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Social media has grown in importance as a means of social connection and provides a significant avenue for learning about sustainability and related issues. This study aimed to reveal the long-run heterogeneous relationship between social media usage, institutional quality, carbon emissions and human development. We employ second generation techniques, namely augmented mean group (AMG) and common correlated effects mean group (CCEMG) estimators to ensure that cross-sectional dependence and heterogeneity are captured. In addition, the system generalized method of moments (GMM) dynamic panel data estimator was used to deal with the issue of endogeneity and serial correlation. The analyses were categorized into three: all sample groups, advanced economies, and transition and developing economies. Our findings show that there is a positive relationship between social media usage, institutional quality, carbon emission and human development. However, social media usage in transition and developing economies is more pronounced than in advanced economies and likewise for institutional quality. With regard to carbon emissions, the impacts are symmetric. Overall, the interaction between social media and carbon emissions adversely affects human development, while the interaction between social media and institutional quality proportionally lead to human development. Most importantly, the impact of social media on human development is not economically beneficial and may be more promising in transition and developing countries.

The study analyzed data from the World Bank's World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators, and Heritage Foundation's Monetary freedom index from 1996 to 2017 to determine the GDP per capita growth and inflation rates require total independence of the central bank of Ghana with threshold regression method. Per the analysis, it was observed that the impact of central bank independence is positively related to economic growth when the inflation threshold is less than 26.1% at a significance level of 5% with an elasticity coefficient of 0.07. On the other hand, when the inflation threshold is greater than or equal to 26.1% with an elasticity coefficient of 0.142 at a significance level of 1%, central bank independence is positively related to economic growth. Nonetheless, the GDP per capita (PPP) growth rate witnessed a decline from 5.8% in 2017 to 4.1% in 2018 and 4.0 in 2019, respectively. Evidently, the regression threshold was pegged at 5.8% or above to significantly impact economic growth when central bank independence is relatively improved. Furthermore, there is an inverse relationship between inflation variability, economic growth variability, and central bank independence. The earnest responsibility of politicians is to persistently safeguard, protect and ensure the implementation of central bank independence over time; perhaps the able requirement of government and politicians is to understand and explain ultimate reasons regarding the entrustment of power and authority to an independent monetary body to see to the well-being of forthcoming generations and present ones as well

The study delves into financial inclusion and poverty alleviation with emphasis on the contribution of the commercial banks in West Africa from the period of 2004 to 2015. To achieve the objective of the study. In a panel of 10 West African countries, the study aimed at assessing the dynamic relationship that exists between financial inclusion and poverty alleviation. In order to achieve this objective, the study utilized some panel data methodologies such as unit root tests and cointegration tests to unravel the characteristics of the variables whether they statistically fit for further regression. The study employed dynamic panel data methodology to analyze the data to make statistical inference. The study found out that financial inclusion has positive impact on poverty alleviation but taking into consideration the number of commercial banks, it was evidenced that it has negative impact on poverty alleviation whiles number of ATMs and total amount of loans granted are insignificant in poverty alleviation. Government effectiveness as in the quality of policy formulation, implementation and the credibility of the government’s commitment to such policies has positive impact on poverty alleviation but regulatory quality which is the ability of the government to formulate and implement sound policies and regulations for private sector development has negative impact on poverty alleviation. The study recommends that commercial banks should widen their scope of operation to reach out to the poverty-prone areas. Moreover, governments should create the enabling environment and formulate and also implement sound policies which can boost poverty alleviation.

The study assessed the impact of social media on economic growth in a global perspective hence the use of 198 countries as sample for the period 2009 - 2017. The study utilised and adopted panel data methodologies such as panel corrected standard errors, two-stage least square and panel quantile regression methods for its regression analysis. The study’s theoretical basis was on the endogenous growth model. The findings of the study support the two hypothesis that exist between social media and economic growth nexus. In relevance, the study concludes that social media has both positive and negative impact on economic growth perhaps fixed broadband, number of internet users and secure internet servers are the major drivers of social media. In particular, the study found that Facebook and Pinterest negatively affect economic growth as this finding is in support of the second hypothesis of social media and economic growth nexus. The positive relationship finding supports the first hypothesis that the abolishment of barriers to entry to enable users of social media to publish and disseminate information without any limitations with the support of proper and efficient internet and broadband supply then social media could positively affect economic growth because the multiplicity of media such as wikis, blogs, pictures, videos etc. to a large extent propel the potential of social media in relation to dissemination of information and knowledge whereas ensuring a multi-channel diffusion and codification of knowledge as YouTube and Twitter showed positive and significant impact on economic growth.