Search

Vibrio cholerae is the causative agent of cholera, an acute diarrheal disease that spreads locally and globally in epidemics and pandemics. Although it was discovered that fish harbor V. cholerae strains in their intestines, most investigations revealed non-toxic V. cholerae serogroups in fish. Due to the rarity of toxigenic V. cholerae serogroups, it is difficult to cultivate these strains from environmental samples. Hence, here we aimed to uncover evidence of the occurrence of toxigenic V. cholerae in the intestines and spleens of various fish species. By using molecular detection tools, we show that V. cholerae O1 and strains positive for the cholera toxin inhabit both healthy and diseased fish intestines and spleens, suggesting that fish may serve as intermediate vectors of toxigenic V. cholerae. No significant differences were found between the abundance of toxigenic V. cholerae (either O1 or cholera toxin positive strains) in the healthy and the diseased fish intestines or spleens. In conclusion, a variety of fish species may serve as potential vectors and reservoirs of toxigenic V. cholerae as they form a link between the other reservoirs of V. cholerae (chironomids, copepods, and waterbirds). Similarly, they may aid in the spread of this bacterium between water bodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economic growth growth is crucial to improve community welfare in the long term. Although Indonesia’s economic growth is on an upward trend, Indonesia must remain vigilant in its relationship with the global world due to the rapidly changing and highly uncertain dynamics. Indonesia’s economic growth is also inseparable from the influence of various provinces’ economic growth, which varies due to the economic dynamics between regions. These dynamics can influence the region’s contribution to national economic growth. Therefore, identifying the important role of the determining factors of economic growth and appropriate policies in dealing with economic dynamics between regions is crucial because sustainable economic growth is also essential for improving community welfare. This study examines the determinants of Indonesia’s economic growth from a regional economic perspective, using a Dynamic Panel Data analysis model with three estimation models. The first model focuses on the primary variables of technological progress, population, and investment. The second model adds the human capital variable, while the third model further incorporates the variables of open economy, economic structure changes, and income inequality. The study utilizes data from the Indonesian Central Statistics Agency, covering 27 provinces from 2015 to 2022. The results indicate that increased technological progress, population, investment, human resources, economic openness, and economic structure changes can increase economic growth, while inequality of income harms economic growth. This research has implications that in creating determinant conditions for conducive economic growth, it needs to be carried out evenly in all provinces in Indonesia.

The economic rise of China has changed the global economy. The authors explore China’s transformation from a low-cost manufacturing hub to an increasingly innovation- and service driven economy. Major growth drivers for the period 2010–2025 are analysed, including the paradigms of “Made in China” and the “Dual Circulation Strategy”. The export intensity of China’s economy is declining overall, with a tendency towards greater regional diversification and a gradual decoupling from North America and the European Union. At the same time, trade and investment activities are increasingly geared to the Belt and Road Initiative. Furthermore, labour and energy cost advantages for manufacturing operations in China are likely to diminish in the coming years, calling into question China’s attractiveness as a global manufacturing hub. In this regard, the further development of regional and industrial clusters is pivotal for China to enhance its global competitiveness and remain an attractive destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) in the medium term. On the other hand, high productivity in science and technology and rich deposits of critical minerals put China in a favourable position in advanced industries. Important challenges include the still wide development gap between rural and urban areas, the structural mismatch in the labour market, with persistently high youth unemployment, and the race to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Each states play pivotal roles in contributing to the economic performance of the nation. They have their own unique economic strengths, resources, and industries that contribute to the overall economic development. Terengganu, an east coast state in Malaysia has historically faced economic challenges, marked by a lag in development compared to other regions. The fundamental problem addressed is the potential correlation between educational attainment and the region’s economic growth, aiming to understand how advancements in education might serve as a catalyst for economic progress. The objective of this research is to empirically analyze the impact of educational achievement on the economic development in Terengganu. Utilizing secondary data sourced from the Department of Statistics Malaysia and Economy Planning Unit Terengganu spanning from 2006 to 2022, Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model has been employed to estimate and understand the relationship between educational attainment and economic development. The findings suggested that educational achievement plays positive impact in heightening the economic development within the region. Education contributes to the development of human capital, fostering a skilled and knowledgeable populace capable of engaging in diverse economic activities. This, in turn, attracts investments and facilitates the emergence of industries and sectors that rely on a knowledgeable and skilled labour force. This study would provide valuable insights for policymakers and academicians to formulate targeted policies and initiatives, ultimately enhancing the economic development of the states, thus contribute to a prosperous Malaysia.

As economies increasingly rely on digitalization, information and communication technologies (ICT) have become critical in shaping global economic transformations. This study explores the impact of ICT on export concentration and diversification in emerging markets and developing countries. Using a panel data set of 110 countries from 2000 to 2019, the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) estimator has been employed to assess the short- and long-term effects of ICT on these economies. To summarize information on various ICT channels, an ICT index has been constructed through principal component analysis (PCA). Additionally, the study examines the combined influence of ICT and human capital on export concentration. Findings indicate that ICT development significantly accelerates export diversification in developing countries, aligning their export structures with global standards. The interaction between ICT and human capital positively impacts export concentration, suggesting that higher levels of human capital enhance ICT's effects. Overall, ICT not only boosts human capital but also equips developing countries with the skills needed to enter new markets, develop high-value products, and compete globally. Consequently, governments in developing countries should prioritize investments in ICT infrastructure to lower trade costs, diversify exports, and promote sustainable economic growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper traces water-related social concern, or hydro-anxiety, on Delhi’s rural periphery. It follows Matthew Gandy’s assertion that ‘the history of cities can be read as a history of water’, even as it expands the urban to encompass its extensions, including the surrounding rural belt. Building on community-engaged research, the paper describes the persistent anxieties around water since the 1950s, even as their specific articulations have changed in terms of both abundance and sensory qualities. Relating the shifts with local responses to the state’s civil works since the mid-1960s, it argues that as these villages become incorporated into urban systems, historical relations with water are brought within the patchy and uncertain ones that characterise engineered hydrologies of the Global South. The paper contributes to the debate on urban change in the metropolitan shadow by empirically underlining the agrarian entanglements of peri-urban experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In its 2023 Climate Doctrine, Russia officially committed to carbon neutrality before 2060. However, on the roadmap fork to climate neutrality Russia’s Low Carbon Strategy chose the 2F (Forest First) pathway with the dominance of the natural solutions in the LULUCF sector and with a moderate decline or even growth (industry and agriculture) in other sectors. This paper focuses on a discussion of the roadmap to carbon neutrality. The roadmapping approach relies on a system of interconnected models for setting the scale of low carbon technologies and practices deployment. The paper concludes that excessive reliance on the 2F pathway is unrealistic, and only the Forest Last family of scenarios, which focuses on substantial reduction of GHG emissions across all sectors, is able to bring Russia to carbon neutrality in 2060. The paper also presents indicators to assess emission reductions by major sectors and discusses the need to reinforce the five pillars to support this pathway: technologies; regulations and programmes; incentives and financing; institutes; and human capital. These five pillars are required to effectively address three basic models of decisions-making (satisficing, optimization, and system transformation). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of exchange rate (ER) movements on the trade balance has been extensively debated in the literature, with conflicting views on the nature and magnitude of this effect. This paper investigates the relationship between ER movements and trade balance in developing economies, with a specific focus on bilateral analysis involving Pakistan. Employing the Nonlinear Autoregressive Distributed Lag (NARDL) model, our results reveal a symmetric relationship between positive and negative ER changes and the trade balance, showing significant long-term and short-term effects across the panel of developing economies. However, country-specific asymmetries are observed, especially in the cases of India and China, and are more pronounced in each bilateral analysis, whether in the short run or long run. The study findings highlight the critical importance of maintaining a stable exchange rate policy, which can provide policymakers with precise insights into the money market and the broader economy while preventing high volatility and continuous depreciation of domestic currencies. Such measures can mitigate the long-term adverse effects of ER movements on trade agreements. The study offers valuable insights for policymakers and investors in developing economies, aiding them in making informed decisions about exchange rate policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the interplay between community-based cultural initiatives conducted by Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs) and social innovation. Selecting peer-reviewed open-access articles that focus on the intersection of culture and innovation was the first step in our systematic literature review. Our analysis focused on the 76 most cited papers that included the keywords ‘community-led local development’, ‘social innovation’, and ‘cultural and creative industries’. The literature review revealed that CCIs can significantly promote social innovation through cultural engagement, particularly when they collaborate with various stakeholders. However, researchers differ in their emphasis on the nature of collaboration. Some argue that partnerships with businesses or academic institutions are essential for creating ‘heterogeneous sources of knowledge’ (HSK). Others contend that collaboration between government entities and local authorities is vital for fostering regional and local development. The third perspective introduces the notion of ‘entrepreneurial co-creation’, suggesting that CCIs work alongside stakeholders with technical and managerial expertise. Finally, there is a consensus that CCIs need to acquire new leadership skills and competencies to ensure sustainability and resilience. By synthesising these four perspectives, this study offers a comprehensive framework that positions CCIs at the core of a broader economic, territorial, managerial, and political context.

AbstractThis study offers a comprehensive analysis of the impact of extreme weather events, intensified by climate change, on India’s real Gross National Product. Focusing on hydro-geological factors crucial for India’s Gross National Product, the Auto Regressive Distributed Lag model reveals significant insights. Notably, the study reveals a significant positive correlation between the lagged real GNP (GNP(−1)) and current real GNP, emphasizing the persistence of economic growth trends. Gross Fixed Capital Formation emerges as a key determinant, with a 0.50% increase in economic growth corresponding to a 1% rise in GFCF. Forest land and rainfall exhibited substantial positive associations, contributing to a noteworthy 1.674 and 0.099% with economic growth. Conversely, CO2 emissions, rising temperatures (both Maximum Temperature and Minimum Temperature) exerted a significant negative influence on real GNP, emphasizing the need for sustainable emission reduction strategies. ARDL Bounds Test, revealed existence of a long-run relationship between real GNP and the selected variables. An ECM-Long Run Test underscores the lasting impact, with a 32.4% adjustment towards long-run equilibrium. The study establishes a bi-directional causality between real Gross National Product and carbon dioxide emissions, emphasizing the interconnectedness of economic growth and emissions. This underscores the urgency for addressing climate change alongside sustainable economic development. The findings serve as a crucial guide for evidence-based policymaking, urging proactive strategies to navigate climate challenges and ensure a prosperous, sustainable future for India. The findings contribute to the existing literature, emphasizing the multifaceted nature of factors shaping India’s sustained economic development.

This paper aims to comprehensively examine the impact of China's environmental decentralization on corporate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance and investigate the underlying mechanisms. We analyze data from Chinese listed firms spanning from 2010 to 2020. The empirical findings demonstrate that: Firstly, environmental decentralization significantly inhibits corporate ESG performance. Secondly, fiscal decentralization acts as a moderating factor whereby an increase in its level strengthens the inhibitory effect of environmental decentralization on corporate ESG performance. Thirdly, heterogeneity analysis reveals that the impact of environmental decentralization varies across different types of firms in terms of their ESG performance. Privately-owned, high-polluting, and high-tech companies are particularly inclined to reduce their ESG performance with increasing levels of environmental decentralization. Finally, our mechanism analysis indicates that environmental decentralization curtails ESG practices by exacerbating financing constraints for firms and deregulating ecological environments. These conclusions remain robust after addressing potential endogeneity issues and conducting various sensitivity tests. These findings offer valuable insights for policymakers to promote sustainable economic development.

We construct an endogenous growth model that includes a cultural variable along the dimension of individualism-collectivism. The model predicts that more individualism leads to more innovation because of the social rewards associated with innovation in an individualist culture. This cultural effect may offset the negative effects of bad institutions on growth. Collectivism leads to efficiency gains relative to individualism, but these gains are static, unlike the dynamic effect of individualism on growth through innovation. Using genetic data as instruments for culture we provide strong evidence of a causal effect of individualism on income per worker and total factor productivity as well as on innovation. The baseline genetic markers we use are interpreted as proxies for cultural transmission but others have a direct effect on individualism and collectivism, in line with recent advances in biology and neuro-science. The effect of culture on long-run growth remains very robust even after controlling for the effect of institutions and other factors. We also provide evidence of a two-way causal effect between culture and institutions.

The global COVID-19 pandemic triggered a renewed impetus for the countercyclical role of development banks, marked by widespread adoption of diverse instruments to mitigate its impact. Argentina's development bank (BICE, Banco de Inversión y Comercio Exterior, specialized in loan for long term investment, responded to the 2020 health and economic crises implementing a working capital loan program. Amidst a lack of substantial evidence on the efficacy of similar counter-cyclical interventions, we employed a quasi-experimental methodology, incorporating Propensity Score Matching (PSM) and Fixed Effects (FE) estimations, to evaluate the program's impact. Our results demonstrate that firms benefiting from the loan maintained employment levels, in stark contrast to a nearly 6 per cent decrease for those without it. The program effectively mitigated the employment impact of the transient shock. Robustness checks, along with falsification tests, bolster our identification strategy. Complementary findings emphasize that the program's success lies in providing credit during adverse conditions, when private sector credit contracts. This insight, rather than the exceptional terms of the credit, offers a crucial lesson for the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional literature on Economic Growth highlights the role of the manufacturing sector in fostering economic growth. This sector, characterized by increasing returns, plays a fundamental role in both static and dynamic scale gains within the economy. Recently, an increasing number of studies have suggested that the increased share of the modern services sector also significantly contributes to innovation, productivity, and increased output. The aim of this paper is to reevaluate growth theories in light of the emerging prominence of the services sector and to outline key components of a research agenda that encompasses this sector as a crucial area of investigation. To substantiate this argument, we apply a GMM (Generalized Method of Moments) model to a dataset spanning from 1990 to 2018, encompassing fifty-one (51) countries, in order to evaluate the impact of modern services on manufacturing performance. An interaction variable is employed to test whether a symbiotic relationship between industry and services is the driving force behind economic growth. The results demonstrate the relevance of the services sector. Finally, we suggest possible research lines to be developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of financial development on the economic growth of jurisdictions with systemically important Islamic finance. Design/methodology/approach: The authors use several estimation methods. The primary analysis is based on the LSDVC method using a sample of 23 countries covering the period of 2000–2019. Findings: The findings suggest that the financial sector may not be a significant factor in determining economic growth, or that it may decrease it depending on the proxy used. These results are in line with recent studies and robust across different estimation specifications and methods used. Practical implications: Finance practitioners may reconsider the way they conduct their daily activities as their impact on economic growth is fading away. Similarly, policymakers should consider the role that financial development plays in economic growth alongside other factors that may influence its impact. It may be necessary to examine the moderating effects of institutional development on the relationship between finance and growth and consider the channels through which financial development can contribute to economic growth. Additionally, it would be useful to study the impact of Islamic finance on economic growth using different data sources. Originality/value: Although the topic has been explored using different data sets and focusing on different samples, it has not been explored considering the impact of Islamic finance development on economic growth. Given the global appeal of the Islamic finance industry, it is worth investigating its significance for economic growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the link between climate change and economic growth in Nigeria from 1961 to 2022. To provide a robust analysis that facilitates a nuanced examination of this dynamic relationship, this study employs state-of-the-art econometric approaches, including autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL), fully modified least squares (FMOLS), novel quantile autoregressive distributed lag (QARDL), and time-varying causality. The empirical results of this study are as follows: (1) the impact of climate change on economic growth is not felt in the short run. However, climate change negatively influences economic growth in Nigeria in the long run, (2) the elasticity of climate change increases across the conditional quantile economic growth, (3) unidirectional causality from climate change to economic growth across different time dimensions. These empirical outcomes advocate for a proactive and adaptive policy framework, emphasising the need for the Nigerian government to adopt climate-smart policies.

The present study explored the associations among the core resources, strategic alliances, and business strategies of the Taiwanese controlled-environment mushroom industry. A total of 492 responses were collected, and the results support the hypothesised alliance-mediating model. The results indicate that core resources comprise four dimensions: organisational capabilities, individual capabilities, tangible assets, and intangible assets. The mushroom industry has two major types of strategic alliance, namely cost reduction and strengthening professional alliances, and the business strategies employed in the industry involve international market entry and focusing on domestic market operations. The results indicate that international market entry is directly influenced by cost reduction alliances and tangible assets, and indirectly influenced by organisational and individual capabilities. Whether an organisation focuses on its domestic market operations is directly affected by organisational capabilities, cost reduction alliances and intangible assets, and indirectly affected by organisational and individual capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Power-sharing agreements are used as a tool to reduce political violence in regions of conflict, but agreements are often followed by violence. This is due to the fact that such agreements are introduced during periods of political violence when a country is inside the conflict trap, which makes it difficult to distinguish the effect of the agreement from the political context that generates persistent political violence. In this study, we match pre-agreement conflict risk to estimate the effects of power-sharing agreements on violence using a difference-in-difference method. The results show that violence falls immediately after an agreement, with the effects strengthening over time. Comprehensive agreements tend to be particularly successful. We show that broader institutional changes that have their nucleus in the agreements are crucial elements explaining these large changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To attain sustainable development, a pertinent question that needs to be answered is whether good governance leads to financial inclusion (FI) and whether bank stability matters. This study examines how financial stability modulates the link between governance and FI in the Nordic-Baltic region between 2004 and 2021. Using a mixed effect model, we observed a positive causal relationship between governance and FI and bank stability modulate this causality. These findings are robust to alternative assumptions and model specifications. Interestingly, we found that good governance helps foster economic growth and social equality. The study further highlights the need for digital financial education to overcome the phobia of digital products as a priority policy agenda. Overall, this finding supports arguments in the literature that for FI to be sustainable, inequality should be low as income levels and well-being increase.

Households in low-income and food insecure nations such as Niger are vulnerable to food price shocks as a large portion of their budgets are spent on calories derived from cereals and other staples. However, there is very weak understanding of the structure of food demand in many African nations making proactive food policy recommendations ineffective. This is particularly acute in West Africa where the paucity of quantitative expenditure and consumption information has forced some studies to borrow demand parameters from other low-income nations located in regions outside of Sub-Saharan Africa. We empirically estimate food demand elasticities as tools to conduct a short-run welfare analysis of price shocks and build upon the welfare impacts to assess long-run pressure on farmland and trajectories toward future availability and price scenarios. The welfare analysis finds that an increase in millet price reduces rural welfare while a sorghum price increase primarily reduces urban households’ welfare. Given population growth, acreage-driven millet and sorghum production growth, and the income elasticities for both staples, holding all else constant, any food price shock in the future will likely result in higher welfare losses for consumers. Taken together, food price policy should focus on millet to improve the welfare of rural and the poorest households in Niger. Facing a land frontier constraint reinforces calls for total factor productivity growth in millet and sorghum to reduce pressure on marginal land. Technological change in food production and the identification of import opportunities are required to relieve upward pressure on prices given current consumption patterns, trade, land frontier constraints, and the importance of these two crops in the national food system.

While previous studies have confirmed the negative effects of son preference on the prenatal care received by girls, few have examined its effect on birth outcomes. This study contributes to the literature on son preference by examining this relationship. The degree of son preference is measured by the sex ratio at birth, and the data were obtained from the birth registry of South Korea, which has a long history of strong son preference. We find that girls are more likely to be born with low birth weight when son preference is stronger. In addition, when son preference is stronger, girls are more likely to be born outside hospitals, which implies that mothers conceiving girls make fewer prenatal visits to the hospital when their son preference is stronger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]