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Article
Publication date: 1 January 2013

Desi Peneva and Rati Ram

The purpose of this research is to study the relation between “restrictiveness” of a country's trade policy and its socio‐economic well‐being as reflected in the indicators of…

2473

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to study the relation between “restrictiveness” of a country's trade policy and its socio‐economic well‐being as reflected in the indicators of human development.

Design/methodology/approach

A recently‐developed trade‐restrictiveness‐index (TRI), which seems superior to almost all existing indexes of trade policy or “outward orientation”, is related with infant‐mortality, child‐mortality, maternal‐mortality, access to safe water, access to basic sanitation, and secondary‐school enrollment, which are well‐known and important measures of a country's human development and are closely related to several Millennium Development Goals. In addition to a consideration of the covariation between TRI and the six human‐development measures, estimates from parsimonious regression models are studied. Sensitivity checks are conducted by considering covariations and regression estimates for another trade‐policy index and different country groups.

Findings

The evidence overwhelmingly shows that, contrary to the position shared and disseminated widely, there is no indication that a more restrictive international trade policy has a significant negative association with human development or socio‐economic well‐being. Every correlation between trade restrictiveness index and human‐development measures is close to zero. Almost every regression coefficient of trade‐restrictiveness‐index lacks statistical significance at any meaningful level, and a consistent pattern is noted across two measures of trade policy and different country groups.

Social implications

The evidence suggests much caution in the articulation and dissemination of the widely‐shared view that a more restrictive trade policy is detrimental to a country's socio‐economic well‐being. In particular, it implies that international organizations and developed‐country governments may not force developing‐country governments to adopt more “outward‐oriented” trade policies, but may let them choose the trade‐policy stance they find appropriate for their country. The estimates also reinforce the view that great care be exercised by scholars in the choice of trade‐openness measures for studying the relation between trade policy and economic well‐being.

Originality/value

In the vast literature on the nexus between trade policy and economic well‐being, this is probably the only study that relates six important measures of human development with what seems to be the best available index of restrictiveness of a country's trade policy. Therefore, the research, which is based on a fairly large cross‐country sample, may be deemed as highly significant on a topic of much scientific and policy relevance.

Details

International Journal of Social Economics, vol. 40 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0306-8293

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 January 2018

Anikó Bíró

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the health level and health dynamics of migrants from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), broadly defined, in Germany. Population health in…

1059

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the health level and health dynamics of migrants from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), broadly defined, in Germany. Population health in CEE compares badly to Germany. Lifestyle changes and access to better health care in Germany can lead to health improvement of migrants.

Design/methodology/approach

Longitudinal data from the German Socio-Economic Panel are used. First, the time trends of immigrant and native health are analysed graphically. Second, regression analysis is conducted, controlling for demographic and socio-economic factors when estimating the country of origin effects on health. Finally, regression models are estimated to investigate if social and economic integration significantly improves the subjective well-being of the immigrant groups.

Findings

Evidence is found for significantly better subjective health of migrants compared to the natives, even if demographic and socio-economic factors are controlled for. Only part of the health advantage is explained by selective migration. The health of the more advantaged migrants tend to decline slower than of the natives.

Social implications

If migrants are economically and socially integrated in the host country then their presence is unlikely to increase the health burdens of the host country.

Originality/value

The existing knowledge on the health developments of migrants from CEE in other European countries is limited. Based on richer statistical information, the results of this paper partly contradict earlier findings in the literature, in particular no evidence is seen for worse or quickly declining health of immigrants.

Details

International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care, vol. 14 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1747-9894

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 19 July 2023

Serhat Yüksel, Hasan Dinçer and Gülsüm Sena Uluer

With the increase in population, the energy needs of countries are also increasing. These countries have difficulties in meeting these increasing needs. Countries that cannot meet…

Abstract

With the increase in population, the energy needs of countries are also increasing. These countries have difficulties in meeting these increasing needs. Countries that cannot meet this need have to import energy from abroad. This situation adversely affects the current account balance of countries. Nuclear energy investments allow countries to obtain their own energy, although there are some criticisms. In this framework, while some countries in the world increase their nuclear energy investments, some countries do not have any nuclear power plants (NPP). There are 32 such countries where nuclear energy projects are running till date. Therefore, it is very important to determine the socio-economic variables of countries that have nuclear energy investments. In this context, a detailed literature analysis will be made first to determine socio-economic criteria. Then, the importance weights of these factors will be calculated using the Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method. The profiles of the countries that make nuclear energy investments demonstrate that education level is the most essential socio-economic factor for the improvement of nuclear energy investments. Also, income inequality is another important variable in this regard. However, consumption behaviour and saving behaviour have the lowest weights.

Details

Inclusive Developments Through Socio-economic Indicators: New Theoretical and Empirical Insights
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80455-554-5

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 September 2011

Jallaludeen Muazu and Derya Oktay

This paper aims to determine the challenges and prospects for affordable housing within the context of sustainability by investigating the socio-economic and environmental impacts…

Abstract

This paper aims to determine the challenges and prospects for affordable housing within the context of sustainability by investigating the socio-economic and environmental impacts of housing developments based on the analysis of four so-called affordable housing schemes in Yola, Nigeria. Using questionnaire survey and indicators developed from literature reviews on affordable and sustainable housing, the findings suggest that due to inadequate availability of housing inputs (land, finance, infrastructure, labor and materials), lack of diversity, improper location, inefficient transport facilities and lack of user participation, the examined developments are neither sustainable nor affordable. The research hence contributes some empirical evidence to overcome the defined shortcomings and provides a basis for governments' housing commitments towards reforming and devising policies for community involvement in housing provision, providing easy access to land with legal title deeds, easy access to housing finance, infrastructure, etc.

Details

Open House International, vol. 36 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0168-2601

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 September 2011

David Robinson, Aristide Saggino and Marco Tommasi

The aim of this paper is to evaluate the kind of evidence and arguments used to support Richard Lynn's increasingly influential doctrine that genetically determined differences in…

181

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to evaluate the kind of evidence and arguments used to support Richard Lynn's increasingly influential doctrine that genetically determined differences in population IQ are the main cause of differences in regional and national levels of socio‐economic development and public health status.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper's approach is two‐fold. First, new data on the correlation between regional differences in educational achievement of Italian schoolchildren and regional differences in socio‐economic development are presented in order to test the validity of Lynn's report that there is a progressive North‐to‐South reduction of Italian regional IQ that is highly correlated with a corresponding North‐to‐South reduction in the level of socio‐economic development. Second, a thorough and systematic review of the content of Lynn's article is carried out in order to assess the validity of the data, methods, and arguments normally used to support his socio‐economic doctrine.

Findings

Lynn's study uses regional differences in the performance of Italian secondary school children on Organisation for Economic Co‐operation and Development tests of educational achievement to assess regional IQ differences. However, data on Italian regional differences in educational achievement obtained in a much larger INVALSI study of 2,089,829 Italian schoolchildren provide unequivocal evidence that Lynn's educational achievement measure is not a valid index of IQ differences. More generally, the lengthy literature review in Lynn's article reveals uncritical acceptance of reported correlations between any putative index of IQ and socio‐economic variables. Any measure of cognitive performance that is correlated with IQ is considered a measure of IQ, even if there is only a weak correlation. All correlations between such measures and socio‐economic or public health variables are viewed as evidence of direct causal relationships. In all cases, causality is assumed to be in the direction that supports Lynn's doctrine when it would be equally valid to argue that socio‐economic and public health differences cause differences in the performance of IQ tests. In addition to these fundamental logical and statistical errors the present report records numerous other data processing, methodological, and conceptual errors.

Originality/value

The value of the present article is that it demonstrates the flawed manner in which data are interpreted and analysed in order to support Lynn's thesis. Left unchallenged, this pernicious doctrine would promote a socially damaging conception of critically important socio‐economic and public health issues that would discourage the adoption of national policies designed to increase levels of socio‐economic development and improve public health status.

Details

Journal of Public Mental Health, vol. 10 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-5729

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 February 2023

Robert Osei-Kyei, Vivian Tam, Ursa Komac and Godslove Ampratwum

Urban communities can be faced with many destructive events that can disrupt the daily functioning of activities and livelihood of people living in the communities. In this…

Abstract

Purpose

Urban communities can be faced with many destructive events that can disrupt the daily functioning of activities and livelihood of people living in the communities. In this regard, during the last couple of years, many governments have put a lot of efforts into building resilient urban communities. Essentially, a resilient urban community has the capacity to anticipate future disasters, prepare for and recover timely from adverse effects of disasters and unexpected circumstances. Considering this, it is therefore important for the need to continuously review the existing urban community resilience indicators, in order to identify emerging ones to enable comprehensive evaluation of urban communities in the future against unexpected events. This study therefore aims to conduct a systematic review to develop and critically analyse the emerging and leading urban community resilience indicators.

Design/methodology/approach

Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRSIMA) protocol, 53 journal articles were selected using Scopus. The selected papers were subjected to thorough content analysis.

Findings

From the review, 45 urban community resilience indicators were identified. These indicators were grouped into eight broad categories namely, Socio-demographic, Economic, Institutional Resilience, Infrastructure and Housing Resilience, Collaboration, Community Capital, Risk Data Accumulation and Geographical and Spatial characteristics of community. Further, the results indicated that the U.S had the highest number of publications, followed by Australia, China, New Zealand and Taiwan. In fact, very few studies emanated from developing economies.

Originality/value

The outputs of this study will inform policymakers, practitioners and researchers on the new and emerging indicators that should be considered when evaluating the resilience level of urban communities. The findings will also serve as a theoretical foundation for further detailed empirical investigation.

Details

Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2046-6099

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 April 2019

Aleksei V. Bogoviz, Alexander Alekseev, Elena Akopova, Natalia Przhedetskaya and Julia Ragulina

The purpose of this paper is to substantiate the perspectives of using remote education as a means of restoring Russian recessing regions’ economy and develop framework…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to substantiate the perspectives of using remote education as a means of restoring Russian recessing regions’ economy and develop framework recommendations for this.

Design/methodology/approach

The set goal is achieved by finding the dependence of the values of indicators of socio-economic development on the level of development of education in Russian regions. The methods of regression and correlation analysis are used for that.

Findings

The findings showed a moderate direct connection between the development of education and socio-economic position of the region if found. Qualitative analysis allowed substantiating large perspectives of using remote education as a means of restoring Russian recessing regions’ economy, which have two manifestations. The first one is related to the increase of accessibility of educational services in Russian regions. Due to this, the potential of development of region’s human potential is better realized. Being one of the key resources in the conditions of knowledge economy, human resources stimulate the activation of entrepreneurial activities, growth of labor efficiency and innovational activity of region’s companies. The second manifestation envisages the formation of entrepreneurship in the sphere of remote education as a growth vector and source of competitive advantages of recessing region’s economy. This opens possibilities for the formation of knowledge economy in region and supporting its high competitiveness. Low capital intensity of entrepreneurship in the sphere of remote education makes it accessible for development even in recessing regions, stimulating the growth of the volume of tax revenues into the regional state budget and formation of its positive balance.

Originality/value

For the practical implementation of the determined large perspectives of using remote education as a means of restoring Russian recessing regions’ economy, authors’ framework recommendations are offered, which are aimed at the improvement of normative and legal conditions for the conduct of entrepreneurial activities in the sphere of remote education, information support for this entrepreneurship and its marketing support and promotion as a basis of region’s economy’s competitiveness.

Details

International Journal of Educational Management, vol. 33 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0951-354X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 February 1977

Barrie O. Pettman

In this contribution to the growing discussion of the meaning, method‐dology and rationale of the socio‐economic approach we shall not reiterate the historical development of…

1171

Abstract

In this contribution to the growing discussion of the meaning, method‐dology and rationale of the socio‐economic approach we shall not reiterate the historical development of Social Economics but will concentrate on trying to stimulate discussion of the following questions:

Details

International Journal of Social Economics, vol. 4 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0306-8293

Article
Publication date: 22 September 2020

András Bethlendi, Csaba Lentner and László Nagy

This study aims to assess the sustainability of local governments in a highly centrally regulated fiscal model.

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to assess the sustainability of local governments in a highly centrally regulated fiscal model.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses a novel approach, a broad data set of almost 3,200 local governments and network methods. This paper analyses financial data from annual reports and other socio-economic sources using cluster analysis.

Findings

Even in this model, local governments show significant differences in terms of long-term sustainability. Investments do not compensate for the depreciation of tangible assets at a significant part of local governments. A specific type of soft budget constraint can be noticed. Heads of local governments do not “play” for subsequent ad hoc bailouts by the central government, but rather engage themselves in political competition for development subsidies. A further finding of this study is that shrinking populations itself does not explain the differences in local governments’ financial management.

Research limitations/implications

Further directions of research include the application of an extended approach to sustainability that gives an account of the availability and quality of local services, as well as aims to identify the qualitative social characteristics (success criteria) of the local government financial management.

Practical implications

The findings can be useful for policymakers, state audit offices, auditors, voters, users of public services and other stakeholders.

Social implications

The paper argues in favour of moving away from the financial balance in its narrow sense to a long-term and broader term of financial sustainability.

Originality/value

The findings provide new empirical evidence about the accounting-based measurement of financial sustainability in local governments.

Details

Accounting Research Journal, vol. 33 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1030-9616

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 May 2003

Tina M. Adams

63

Abstract

Details

Reference Reviews, vol. 17 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0950-4125

Keywords

11 – 20 of over 15000