Loans are a critical transmission channel for commercial banks as well as an important revenue source. Macroeconomic factors are not within the control of commercial banks, however, select factors are observed to have a direct impact on lending behaviour in studies around the world. This study examined the relationship between macroeconomic variables and the lending behaviour of banks in South Africa for the period ranging from 2001 to 2022. Quarterly time series data was employed using the Autoregressive Distributed Lag Model (ARDL). The empirical results of the paper revealed that there is a long-run relationship between the repurchase rate (repo rate), inflation, the real effective exchange rate (REER) and lending behaviour in South Africa. The REER and inflation were both found to have a positive relationship, whilst the repo rate had a negative relationship. In addition, Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the activity rate and sovereign credit rating (SCR) changes returned insignificant results. Overall, these findings show that select macroeconomic factors do influence lending behaviour in South Africa. Furthermore, the results suggest that monetary policy decisions have a direct influential effect on lending and the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) has implemented their policies effectively.

This study aims to examine the entrepreneurial activities of 240 women in the districts of Konaseema, East Godavari, and Kakinada during 2021–2022, focusing on the diverse range of 286 enterprises they managed across 69 business types. These enterprises were tailored to local resources and market demands, with coconut wholesale, cattle breeding, and provision shops being the most common. The study also analyzes income distribution, noting that one-third of the women earned between ₹50,000–1,00,000 annually, while only 0.70% earned over ₹5,00,000. More than half of the enterprises served as the primary income source for their families. The research highlights the significant role these women entrepreneurs play in their communities, their job satisfaction derived from financial independence and social empowerment, and the challenges they face, such as limited capital and market access. Finally, the study offers recommendations to empower these women to seize entrepreneurial opportunities and enhance their success.

Incest is one of the most serious forms of sexual abuse that occurs between a father and his daughter. It involves a parent committing something forbidden to their own child, which violates moral standards. This incestuous relationship has a significant impact on the survivors’ psychology, body, and emotions, affecting all aspects of their lives. This study explores the long-term effects experienced by individuals in Malaysia who have survived father-daughter incest (FDI). This study conducted in-depth interviews with 11 key persons from several agencies involved in handling FDI cases in Malaysia. The findings reveal that those who experienced FDI frequently suffered long-term issues. It is important for everyone involved in assisting these individuals. This is aligned with the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 3, which emphasises the value of good health and well-being for all. It also aligns with Malaysia’s MADANI concept, which emphasises protecting and promoting everyone’s human rights. FDI survivors can receive the protection and assistance they require to live healthier and more successful lives by implementing an effective strategy that includes mental health support, powerful laws, and community education.

Lake Batur is one of the national priorities, as it has economic value, and fish resources are used for food security and improving the local people’s welfare. The study examined the applicability of fisheries management status based on the ecosystem approach in lakes. The study was carried out from February to July 2023 using ecosystem approach methods in seven villages around Batur Lake, Bali, Indonesia, Data was collected through observations and interviews with 189 respondents. The success of fisheries management might be shown as a flag model after the composite domain and the total aggregate value of all dominants were rated. The results showed that the managed fish resources and stakeholders were unsatisfactory categories. Generally, social and fishing technology domains were classified as good categories. For that, ecosystem approach applications for sustainable fisheries in Batur Lake needed action under the five common scenario goals (a) reducing non-target fish (red devil) in the lakes by intensive capture and processing into other products of economic value; (b) regulations related to the reserve area as a place for fish to spawn and breed; (c) increasing the synergy of fisheries management policies; (d) increasing the stakeholder capacity; and (e) government support and related stakeholders regarding one regulation for fisheries management.

This paper aims to explore the relationship between corporate overinvestment and management incentives, focusing particularly on the influence of different ownership structures. Utilizing agency theory and ownership structure theory, this study constructs a theoretical framework and posits hypotheses on how management incentives might influence corporate overinvestment behaviors under different ownership structures. Listed companies from 2010 to 2020 were selected as the research sample, and the hypotheses were empirically tested using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and regression analysis. The findings suggest that a relatively concentrated ownership structure may encourage management to adopt more cautious investment strategies, thus reducing overinvestment behaviors; while under a dispersed ownership structure, the relationship between management incentives and overinvestment is more complex. This study provides new evidence on how management incentive mechanisms influence corporate decision-making in different ownership environments, offering significant theoretical and practical implications for improving internal control and incentive mechanisms.