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This paper aims to provide insights into the environment needed for advancing a digitally enabled circular plastic economy in Africa. It explores important technical and social paradigms for the transition.

This study adopted an interpretivist paradigm, drawing on thematic analysis on qualitative data from an inter-sectoral engagement with 69 circular economy stakeholders across the continent.

The results shows that, while substantial progress has been made with regard to the development and deployment of niche innovations in Africa, the overall progress of circular plastic economy is slowed due to relatively minimal changes at the regime levels as well as pressures from the exogenous landscape. The study highlights that regime changes are crucial for disrupting the entrenched linear plastic economy in developing countries, which is supported by significant sunk investment and corporate state capture.

The main limitation of this study is with the sample as it uses data collected from five countries. Therefore, while it offers a panoramic view of multi-level synergy of actors and sectors across African countries, it is limited in its scope and ability to illuminate country-specific nuances and peculiarities.

The study underlines the importance of policy innovations and regulatory changes in order for technologies to have a meaningful contribution to the transition to a circular plastic economy.

The study makes an important theoretical contribution by using empirical evidence from various African regions to articulate the critical importance of the regime dimension in accelerating the circular economy transition in general, and the circular plastic economy in particular, in Africa.

This paper analyzes the ex-ante determinants of asset securitization in Moroccan banks, providing a detailed exploration of factors influencing securitization in the Moroccan banking sector.

The study focuses on funding, performance, risk transfer and regulatory capital arbitrage hypotheses. By employing a probit model, we examined all Moroccan banks that securitized their assets from 2002 to 2022. Additional analyses were conducted with alternative variables and by splitting the sample into two periods, 2002–2013 and 2014–2022, to assess the impact of the regulation law 119-12 implemented in 2013 on the Moroccan securitization market.

The results indicate that the search for alternative funding sources and bank size emerge as significant factors driving securitization in Morocco. Additionally, there is limited evidence that loan portfolio quality is a decisive factor to securitize. Meanwhile, there is no evidence that securitization is driven by performance and regulatory capital arbitrage. Robustness tests further support these findings, while also suggesting that banks may engage in securitization to enhance their performance and, to a lesser extent, reduce regulatory capital.

This paper contributes to the empirical literature by identifying the determinants that drive Moroccan banks to securitize, addressing a research gap in the relatively understudied Moroccan securitization market. The findings provide valuable insights for bankers, investors and policymakers, highlighting the potential benefits of securitization and suggesting policy changes to foster a robust securitization market while ensuring financial stability.

This study aims to examine whether and how the experience of specialized external governance mechanisms mandated by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 – the actuary and auditor – affect pension plan funding.

This study uses data from annual pension plan regulatory reports (Form 5500), Form 10-K filings, Form DEF 14A filings (company proxy statements) and publicly available data sources. The hand-collected data include information related to the pension plan’s actuary and auditor and various pension plan data disclosed in the company’s financial statement footnotes.

The author finds that more experienced actuaries and auditors are associated with better funded pension plans, especially when the company has higher financial risk or lower board independence. Additional analyses indicate that companies with more experienced actuaries and pension plan auditors are more likely to make higher annual pension plan contributions and hold fewer Level 3 fair value assets.

The dearth of pension plan governance research generally focuses on whether and how internal governance mechanisms affect pension plan funding. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first empirical study of the relationship between external pension plan governance mechanisms and pension plan funding.

This chapter elucidates the significance of innovation in fostering green entrepreneurship and cultivating a resilient, eco-friendly economy. It underscores the three categories of innovation available to green entrepreneurs: product innovation, process innovation, and business model innovation. These avenues empower green entrepreneurs to craft sustainable products and services, enhance operational efficiency, and establish novel markets for eco-friendly goods and services. This chapter also explores green entrepreneurs’ challenges, including lack of funding, limited market demand, and regulatory barriers, provides strategies to overcome these challenges, and discusses the role of public–private partnerships (PPPs) and cross-sector collaboration in promoting green entrepreneurship and sustainable development. It also highlights the benefits of these collaborations, such as access to funding and resources, technical expertise, market development, networks, collaboration, and shared knowledge and expertise. Finally, this chapter emphasizes that green entrepreneurship can be supported through partnerships that combine the strengths and resources of multiple sectors, such as the government, private industry, non-profits, and academia. Ultimately, this chapter provides a roadmap for green entrepreneurs to overcome challenges and leverage collaborations to create sustainable products and services, improve efficiency, and develop new markets for sustainable goods and services.

The primary objective of this research is to introduce a pioneering takaful model that provides both provision and protection to the aging population by combining the concept of cash waqf with takaful. This model is designed to align with Shariah principles, ensuring sustainability and enduring impact.

This research adopts a qualitative methodology, where a focus group discussion was conducted with six stakeholders. The participants consisted of takaful operators, legal experts and other industry players. The participants were presented with the proposed cash waqf takaful model and their feedback was recorded. Legal issues related to linking waqf with takaful were also identified and discussed.

The study highlights the need for innovative financial solutions to support Malaysia's aging population. It proposes a cash waqf takaful model, leveraging crowd funding for sustainability. Legal hurdles and recommendations for overcoming them are discussed, along with suggestions for future research on quantitative validation and regulatory frameworks. Ultimately, the study emphasizes the holistic approach of the proposed model in addressing the well-being of Malaysia's senior citizens.

The proposed takaful model presents opportunities for takaful operators to integrate Islamic social finance into their operations, enabling easier access to takaful for the elderly community. By eliminating financial barriers, it can transform the takaful landscape, ensuring inclusivity and financial security for aging populations. Moreover, policymakers see it as a blueprint for sustainable financial solutions and social welfare enhancement globally.

The study introduces a novel cash waqf takaful model to support Malaysia's aging population, leveraging crowdfunding for sustainability. It addresses legal challenges unique to Malaysia and proposes collaboration with State Islamic Religious Authorities. Furthermore, it emphasizes the need for further research to validate the model's effectiveness and explores its potential global policy implications.

Africa has the most deaths from infections yet lacks adequate capacity to engage in vaccine development, production and distribution, the cornerstone of efficiently managing and eliminating several infectious diseases. Research has scarcely explored the role of institutional logics in vaccine development, production and distribution, collectively known as end-to-end vaccine manufacturing. This study aims to explore how institutional logics influence firms to engage in the vaccine manufacturing value chain in Africa.

We conducted multiple case study research using five vaccine manufacturing firms from four African countries in three regions. Qualitative interviews were conducted among 18 executives in 5 vaccine manufacturing firms.

We identified that the state, corporate and market institutional logics disparately influence the different parts of the vaccine manufacturing value chain. These institutional logics co-exist in a constellation that also shapes the organizational forms. Their constellation has dominant logics that guide behavior, while subdominant and subordinate logics influence behavior to a limited extent. The findings show that institutional logics are a function of contextual factors, such as historical events, technological changes and pandemics.

The study developed a typology that identifies vaccine manufacturing firm archetypes, institutional logics and their constellations underpinned by contextual factors. The findings have implications for firms and policymakers, as they may guide the end-to-end vaccine manufacturing interventions adapted for their regions.

The purpose of this paper is to present a conceptual framework that explores the determinants, mechanisms and consequences of reporting on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) by universities. The framework considers the relationship between reporting on the SDGs and the three main activities of universities: research, teaching and service. As universities hold a unique position in society, understanding their experiences with SDG reporting offers insights into the promotion and integration of SDGs into reporting and practice more broadly.

The paper adopts a conceptual approach and draws on existing literature to develop a framework for understanding reporting on the UN SDGs by universities. The framework considers the challenges faced by universities in providing sustainability information and examines the motivations and outcomes associated with reporting. It also explores the coordination and collaboration necessary across departments within universities and discusses the risks associated with greenwashing.

The paper highlights that reporting on the UN SDGs can enhance university engagement with stakeholders, improve their reputation, and foster innovation and transdisciplinary research ideas. However, universities encounter challenges such as limited data availability, resource constraints, lack of coordination and competing priorities. The growing scepticism surrounding reporting motives has led to increased allegations of greenwashing within the sector.

This paper contributes to the accounting literature by presenting a comprehensive framework that explores the determinants, mechanisms and consequences of reporting on the UN SDGs by universities. The framework offers insights into how reporting on SDGs can lead to embedding the SDGs in research, teaching and service activities and can be adapted to other organisational contexts. The paper also emphasises the need for further research on the mechanisms of reporting, which play a crucial role in driving long-lasting change.

This case aims to introduce students to the social sector financing (internal and external) landscape, and its nuances. It specifically provides material to enable critical evaluation and decision-making around financing a for-profit social enterprise and its associated challenges.

The case highlights the fundraising options available to a social enterprise in an emerging economy like India. EnglishHelper Technologies Private Ltd. (EH) commenced operations in 2011 as a subsidiary of its parent Boston-based company, to provide technology-based learning solutions primarily to the underserved segments of the country’s population. Sanjay Gupta, co-founder and CEO, EH Inc., wanted to explore funding options suitable for the company’s next growth stage. The existing funding sources of equity from its parent company, grants and revenues (mainly from product sales to government schools) had worked well for EH in the initial years of its growth. But its financial performance was being impacted, and, additionally, further scaling up would require sources that could give a much larger quantum of funds and add support to EH’s operations. EH would also need to revisit its revenue model to strengthen its financial sustainability, by drawing lessons from the other prevalent ones in the ed-tech sector and make it more effective. The case encourages students to assess the various funding alternatives, internal and external, for a social sector private company with a for-profit model like EH, to enable it to achieve its scaling-up plans while serving its social mission.

The case is relevant for both undergraduate and postgraduate students and can be used in business administration programs.

CSS 1: Accounting and finance.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

This paper aims to address the critical labor shortage in the food industry by exploring the potential of 3D food printing technology as a strategic solution. The study investigates how 3D food printing can enhance productivity, reduce labor costs, and offer innovative applications in various sectors of the food industry.

The research employs a comprehensive review of existing literature and case studies to analyze the current state of labor scarcity in the food industry and the technological advancements in 3D food printing. The paper also assesses the technical, operational, regulatory, and ethical challenges of 3D food printing and provides strategic recommendations for stakeholders.

3D food printing technology presents a viable solution by automating labor-intensive tasks, enhancing labor efficiency, and enabling customized food production. The technology’s potential benefits include improved productivity, reduced operational costs, and the ability to meet personalized nutritional needs. However, the adoption of 3D food printing faces challenges such as high initial costs, maintenance requirements, and scalability issues. Additionally, regulatory and consumer acceptance hurdles need to be addressed.

Policymakers are encouraged to support the development and adoption of 3D food printing through funding and clear regulatory frameworks. Business leaders should consider strategic investments in 3D printing technology and training programs to harness its benefits. Technology developers must focus on advancing the capabilities and user-friendliness of 3D food printers. Addressing these aspects can help the food industry overcome labor scarcity and achieve long-term sustainability and efficiency.

This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of 3D food printing technology as a strategic response to labor scarcity in the food industry. It contributes to the existing body of knowledge by highlighting the potential of 3D food printing to revolutionize food production and offering practical recommendations for its adoption and integration.

Apprenticeships in England, while defined by level and typical duration, are not quantified regarding the number of learning hours required to achieve the outcomes specified, as with other regulated qualifications and accredited programmes. This paper proposes an approach to ascribe credit to apprenticeships recognising both on-and-off-the-job learning to remove some of the existing barriers to accessing higher education (HE) and the professions.

A mixed methodological approach resulting in a total learning hours/credit value was proposed.

There is significant HE-wide confusion regarding the amount of learning/training that is required to complete apprenticeships in England. Whilst sector guidance made it clear that there was no prescribed method to ascribe credit to qualifications, programmes, modules, units or apprenticeships by drawing out the core principles within current practice, a key outcome of this project was the development of a method to ascribe a credit value to apprenticeships.

There is potential to support further research into the recognition of prior learning as a specialised pedagogy and for reflecting on apprenticeship practice in other roles and sectors.

Whilst the project underpinning this paper focused on the healthcare sector, the method used to ascribe credit to the level-3 healthcare support worker apprenticeship was not sector specific and can therefore be applied to apprenticeships within other contexts providing more widespread benefits to workforce development.

Policy makers must ensure that employers and providers are clear that the minimum statutory off-the-job hours constitute an apprentice employment entitlement, which must not be conflated with total apprenticeship learning hours requirements. This recommended policy clarification could assist in simplifying the process required for ascribing credit to apprenticeships and at the same time support a move towards better and more consistent recognition of the value of apprenticeship learning.

It is a first attempt to ascribe a credit value to an apprenticeship in England for the specific purpose of facilitating progression to HE.