenya RECOMMENDATIONS/VALUE: If the reluctance to explicit regulatory intervention in the application of CSR in the international experience persists, the trend to primarily use CSR to advance businesses' public image may prevail. Therefore, the board of directors is recommended to oversee transformative CSR application by setting measurable CSR strategic priorities. Applying the DNA model and lessons learned, businesses should set key CSR indicators that conform to the socio-economic developmental agenda, and third-party oversight structures should enhance their vigilance in monitoring businesses' legislative compliance with socio-economic developmental aspects MANAGERIAL IMPLICATIONS: The overall result of the study makes a significant contribution to the contemporary field of management in that the trend towards transformative CSR requires greater alignment to the socioeconomic developmental agenda of a country and CSR impact measurement requires additional oversight by authorities and relevant civil society organisations JEL CLASSIFICATION: M14

Calls have resonated within media scholarship and practice for more ethical oversight in the production and distribution of media content by producers through ethical frameworks. This article intervenes in the literature on the global debate around media ethics frameworks by focusing on the under-explored value of human dignity in the context of television reality shows. The article makes two interventions in relation to the value of dignity, one theoretical and another applied. The theoretical intervention, contrary to the tendency to rely on Western cultures and theories to conceptualise human dignity, draws from a Global South perspective, specifically from the African ethical idea of Ubuntu that proffers a relational (as opposed to an individualist) conception of human dignity. The applied ethics intervention responds to the scant literature focusing on the representation of human dignity in media ethics. The article uses Ubuntu's theory of human dignity to compare the representation of participants on similar factual television shows from the United States of America (USA) and South Africa depicting relational infidelity. Multimodal critical discourse analysis from three episodes of Cheaters and three episodes of South Africa's Uyajola 9/9 (n=6) reveal that human dignity in the representation of the participants in these two shows is often neglected in the media production process, leaving many questions about the global and local media ethics of these two reality shows.

Big data is changing the way many companies conduct business on a day-to-day basis. Insurers are notorious for utilising data in the risk assessment of prospective and current policyholders. The use of such risk assessment mechanisms in insurance has resulted in some discrimination between various policyholders but this has been held to be justifiable due to the fact that it is based on actuarial science and is therefore viewed as fair. However, the advent of big data, data analytics, algorithms, and artificial intelligence is providing insurers with far more sophisticated data about potential policyholders. This may prove to be beneficial to insurers in many ways, but it also brings about additional possibilities of exclusion within the industry. This use of big data has the potential to increase social injustices within our country, which is something that needs to be avoided as much as possible. Discrimination, through the use of big data, is a reality that needs to be addressed by insurers and regulators alike. Achieving social justice as far as possible in the insurance industry is crucial and also requires considerations in the areas of morality and ethics. The reason for this is that the very nature of big data is integrally linked to the assessment of the policyholder's moral risks and hazards for the benefit of the insurer is often linked to personal circumstances and, sometimes, the financial circumstances of the policyholder, and may even speak to the policyholder's integrity. Although potentially beneficial for the insurers from a risk assessment perspective, the use of big data has ethical and moral considerations within the insurance context. After all, the insurance industry's collection, storage, and use of big data raises ethical and moral concerns and casts a shadow on the manner it is used to assess policyholders. This discussion highlights the need for regulatory oversight of big data, an aspect that is notably missing in the South African legislative framework.

A glance at political theory reveals a preoccupation with the corrosive nature of power, in particular with how to ensure that the governors are sufficiently accountable to the governed. Legislative oversight is a constitutional requirement in the South African system of government. However, poor performance, maladministration and a lack of accountability in various government institutions have continued to be a major challenge. In recent years the implementation of legislative oversight has proven to be a challenge, with findings of abuse of state power revealed by reports from the Office of the Public Protector as well as corruption scandals in procurement processes. This study examines the role of parliament in holding the executive accountable in line with the constitutional values of transparency, accountability and responsiveness. Apart from delineating the reach of parliament's powers and functions, the main thrust of the study, given the existing vicissitudes in our constitutional edifice, including the failure of parliament to hold the executive accountable, is on how to strengthen the institution of parliament in its oversight role.

After extensive advocacy and lobbying by the media, human rights campaigners, and civil society organisations (CSOs), Ghana's Right to Information (RTI) Act (Act 989) became law in 2019 and went into effect in January 2020. The Act sets out the procedures for access to information held by Ghanaian public institutions, with oversight by the Right to Information Commission (RTIC). The purpose of this study was to explore the dynamics of initial implementation of the law, in the years 2020-22, and to identify potential obstacles to optimal execution during that initial period. The core research data was collected via semi-structured interviews, between April and August 2022, with 10 individuals possessing deep knowledge of the Act and its implementation dynamics. This interview data was qualitatively analysed, through the lenses of the principal-agent conceptual model and the objectives of the Act, in order to determine the key themes emerging from the data. It was found that realisation of the Act's objectives was being hampered to some extent by a lack of public awareness, and to a more substantial extent by bureaucratic blockages resulting from a mix of entrenched administrative culture and a lack of knowledge of the requirements of the Act. Based on these findings, the author recommends improved public education by the RTIC in cooperation with CSOs; strong RTIC engagement with public institutions to ensure a sufficient number of fully trained information officers (IOs); continued CSO cooperation with the Ministry of Information towards ensuring optimal implementation of the Act; CSO monitoring of the work of the RTIC; and CSO support for information access applications by journalists and other civil society actors.