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There is extensive literature on the effect of military expenditure on economic growth. However, there is also a wide gap in the literature on the relationship between productivity and innovation, which is considered the driving force of economic growth and military expenditures. To this end, this study examines the effect of military expenditures on economic growth, innovation and labor productivity for the period 1995–2019 in most militarized countries.

The tests used in the study's empirical analysis are techniques that take into account cross-sectional dependence and heterogeneity. The stationarity of the variables was tested with the Pesaran’s (2007) unit root test. Then, empirical findings were revealed based on the analysis through Westerlund’s (2008) cointegration test and Emirmahmutoglu and Kose’s (2011) panel causality test.

According to the empirical results, there is a long-run relationship, in other words, a cointegration between military expenditures and productivity, innovation and economic growth. Additionally, there are causality relationships between military expenditures and productivity, innovation and economic growth.

These results support the arguments of military Keynesianism and the Benoit hypothesis.

Despite the widespread theoretical debate, no empirical study tests the effect of military expenditure on productivity and innovation to the author's best knowledge. Hence, this study aims to fill this gap in the literature. Moreover, the fact that the econometric method used is based on second generation tests and the timeliness of the period range makes the study's findings more significant.

The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between economic policy uncertainty (EPU) and stock prices during the period from March 2003 to March 2021.

The study uses asymmetric and symmetric frequency domain causality tests and focuses on BRIC countries, namely, Brazil, Russia, India and China.

The findings of the symmetric causality test confirm unidirectional permanent causality from EPU to stock prices for Brazil and India and bidirectional causality for China. However, according to the asymmetric causality test, the findings for China show that there is no causality between the variables. The results for Brazil and India indicate that there is unidirectional permanent causality from positive components of EPU to positive components of stock prices. Moreover, for Brazil, there is unidirectional temporary causality from the negative components of EPU to the negative components of stock prices. For India, there is temporary causality in the opposite direction.

The reactions of financial markets to positive and negative shocks differ. In this context, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first attempt to examine the causal relationships between stock prices and uncertainty using an asymmetric frequency domain approach. Thus, the study enables the analysis of the effects of positive and negative shocks in the stock market separately.

This paper aims to investigate the effect of Islamic microfinance on poor households through the case of the IKSAR Qard al-Hasan Program in Turkey. To achieve this aim, it examined the changes in the socio-economic status of beneficiaries before and after the program.

This paper adopts the convergent parallel mixed method design. It conducted two surveys to micro-entrepreneurs: the first is when they received the loan and the second is when they finished their installments. In addition to the longitudinal data obtained from these two surveys, qualitative data were collected by participant observation and interview technique with visiting these people periodically throughout the interest-free loan (qard al-hasan).

According to the results obtained from the analysis of the pre- and post-surveys, a statistically significant increase of 35% was experienced in the monthly household income after receiving the qard al-hasan loan compared to before. Similarly, a statistically significant increase was found in the monthly expenditures of 23 out of 30 households after receiving the qard al-hasan.

There are two originalities of this study. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, it is the first research that examines the only Islamic microfinance program in Turkey. Second, it uses longitudinal data while examining the impact of Islamic microfinance on the welfare of the poor. In the relevant literature, no study has been identified that uses longitudinal data in Islamic microfinance. Similarly, a limited number of longitudinal studies examine the impact of conventional microfinance institutions on the poor.

The trust in participation banks depends largely on authentic dependence on Sharia, legal financial instruments and fair yet transparent distribution among account owners and banks. Taking into account the economic Islamic principles and those of mudarabah agreement, this study aims to identify problematic areas pertaining to profit sharing in addition to revealing opportunities leading to the improvement of the profit distribution system while developing a new profit distribution system proposal.

This study proposes two hypotheses (H). H1: There are partial deviations between the profit considered to be legal according to the economic principles of Islam and the practice of participation banking. H2: There are partial deviations or loss of right in practice between the mudarabah contract concluded among owners of participation account and participation banks. In-depth interview technique and review of the literature including legislation were used to determine the parameters affecting the distributed profit. The collected data was tested through comparison with the theoretical framework of the mudarabah contract.

There are two separate fund pools used in participation banks, including equity and participation accounts. Managers’ selection of pools set according to their personal goals related to balance sheet profit management may cause profit to pass between participation accounts and equity. Many issues negatively affect the distributed profits. For example, incomes from funding commissions, reserve requirements and idle funds, although they originate from participation accounts, are recorded in the bank’s income. In addition, the bank does not return the profit initially recorded in its own account to participation pools, whether or not profit.

The interviewed officials were cautious to avoid a negative perception of the sector. This made it difficult to determine the real situation of applications decided with initiative in profit distribution. Although the authorization documents have partially been published, it is still difficult to access most licensed documents. There is no independent audit report made considering the interest-free banking principles regarding the profit distribution system of participation banking. The scarcity of the literature on the subject is another limitation. The research does not cause any harm to the reputation of participation banks.

Adopting a single-pool system in line with the global practices will end the shift of right between pools while ensuring a fair and transparent system. In this system, the bank equities, other shareholders’ funds and participation accounts are collected and operated in a single pool. The pool profit and loss are distributed as per the shares in the pool. The profit per each participation account is distributed based on the share of each participation account in the pool and profit-sharing ratio.

Participation banking is expected to support the real economy by means of production, leasing, merchandising based on certain religious, ethical and contractual principles. Bringing funds of conservatives, that does not go to conventional banks for avoiding of interest, in the economy is expected to provide new sources to reduce the foreign dependency for the economy and to supply a financial alternative for the conservatives who stay away from interest-based economic activities. However, if this will represent an alternative to debt-based systems, then products, contracts, business processes and legislations driven according to interest-free banking principles should be developed.

This study introduces and analyzes a new proposal of the profit distribution system of participation banking. A similar methodology is used in interest-free banking on a global scale, especially in Malaysia, and is compatible with the profit distribution decisions in AAOIFI’s depositor accounts. However, this methodology is considered to be new as far as participation banking is concerned. The implementation of this new methodology will eliminate several problems identified in the profit distribution system of participation banks. This research provides an academic contribution to the participation banking profit distribution system and represents a reference material on the subject.