As digital technologies continue to shape the economy, countries are faced with increasing scrutiny in the use of digital transformation to aid productivity and improve performance. In South Africa, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated Small and medium-sized businesses’ (SMEs’) uptake of digital technologies, as many businesses had to shift their operations online and adopt new digital tools and technologies to solve the challenges posed by the pandemic. This has led to an increased focus on digital transformation mechanisms among South African firms. Therefore, the study examines the effect of digital transformation on the productivity of firms using cross-sectional data from the World Bank Enterprise Survey (WBES) (2020). The survey was based on firms and is a representative sample of the private sector in the South African economy and covers a wide variety of business environment themes, such as infrastructure, competitiveness, access to finance, and performance indicators. We found that digital transformation improved productivity of South African firms. Furthermore, empirical findings are reassuring robust to the IV-2SLS and quantile regression model, size of business, sectoral and provincial analysis. Finally, we recommend that policy makers should develop and implement initiatives to improve digital infrastructure, including high-speed internet access and reliable connectivity, especially in rural and underserved areas.

Heat stress amplified by climate change causes excessive reductions in labor capacity, work injuries, and socio-economic losses. Yet studies of corresponding impact assessments and adaptation developments are insufficient and incapable of effectively dealing with uncertain information. This gap is caused by the inability to resolve complex channels involving climate change, labor relations, and labor productivity. In this paper, an optimization-based productivity restoration modeling framework is developed to bridge the gap and support decision-makers in making informed adaptation plans. The framework integrates a multiple-climate-model ensemble, an empirical relationship between heat stress and labor capacity, and an inexact system costs model to investigate underlying uncertainties associated with climate and management systems. Optimal and reliable decision alternatives can be obtained by communicating uncertain information into the optimization processes and resolving multiple channels. Results show that the increased heat stress will lead to a potential reduction in labor productivity in China. By solving the objective function of the framework, total system costs to restore the reduction are estimated to be up to 248,700 million dollars under a Representative Concentration Pathway of 2.6 (RCP2.6) and 697,073 million dollars under RCP8.5 for standard employment, while less costs found for non-standard employment. However, non-standard employment tends to restore productivity reduction with the minimum system cost by implementing active measures rather than passive measures due to the low labor costs resulting from ambiguities among employment statuses. The situation could result in more heat-related work injuries because employers in non-standard employment can avoid the obligation of providing a safe working environment. Urgent actions are needed to uphold labor productivity with climate change, especially to ensure that employers from non-standard employment fulfill their statutory obligations.

The study aims to investigate and analyse the social media, precisely the Instagram activity of several hotels in the city of Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Having been the second most popular destination besides Bali, it is mainly dominated by domestic tourism. Although several governmental institutions exist, the study focuses on the hotel’s activity only. The main purpose was to find, that after the classification of the posts, whether there is a more positive effect of one as opposed to the other type of posts. In addition, it was also important to see if with the time advancing positive effect of likes and comments appear and the relation of hashtags, likes and comments. Data was collected between 1st of January 2023. and 15th of July 2024. The first step was to collect posts done by the suppliers and then the posts were classified. Also, the number of hashtags used were collected. Second step was to collect the response from the demand side by gathering their likes and comments. Data then was analysed with SPSS 24 and JASP program. Results show that while there is no significance on increasing likes and comments with the months advancing, but in terms of the type of the posts there is. Promotional posts with other suppliers tend to bring a lot more comments and likes than self-promotional posts. This study’s main purpose to analyse through social media posts to enhance online networking by local suppliers promoting each other’s products.

Human resources are considered an important resource for companies today because the knowledge that a person has can be used to become an organisation’s competitive advantage. In addition, digital marketing has an important role in determining the performance of business entities because we have now entered the digital era, which certainly cannot be separated from the influence of technology on marketing through social media. Therefore, this study aims to examine the effect of Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) in digital marketing on business entity performance, which is determined by digital marketing in a business entity. The data in this research was collected by distributing questionnaires to 455 Micro Small Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Indonesia. Data analysis used the Moderated Regression Analysis (MRA) method. The research results show that strategic human resource management variables influence business performance, and the support of digital marketing capabilities and activities strengthens this influence. Based on the results of this research, existing business entities must strengthen organizational performance by strengthening human resources in basic soft skills and hard skills and skills in digital marketing and improving marketing activities using digitalization.

Road construction and maintenance are key interventions that support economic potential in the country. However, the deplorable state of some roads in Nigeria, and in Cross River and Akwa Ibom states draws research concerns. This paper seeks to examine the impact of the Niger Delta Development Commission Intervention on road construction and economic activities in Cross River and Akwa Ibom States, Nigeria. Using the Sustainable Development Framework, a survey research design was employed, gathering data from 400 respondents across both states. The chi-square statistical technique was used to test the hypothesis that the Niger Delta Development Commission Intervention has no significant impact on road construction in Akwa Ibom and Cross River States. The result of the data analysis showed the calculated value X² = 1592 > 16.92. By this result, the null hypothesis was rejected (16.92) at 0.05 level of significance and 9 Degrees of Freedom, and the alternate was accepted. The study concludes that NDDC road projects have positively influenced economic activities and livelihoods in the states. However, it highlights the need for further improvements, particularly on the Calabar-Itu federal highway.

This article attempts to use public sphere theory as a starting point to compare the behavior of the British government in protecting the interests of British business in China in the 19th century with the Chinese government’s neglect of the interests of Chinese business in the Philippines. Mill’s method of finding identities will be used. This article uses the Shanghai Branch of the China Association and the Philippine Chinese Charitable Association Inc. as representatives of civil business groups in the UK and China. For the UK, due to the public sphere of competition with the central government within the UK, civil business groups must consult with relevant civil business groups when implementing any economic foreign policy. This process promotes consensus between the British government and society to promotes the British government’s determination to maintain British business in China. However, for China, due to the absence of a public sphere where the central government interacts with society, even though Chinese civil business groups have huge interests overseas, the state and society have always been unable to form a positive interaction. At the same time, this situation also results in Chinese business in the Philippines having to rely on their abilities to maintain their local interests.