This research examines data from 1989 to 2022 across 48 Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries using a novel panel data regression approach to uncover how conflict undermines economic stability. The study identifies the destruction of infrastructure, disruption of human capital development, and deterrence of investment as primary channels through which conflict negatively impacts economies. These findings support the hypothesis that armed conflict severely hampers economic performance in SSA, highlighting the urgency for effective conflict resolution strategies and robust institutional frameworks. The negative impacts extend beyond immediate losses, altering income growth trajectories and perpetuating poverty long after hostilities cease. Regional spillover effects emphasize the interconnectedness of SSA economies, where conflict in one country affects its neighbors. The research provides innovative insights by disaggregating impact pathways and employing a robust methodology, revealing the complexity of conflict's economic consequences. It underscores the need for comprehensive policy interventions to foster resilience and sustainable development in conflict-prone regions. While there is evidence of potential post-conflict growth, the overall net effect of armed conflict remains profoundly negative, diminishing economic prospects. Future research should focus on strengthening long-term resilience mechanisms and policy measures to enhance the peace dividend. Addressing the root causes of conflict and investing in peace-building efforts are essential for transforming SSA's economic landscape and ensuring sustainable growth and development.

Local scour, a complex phenomenon in river flows around piers with movable beds, can damage bridge piers during high floods. Predicting scour depth accurately is vital for safety and economic reasons, especially for large bridges. This study using hydraulic flume laboratory experiments compared diamond, square, and elliptical pier models of different sizes under steady clear-water conditions considering different flow rates and discharge levels to identify the most efficient shape with less local scour. Local scour, a complex phenomenon in three-dimensional flow around piers in rivers with movable beds, can lead to detrimental effects on bridge piers due to high flood velocities. Accurate prediction of scour depth is crucial for economic and safety reasons, especially for large bridges with complex piers. Hydraulic engineers are keen on forecasting the equilibrium scour depth. To achieve this, laboratory testing compared diamond, square, and elliptical pier models under steady clear-water conditions to identify the most efficient pier shape with less local scour. This research provides valuable insights for optimizing pier design to enhance bridge stability and resilience against scour-induced risks. A variety of configurations, including different sizes and shapes of piers were experimented with in the flume using diamond, square, and elliptical shapes. The test results showed that the local scour depth around elliptical piers was around 29.16% less, and around diamond piers, it was approximately 16.05% less compared to the scour depth observed around square piers with the same dimensions. The researchers also observed distinct patterns of scouring around different pier shapes. Specifically, the square-shaped piers displayed the highest level of scouring depth, that is, 48 mm, followed by the diamond-shaped pier which experienced a scouring depth of 48 mm while the elliptical-shaped piers experienced the least amount of scouring depth, that is, 34 mm. The test results also demonstrated that pier size significantly influences scouring, with an increase in pier size from 3 × 3 cm2 to 5 × 5 cm2 leading to a rise in scour depth by 26.04%. Moreover, this study findings also elucidated that an increase in flow results in an increase of in scouring depth i.e., elevating the discharge from 0.0026 cumecs to 0.0029 cumecs led to a 28.13% increase in scouring depth for the identical pier size. These findings provide valuable insights into the hydraulic behavior of various pier shapes and can aid in the optimization of bridge design and hydraulic engineering practices. The investigations further revealed that local scouring is sensitive not only to pier dimensions but also to other critical parameters, including flow rate, time of exposure, and the size of a pier.

This study investigates non-academic employees’ perceptions of their line managers’ leadership styles at a private university in Malaysia and how these perceptions influence their intention to remain employed. Employing a qualitative approach and the path-goal theory as a theoretical framework, data were collected through purposive sampling from 10 non-academic employees and analyzed thematically using NVivo 12 software. The findings reveal that a supportive and participative leadership style fosters an informal leadership dynamic between line managers and subordinates. Informal leadership behaviors encompass affective qualities and effective communication that enable the development of close relationships outside the workplace, facilitating increased employee engagement and motivation levels. Consequently, this approach notably improves employee retention. This study offers a comprehensive understanding of informal leadership styles contributing to enhanced human resource management at the private university while providing an inclusive perspective on employees’ perceptions and their intention to remain employed. Finally, we propose a model of employees’ perception of leadership styles as the main driver that better serves their intention to stay in organizations.

In order to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations and address the growing global concern for ecologically responsible activities, this study examines the role that French financial institutions play in financing a green future and promoting sustainable development (SD). Through semi-structured interviews with twelve participants from banks and Fintech companies, the research investigates their familiarity with green financing commitments to international organizations and associations, their views on the growth potential of green finance, and the provision of green finance products. Additionally, it explores the connection between green finance and its positive influence on SD. Data analysis was performed using NVivo 12. The findings highlight a strong commitment to green finance and sustainable practices among these institutions, emphasizing the significance of integration and utilization of green finance products across various sectors. This research emphasizes the crucial role of financial institutions in France in driving a greener and more sustainable future through green finance.

This study aims to investigate the enhancement in electrical efficiency of a polycrystalline photovoltaic (PV) module. The performance of a PV module primarily depends upon environmental factors like temperature, irradiance, etc. Mainly, the PV module performance depends upon the panel temperature. The performance of the PV module has an inverse relationship with temperature. The open circuit voltage of a module decreases with the increase in temperature, which consequently leads to the reduction in maximum power, efficiency, and fill factor. This study investigates the increase in the efficiency of the PV module by lowering the panel temperature with the help of water channel cooling and water-channel accompanied with forced convection. The two arrangements, namely, multi-inlet outlet and serpentine, are used to decrease the temperature of the polycrystalline PV module. Copper tubes in the form of the above arrangements are employed at the back surface of the panel. The results demonstrate that the combined technique is more efficient than the simple water-channel cooling technique owing to multi-heat dissipation and effective heat transfer, and it is concluded that the multi-inlet outlet cooling technique is more efficient than the serpentine cooling technique, which is attributed to uniform cooling over the surface and lesser pressure losses.