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The Energy Demand–Economic Growth Dynamics Theory (ED-EGD Theory): Insights from Ghana (1970 - 2011)
No full textThe paper proposes the Energy Demand–Economic Growth Dynamics Theory (ED-EGD Theory) based on empirical findings from Ghana over the period 1970 to 2011. The theory emphasises the dynamic and long-term interactions between energy demand determinants and economic growth in the context of a developing economy. By utilising a comprehensive dataset spanning four decades and applying robust econometric models (ARDL, Johansen cointegration, Gregory and Hansen structural break tests, and ARIMA forecasting), this study offers a historical foundation for understanding energy-growth linkages. The theoretical model derived from these insights remains relevant to contemporary debates on sustainable energy use and economic planning in emerging economies. While the data ends in 2011, the methodological approach and conceptual development presented in this paper provide a valuable framework for ongoing research and policy formulation
Data-Driven Welding Quality Assessment: Leveraging IoT and Machine Learning in Industrial Practice
No full textThe paper investigates the deployment of data analytics and machine learning to improve welding quality in Tecnomulipast srl, a small-to-medium sized manufacturing firm located in Puglia, Italy.
The firm produces food machine components and more recently mechanized its laser welding process with the introduction of an IoT-enabled system integrating photographic control. The investment,
underwritten by the Apulia Region under PIA (Programmi Integrati di Agevolazione) allowed Tecnomulipast to not only mechanize its production line but also embark upon wider digital
transformation. This involved the creation of internal data analytics infrastructures that have the capability to underpin machine learning and artificial intelligence applications. This paper addresses
a prediction of weld bead width (LC) with a dataset of 1,000 observations. Input variables are laser power (PL), pulse time (DI), frequency (FI), beam diameter (DF), focal position (PF), travel speed (VE), trajectory accuracy (TR), laser angle (AN), gas flow (FG), gas purity (PG), ambient temperature (TE), and penetration depth (PE). The parameters were exploited to build and validate some supervised machine learning algorithms like Decision Trees, Random Forest, K-Nearest Neighbors, Support Vector Machines, Neural Networks, and Linear Regression. The performance of the models was measured by MSE, RMSE, MAE, MAPE, and R². Ensemble methods like Random Forest and Boosting performed the highest. Feature importance analysis determined that laser power, gas flow, and trajectory accuracy are the key variables. This project showcases the manner in which Tecnomulipast has benefited from public investment to introduce digital transformation and adopt
data-driven strategies within Industry 4.0
Global Digitalization of Tax Administration: Lessons for Cameroon
No full textDigitalization is an essential tool for the delivery of public services. The emergence of such services has taken the form of electronically
mediated services such as e-taxation or e-filing. The process of digitization has equally seen the emergence of better information, better systems, and better policies, which will improve transparency, accountability, and governance whilst boosting tax revenues in Cameroon. Additionally, fiscal policy can be more targeted, achieving specific objectives such as supporting domestic demand, boosting
fixed business investment, not least introducing and expanding a social safety net. The paper concludes with recommendations that enhance transparent revenue collection, streamline administrative procedures, and bolster governance. The ultimate findings are that Digitization will facilitate access to the tax base, broaden it, and enable more agile fiscal policies designed to bolster incomes, consumption, and investment
The Rising Returns to R&D: Ideas are not getting harder to find
No full textR&D investment has grown robustly, yet aggregate productivity growth has stagnated. Is this because “ideas are getting harder to find”? This paper uses micro-data from the US Census Bureau to explore the relationship between R&D and productivity in the manufacturing sector from 1976 to 2018. We find that both the elasticity of output (TFP) with respect to R&D and the marginal returns to R&D have risen sharply. Exploring factors affecting returns, we conclude that R&D obsolescence rates must have risen. Using a novel estimation approach, we find consistent evidence of sharply rising technological rivalry. These findings suggest that R&D has become more effective at finding productivity-enhancing ideas but these ideas may also render rivals’ technologies obsolete, making innovations more transient
The Corruption Paradox: Assessing Environmental Impacts in the GCC Region
No full textThis study examines the impact of corruption on environmental quality in GCC countries from 2003 to 2021, focusing in particular on direct and indirect impacts on CO2 emissions. We use two-stage least squares (2SLS) panel regression analysis to account for potential endogeneity and provide robust empirical evidence. The results show that corruption has a direct and significant positive effect on environmental quality. This suggests that some corrupt practices can lead to short-term emission reductions by delaying or distorting large, environmentally harmful projects. However, it also has indirect negative effects: corruption undermines economic growth and institutional integrity and ultimately worsens long-term environmental impacts. Overall, the positive effects of corruption on environmental quality are positive, although they are differentiated and context-dependent. In addition, the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis is tested. This suggests that after an initial decline in emissions, environmental destruction could resume as income levels rise. These findings provide valuable insights for policymakers seeking to strengthen institutional governance, eradicate corruption, and promote sustainable environmental policies in resource-dependent economies
Evaluation of Export Sector of Pakistan; Policies, Regulations and Practices
No full textThe export sector plays a crucial role in Pakistan’s economy, driving GDP, industrial growth, and foreign exchange revenues. However, Pakistan’s export performance faces significant challenges, including over-reliance on textiles, insufficient diversification, and structural inefficiencies. This paper explores the factors limiting growth, such as regulatory bottlenecks, poor infrastructure, and limited value addition. It identifies promising sectors like IT, pharmaceuticals, and agriculture-based products, which could boost export revenues if developed effectively. To overcome these challenges, a comprehensive policy framework focused on export diversification, infrastructure improvement, and market expansion is necessary. The paper offers actionable recommendations, drawing on international best practices, to modernize Pakistan’s export sector, enhance competitiveness, and foster sustainable economic growth. The findings highlight the importance of strategic interventions to transform the sector into a key driver of economic development
Почему рухнул советский социализм. Рецензия на книгу китайского автора о крахе советского социализма. Лу Айго. Советский Союз. Причины распада и уроки. Саньлянь шу дянь, Пекин, 2025（路爱国. 苏联崩溃的原因及教训. 三聯書店, 2025).
No full textThere is no shortage of research in China on the collapse of the USSR and Soviet socialism, and on the lessons of this collapse for China. A review article on the achievements of Chinese Sovietology (Zuo Fengrong, 2022) states that experts generally acknowledge Gorbachev's direct responsibility for the collapse of the USSR, but do not attribute it solely to the "betrayal" of a few leaders. Rather they expose the flaws of the Soviet model – inability to stimulate the enthusiasm and creativity of the people, the slowdown in economic growth and the decline in efficiency - factors that make it impossible to believe that the collapse of the Soviet Union was not an accident. "Scholars have shown that it was precisely the CPSU’s loss of popular support that led to the collapse of the Soviet Union", – writes Zuo Fengrong (2022).
Against this background, the book under review stands out sharply. Lu Aiguo proves the exact opposite – it was not the Communist Party that lost the support of the people, but the people who lost control over the leadership of the Communist Party and the state. The author's main idea is that the USSR collapsed not because of internal problems, although there were plenty of them, but because of a change in the course initiated by the elite, because of a "wormhole in the heart," to use a well-known Chinese idiom that roughly corresponds to the Russian "a fish rots from the head.
Work from home and household behaviors
No full textThis paper analyzes work from home from a household perspective, focusing on its various relationships with spouses’ wages, household labor supply, expenditures, and chores. We use a collective model that predicts that work-from-home decisions result from joint utility maximization. Using data from the PSID (2011-2021), we find that both partners’ wages and hours are associated with their own and their spouse’s WFH status in pooled specifications, but these associations weaken substantially when accounting for endogeneity and unobserved heterogeneity. Instrumental variable estimates suggest that wage effects are partly driven by occupational sorting, while fixed effects models reveal that changes in WFH status are strongly correlated across spouses but largely unrelated to short-term changes in wages or hours. Implications point to the need for models of remote work that incorporate intra-household dynamics, and to the importance of recognizing WFH as a negotiated outcome rather than an individual choice
Exploring the Trend in Pakistan Educational Status:2005-2020
No full textThe purpose of this research is to highlight the trend in educational status of Pakistan which is represented through five indicators related to access to schooling and educational achievements. In terms of access to schooling two indicators are used: pre-primary enrollment and out of school children in the age cohorts 5-16 years, while to monitor educational achievement, overall and youth literacy rates and proportion of population with tertiary education are considered.
Household data of five waves of nationally representative Pakistan Social and Living-Standard Measurement (PSLM) surveys is used in estimating educational indicators for the period 2005 to 2020.
To summarize the status and growth in the indicators of educational performance, non-compensatory composite indices are developed. The methodology of these indices ensures that all indicators have same importance and a full compensation among them is not allowed.
The results of this exercise broadly indicate very low or almost stagnant growth in the indicators of educational status during the period 2005 and 2020
Can women's literacy and education spending serve as robust pillars of development in Madagascar?
No full textThe economic inclusion of women constitutes a pivotal catalyst for sustainable development. In Madagascar, notwithstanding women’s substantial engagement in economic activities, persistent disparities in access to education, formal employment, and productive resources continue to constrain the full realization of female human capital. Employing an econometric framework spanning the period 1990 to 2023, this study quantifies the influence of female literacy rates and educational expenditures on per capita GDP. The findings indicate that a one-percentage-point increase in female literacy corresponds, on average, to an augmentation of approximately 7.9 USD in per capita GDP. These results underscore the statistically significant and positive role of women’s education in fostering economic growth. However, a paradox remains evident: despite considerable female economic participation, their skills remain markedly underutilized. Accordingly, the study advocates for nuanced policy interventions centered on enhancing girls’ education, promoting the formalization of women’s labor, and expanding financial inclusion to unlock and sustain this latent developmental potentia