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Purpose: This paper aims to fill gap in the literature and explore policy options for resolving the problems of accountability by framing three research questions. The research questions are (i) whether certain elements of Scott's (2014) institutional pillars attenuate (accentuate) corporate and public accountability; (ii) whether the presence of ruling party-affiliated enterprises (RPAEs) create an increase (decrease) in the degree of corporate (public) accountability; and (iii) whether there is a particular form of ownership change that transforms RPAEs into public investment companies. Design/methodology/approach: Using a qualitative research methodology that involves term frequency and thematic analysis of publicly available textual information, the paper examines Mechkova et al.'s (2019 forms of government accountability. The paper analyzes the gaps between the de jure and de facto accountability using the institutional pillars framework. Findings: The findings of the paper are three. First, there are gaps between de jure and de facto in all three (vertical, horizontal and diagonal) forms of government (public) accountability. Second, the study finds that more than three fourth of the parties that contested the June 2021 election did have regional focus. They did not advocate for accountability. Third, Ethiopia's RPAEs are unique. They have regional focus and are characterized by severe forms of agency and information asymmetry problems. Research limitations/implications: The main limitation of the paper is its exploratory nature. Extending this research by using cross-country data could provide a more complete picture of the link between corporate (public) accountability and a country's institutional pillars. Practical implications: Academic research documents that instilling modern corporate (public) governance standards in the Sub Sahara Africa (SSA) region has shown mixed results. The analysis made in this paper is likely to inform researchers and policymakers about the type of change that leads to better corporate (and public) accountability outcomes. Social implications: The institutional change proposed in the paper is likely to advance the public interest by mitigating agency and information asymmetry problems and enhancing government accountability. The changes make the enterprises investable, save scarce jobs, enhance diversity and put the assets in RPAEs to better use. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first paper that uses the institutional pillars analytical framework to examine an SSA country's corporate (public) accountability problem. It demonstrates that accountability is a domestic and a (novel) traveling theory. The paper identifies the complexity of resolving the interlock between political institutions and business enterprises. It theorizes that it is impossible to instill modern corporate (public) accountability standards without changing regulatory, normative and cultural cognitive pillars of institutions. The paper contributes to the change management and public interest literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2007/2008, a triple crisis of food, fuel and finance sparked a global rush for agricultural land; tens of millions of hectares were acquired, primarily by foreign investors, within countries in the Global South. Amidst those transactions, intergovernmental organizations, national governments, investors, and community members envisioned what "success" of such investments entails. Although not explicitly defined, each stakeholder had different conceptualizations and measures of it, based upon the descriptions used and desired outcomes sought. Despite a large amount of literature analyzing the global rush for land, as far as we are aware no one has analyzed the diverse viewpoints about what success entails. This paper compares conceptualizations among four key stakeholder groups, based on ideal types from dominant narratives, and develops a typology of ideal stakeholder framing of success to allow comparisons of uses and thereby provide a foundation for researchers who are assessing the global land rush. This paper provides clarity about widely used, but inconsistently defined, framing providing an important foundation for clarity of meaning and comparative differences between stakeholders. The typology advances the discourse on the land rush by providing nuance to this widely used framing and makes explicit its diverse meanings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to examine whether faculties' affective professional commitment mediates the relationship between transformational leadership behaviors of university management, perceived organizational support, and faculties' institutional citizenship behavior. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire from a total of 220 full-time academicians teaching in Debre Berhan University of Ethiopia. The mediating role of affective professional commitment in promoting faculties' institutional citizenship behaviors has been overlooked in the existing literature and this paper is original. Particularly in developing countries like Ethiopia, this investigation brings a paramount contribution to curtailing the resignation of academic staff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The year 2016 is remembered globally for the adoption of the New York Declaration and its Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF) as the new global refugee response model. In this regard, Ethiopia has been one of those African countries that have adopted the Declaration, made specific CRRF pledges and has become a CRRF pilot country. Such national policy move heralded the shift of refugee policy in Ethiopia in the post-2016 era. Nonetheless, compared to the focus accorded to refugees and the role of international institutions and donors, the role of African hosting states in the governance of refugees and how they navigate internal and external demands and adopt policies have been paid little scholarly attention. This study, therefore, aims to fill in this scholarly gap and contribute to the existing debate in the academic and policy circle on state response to refugees in the era of CRRF from the Global South perspective by providing an empirical insight into the nature, dynamics and shift of refugee policies in Ethiopia and the factors that contributed to this effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Natural resource degradation poses a major challenge to the sustainable livelihoods of farmers in developing countries, hindering progress toward achieving sustainable rural development. Watershed development and management practices (WDMPs) are powerful tools for enhancing sustainable rural development in developing countries. These practices have been shown to significantly improve livelihoods and food security. This research examined how WDM programs help achieve sustainable development in rural areas, focusing on examples from Ethiopia. This study used a systematic literature review (SLR) approach following a PRISMA review protocol. The research question was formulated using the CIMO (context, intervention, mechanisms, and outcomes) approach: "Does the watershed development and management (WDM) initiative lead to sustainable rural livelihoods?" Considering this research question, the findings indicated that WDM contributes to the socioeconomic and environmental sustainability of rural communities. It does this by enhancing households' livelihood in terms of income generation, employment opportunities, agricultural productivity, and improvements in social services and infrastructure, as evidenced by numerous studies, thereby leading to better livelihoods and food security. This research also emphasizes the importance of community participation and supportive policies and legal frameworks for successful WDM. Overall, the systematic literature review highlights the potential of WDMPs in promoting sustainable rural development in developing countries such as Ethiopia while also highlighting the need for a supportive policy and institutional environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid urbanization in emerging nations such as Ethiopia encourages participants in the area to consider the sustainability and balanced growth of metropolitan centers from a variety of angles and to offer suitable solutions. This study aims to comprehend how urban land use influences the efficiency and connection of road networks, which in turn affects how accessible different parts of the city are, to determine the influencing factors and critical indicators that enable a systematic categorization of subcity accessibility from the perspectives of urban land use. Geographic information system (GIS) techniques are used to gather and analyze precise geographical data on road networks, land use patterns, and other pertinent properties. In addition, a regression model is created to measure the effect of land use features on the accessibility of the road network. The primary questionnaire data are used to estimate the current situation of road accessibility and are used in the study validation process. This research has incorporated qualitative and quantitative approaches to sustainability. The findings imply that residential areas are 90% significant in making transport along the city, and 98% of the accessibility of the road network is dependent on land use features, including road density and subcity areas. Among the subcities, Bole, Kirkos, and Arada have 87% road network accessibility and better access to public transportation. Overall, these techniques emphasize the value of spatial analytic tools in planning procedures to better comprehend and control the intricate relationships between transportation and land use dynamics and to assist in the sustainable design and growth of cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In this study, the authors investigate how institutions influence the adoption and implementation of a quality management practice (QMP) that was originally developed for Western developed countries but is being used in sub-Saharan African firms. The authors' aim is to contribute to the literature on how local and broader institutions in sub-Saharan African firms impact the adoption of QMP (specifically ISO 9001:2015) and how the firm's situated rationalities shape the associated change in management accounting practices. Design/methodology/approach: The authors applied the extended Burns and Scapens framework and employed a case study research approach. The authors collected empirical data through semi-structured interviews and secondary sources and used direct content analysis to analyse the data. Findings: The authors' findings suggest that although personal values and commitments to modernising the business are the main drivers of change, the continued dominance of traditional accounting logic restricts the necessary change in management accounting to support effective QMP implementation. Practical implications: This study emphasises the importance of aligning institutional logics to fully realise the benefits of new strategies and identifies technical competencies, access to information and communication technology, and clarity about the role of management accounting in modernising management practices as critical success factors. Originality/value: This study is original in that it provides insights into the impact of contextual factors in less developed countries on institutionalising QMP and management accounting change, demonstrating the importance of aligning management accounting change with proposed organisational strategies to fully realise their benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organizations instantiate multiple institutional logics, which operate in a nested fashion across levels of analysis. A demand on organizations in the Global South from aid donors is to adopt new management systems. Management systems like kaizen, a Japanese business philosophy of continuous improvement, have an inherent logic. Kaizen's adoption in Ethiopia, a postsocialist state, can be rendered ceremonial if its logic is not fully instantiated along with prevailing logics within recipient organizations. Our examination of the Ethiopian Sugar Corporation is an application of Besharov and Smith's 2014 framework. We assume there is a high degree of centrality in this state-owned enterprise, because any managerial logic absorbed would have to adhere to the state logic. We conducted interviews, supplemented by archival data review, to illustrate what actors do to improve compatibility with state logic. Our findings suggest three institutional logics were instantiated, in order: the macro logic of developmental authoritarianism; micro logics of production order and social control; and the meso logic of knowledge brokerage. We propose the concept of layered logic, or ordering of institutional logics, each serving a distinct purpose yet fitted with the others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adama is the second most populous city in Ethiopia and experiences frequent flash floods that have a detrimental impact on the community's livelihood. To this effect, this study emphasizes the significance of conducting a comprehensive investigation to identify flood-resilient neighborhoods in Adama City. By considering the existing spatial pattern and morphology that are resilient to urban flooding, the city can enhance its flood management strategies in the future. The findings of this study demonstrate varying levels of spatial connectivity within Adama City. Detailed examination of two neighborhoods identified through space syntax analysis with high and low spatial connectivity revealed important insights into flood resilience. The high-connective neighborhoods exhibited well-interconnected street systems with manageable street spacing, facilitating efficient runoff flow and effective flood management during flooding events. These neighborhoods also had shorter block sizes with frequent intersections, promoting better water drainage and reducing the risk of flooding during heavy rain events. The grid pattern observed in these areas allowed for efficient water runoff through multiple drainage paths, including the street surfaces. On the contrary, neighborhoods with low spatial connectivity exacerbated urban flooding. The lack of connectivity and abundance of dead-end streets posed challenges for flood evacuation during emergencies. Irregular block arrangements disrupted the natural drainage system, aggravating the potential for urban flooding. These findings have implications for other flood-prone areas of neighborhoods in Adama City and similar urban areas in the global south on how human settlements are arranged spatially to mitigate urban flood vulnerability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethiopia's primary export, coffee, has been instrumental in its economic growth. A blockchain multinational company named Cardano advocated for the adoption of their technology in Ethiopia. However, instead of fostering development, the push for blockchain by developed nations perpetuates structural imperialism. This stems from disparities in economic distribution and ICT knowledge. This study examines Cardano's influence on Ethiopia's coffee sector in 2018, revealing a dynamic where developed countries exert influence over developing ones. Cardano's technological prowess positions it at the center, impacting Ethiopia as a peripheral player in blockchain adoption for coffee trade enhancement. Despite Ethiopia's coffee exports tripling in value, the collaboration also benefits Cardano, leading to unequal labor division and economic gains. Furthermore, Cardano's initiatives spawn additional blockchain applications, extending its influence across various sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Child mortality is a crucial indicator reflecting a country's health and socioeconomic status. Despite significant global improvements in reducing early childhood deaths, Southern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa still bear the highest burden of newborn mortality. Ethiopia is one of five countries that account for half of new-born deaths worldwide. Methods: This study examined the relationship between specific reproductive factors and under-five mortality in Ethiopia. A discrete-time survival model was applied to analyze data collected from four Ethiopian Demographic and Health Surveys (EDHS) conducted between 2000 and 2016. The study focused on investigating the individual and combined effects of three factors: preceding birth interval, maternal age at childbirth, and birth order, on child mortality. Results: The study found that lengthening the preceding birth interval to 18–23, 24–35, 36–47, or 48+ months reduced the risk of under-five deaths by 30%, 46%, 56%, and 60% respectively, compared to very short birth intervals (less than 18 months). Giving birth between the ages 20–34 and 35+ reduced the risk by 34% and 8% respectively, compared to giving birth below the age of 20. The risk of under-five death was higher for a 7th-born child by 17% compared to a 2nd or 3rd-born child. The combined effect analysis showed that higher birth order at a young maternal age increased the risk. In comparison, lower birth order in older maternal age groups was associated with higher risk. Lastly, very short birth intervals posed a greater risk for children with higher birth orders. Conclusion: Not only does one reproductive health variable negatively affect child survival, but their combination has the strongest effect. It is therefore recommended that policies in Ethiopia should address short birth intervals, young age of childbearing, and order of birth through an integrated strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]