Pub Date : 2024-08-26DOI: 10.3390/economies12090225
Angélica-María Sánchez-Riofrío, Marco Faytong-Haro, Olga Roa, Jonathan Valderrama-Álvarez
Women entrepreneurs in rural Ecuador face significant obstacles, including limited access to education, financial services, and business networks. Despite their vital role in the economy, gender inequalities hinder their success. This study protocol aims to evaluate the impact of a tailored business training program designed to empower rural women entrepreneurs and promote sustainable economic development. Aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of Quality Education (Goal 4), Gender Equality (Goal 5), and Decent Work and Economic Growth (Goal 8), the program will assess improvements in women’s agency, confidence, and business performance. Key results include a 54% increase in perceived self-efficacy and a 200% increase in locus of control observed in the pre-pilot phase, indicating enhanced decision-making capacities and program effectiveness. Expected improvements in business performance will be measured by sales figures and financial growth, with anticipated positive impacts on SDG 8. The program will also track participation rates, with high enrollment and completion rates contributing to SDG 4. Additionally, financial stability and the number of engaged suppliers will be monitored, supporting SDG 8. By incorporating additional structural interventions, the study will offer insights into enhancing the empowerment of rural women entrepreneurs, creating a holistic impact that fosters both individual and community development.
{"title":"Enhancing Women’s Entrepreneurship in Rural Ecuador: A Study Protocol Aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals","authors":"Angélica-María Sánchez-Riofrío, Marco Faytong-Haro, Olga Roa, Jonathan Valderrama-Álvarez","doi":"10.3390/economies12090225","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/economies12090225","url":null,"abstract":"Women entrepreneurs in rural Ecuador face significant obstacles, including limited access to education, financial services, and business networks. Despite their vital role in the economy, gender inequalities hinder their success. This study protocol aims to evaluate the impact of a tailored business training program designed to empower rural women entrepreneurs and promote sustainable economic development. Aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of Quality Education (Goal 4), Gender Equality (Goal 5), and Decent Work and Economic Growth (Goal 8), the program will assess improvements in women’s agency, confidence, and business performance. Key results include a 54% increase in perceived self-efficacy and a 200% increase in locus of control observed in the pre-pilot phase, indicating enhanced decision-making capacities and program effectiveness. Expected improvements in business performance will be measured by sales figures and financial growth, with anticipated positive impacts on SDG 8. The program will also track participation rates, with high enrollment and completion rates contributing to SDG 4. Additionally, financial stability and the number of engaged suppliers will be monitored, supporting SDG 8. By incorporating additional structural interventions, the study will offer insights into enhancing the empowerment of rural women entrepreneurs, creating a holistic impact that fosters both individual and community development.","PeriodicalId":52214,"journal":{"name":"Economies","volume":"76 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142207572","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-08-23DOI: 10.3390/economies12090223
Manuela A. de Paz-Báñez, Celia Sánchez-López, María José Asensio-Coto
The minimum wage has become a standard measure in the economic and social policies of countries all over the world. The primary objective of this measure is to guarantee that workers receive a minimum wage that allows them to lead a decent life, thereby reducing inequality and poverty. However, studies on the minimum wage have not focused on assessing the effects on these dimensions but only on employment. The objective of this study is to address this research gap by analysing the effects of minimum wage increases on income inequality and poverty. To this end, firstly, a systematic review of the empirical analyses was conducted using the PRISMA methodology, with a view to ensuring that all empirical evidence was available. Secondly, the Spanish case was examined. The significant increase in minimum wage in Spain in 2019 (21.3% in real terms) presents an invaluable opportunity to utilise this event as a natural experiment to generate new evidence. A difference-in-differences approach was employed to assess the impact of this phenomenon in the period 2018–2019 with microdata from European Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC for Spain). In doing so, two basic scientific contributions were made. The first one, a systematic, exhaustive, and up-to-date literature review (up to June 2024), as there is, to our knowledge, no recent systematic review of this relationship (minimum wage vs. inequality). The available evidence indicates a clear inverse relationship between the minimum wage and inequalities and poverty. The second one, regarding the Spanish case, there has been a dearth of scientific studies on this subject. Thus, this paper provides new scientific evidence demonstrating that a significant increase in the minimum wage can significantly improve the income of low-wage earners, thereby reducing income inequality and in-work poverty. Furthermore, there is evidence of a spillover effect towards income groups closer to the treatment group.
{"title":"Effects of the Minimum Wage (MW) on Income Inequality: Systematic Review and Analysis of the Spanish Case","authors":"Manuela A. de Paz-Báñez, Celia Sánchez-López, María José Asensio-Coto","doi":"10.3390/economies12090223","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/economies12090223","url":null,"abstract":"The minimum wage has become a standard measure in the economic and social policies of countries all over the world. The primary objective of this measure is to guarantee that workers receive a minimum wage that allows them to lead a decent life, thereby reducing inequality and poverty. However, studies on the minimum wage have not focused on assessing the effects on these dimensions but only on employment. The objective of this study is to address this research gap by analysing the effects of minimum wage increases on income inequality and poverty. To this end, firstly, a systematic review of the empirical analyses was conducted using the PRISMA methodology, with a view to ensuring that all empirical evidence was available. Secondly, the Spanish case was examined. The significant increase in minimum wage in Spain in 2019 (21.3% in real terms) presents an invaluable opportunity to utilise this event as a natural experiment to generate new evidence. A difference-in-differences approach was employed to assess the impact of this phenomenon in the period 2018–2019 with microdata from European Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC for Spain). In doing so, two basic scientific contributions were made. The first one, a systematic, exhaustive, and up-to-date literature review (up to June 2024), as there is, to our knowledge, no recent systematic review of this relationship (minimum wage vs. inequality). The available evidence indicates a clear inverse relationship between the minimum wage and inequalities and poverty. The second one, regarding the Spanish case, there has been a dearth of scientific studies on this subject. Thus, this paper provides new scientific evidence demonstrating that a significant increase in the minimum wage can significantly improve the income of low-wage earners, thereby reducing income inequality and in-work poverty. Furthermore, there is evidence of a spillover effect towards income groups closer to the treatment group.","PeriodicalId":52214,"journal":{"name":"Economies","volume":"82 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-08-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142207575","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-08-23DOI: 10.3390/economies12090222
Bedassa Tadesse, Roger White
While the effects of immigrants on aggregate trade flows have been extensively examined, the role of immigrants in shaping trade in value added (TiVA) remains underexplored. Employing a panel dataset covering 38 Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member host countries and 64 immigrant home countries spanning 2000–2018 and estimating a random intercept and random slope mixed-effects model, we find that immigrants play a significant role in enhancing the value added from their home countries that is embedded in their host countries’ exports to the world. We document these effects at the aggregate level and across sectors (i.e., manufacturing, agriculture, and services). There is, however, considerable variation in the influence of immigrants on TiVA across country pairs. Our findings highlight that immigrants significantly enhance trade sophistication by promoting specialization and upward movement in the value chain, yielding economic benefits for their home and host countries.
{"title":"Beyond Borders: The Effects of Immigrants on Value-Added Trade","authors":"Bedassa Tadesse, Roger White","doi":"10.3390/economies12090222","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/economies12090222","url":null,"abstract":"While the effects of immigrants on aggregate trade flows have been extensively examined, the role of immigrants in shaping trade in value added (TiVA) remains underexplored. Employing a panel dataset covering 38 Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member host countries and 64 immigrant home countries spanning 2000–2018 and estimating a random intercept and random slope mixed-effects model, we find that immigrants play a significant role in enhancing the value added from their home countries that is embedded in their host countries’ exports to the world. We document these effects at the aggregate level and across sectors (i.e., manufacturing, agriculture, and services). There is, however, considerable variation in the influence of immigrants on TiVA across country pairs. Our findings highlight that immigrants significantly enhance trade sophistication by promoting specialization and upward movement in the value chain, yielding economic benefits for their home and host countries.","PeriodicalId":52214,"journal":{"name":"Economies","volume":"10 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-08-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142207574","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-08-22DOI: 10.3390/economies12080216
Thomas H. W. Ziesemer
This paper addresses the controversial issue of the direct and indirect effects of public R&D on growth. We look at six variables of R&D-driven growth jointly for 14 OECD countries using methods of dynamic systems for panel data analysis: GDP, technical change, domestic and foreign businesses and public R&D. Cointegration tests suggest four long-run relations for the six variables. We estimate these relations using group mean versions of fully modified and dynamic OLS. Domestic public R&D has positive long-run regression coefficients for direct effects on productivity and indirect ones via private R&D. Here, we build a panel vector-error-correction model with these long-term relations. Shocks to domestic public R&D enhance domestic private R&D, technical change and the GDP. Permanent changes in foreign public and private R&D have positive growth effects, which are transitional for foreign public R&D.
{"title":"Public R&D and Growth: A dynamic Panel Vector-Error-Correction Model Analysis for 14 OECD Countries","authors":"Thomas H. W. Ziesemer","doi":"10.3390/economies12080216","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/economies12080216","url":null,"abstract":"This paper addresses the controversial issue of the direct and indirect effects of public R&D on growth. We look at six variables of R&D-driven growth jointly for 14 OECD countries using methods of dynamic systems for panel data analysis: GDP, technical change, domestic and foreign businesses and public R&D. Cointegration tests suggest four long-run relations for the six variables. We estimate these relations using group mean versions of fully modified and dynamic OLS. Domestic public R&D has positive long-run regression coefficients for direct effects on productivity and indirect ones via private R&D. Here, we build a panel vector-error-correction model with these long-term relations. Shocks to domestic public R&D enhance domestic private R&D, technical change and the GDP. Permanent changes in foreign public and private R&D have positive growth effects, which are transitional for foreign public R&D.","PeriodicalId":52214,"journal":{"name":"Economies","volume":"22 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142207576","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This article explores the evolution of road freight transport in the context of Industry 4.0, focusing on management practices and technological advancements in transport and logistics companies’ management information systems. By analyzing the latest international practices in road freight quality management within Industry 4.0 through regression and correlation methods, a model highlighting the significant influence of quality over price and institutional factors on the development of information and communication technology (ICT) goods exports was developed. It showcases how digital frameworks, alongside AI and big data, can enhance road freight quality in Industry 4.0, establishing a digital ecosystem for transport and logistics quality management. This study introduces a novel perspective on managing road freight transport as a digital ecosystem, offering insights into improving ICT goods exports in Kazakhstan by enhancing management information systems. It suggests a new management information system organization scheme to increase road freight quality management efficiency and ensure quality in Industry 4.0 settings.
{"title":"Road Freight Quality Management in Industry 4.0: International Experience and Perspectives in Kazakhstan","authors":"Rashid Oiykbayevich Tazhiyev, Taskin Dirsehan, Elmira Esenbekovna Baimukhanbetova, Urikkul Duisenovna Sandykbaeva","doi":"10.3390/economies12080218","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/economies12080218","url":null,"abstract":"This article explores the evolution of road freight transport in the context of Industry 4.0, focusing on management practices and technological advancements in transport and logistics companies’ management information systems. By analyzing the latest international practices in road freight quality management within Industry 4.0 through regression and correlation methods, a model highlighting the significant influence of quality over price and institutional factors on the development of information and communication technology (ICT) goods exports was developed. It showcases how digital frameworks, alongside AI and big data, can enhance road freight quality in Industry 4.0, establishing a digital ecosystem for transport and logistics quality management. This study introduces a novel perspective on managing road freight transport as a digital ecosystem, offering insights into improving ICT goods exports in Kazakhstan by enhancing management information systems. It suggests a new management information system organization scheme to increase road freight quality management efficiency and ensure quality in Industry 4.0 settings.","PeriodicalId":52214,"journal":{"name":"Economies","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142207579","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-08-22DOI: 10.3390/economies12080217
Adedoyin Isola Lawal, Ezeikel Oseni, Adel Ahmed, Hosam Alden Riyadh, Mosab I. Tabash, Dominic T. Abaver
The stock market operates on informed decisions based on information gathered from heterogeneous sources, encompassing diverse beliefs, strategies, and knowledge. This study examines the validity of rational bubbles in stock market prices, focusing on eight African stock markets: South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, Morocco, Mauritius, Ghana, and Botswana. Utilizing newly developed econophysics-based unit root tests and the Dynamic Conditional Correlation Multivariate Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity (DCC MGARCH) models, the authors analyzed daily data from 1996 to 2022. Our findings indicate that these markets experienced bubbles at various points, often followed by bursts. These bubbles coincided with significant economic changes, suggesting a strong link between stock market behavior and economic growth. For instance, financial crises, political instability, and global economic downturns significantly influenced bubble formation and bursts in these markets. The study reveals that market-specific events, such as regulatory changes and shifts in investor sentiment, also contributed to the occurrence of bubbles. Three key policy options are proposed to address bubbles in the studied markets including, enhancing regulatory frameworks to monitor and mitigate bubble formation, improving financial literacy among investors to promote informed decision-making, and strengthening economic policies to stabilize macroeconomic conditions and reduce vulnerability to external shocks. By implementing these measures, policymakers can enhance market stability and foster sustainable economic growth in African stock markets.
{"title":"Analysing Rational Bubbles in African Stock Markets: Evidence from Econophysics Frequency Domain Estimates and DCC MGARCH Model","authors":"Adedoyin Isola Lawal, Ezeikel Oseni, Adel Ahmed, Hosam Alden Riyadh, Mosab I. Tabash, Dominic T. Abaver","doi":"10.3390/economies12080217","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/economies12080217","url":null,"abstract":"The stock market operates on informed decisions based on information gathered from heterogeneous sources, encompassing diverse beliefs, strategies, and knowledge. This study examines the validity of rational bubbles in stock market prices, focusing on eight African stock markets: South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, Morocco, Mauritius, Ghana, and Botswana. Utilizing newly developed econophysics-based unit root tests and the Dynamic Conditional Correlation Multivariate Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity (DCC MGARCH) models, the authors analyzed daily data from 1996 to 2022. Our findings indicate that these markets experienced bubbles at various points, often followed by bursts. These bubbles coincided with significant economic changes, suggesting a strong link between stock market behavior and economic growth. For instance, financial crises, political instability, and global economic downturns significantly influenced bubble formation and bursts in these markets. The study reveals that market-specific events, such as regulatory changes and shifts in investor sentiment, also contributed to the occurrence of bubbles. Three key policy options are proposed to address bubbles in the studied markets including, enhancing regulatory frameworks to monitor and mitigate bubble formation, improving financial literacy among investors to promote informed decision-making, and strengthening economic policies to stabilize macroeconomic conditions and reduce vulnerability to external shocks. By implementing these measures, policymakers can enhance market stability and foster sustainable economic growth in African stock markets.","PeriodicalId":52214,"journal":{"name":"Economies","volume":"32 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142207578","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-08-22DOI: 10.3390/economies12080215
Jos Blank, Alex Van Heezik
In this paper, we focus on the sustainability of hospital care in The Netherlands from a labour market perspective. The continued increase in the demand for hospital care and the subsequent growth in the demand for hospital labour can cause permanent shortages of medical and nursing personnel, but can also affect labour conditions in other sectors of the economy. We analyse how the hospital sector put pressure on the labour market between 2000 and 2021 by applying a regression analysis to the share of hospital labour costs in the total economy on hospital production, wages and technical change. From the raw data, we observe a modest growth in hospital production over the whole research period. Strikingly, hospital wages underwent explosive growth compared to wages in other sectors of the economy in the same timeframe, seemingly disproving the hypothesis that hospital wages follow wages in other sectors. A worrisome result comes from the estimated Baumol parameter, which indicates that productivity growth in the hospital sector lagged significantly behind other sectors. This implies that the hospital sector, aside from developments in hospital care demand and hospital wages, is also causing a serious problem because of a low or negative productivity change. At this rate, we will stumble into the situation that the pressure of hospitals on the Dutch labour force will be doubled in the next decades. To avoid this situation, severe measures need to be taken, such as implementing incentives and sanctions to improve productivity.
{"title":"The Sustainability of Hospital Care in The Netherlands from a Labour Market Perspective: A Time Series Analysis of the Baumol Effect between 2000 and 2021","authors":"Jos Blank, Alex Van Heezik","doi":"10.3390/economies12080215","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/economies12080215","url":null,"abstract":"In this paper, we focus on the sustainability of hospital care in The Netherlands from a labour market perspective. The continued increase in the demand for hospital care and the subsequent growth in the demand for hospital labour can cause permanent shortages of medical and nursing personnel, but can also affect labour conditions in other sectors of the economy. We analyse how the hospital sector put pressure on the labour market between 2000 and 2021 by applying a regression analysis to the share of hospital labour costs in the total economy on hospital production, wages and technical change. From the raw data, we observe a modest growth in hospital production over the whole research period. Strikingly, hospital wages underwent explosive growth compared to wages in other sectors of the economy in the same timeframe, seemingly disproving the hypothesis that hospital wages follow wages in other sectors. A worrisome result comes from the estimated Baumol parameter, which indicates that productivity growth in the hospital sector lagged significantly behind other sectors. This implies that the hospital sector, aside from developments in hospital care demand and hospital wages, is also causing a serious problem because of a low or negative productivity change. At this rate, we will stumble into the situation that the pressure of hospitals on the Dutch labour force will be doubled in the next decades. To avoid this situation, severe measures need to be taken, such as implementing incentives and sanctions to improve productivity.","PeriodicalId":52214,"journal":{"name":"Economies","volume":"9 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142207577","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-08-22DOI: 10.3390/economies12080219
Ashraf Mishrif, Mohamed A. Hammad
Many manufacturing firms face considerable difficulties in building export capacity and selling their products in international markets. These firms often struggle with unpredictable cost changes, logistical problems along the supply chain, and rising labor expenses that could threaten the competitive edge of manufacturing operations. As there is also a clear absence of practical export models tailored to the unique needs of industrial firms, our study aims to offer a more holistic approach to assessing the impact of cost components on enhancing export-oriented production capacity (EOPC), a perspective not comprehensively provided by the comparative advantage theory, the Heckscher–Ohlin model, or the resource-based theory. While offering a comprehensive analysis of cost components in production, we argue that adjusting the resources, managing the costs, and enhancing production efficiency can significantly improve the EOPC of the manufacturing firms. Using primary data collected from 200 manufacturing firms in Oman during the period 2012–2016, multiple regression analysis followed by descriptive statistical analysis together with a correlation matrix indicates strong positive relationships between the EOPC and factors such as the raw material cost (RMC), labor wages (LW), labor force (LF), and R&D costs (RND). Multicollinearity assessment shows VIF values below the threshold, suggesting reliable estimates. Interaction terms and market conditions were integrated into the model, enhancing its predictive accuracy. Preliminary multiple regression analysis confirms the significant impact of the RMC, LW, LF, and R&D on the EOPC, while highlighting the importance of market conditions in moderating these effects. The model’s adjusted R2 value indicates a strong fit, showing that the independent variables account for a substantial proportion of the variance in the EOPC. Each variable’s importance is reflected in its coefficient, while p-values assess the statistical significance, highlighting which factors are crucial for enhancing export capabilities. Specifically, low p-values for cost components, labor force size, and wages confirm their significant influence, and varying market conditions further modulate these effects, demonstrating the accurate interplay between internal and external factors. Adjustments in cost components under varying market scenarios were analyzed, indicating optimal strategies for increasing the EOPC. Of the five scenarios proposed to distribute the cost either among some variables while keeping others constant or among all the factors, the best-case scenario adjusted all variables together, resulting in a 20% increment in exports. We conclude with some practical and policy implications for governments to support industries in accessing cheap resources through tax reductions on imported raw materials and efficient supply chains, while promoting innovation, technology adoption, and R&D investment at the firm level.
{"title":"Multi-Factor Cost Adjustment for Enhanced Export-Oriented Production Capacity in Manufacturing Firms","authors":"Ashraf Mishrif, Mohamed A. Hammad","doi":"10.3390/economies12080219","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/economies12080219","url":null,"abstract":"Many manufacturing firms face considerable difficulties in building export capacity and selling their products in international markets. These firms often struggle with unpredictable cost changes, logistical problems along the supply chain, and rising labor expenses that could threaten the competitive edge of manufacturing operations. As there is also a clear absence of practical export models tailored to the unique needs of industrial firms, our study aims to offer a more holistic approach to assessing the impact of cost components on enhancing export-oriented production capacity (EOPC), a perspective not comprehensively provided by the comparative advantage theory, the Heckscher–Ohlin model, or the resource-based theory. While offering a comprehensive analysis of cost components in production, we argue that adjusting the resources, managing the costs, and enhancing production efficiency can significantly improve the EOPC of the manufacturing firms. Using primary data collected from 200 manufacturing firms in Oman during the period 2012–2016, multiple regression analysis followed by descriptive statistical analysis together with a correlation matrix indicates strong positive relationships between the EOPC and factors such as the raw material cost (RMC), labor wages (LW), labor force (LF), and R&D costs (RND). Multicollinearity assessment shows VIF values below the threshold, suggesting reliable estimates. Interaction terms and market conditions were integrated into the model, enhancing its predictive accuracy. Preliminary multiple regression analysis confirms the significant impact of the RMC, LW, LF, and R&D on the EOPC, while highlighting the importance of market conditions in moderating these effects. The model’s adjusted R2 value indicates a strong fit, showing that the independent variables account for a substantial proportion of the variance in the EOPC. Each variable’s importance is reflected in its coefficient, while p-values assess the statistical significance, highlighting which factors are crucial for enhancing export capabilities. Specifically, low p-values for cost components, labor force size, and wages confirm their significant influence, and varying market conditions further modulate these effects, demonstrating the accurate interplay between internal and external factors. Adjustments in cost components under varying market scenarios were analyzed, indicating optimal strategies for increasing the EOPC. Of the five scenarios proposed to distribute the cost either among some variables while keeping others constant or among all the factors, the best-case scenario adjusted all variables together, resulting in a 20% increment in exports. We conclude with some practical and policy implications for governments to support industries in accessing cheap resources through tax reductions on imported raw materials and efficient supply chains, while promoting innovation, technology adoption, and R&D investment at the firm level.","PeriodicalId":52214,"journal":{"name":"Economies","volume":"175 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142207580","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-08-22DOI: 10.3390/economies12080220
Alam Asadov
Islamic finance (IF) holds significant potential for economic development and the enhancement of financial inclusion in Uzbekistan. Sukuk, as a key Islamic capital market instrument and Shari’ah-compliant investment alternative, plays an important role in this context. However, the demand for sukuk and its determinants are not well understood by policymakers and industry practitioners in Uzbekistan. This study aims to address this research gap by utilizing an ordinal logit model on primary data collected through a survey of 196 individuals from diverse demographic and professional backgrounds, with varying levels of IF and capital market knowledge and experience. The regression results indicate that factors such as prior investment experience, knowledge of sukuk, and a strong inclination toward Shari’ah-compliant investments positively influence an individual’s intent to buy sukuk. Conversely, we found that residents of Tashkent (the capital city) are less likely to invest in sukuk compared to residents of other regions in Uzbekistan or those residing abroad. Based on this study’s findings, several essential policy and practical recommendations are provided to relevant stakeholders.
伊斯兰金融（IF）对乌兹别克斯坦的经济发展和提高金融包容性具有巨大潜力。伊斯兰债券作为一种重要的伊斯兰资本市场工具和符合伊斯兰教法的投资选择，在这方面发挥着重要作用。然而，乌兹别克斯坦的政策制定者和行业从业者对伊斯兰债券的需求及其决定因素并不十分了解。本研究旨在通过对 196 名来自不同人口和专业背景、具有不同程度的 IF 和资本市场知识和经验的个人进行调查，利用序数对数模型收集原始数据，从而填补这一研究空白。回归结果表明，先前的投资经验、对伊斯兰债券的了解以及对符合伊斯兰教法的投资的强烈倾向等因素会对个人购买伊斯兰债券的意向产生积极影响。相反，我们发现，与乌兹别克斯坦其他地区的居民或居住在国外的居民相比，塔什干（首都）的居民不太可能投资伊斯兰债券。根据本研究的结果，我们向相关利益方提出了几项重要的政策和实用建议。
{"title":"Empirical Analysis of Demand for Sukuk in Uzbekistan","authors":"Alam Asadov","doi":"10.3390/economies12080220","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/economies12080220","url":null,"abstract":"Islamic finance (IF) holds significant potential for economic development and the enhancement of financial inclusion in Uzbekistan. Sukuk, as a key Islamic capital market instrument and Shari’ah-compliant investment alternative, plays an important role in this context. However, the demand for sukuk and its determinants are not well understood by policymakers and industry practitioners in Uzbekistan. This study aims to address this research gap by utilizing an ordinal logit model on primary data collected through a survey of 196 individuals from diverse demographic and professional backgrounds, with varying levels of IF and capital market knowledge and experience. The regression results indicate that factors such as prior investment experience, knowledge of sukuk, and a strong inclination toward Shari’ah-compliant investments positively influence an individual’s intent to buy sukuk. Conversely, we found that residents of Tashkent (the capital city) are less likely to invest in sukuk compared to residents of other regions in Uzbekistan or those residing abroad. Based on this study’s findings, several essential policy and practical recommendations are provided to relevant stakeholders.","PeriodicalId":52214,"journal":{"name":"Economies","volume":"31 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142207696","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-08-21DOI: 10.3390/economies12080214
Jiyoung Park, Seongwoo Lee, Jonghoon Park
This study investigated whether economic motivations are a key factor in international migration decisions. Applying the selectivity-corrected expected income for migrants and stayers, the difference in expected income for an individual in origin and destination countries was analyzed. This study used data from the U.S. and Canada to empirically test the role of income gaps in migration decisions. The main difficulty in analyzing the role of the gaps lies in collecting both income streams for the same individual, since once an individual migrates to a different country, their potential income in the origin country cannot be observed; and vice versa for stayers. Therefore, directly applying the average income of migrants (conditionally relying on their observed characteristics) to estimate the income of stayers if they had migrated results in a biased estimate of stayers’ income. Hence, there is a need to account for selectivity in the migration decision and calculate selectivity-corrected income. The key finding in this study is that the expected income gap is positively associated with, and statistically significant for, international migration decisions for the U.S. and Canada. One of the main reasons may be the easy transfer of labor skills between countries that have similar labor environments and cultural backgrounds.
{"title":"The Economic Decision of International Migration: Two Empirical Evidences from the United States and Canada","authors":"Jiyoung Park, Seongwoo Lee, Jonghoon Park","doi":"10.3390/economies12080214","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/economies12080214","url":null,"abstract":"This study investigated whether economic motivations are a key factor in international migration decisions. Applying the selectivity-corrected expected income for migrants and stayers, the difference in expected income for an individual in origin and destination countries was analyzed. This study used data from the U.S. and Canada to empirically test the role of income gaps in migration decisions. The main difficulty in analyzing the role of the gaps lies in collecting both income streams for the same individual, since once an individual migrates to a different country, their potential income in the origin country cannot be observed; and vice versa for stayers. Therefore, directly applying the average income of migrants (conditionally relying on their observed characteristics) to estimate the income of stayers if they had migrated results in a biased estimate of stayers’ income. Hence, there is a need to account for selectivity in the migration decision and calculate selectivity-corrected income. The key finding in this study is that the expected income gap is positively associated with, and statistically significant for, international migration decisions for the U.S. and Canada. One of the main reasons may be the easy transfer of labor skills between countries that have similar labor environments and cultural backgrounds.","PeriodicalId":52214,"journal":{"name":"Economies","volume":"25 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142207697","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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