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Encouraged by the ubiquitous belief entrepreneurship's value as a source of economic growth, for many governments developing entrepreneurial ecosystems has become elemental to their development strategies, representing a prominent trend in public entrepreneurship policy. However, the entrepreneurial ecosystems field is recent, undertheorized, and fragmented, limiting its capacity to explain the effects of entrepreneurial ecosystem policies. Advancing research is crucial for advising policy makers on how to formulate effective entrepreneurial ecosystem policies that are decisive for developing ecosystems. Lacking such solid and coherent theoretical foundations, entrepreneurial ecosystem policies risk being ineffective, while policy makers tend to simply replicate entrepreneurial ecosystem policies from other entrepreneurial ecosystems. We aim to address this issue by providing guidance on key parameters to inform the formulation of entrepreneurial ecosystem policies. The development of entrepreneurial ecosystems requires customizing a mix of policies adapted to the unique characteristics of each ecosystem, promoting the quality of entrepreneurship to ensure the allocation of resources to productive use, and addressing the complexity of entrepreneurial ecosystems with a holistic policy approach. Based on our findings, we present a conceptual framework and discuss three parameters for policy formulation: top-down versus bottom-up formulation, support to systemic versus framework conditions, and holistic versus siloed approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Entrepreneurship scholars often lament the lack of economic growth in contexts of poverty and informality. We propose that this dismal assessment, as well as subsequent prescriptions to address it, flow from a narrow epistemological approach to informality based on absence, where the lack of (Western) market-supporting legal and regulatory institutions explain missing economic growth at the firm level. In contrast, we build a theoretical approach grounded in presence, proposing that a more comprehensive incorporation of existing institutions may reveal less visible, individual level types of entrepreneurial growth occurring in informal economies. To do so, we conceptualize informal economies as institutional interfaces built of "bits and pieces" from market and nonmarket institutions. We propose that the configuration of these interfaces influences the cultural toolkits of inhabitant entrepreneurs, which in turn shapes how they grow in an informal economy. Specifically, we link three dimensions of institutional complexity at the institutional interface (jurisdictional influence, fragmentation, and incompatibility) to three types of growth (direct, dispersed, and disguised) that vary in terms of visibility. Our theory animates understanding of diverse informal economies and the entrepreneurial activity that exists within them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a cornerstone of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It aims to enhance regional trade and economic expansion in Pakistan. We adopted systematic review approach to investigate the agricultural trade narrative of the CPEC and identify future research avenues. Our study uses the Web of Sciences and Scopus database to extract the relevant literature. We executed the search query for 2013–2023. We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement to identify the literature. The final analysis includes only 14 articles. We found that the literature mainly focuses on three topics, Gwadar port, road infrastructure, and agricultural complementarity and competitiveness. The review reveals the significant potential of CPEC on the agricultural trade of Pakistan. Based on the review, we point to avenues that could be considered in future research work to fully exploit the potential of CPEC in the agriculture sector of Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shadi Hamid, in his book “The Problem of Democracy, advocates for the promotion of minimalist democracy for the Middle East. Can minimalist democracy respond to the aspirations of the Arab public? Using data from the Arab Barometer (2018) survey, I emphasize that many citizens of Arab countries define democracy by its expected economic outcomes. Whether minimalist democracy can spur economic development is a puzzle. Literature on democratization and economic growth is inconclusive. In the Middle East and North Africa region, ballot box alone may not overcome significant barriers, such as overriding interest groups and corruption, to spur development. Democratic openings in the region often failed to promote expected economic growth. Therefore, while minimalist democracy would be an improvement for the current standards of governance in the region, it may fail to respond to the aspirations of the masses, making authoritarian reversion a likely outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Africa began implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015 emphasizing on sustainable management and effective use of natural capital to spur economic growth (Goals 12, 14, and 15). This study using World Bank data sets from 46 African countries selected for the years 2000 to 2022, examined the nexus between natural resource endowments and economic growth in Africa. We used the system generalized method of moments (sys-GMM) and dynamic panel threshold regression (DPTR) to analyze the data. The findings of the two-step sys-GMM estimation using 'xtabond2' revealed that when the institutional quality variable is added and excluded from the model, natural resource dependence negatively impacts economic growth, but the impact is greater when the institution is excluded. In the estimation of the interaction variable of natural resource dependence and institutional variable included in the model, natural resource dependence positively impacts economic growth. The results of the DPTR using "xthenreg" showed that when the threshold value of natural resource dependence is ≤ 1.73% of gross domestic product, natural resource dependence has a positive impact on economic growth and a negative impact when the threshold value is above 1.73%. Similarly, when the institutional quality threshold is ≤ 0.277, natural resources dependence impacts economic growth negatively; above the threshold (0.277), the impact is positive. In conclusion, natural resource endowment is a curse with no or low-quality institutions and a blessing with high-quality institutions. Thus, building strong institutions and proper utilization of natural resources helps to minimize the adverse impact of resource endowments on economic growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of logistics development on the economy covers many aspects, such as production, cost, employment, international trade, etc. It is an indispensable part of the modern economy, which helps to improve overall economic efficiency and social prosperity. This study studies the spatiotemporal dynamic evolution characteristics of China's logistics development from 2008 to 2018 and explores its impact on economic growth in multiple dimensions of time and space. The research findings indicate the following: (1) From 2008 to 2018, China's logistics development level (LDL) exhibited a clear upward trend. The differences between the eastern, central, and western regions showed fluctuating downward patterns, ultimately converging towards a high-level concentration. Concerning spatial distribution, China's logistics development demonstrated a trend towards the west and south. However, the spatial pattern of "strong in the east and weak in the west " has existed for a long time. Moreover, the "T-shaped" pattern between coastal provinces and those along the Yangtze River Basin deepened, and the LDL in the central and western regions significantly improved. (2) The advancement of China's LDL effectively promotes its economic growth, confirming that the Belt and Road Initiative enhances the role of logistics development in driving economic growth. Regarding regional differences, logistics development positively influences economic growth in the eastern and western regions, with a less significant impact on the central region. Regarding the strength of influence, logistics development has a more substantial effect on promoting high-ranking provinces in the entire country, the eastern region, and the central region, as well as boosting economic growth in low-ranking provinces in the western region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the six central provinces account for 23% of total national carbon emissions (CE), research into the decoupling status of their economic growth (EG) and carbon emissions is critical to achieving the Dual Carbon Goals and the Rise of Central China Plan. This research initially examines the decoupling status between CE and EG using the Tapio decoupling model, based on energy consumption (EC) dataset from six central provinces in China between 2000 and 2019. The decoupling index (DI) is then divided into five decoupling drivers using the LMDI method. Finally, an enhanced STIRPAT model is used to examine the decoupling status of CE and EG in the six central provinces from 2020 to 2040. The research findings are: (1) The six central provinces exhibited a stable decoupling status between 2000 and 2019. The DI of the six central provinces ranged from -1.2 to 3.4. (2) The decoupling performance is influenced mainly by the inhibitory effect of economic development (GI) and the promoting effect of energy intensity (EI). The GI consistently maintains an impact value of around 0.9. EI performance varies widely across provinces. (3) From 2020 to 2040, Anhui, Hubei, Henan, and Hunan show significantly strong decoupling indices distributed between -2.21 and -0.07 in all three scenarios. It is important to note that Shanxi and Jiangxi provinces will experience a Reverse Decoupling phenomenon. These findings are helpful in developing regionally coordinated development policies and strategies for reducing CE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between economic growth and CO2 emissions has been analyzed testing the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis, but traditional econometric methods may be flawed. An alternative method is proposed using segmented-sample regressions and implemented in 164 countries (98.34% of world population) over different periods from 1822 to 2018. Results suggest that while the association between GDP per capita and CO2 emissions per capita is weakening over time, it remains positive globally, with only some high-income countries showing a reversed association in recent years. While 49 countries have decoupled emissions from economic growth, 115 have not. Most African, American, and Asian countries have not decoupled, whereas most European and Oceanians have. These findings highlight the urgency for effective climate policies because decoupling remains unachieved on a global scale, and we are moving away from, rather than approaching, the Paris Agreement goal of limiting temperature increase to 1.5 °C above preindustrial levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area has attracted attention for its extraordinary pace of economic development and is considered to be leading the way in China's transformation from a manufacturing to an innovation cluster. However, due to rapid economic expansion and rapid urbanization, the Great Bay Area still struggles with low energy efficiency and environmental degradation, which has slowed down the pace of development. Therefore, in order to alleviate energy pressure, promote the country's sustainable development and gain a competitive advantage in the global market, researching energy efficiency and improving energy utilization efficiency is crucial. In this study, macro-level energy efficiency indicators are constructed using energy consumption data from various cities in the Greater Bay Area for the period from 2000 to 2020, and the spatio-temporal evolution of energy efficiency is analysed. The results show that all cities in the Greater Bay Area experienced an increasing trend in energy efficiency from 2000 to 2019, with significant variation in growth rates and magnitudes between cities. Compared to the nine cities in Guangdong province, Hong Kong and Macao exhibited significantly superior energy efficiency, with Foshan recording the highest growth rate of 14%. In 2020, most cities experienced a decline in energy efficiency due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with Macao experiencing the greatest decrease at 57%. Hong Kong and Macao are both in the "low consumption and high efficiency" target region, while Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Zhuhai are consistently in the "both high" region. Changes in the industrial upgrading index correspond significantly with changes in energy efficiency trajectories, with the transition from primary to secondary and tertiary industries playing a more substantial role. There is no significant association found between the strength of environmental regulation and changes in energy efficiency. The study's findings indicate that the most effective way to achieve economic transformation in the majority of China's regions is to combine adequate environmental legislation with industrial structural adjustment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For developing nations to achieve net-zero targets, macroeconomic linkages impacting the decoupling of emissions from economic growth must account for non-linear business cycles and economic shocks. This study aims to delineate decarbonization policy pathways for the Indian electricity sector in the aftermath of COVID-19 by analysing the long-term evolution of the economy–electricity–emissions (3E) nexus during the 2008 financial crisis and during COVID-19, covering the period of 1996Q2 to 2020Q3. Upon testing multiple theoretical 3E systems, it was found that a model internalizing trade, inflation, and stochasticity was able to minimize the reproduction errors from growth to recession phases, as well as predict the rebound effect from an economic crisis. This was revealed to be due to more information within the coefficients in a trade stochastic model. Our results confirm the existence of electricity-associated emission decoupling with capital formation in the long-run, post-crisis, while economic growth and inflation increase CO2 emissions. The main finding highlights the negative feedback loop of inflation->trade->emissions, which shows that GDP and emissions are not directly causal. This long-run macroeconomic dynamic death spiral causes decoupling to be inhibited, where fossil fuel imports should not be subsidized for economic shock rebound, and the risk hedging of energy transition investments should occur in the post-COVID-19 era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existence of heterogeneity in the literature that addresses the sources of economic growth, from an empirical point of view, generates a problem of uncertainty. The objective is to identify robust determinants of economic growth in Mexico by reducing the uncertainty of the model. To do so, the Bayesian Model Averaging (BMA) methodology is proposed, which analyzes many explanatory variables simultaneously. Thus, 28 possible determinants are considered in a sample that includes the 32 federal entities, to include the period 2010-2021. The BMA constructs various possible combinations of models to extract the most robust determinants. Similarly, the instrumental variables BMA (IVBMA) is used to consider possible endogeneity problems. The results show a set of significant economic, institutional, and social variables to understand economic growth in Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foreign aid has been a critical instrument in addressing economic development and poverty reduction in many low-income countries. This article investigates the relationship between foreign aid, economic growth, and poverty reduction in Bolivia, shedding light on how various factors, including institutional quality, human capital, economic freedom, and the level of democracy influence the effectiveness of foreign aid. Employing smooth transition autoregressive models, the analysis highlights the intricate interplay between foreign aid, economic growth, and poverty reduction. The empirical findings provide evidence that foreign aid exerts a positive influence on both economic growth and poverty reduction, especially when aligned with investments in human capital and the enhancement of economic freedom. However, the revelations brought forth by this study challenge the conventional wisdom, revealing that these relationships are not linear. In emphasizing the nuanced nature of aid's impact on economic development and poverty reduction, this study contributes significantly to the ongoing discourse on foreign aid efficacy. It underscores the importance of tailoring aid interventions to the specific contextual intricacies of the recipient country. The interplay between foreign aid, institutional quality, human capital, economic freedom, and democratic governance makes clear that a tailored, context-specific approach is needed for foreign aid to have the best possible impact. If the case of Bolivia serves as a useful example for other developing nations, the principal recommendation emanating from these findings is that foreign aid must be carefully tailored to the unique needs and challenges of the recipient nation. A one-size-fitsall approach is insufficient in harnessing aid's full potential to foster sustainable economic growth and meaningful poverty reduction. The findings presented here serve not only as a contribution to the academic literature but also as a roadmap for policymakers and development practitioners navigating the complex terrain of foreign aid. By emphasizing the intricate dynamics of foreign aid and other important institutional, economic, and human capital factors, the empirical findings in this article advance the understanding of foreign aid's role as a catalyst for transformative change and set the stage for more targeted, effective interventions in the pursuit of economic development and poverty eradication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palm oil, derived from Elaeis guineensis, is a critical component of the global edible oil and industrial fat market. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the sustainability of the palm oil chain, focusing on industrial applications, environmental implications, and economic sustainability. The processing of palm oil, from fruit pulp to refined oil, is detailed, highlighting the importance of refining in maintaining quality and extending application ranges. While palm oil offers health benefits because of its rich fatty acid composition and antioxidant properties, its production poses significant environmental challenges. This review underscores ongoing efforts to balance technological and culinary demands with environmental stewardship and sustainable economic growth. Emerging trends, including interspecific hybrids such as E. guineensis and E. oleifera, are discussed for their potential to increase sustainability and productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By sustaining the required capital and investment, the financial sector plays a critical role in achieving economic growth and stability. This paper conducts a comprehensive examination of the relationships between stock market development and economic growth in 11 post-socialist countries and China. Unbalanced panel data from selected countries from 1995 to 2020 were used for this study. We wanted to disclose the cointegration of crucial variables in assessing Granger causalities using the Vector Auto-Regressive (VAR) model. Our findings confirm the Neutrality Hypothesis (NLH) when we investigated the existence of an independent association between Economic Growth (EG) and the Composite Index of Stock Market Development (SMD). The study's recommendations emphasize the significance of changing economic policies to account for disparities in economic growth and stock market development to ensure sustainable development in the selected countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A general conception is that investment induces economic growth, but there is still debate over which type of investment contributes more to economic growth. The disaggregation of investment into public and private components allows estimation of the impact of the two types of investments on economic growth. This research, therefore, empirically estimates the relationship between each investment component against economic growth by constructing panel data for Ghana and Kenya from 1991 to 2O22. The empirical strategy adopted in this study can be divided into three major stages. First, the LLC unit root test in the panel series is undertaken. Second, if integrated in the same order, a Kao co-integration test is conducted. Finally, if the series is co-integrated, the vector of cointegration in the long run is estimated using the dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS) method. Our estimation results, based on the panel cointegration approach confirm a long-run relationship between the study variables. Further analysis shows that public investment can promote economic growth in the long run. In contrast, the results indicate that private investment can obstruct growth. The study has shown that private investment did not always increase economic growth in Ghana and Kenya. The study findings indicate that public investment is more efficiently allocated in Ghana and Kenya than private investment, suggesting the best economic strategy is for private investment to be complementary and promote higher public investment to improve public sector productivity. Therefore, policymakers should focus on creating a favourable investment climate, providing fiscal stimulus and promoting public-private partnerships to enhance infrastructure development and stimulate private -sector investment, which can sustain long-term economic growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the continuous development of China's digital inclusive finance has provided favorable conditions for improving the consumption level of domestic residents and stimulating national economic growth. Based on the theory of financial development and deepening, this paper studies the mechanism and effect of digital inclusive finance on rural residents' consumption and economic growth. The results show that (1) the development of digital inclusive finance can directly promote economic growth. Specifically, the breadth of coverage, the depth of use and the degree of digitization of digital inclusive finance all contribute to economic growth. (2) Digital inclusive finance significantly promotes rural residents' consumption, and rural residents' consumption significantly promotes economic growth, that is, digital inclusive finance can indirectly promote economic growth by promoting rural residents' consumption. (3) When digital inclusive finance is at different levels of development, rural residents' consumption has different effects on economic growth. The higher the development level of digital inclusive finance, the better the promotion effect of rural residents' consumption on economic growth. Therefore, we should continue to promote the development of digital inclusive finance, give full play to the inclusiveness and convenience of digital inclusive finance, and contribute to the promotion of rural residents' consumption and economic growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of Internet technology and modern supply chains, cross‐border e‐commerce (CBEC) has become one of the most important forms of international trade. The impact of this new mode of trade on economic growth and income disparity is worthy of further examination. This study treats the CBEC pilot zone policy as a quasi‐natural experiment, using the difference‐in‐differences approach to examine its impact on the urban–rural income gap. The findings showed that: (1) This policy significantly widened the urban–rural income gap; (2) innovation, entrepreneurship, and export are important paths toward expanding the impact of the CBEC pilot policy on the income gap, but the digital environment suppresses these expanding paths; and (3) the impact of this policy on the income gap shows distinct regional heterogeneity. This study provides several recommendations on how to promote balanced incomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the impact and its mechanisms of green finance on economic growth by using the green finance reform and innovation pilot zone (GFRIPZ) as a quasi‐natural experiment. Based on the panel data of 30 provinces in China from 2011 to 2019, we employ a difference‐in‐differences (DID) model and find that the GFRIPZ's construction has a positive effect on economic growth, resulting in real GDP growth of 2.2% in the pilot zones. Mechanism analysis shows that the GFRIPZ policy promotes economic growth by stimulating green technological innovation and increasing green fiscal expenditures. Further, the moderating effect result reveals that the more powerful the environmental regulation, the better the economic growth effect of the GFRIPZ policy. Additionally, heterogeneity analysis indicates that the GFRIPZ policy can contribute more in accelerating economic growth in Zhejiang, Jiangxi and Xinjiang. Our findings provide the latest empirical evidence that green finance promotes economic growth, as well as cross‐references for policymakers to scientifically execute green monetary policies and effectively balance green development and economic growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the empirical link between remittance inflows and India's economic growth, particularly emphasizing the association's asymmetries as the prior studies were neglected. Therefore, it formulated a growth function that assesses the non-linear influence of the remittance inflows on economic growth by endogenizing the gross fixed capital formation, official exchange rate, and export growth. Relying on the annual time series data for India, the work uses the Non-Linear Auto-Regressive Distribution Lag (NARDL) model to expose the non-linear influence of the remittance inflows on economic growth by controlling the gross fixed capital formation, official exchange rate, and export growth for the period ranges from 1975 to 2021. The outcomes show the presence of the long-run relationship among the variables vector. Further, the results indicate an asymmetric impact of remittance inflows on economic growth both in the long run and short run. Moreover, the findings reveal a rise in the remittance inflows leads to an increase in economic growth, whereas a fall in the remittance inflows ends up in a reduction of economic growth. Additionally, the outcomes show a negative and significant impact of gross fixed capital formation and official exchange rate on economic growth in the long run. It also observed an insignificant negative influence of export growth on the specified growth model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to employ the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) method within the insight into the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) to verify whether EKC exists in the Nepalese economy. In this research, variables were used, such as carbon emissions per capita, GDP per capita, energy use per capita, trade volume, and urbanization from 1980 to 2021, and the ARDL method was used. The data has been taken in this research except trade volume from the World Bank and the Ministry of Finance, Nepal. The data sets are converted into the natural logarithmic form to minimize the problem of heteroskedasticity. The findings provide compelling evidence for the existence of the EKC in Nepal, that economic growth has an inverted U-shaped impact on carbon emissions. In the early stages of development, economic growth leads to rising carbon emissions, but in the later stages, economic growth becomes associated with declining emissions. Besides economic growth, per capita energy consumption and urbanization emerge as significant drivers of carbon emissions. However, the trade volume is not found to be the driving factor of carbon emissions. The findings of this study have significant policy implications for global climate change issues and Nepal's transition from an underdeveloped to a developing nation. To achieve harmonious economic growth and emissions reduction, donor countries and agencies to partner with Nepal in its ambitious endeavors. This partnership can take shape through multifaceted support as fueling socio-economic progress that aligns with Nepal's commitment to reduce carbon emissions, ensuring that development and sustainability walk together. This research recommends the government of Nepal electrify the transportation landscape by incentivizing the adoption of electric vehicles, paving the way for cleaner air and a healthier planet, empowering Nepal's natural guardians by strengthening public and private forest programs, safeguarding invaluable ecosystems and biodiversity and curbing the tide of waste mismanagement through strict regulations and robust enforcement, transforming a potential threat into a source of innovation and resourcefulness. These measures, aligned with sustainable employment generation, can pave the way for a brighter and greener future for Nepal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate the relationship between China's outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) in Central and Eastern European countries (CEECs) by assessing their impact on the economies of both the CEECs and China. By analyzing this connection, the paper seeks to gain insights into the economic dynamics and potential benefits derived from investment and trade activities between China and the countries in this region. The paper employs a regression model to examine the influence of foreign direct investment on trade with data from 2008 to 2022. The findings indicate that a one percentage point increase in China's OFDI corresponds to a 0.054 percent boost in bilateral trade between China and the 16 CEECs. In conclusion, the findings highlight a significant link between OFDI in CEECs and bilateral trade. OFDI opens up new trade opportunities and fosters economic growth in CEECs, thereby promoting the development of bilateral trade. Additionally, Chinese investment drives industrial upgrading and structural adjustments in CEECs, enhancing the competitiveness of bilateral trade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The topic of the research is whether better human capital, as determined by secondary school learning outcomes measured by PISA scores, promotes economic growth. The literature often uses the PISA results as a proxy for growth, while its use and impact on growth are not empirically proven. These questions are analyzed through two hypotheses. The first hypothesis (H1) states that in a worldwide sample of countries, GDP per capita growth between 2006 and 2019 was positively impacted by rising PISA results. The second hypothesis (H2) states that between 2006 and 2019, the rise in PISA scores in East Asia had a stronger influence on economic growth than in the rest of the world. The study examines 59 nations that have administered two PISA tests during the period of 2006–2019. The findings imply that there is generally no causal connection between PISA results and growth and the PISA results play no additional role in the development of East Asian nations. The results can be explained in two ways. The first is that human capital includes more than just skills. The second is that the data only covers a short period of time, which may limit the analysis of long-term patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The convergence of advanced detection mechanisms, engineering management, and intelligence analysis presents a disruptive model for local companies pursuing economic growth. The paper presents a thorough strategy meant to improve regional processes for making decisions to promote long-term economic growth by utilizing modern technology. Using deep learning techniques, such as neural networks and deep neural architectures, to examine large datasets that are pertinent to local businesses. This makes data-driven decision-making easier and empowers stakeholders to choose wisely and strategically for the best possible economic results. incorporating management of engineering concepts to optimize resource allocation, improve operational efficiency, and streamline operations. To guarantee the successful implementation of economic development programs, management of projects, quality control, and methods for optimization must be applied. The research's findings have great potential to further regional businesses' goals for economic development. Through the integration of robust engineering management concepts and the analytical capacity of deep learning, this framework aims to equip decision-makers with the essential skills to navigate the intricacies of local economic environments, propel sustainable expansion, and promote equitable prosperity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crowdfunding has emerged as a transformative alternative to traditional innovation financing. Limitations of conventional funding sources have led to increased interest in alternative financing mechanisms. Crowdfunding, leveraging online platforms, has democratized access to capital, enabling entrepreneurs to develop products and services that align with broader population needs. This paper surveys the literature, demonstrating how crowdfunding platforms have opened doors to capital for entrepreneurs who might otherwise have found it challenging to secure funding through established channels. While crowdfunding's impact on innovation is multifaceted and contingent on factors like innovation type, entrepreneur quality, and regulatory frameworks, its growth trajectory remains robust, solidifying its significance as a source of entrepreneurial finance. The study aims to (1) analyze the effectiveness of crowdfunding in bridging the funding gap for startups, (2) compare crowdfunding with other forms of entrepreneurial finance, (3) assess crowdfunding's role in fostering innovation, (4) differentiate between crowdfunding and crowdsourcing, and (5) identify the types of innovation facilitated by crowdfunding. Effective crowdfunding implementation hinges on these factors, necessitating concerted efforts from entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers to surmount associated challenges and harness its potential for innovation and economic growth. The findings highlight the necessity for a supportive regulatory framework and the importance of transparency and trust in crowdfunding practices. This study underscores the role of policymakers in creating an environment that fosters innovation through alternative financing. However, this study is limited by the availability of comprehensive data across different crowdfunding platforms and regions. Further empirical research is needed to generalize the findings across various contexts, deepen our understanding of crowdfunding's impact on innovation, and develop strategies to leverage the potential of crowdfunding for innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Yangtze River Delta (YRD) ports are pivotal in shaping the Yangtze River Economic Belt and advancing urban economies across China. This article utilizes panel data from 20 cities with ports in the YRD area, spanning from 2011 to 2020, using the spatial Durbin model to explore how these ports influence urban economic growth. The findings indicate that: (1) The YRD ports significantly contribute to economic growth in both the port cities and their surrounding areas, with the indirect impact on neighboring cities being more substantial than the direct effect on the cities themselves; (2) The beneficial spillover effects of the YRD ports on the economic growth of nearby cities vary in intensity over different spatial ranges, marked by distinct boundary effects and geographical attenuation. The influence extends up to approximately 110km; (3) Within the various elements impacting the economic growth of cities in the YRD, financial development prominently exhibits a threshold effect on urban economic growth; (4) Upon analyzing heterogeneity, inland and coastal port cities manifest divergent spillover effects, with inland port cities predominantly exerting a positive spillover on adjacent regions. Accordingly, in order to eventually achieve the shared prosperity of the region's economy, it is recommended that a strong top-level design be established and that efforts be made to transform the YRD region into a core region a diffusion and driving effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fiscal decentralization is perceived as a viable strategy for fostering economic growth in Pakistan. Concerns persist regarding its potential impact on environmental quality, particularly in relation to increased carbon emissions. Employing diverse analytical methods such as structural vector autoregressive (SVAR) modeling and autoregressive moving average model evaluations, this study comprehensively explores the dynamic relationships among fiscal decentralization, economic development, and environmental quality over the period 1979–2019. Intriguing trends emerge, revealing positive correlations between environmental efficiency and variables, including revenue collection, tax autonomy, and transfer payments. Conversely, a negative correlation is observed between government spending and economic growth. The interplay of these variables results in oscillations in the influence of fiscal decentralization on carbon emissions, presenting a complex challenge for policymakers. Notably, positive fiscal decentralization shocks lead to an increase in carbon emissions, while positive expenditure decentralization and economic development correlate with decreased carbon emissions. Despite economic growth's statistically significant negative impact on carbon emissions, the intricate nature of the relationships underscores the complexity of the link between fiscal decentralization, economic expansion, and environmental outcomes. From a policy perspective, the study emphasizes the need to adjust fiscal policies and coordinate intergovernmental fiscal ties across all government levels to enhance environmental efficiency. These findings provide policymakers with valuable insights to navigate the intricate landscape of fiscal decentralization and its environmental implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical capital stock is the basic indicator of macroeconomic empirical studies and also an important manifestation of macroeconomic activity capacity. When measuring China's provincial physical capital stock by the perpetual inventory method, the treatment for the depreciation rate and the initial physical capital stock in the existing literature has some defects in reflecting the economic performance. The purpose of this paper is to build the most reliable and reasonable statistical series of China's provincial physical capital stock. We establish a measurement formula in form of the variable depreciation rate and improve the treatment for the depreciation rate and the initial physical capital stock. For the depreciation rate, we measure the benchmark depreciation rate of physical capital and determine the variable depreciation rate according to the economic growth rate, which makes the variable depreciation rate reflect the economic growth. For the initial physical capital stock, we measure the initial physical capital stock according to the capital output ratio, which makes the initial physical capital stock reflect the economic aggregate. Based on these improvements, we measure China's provincial physical capital stock from 1952 to 2022 by the perpetual inventory method. Through analyzing the measurement results, we have a more distinct insight into the temporal and spatial characteristics of China's provincial physical capital stock: The growth rate of physical capital stock at the provincial level has slowed in spite of remaining high; The eastern region is much higher than the central and western regions. According to these two characteristics, it is suggested that policymakers need to improve market mechanisms and adjust investment policies to promote a benign profile of economic growth and a regional optimization of capital formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amidst global sustainability challenges, green finance emerges as a crucial instrument for advancing sustainable development, garnering increasing attention for its pivotal role in fostering high-quality economic development (HQED), particularly within the dynamic economic landscape of China. This study delves into the nexus between green finance and HQED across 30 Chinese provinces from 2012 to 2021. Employing the entropy method, indices for green finance and HQED index system are calculated, and their interaction is analyzed through a panel data model, incorporating tests for moderating effects of FinTech and green technological innovation, as well as assessing the heterogeneity across diverse regions. The findings highlight green finance's significant role in enhancing HQED, with notable regional disparities. Specifically, the eastern region shows the strongest impact, followed by the central region, while the western and northeastern regions exhibit weaker influences. The study also identifies FinTech and green technological innovation as pivotal moderators, amplifying green finance's positive effect on HQED. These insights underscore green finance's importance in driving sustainable economic growth and highlight the necessity for region-specific strategies to optimize its impact. Policy recommendations based on these findings include prioritizing the development of green finance, formulating region-specific strategies, and leveraging the catalytic roles of FinTech and green technological innovation to enhance the efficacy of green finance in achieving HQED. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The marine economy has played an important role in stabilizing national economic growth and ensuring economic security. Achieving high-quality and sustainable development of the marine economy is a strategic task for China to build a maritime power. Confronting various risk factors such as financial crises, natural disasters, geopolitical conflicts, industrial transformation, and public health security, etc., marine economic resilience (MER) has received widespread attention in recent years and is considered to be crucial for high-quality and sustainable development of the marine economy. Methods: This study takes 11 coastal provinces in China as cases, integrates 6 condition variables by building a Resistance capability-Recovery capability-Renewal capability (3R) configuration model, and uses the fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) approach to empirically explore the configuration effect between multiple land factors and MER. Results and discussion: (1) None of the 6 conditions in the three dimensions of resistance capability, recovery capability, and renewal capability alone constitute the necessary conditions for strong or weak MER, indicating that a single condition has weak explanatory power for MER; (2) There are two configurations for strong MER: Strong Resistance-Recovery Type and Comprehensive Strong Type. Industrial structure, governmental capability, and digital economy are the core conditions for strong MER configurations; (3) There are four weak MER configurations: Comprehensive Weak Type, Weak Recovery-Renewal Type, Weak Resistance-Recovery Type I, and Weak Resistance-Recovery Type II. This studymay expand the research scope of MER influencing factors and enriching the research perspective of land-sea integration, as well as providing decision-makers with practical policy implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a novel approach to inventory management modeling, specifically tailored for growing items. We extend traditional economic growth quantity (EGQ) models by introducing the fractional economic growing quantity (FEGQ) model. This new approach improves the model's symmetry and dynamic responsiveness, providing a more precise representation of the changing nature of inventory items. Additionally, the use of fractional derivatives allows our model to incorporate the memory effect, introducing a new dynamic concept in inventory management. This advancement enables us to select the optimal business policy to maximize profit. We adopt the fractional derivative in terms of Caputo derivative sense to model the inventory level associated with the items. To analytically solve the (FEGQ) model, we use the Laplacian transform to obtain an algebraic equation. As for the logistic function, known for its symmetrical S-shaped curve, it closely mirrors real-life growth patterns and is defined using fractional calculus. We apply an iterative approximation method, specifically the Adomian decomposition method, to solve the fractional logistic function. Through a sensitivity analysis, we delve for the first time into the discussion of the initial weights, which have a massive impact on the total profit level. The provided numerical data indicate that the firm began with a favorable policy. In the following years, several misguided practices were implemented that led to a decrease in profitability. The healing process began once again by selecting more effective strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to analysis the influence of economic growth (EG) and energy consumption (EC) on sulfur dioxide emissions (SE) in China. Accordingly, this study explores the link between EG, EC, and SE for 30 provinces in China over the span of 2000e2019. This study also analyzes cross-sectional dependence tests, panel unit root tests, Westerlund panel cointegration tests, Dumitrescu-Hurlin (D-H) causality tests. According to the test results, there is an inverted U-shaped association between EG and SE, and the assumption of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) is verified. The signs of EG and EC in the fixed effect (FE) and random effect (RE) methods are in line with those in the dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS), fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS) and autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) estimators. Moreover, the results verified that EC can obviously positive impact the SE. To reduce SE in China, government and policymakers can improve air quality by developing cleaner energy sources and improving energy efficiency. This requires the comprehensive use of policies, regulations, economic incentives, and public participation to promote sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study employed advanced panel data analysis, accounting for cross‐sectional dependence and heterogeneity, to investigate the impact of tourism development and economic output on forest areas in major international tourist markets. The research was guided by forest transformation hypothesis (FTH). The study assessed the validity of FTH, examined the influence of tourism, and identified the income level at which a turning point occurs. The results revealed a heterogeneous impact of tourism on forested areas across major international tourist markets. Specifically, tourism development encouraged afforestation in Germany, Italy, Mexico, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States, but led to deforestation in China. In contrast, no significant relationship was observed between the tourism‐forest area nexus in Türkiye and Thailand. Additionally, the study provided evidence supporting FTH in the relationship between economic growth and forested areas in Italy, Spain, Türkiye, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Given these findings, the paper underscores the strong heterogeneity among the individual countries and their tourism, economic development, and forest areas. Consequently, country‐specific sustainable policies are advocated over generic approaches in the fight against deforestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Economics / Economia Internazionale is the property of Camera di Commercio di Genova and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of International Economics / Economia Internazionale is the property of Camera di Commercio di Genova and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study explores the relationship between digital access, protection, and adoption in supporting technological entrepreneurship within national digital ecosystems. The study utilised PROCESS regression analysis on the Global Entrepreneurship Development Institute (GEDI)'s Digital Development Economy (DPE) Index 2020 dataset to examine selected digital factors' direct and indirect effects on entrepreneurial activity across 116 countries. While the relationship between digital access, adoption, protection, and technological entrepreneurship has been established in previous research, this study provides global evidence to reinforce this connection. However, digital protection did not significantly moderate the effect of digital access. Notably, digital adoption emerged as a significant mediator, influencing the impacts of both access and protection on entrepreneurial outcomes. This study emphasises the importance of understanding the complex relationships between digital factors in cultivating a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem, offering valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners seeking to stimulate technological innovation and economic growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South Africa's economic growth has been slow since the 1980s due to inefficiencies in the manufacturing, mining and quarrying, ICT, electricity, gas, and water sectors. This article uses the theoretical framework and growth rates to identify key reasons for this slowdown. Key issues include inefficiencies within the gross fixed capital formation (GFCF) and inadequate infrastructure, primarily due to government behavior. This article used secondary data to perform the desktop analysis. To promote economic growth, the South African government and allied stakeholders should consider increasing investments in public infrastructure and financing research and development. This article argues that economic growth is driven by government expenditure, easy access to financing, and technological advancements. To promote economic growth, a comprehensive approach is needed, including tax breaks, loan guarantees, and pro-business legislation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustained efforts and investments in different sectors are essential for the overall development of a region. Various studies around the globe underscore the importance of investment in road transport infrastructure in many developing countries to achieve their development targets. The relationship between infrastructure investment and economic growth is often found to be inconsistent. This ambiguity leads to a lack of consensus on an appropriate scale of investment required among the policy makers. So, it is often necessary to depend on empirical evidence by developing causality direction, which significantly contributes to policy implications in developing countries. The objective of this analytical study is developing a relationship between the road transport infrastructure and economic growth of Nepal. For this, relevant data from 1998 to 2022 were used to perform a unit root test and determine the order of integration, followed by cointegration analysis to determine the long-run relationship between the variables. In addition, the vector error correction model (VECM) was employed to find the direction of causality. The findings indicate unidirectional long-run causality from gross capital formation, exports of goods and services, expenditure on road transport infrastructures, and road length to the GDP of Nepal. Furthermore, the expenditure on road transport infrastructures is observed to have a short-run impact on economic growth. This study recommends that a suitable transportation policy should be implemented to boost investment on road transport infrastructures to achieve sustainable economic growth in Nepal-like developing nations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to establish the relationship between certain institutional variables and the effectiveness of fiscal decentralisation in Latin America. To fulfil this objective, we took a sample of 15 Latin American countries for the years 1996 to 2020 to estimate the logarithm of GDP per capita based on the level of fiscal decentralisation, as well as its interaction with six institutional variables plus three control variables. The results show that institutional variables always modulate the effects of fiscal decentralisation, in most cases significantly and negatively, the exceptions being accountability with a positive result and government effectiveness with a non-significant result. It was concluded that in the presence of weak regulations, political conflicts, and corruption, fiscal decentralisation can worsen social or economic circumstances in Latin America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the tax reform in the 1980s, the Moroccan tax system still suffers from structural vulnerabilities that have led to inefficient tax policies and increasing sectoral disparities, which have led to an increase in the tax pressure rates between 1990 and 2020. To overcome these vulnerabilities, and according to the recommendations of the 2019 National Tax Conference, the Moroccan tax system has been recently restructured, with the aim of strengthening the principles of equity and tax efficiency. The main objective of this paper is to determine the impact of the tax pressure on long-term economic growth in Morocco from 1990 to 2020. To do so, the methodology adopted in this work consists of verifying the effect of the tax pressure on economic growth through a quantitative methodology based on two vector autoregression approaches: the vector autoregression model (VAR) and the vector error correction model (VECM). The results of this study confirm that the effect of fiscal pressure on economic growth in Morocco is not significant in the long run, and therefore, we can deduce that taxation is not yet a well-mastered instrument for the state to act on the economic sphere. The results show a complex relationship between tax pressures and economic growth in Morocco, underlining the importance of tax reform. However, the research is limited by the specific models and the need to explore other determinants. The contribution of this paper lies in its in-depth empirical analysis of fiscal pressure and its influence on long-term economic growth in Morocco, as based on VAR and VECM modeling. This econometric approach makes it possible to isolate the dynamic effects and responses of economic variables over time, offering an understanding of the interactions between tax policy and long-term economic growth. By focusing specifically on the Moroccan context, this study offers an original perspective and helps to fill the gap in the empirical research in this area while providing a valuable analytical framework for assessing fiscal policies and their impact on long-term economic growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores how foreign direct investment (FDI), material footprint, economic growth, and information and communication technology (ICT) influence the load capacity factor (LCF) in 37 Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. The analysis leverages data spanning 1970 to 2019 and employs a range of robust econometric techniques (FM-OLS, D-OLS, DSUR). The findings reveal a surprising yet significant positive association between material footprint and LCF. Conversely, economic growth, FDI, and ICT all exhibit negative relationships with LCF. Interestingly, a causal analysis suggests that these variables-ICT, material footprint, and economic growth-have a two-way influence on LCF, meaning they both affect and are affected by it. These insights highlight the complex interplay between economic development, material footprint, and technological advancement in shaping SSA's LCF. The study concludes by offering clear policy recommendations for SSA countries aiming to optimize their LCF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Economics is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Sustainable development is a common goal across the world. As the core force to promote economic growth and enhance national competitiveness, the sustainable development of urban agglomeration is a key component of national strategy. This study explored the scale optimization in the Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration (YRDUA) under the framework of sustainable development. Results showed that the sustainability of the overall urban agglomeration development is not optimal. With the increase in cities, the sustainability of the city combination formed with Shanghai as the seed point showed a trend of increasing at first and then decreasing. When the number of city group is 6, the sustainable development goal (SDG) index score is the highest. It indicated that the combination formed by some cities may be superior to urban agglomeration in sustainability. Therefore, the concept of pan-metropolitan area was proposed, and at current stage, the pan-metropolitan area should be developed first to achieve sustainable development within a smaller urban group, and then to build high-quality and coordinated development at the entire urban agglomeration. Finally, a road of urban agglomeration integration and international development from part to whole will be established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzes the drivers and constraints affecting enterprise capacity utilization (CU) in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. We used data from the World Bank Enterprise Survey and a fractional logit model to examine the impacts of institutional, infrastructural, and sustainability factors on firms' CU. Our analysis highlights corruption and competition in the informal sector as significant impediments to firms' CU, alongside complex infrastructure barriers that hinder the optimization. Conversely, environmental responsibility and innovation emerge as critical drivers for enhancing CU. Surprisingly, top managers' experience introduces a counteractive influence that negatively affects CU. Beyond the empirical findings, this study's implications extend to various stakeholders, notably policymakers. Emphasizing the need to address corruption, foster an enabling business environment, strategically invest in infrastructure, promote sustainability initiatives, and foster innovation to enhance CU are paramount. Additionally, providing targeted managerial training to mitigate negative managerial influences is crucial. Implementing these recommendations promises to foster an environment conducive to improved CU, driving economic growth, and sustainable development in the MENA region and benefiting stakeholders across sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prospect of decoupling economic development from CO2 emissions in Ghana is examined in this paper, with an emphasis on the manufacturing, export, and adoption of renewable energy sectors. The paper investigates the long-term and short-term correlations among CO2 emissions, renewable energy consumption (RNE), population growth (POP), manufacturing value-added (MVA), Economic growth (GDP), and exports (EXP) using an Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) bounds testing method using time series data from 1990 to 2020. The outcomes show that the variables are long-term cointegrating. Long-term GDP and CO2 emissions show a positive but negligible correlation, whereas exports show a negative and insignificant correlation. In the near term, using renewable energy has a markedly undesirable consequence on releases, yet, over time, the connection is positive and negligible. Because the turning point when economic expansion results in lower emissions is not apparent, the Environmental Kuznets Curve concept is not entirely substantiated. The report emphasizes how specific laws encouraging the use of renewable energy, environmentally friendly export and manufacturing processes, and technical advancements are necessary to help Ghana move toward a low-carbon economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a two-step approach GMM, this study examines the short- and long-term effects of fiscal deficit on the economic growth of 42 Sub-Saharan African nations between 2011 and 2021. The World Development Index, the most reliable source, is where the panel data is taken from. Using the Levin-Lin-Chu and Hadri LM tests for unit root, it was determined that there is no risk of a random walk in the data. The study's findings indicate that while the fiscal deficit has short-term, positive, and significant benefits on the economic growth of SSA countries, it has long-term, negative repercussions. According to the system GMM's results, an increase in the fiscal deficit of SSA countries is linked to a short-term increase in economic growth of 0.036 percent, while an increase in the fiscal deficit of one percentage point is linked to a long-term decline in economic growth of SSA countries of 0.013 percent, holding all other factors constant. The study's findings also showed that the budget deficit has a larger positive short-run coefficient than a negative long-run coefficient. The study also revealed that while real effective exchange rates and inflation short-term hinder economic growth, gross fixed capital creation and real interest rates are the primary drivers of economic expansion. Long-term economic growth in the SSA countries is also found to be positively and significantly impacted by gross fixed capital formation. According to the study, SSA nations should manage their fiscal deficits and, in the long run, provide more funds for gross fixed capital development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Covid-19 has reinforced health and economic cases for investing in pandemic preparedness and response (PPR). The World Bank and World Health Organization (WHO) propose that low- and middle-income governments and donor countries should invest $31.1 billion each year for PPR. We analyse, based on the projected economic growth of countries between 2022 and 2027, how likely it is that low- and middle-income country governments and donors can mobilize the estimated funding. Methods: We modelled trends in economic growth to project domestic health spending by low- and middle-income governments and official development assistance (ODA) by donors for years 2022 to 2027. We modelled two scenarios for countries and donors – a constant and an optimistic scenario. Under the constant scenario we assume that countries and donors continue to dedicate the same proportion of their health spending and ODA as a share of gross domestic product (GDP) and gross national income (GNI), respectively, as they did during baseline (the latest year for which data are available). In the optimistic scenario, we assume a yearly increase of 2.5% in health spending as a share of GDP for countries and ODA as a share of GNI for donors. Findings: Our analysis shows that low-income countries would need to invest on average 37%, lower-middle income countries 9%, and upper-middle income countries 1%, of their total health spending on PPR each year under the constant scenario to meet the World Bank WHO targets. Donors would need to allocate on average 8% of their total ODA across all sectors to PPR each year to meet their target. Conclusions: The World Bank WHO targets for PPR will not be met unless low- and middle-income governments and donors spend a much higher share of their funding on PPR. Even under optimistic growth scenarios, low-income and lower-middle income countries will require increased support from global health donors. The donor target cannot be met using the yearly increase in ODA under any scenario. If the country and donor targets are not met, the highest-impact health security measures need to be prioritized for funding. Alternative sources of PPR financing could include global taxation (e.g., on financial transactions, carbon, or airline flights), cancelling debt, and addressing illicit financial flows. There is also a need for continued work on estimating current PPR costs and funding requirements in order to arrive at more enduring and reliable estimates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The digital divide (DD) reflects the inequality of the digital economy, while existing research lacks a comprehensive framework for investigating the measurement of DD and its determinants. This study constructs a new framework with a five-dimensional comprehensive index system. City-level data are used to measure China's DD index from 2010 to 2020 at the national, regional, and provincial levels. Furthermore, this study investigates the decomposition of DD at both regional and provincial levels and the determinants of DD from the perspectives of physical, human, and social capital. The key results are: (1) China's DD has generally exhibited a fluctuating downward trend. While it remains high in the eastern and western regions, it has shown a decline year by year. However, the DD within most provinces is on the rise. (2) The intra-regional and inter-provincial are the primary drivers of changes in national DD, with both intra-regional and intra-provincial contribution rates on the rise. (3) Economic growth, infrastructure, foreign trade, education, and online interaction significantly impact DD, and these determinants may change at different periods. This study intends to provide empirical support for bridging the DD, fostering the balanced development of the digital economy, and reducing social inequality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable development and raising the domestic value-added rate of exports (DVARE) have become essential priorities in the pursuit of high-quality economic growth. An econometric spatial model is developed in this research using data on Chinese enterprises spanning 2008 to 2019. According to a study, exports' domestic value-added rate (DVAR) can be successfully increased using environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices. Spatial spillover analysis demonstrates that adopting ESG practices boosts export DVAR both within and between regions. According to heterogeneity analysis, the sample's overall increase in DVARE as a result of ESG practices is mostly attributable to the mix and processing trade organizations, the eastern area, and large firms. An examination of the underlying mechanisms shows that businesses that implement advanced technologies are able to reinforce the favorable impact of ESG practices on DVARE. This article gives evidence from real-world studies that show how ESG practices help boost Chinese exports and advance sustainable development. The findings hold significant implications for other developing nations as they make the transition towards a pattern of economic growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A key question in economic history is the degree to which preindustrial economies could generate sustained increases in per capita productivity. Previous studies suggest that, in many preindustrial contexts, growth was primarily a consequence of agglomeration. Here, we examine evidence for three different socioeconomic rates that are available from the archaeological record for Roman Britain. We find that all three measures show increasing returns to scale with settlement population, with a common elasticity that is consistent with the expectation from settlement scaling theory. We also identify a pattern of increase in baseline rates, similar to that observed in contemporary societies, suggesting that this economy did generate modest levels of per capita productivity growth over a four-century period. Last, we suggest that the observed growth is attributable to changes in transportation costs and to institutions and technologies related to socioeconomic interchange. These findings reinforce the view that differences between ancient and contemporary economies are more a matter of degree than kind. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research explores economic growth dynamics in five ASEAN countries (1980–2020), analyzing the short and long-term impact of financial development (FD), oil prices, investment (INV), and inflation on GDP growth. Panel ARDL analysis reveals a transient positive link between FD and long-term GDP growth, necessitating a holistic approach for short-term stability. Similarly, oil prices exhibit long-term volatility, urging diversification strategies. In contrast, consistent and significant relationships exist between INV and GDP growth in both time frames, underscoring investment's pivotal role. The study emphasizes managing inflation for sustained growth, offering vital insights for policymakers, economists, and analysts in fostering ASEAN's economic stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]