American Journal of Economics and Sociology最新文献

To explore the role of institutional opening-up in promoting green technology innovation in enterprises, this study uses data from A-share listed companies in China from 2011 to 2023. Employing a multi-period DID model, we systematically investigate the impact of the establishment of Pilot Free Trade Zones (FTZ) on corporate green technology innovation. The results show that FTZ establishment significantly improves the level of green patent applications by enterprises, particularly exerting a more prominent positive incentive effect on green invention patents, which represent higher technological content and R&D quality. Dynamic effect analysis reveals the cumulative nature of the policy impact over time, with the effect increasing over time. Moderation analysis shows that administrative approval efficiency and public environmental demands play a significant positive moderating role between FTZ establishment and corporate green innovation. The former enhances enterprises' enthusiasm and confidence in green R&D by shortening the patent authorization process and strengthening the protection of innovative achievements, while the latter “forces” enterprises to increase their willingness to invest in environmental protection through social supervision and public opinion pressure, forming a synergistic effect with institutional opening-up. Heterogeneity analysis reveals significant differences in policy responsiveness among different entities: non-digital economy enterprises show a stronger policy response than digital economy enterprises, peripheral cities show a stronger response than central cities, and non-old industrial base cities show a stronger response than old industrial base cities. Furthermore, FTZs not only promote independent R&D by enterprises but also significantly enhance the output of green patents under collaborative R&D models, indicating that institutional opening-up provides diversified innovation pathways for enterprises. This study provides new empirical evidence for understanding the intrinsic link between institutional opening-up and green technology innovation and has important reference value for promoting the optimization of the institutional environment, the improvement of administrative efficiency, and the design of green innovation policies with the participation of multiple stakeholders.

It is commonly assumed that natural and traditional medicine is inherently more ethical than modern, industrialized practices. However, this article challenges that assumption by highlighting the cruelty and immorality associated with bear bile extraction. The article argues that the most effective solutions to this problem lie in the development and promotion of synthetic and herbal alternatives, specifically artificial bear bile. Scientists have successfully developed synthetic ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), the key active compound in bear bile, which can be produced without harming animals. Additionally, herbal alternatives, derived from specific plants, have demonstrated comparable medicinal properties. The success of artificial bear bile not only provides equivalent therapeutic benefits without animal exploitation but also opens new avenues for the revitalization of traditional Chinese medicine.

While Chinese culture has long emphasized “Tian ren he yi” (the oneness of nature and humanity), promoting animal welfare in China remains a challenge. This article suggests that the widespread view of “animal welfare” as an inherently foreign concept plays a significant role in this difficulty, as it implies that Western notions of animal welfare are irrelevant to Chinese society and thus may not warrant serious consideration. We argue that although the term “animal welfare” originated in the West, its underlying principle—compassion for animals—is closely aligned with traditional Chinese philosophy. Concern for animal welfare has deep roots in Chinese culture, as reflected in the teachings of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, as well as in historical practices. Unfortunately, this cultural tradition has been overshadowed by a modernization drive that has adopted a dismissive attitude toward tradition and an imperialistic attitude toward nature, often equating modernization with Westernization. To truly advance animal welfare in China, it is essential to revive traditional Chinese values, particularly the notion of harmony between humans and nature, which could serve as a solid theoretical foundation for the animal welfare movement.

Most of the studies on the implications of externalities rarely consider the coexistence of positive network externalities and negative externalities. This paper examines the effect of net externalities in price competition and the effectiveness of the entry fee-refund policy. We show that the positive network externalities improve profits, consumer surplus, and social welfare, while negative externalities reduce them. The implementation of an entry fee-refund policy reduces firms' profits, but further improves consumer surplus and social welfare. An increase of positive network externalities makes such policy more effective, but the effect is weakened by negative externalities.

Economic growth, as one major goal for economies around the world, has been scrutinized across decades through multiple theoretical and empirical approaches that emphasize the role played by factors such as technological progress, human capital, climate change, knowledge, innovations, and institutions for steering its evolution. However, the complexity and the relevance of this economic phenomenon leave room for novel investigations and insights. This study investigates the mechanisms that shape the economic destiny of 125 countries spread across all levels of economic development for the period 2003–2020 by advancing a new theoretical setting that considers the dual role of tax compliance as a moderator and mediator. According to our empirical results yielded via multiple regressions with bootstrapping, tax compliance steers and enhances the relationships between key socioeconomic and political levers and economic growth. We show that in countries with higher levels of tax compliance, economic growth rises due to strong governance and institutional quality, economic freedom, and a dynamic business environment, flexible labor markets, and socioeconomic development. Therefore, societies where regulations, principles, and norms of doing business and contributing to state budgets are followed by most taxpayers are conducive to higher long-term prosperity. In such contexts, public authorities should continuously strive to implement efficient public policies, strengthen the rule of law and mitigate corruption acts, secure a stable political environment, and educate citizens on the importance of tax compliance.

Scope of practice laws restrict mid-level professionals, like dental hygienists, from practicing independently. In 1997, Washington voters considered Initiative 678, which would have allowed dental hygienists to offer cleanings without dentist oversight, aiming to increase dental access. Due to a statewide advertising campaign by the dental professional association, the initiative failed. This paper examines county-level support for Initiative 678. I find evidence that counties with lower dental care utilization, fewer residents with fluoridated water, and worse oral health predicted greater support for the initiative. These results are consistent with voters' interests shaping voting patterns, despite special interests influencing the outcome.

The construction of a closely connected trade network of countries along the Belt and Road (BR) is a key part of deepening regional economic cooperation. Based on the trade data of goods and services of the countries along the Belt and Road from 2007 to 2021, the research applies social network analysis to construct the goods and services network and analyze its evolution, characteristics, and impact on innovation activities. The study finds that: (1) The average trade distance in the trade network is gradually decreasing; the trade network is characterized by a clear “grouping” of countries, with the group of Southeast Asian countries being the most closely linked and the European countries being more efficient in terms of the effective scale and efficiency of their trade. (2) The centrality and effective scale of the trade network significantly promote innovation activities. The moderating effect suggests that the trade network more strongly promotes developing countries with lower levels of national institutional environment and informatization, while the level of corporate disclosure and technological spillovers play a positive moderating role. Heterogeneity analysis shows that countries in Asia and those with high levels of sentiment toward China are more likely to benefit from the innovation promotion effect, while countries with high levels of intellectual property protection may inhibit the development of innovation capacity. The findings of this research provide useful policy insights for exploring new paths to promote innovation activities in countries along the Belt and Road from the perspective of trade networks.

Criminal behaviour and its societal impact remain critical challenges in developing economies, where successful rehabilitation directly influences community well-being and social progress. India's distinct federal structure provides a compelling research setting, as states exercise considerable autonomy in rehabilitation programs while operating under a unified legal framework. Our methodology combines machine learning with dynamic panel estimation to analyse institutional effectiveness across 29 Indian states (2002–2021), examining 14 dimensions of institutional capacity. This comprehensive analysis explores how economic conditions, institutional mechanisms, and rehabilitation programs interact to determine reform success. The findings reveal that successful rehabilitation emerges not from isolated economic or institutional improvements but through their systematic integration. A pivotal policy shift in 2016 demonstrated how states that implemented comprehensive reforms, strengthening economic foundations and institutional mechanisms, achieved marked improvements in rehabilitation outcomes. This research deepens our understanding of how institutional capacity, resource allocation, and implementation strategies shape reform success in resource-constrained environments. We identify key determinants of rehabilitation effectiveness by analysing variations across states operating under identical legal frameworks. These insights advance knowledge of how developing economies can design effective rehabilitation programs that harness economic growth and institutional development to enhance societal outcomes.