Development Economics Research Articles

Germanium, indium, gallium and cadmium in zinc ores: a mineral system approach

Sphalerite is the main Zn ore mineral and is the primary source of Cd, Ge and In, and a minor source of Ga. Owing to a shift from fossil fuel to renewable energy sources, these four minor elements have progressively become more important to the economy. Despite this, resources of Cd, Ga, Ge and In are rarely reported, as these metals are not considered material to the economics of resource development. As a result, the distribution of these elements between and within deposits is poorly known, and national and international resources are largely unreported. Following previous studies, we have compiled analytical data for Cd, Ga, Ge and In from sphalerite and used global and local ore geochemical datasets to assess geochemical controls on the concentration of these elements in Zn deposits. Our results are similar to those of previous studies and suggest that lower-temperature deposits are enriched in Ge, whereas higher-temperature deposits are enriched in In. However, modelling of hydrothermal geochemistry indicates other factors are important in concentrating these metals. In particular, the oxidation state of the fluid (oxidised vs reduced) and the depositional mechanisms also have a strong influence in Ga, Ge and In enrichment. Reduction of oxidised fluids is particularly effective in depositing Ge, whereas cooling very effectively deposits In and, in some cases, Ge. As a consequence, some higher-temperature deposits (e.g. high sulfidation epithermal and some volcanic-hosted massive sulfide) can be Ge-enriched, and some lower-temperature deposits (e.g. siliciclastic–carbonate shale-hosted deposits) can be enriched in In. Using the existing ore geochemical data and calculated characteristic Ge/Zn and In/Zn ratios, indicative estimates have been made on the endowment of Australian Zn deposits of Ge and In. These estimates highlight the potential of the North Australian Zinc Belt for Ge and for VHMS deposits for In. Although there is a large amount of uncertainty in the estimates, they are indicative of the potential for these metals in Australia.

Does regional economic development drive sustainable grain production growth in China? Evidence from spatiotemporal perspective on low-carbon total factor productivity

Contrary to conventional expectations, the impact of economic development on food green efficiency exhibits pronounced regional heterogeneity. This study utilizes total factor productivity (TFP) as a key metric, establishing a model for carbon emissions from grain production and developing a framework for measuring grain low-carbon TFP growth. Employing the undesirable super-slacks-based measure (SBM) and the Malmquist-Luenberger (ML) index, we assess the low-carbon TFP growth across 31 Chinese provinces from 2000 to 2021. The Dagum–Gini coefficient and variance decomposition are applied to analyze disparities from both regional and structural perspectives. An econometric model further validates the influence of economic development on low-carbon TFP growth. Our findings reveal that China’s technical efficiency (TE) and low carbon TE initially show a declining trend, with the gap between them narrowing over time. The eastern region consistently demonstrates high low-carbon TE, while the northeastern region lags. All regions exhibit positive low-carbon TFP growth, with efficiency change (EC) significantly contributing to this growth. Although economic development generally fosters low-carbon TFP growth, marked regional heterogeneity persists. Interestingly, certain traditionally economically developed regions, such as the eastern region, exert a significantly negative impact on low-carbon TFP growth. Balancing economic development with low-carbon TFP growth remains an ongoing challenge that necessitates effective management strategies.

How does e-commerce development affect county-level CO2 emissions: New evidence from 2,142 counties in China

Existing literature continues to present divergent perspectives regarding how e-commerce development influences CO2 emissions. The China’s county-level e-commerce pilot program provides new evidence for researches in this subject. This study investigates the effects of China’s rural e-commerce development on CO2 emissions using panel data in 2,142 counties from 2010 to 2021, as well as a staggered Difference-in-Differences (DiD) model based on the "Rural E-commerce Demonstration Counties " (REDC) pilot program. Considering the REDC preference towards poor areas, this paper adds the selection variable of pilot program into the model. The main purpose of the REDC is to foster e-commerce growth, but this study finds that the pilot program inadvertently significantly reduces county-level CO2 emissions while promoting GDP growth in the county. The pilot program of e-commerce mainly achieves carbon reduction through two channels: encouraging the servitization of county industrial structures and the digital transformation of traditional industries. Emissions reductions have a greater impact on economically developed places, provinces with a stronger basis in e-commerce, and counties with better mobility options. This study accurately assesses the impact of e-commerce expansion on reducing emissions, providing new idea for digital carbon emissions reduction and offers policy implications for sustainable economic development in many developing countries (regions).

Game Theory-Based Comparison of Disaster Risk Assessment for Two Landfall Typhoons: A Case Study of Jilin Province’s Impact

Utilizing the best typhoon track data, district and county scale disaster data in Jilin Province, meteorological data, and geographical data, the combined weighting method of AHP-EWM (Analytic Hierarchy Process–Entropy Weight Method) and game theory is employed to conduct a comprehensive risk analysis and comparison of the disaster risk caused by two typhoons, Maysak and Haishen, in Jilin Province. Game theory enhances precision in evaluation beyond conventional approaches, effectively addressing the shortcomings of both subjective and objective weighting methods. Typhoon Maysak and Typhoon Haishen exhibit analogous tracks. They have successively exerted an impact on Jilin Province, and the phenomenon of overlapping rain areas is a crucial factor in triggering disasters. Typhoon Maysak features stronger wind force and greater hourly rainfall intensity, while Typhoon Haishen has a longer duration of rainfall. Additionally, Typhoon Maysak causes more severe disasters in Jilin Province. With regard to the four dimensions of disaster risk, the analysis of hazards reveals that the areas categorized as high risk and above in relation to the two typhoons are mainly located in the central-southern and eastern regions of Jilin Province. Typhoon Maysak has a slightly higher hazard level. During the exposure assessment, it was determined that the high-risk areas occupied 16% of the gross area of Jilin Province. It is mainly concentrated in three economically developed cities, as well as some large agricultural counties. In the context of vulnerability analysis, regions classified as high risk and above constitute 54% of the overall area. The areas classified as having high vulnerability are predominantly located in Yushu, Nong’an, and Songyuan. From the analysis of emergency response and recovery ability, Changchun has strong typhoon disaster prevention and reduction ability. This is proportional to the local level of economic development. The mountainous areas in the east and the regions to the west are comparatively weak. Finally, the comprehensive typhoon disaster risk zoning indicates that the zoning of the two typhoons is relatively comparable. When it comes to high-risk and above areas, Typhoon Maysak accounts for 38% of the total area, while Typhoon Haishen occupies 47%. The regions with low risk are predominantly found in Changchun, across the majority of Baicheng, and at the intersection of Baishan and Jilin. Upon comparing the disasters induced by two typhoons in Jilin Province, it was observed that the disasters caused by Typhoon Maysak were considerably more severe than those caused by Typhoon Haishen. This finding aligns with the intense wind and heavy rainfall brought by Typhoon Maysak.

Achieving inclusive urbanization through county-led industrial specialization: from the perspective of rural labor supply

PurposeThe role of intermediate urban centers (IUCs) (like towns/small cities/rural counties) between large cities and villages in leading urbanization has been increasingly highlighted. This article conceptually and empirically examines what types of industrial agglomeration (specialized or diversified agglomeration) of rural county in China would provide a more inclusive and efficient local labor market for rural workers to be inclusively urbanized.Design/methodology/approachWe employ a three-stage labor supply model to theoretically generalize the decisions of rural workers to migrate to large city, to undertake nonfarm jobs in rural counties and the length of nonfarm jobs. Then, combining three national-level datasets of China (National Economic Census (NEC), China Household Income Project (CHIP) and the China county statistical yearbook), we explore how the type of industrial agglomeration in a rural county affects the labor supply decision of rural workers.FindingsWe show that rural workers in rural counties with higher level of industrial specialization are more likely to: (1) work locally than migrating to large cities; (2) find nonfarm jobs by themselves instead of relying on social networks (3) find a more stable and formal nonfarm job. These effects are significant when rural counties specialize in industries that they have local comparative advantages compared to large cities. This work provides insights into achieving inclusive urbanization by developing industry specialization in rural counties in China, which may also be useful for other developing countries.Originality/valueFirst, the conceptual framework of this paper extends the basic model of rural-urban migration longstanding in the literature, to a multi-choice and three-stage labor supply model. Second, we empirically quantify the industrial structure of rural counties using unique dataset, which has been emphasized in the development economics literature but neglected due to data limitations. Third, this paper expands our understanding of the role of rural counties in inclusive urbanization and contributes to the future development of the county-led urbanization policies.

The Effect of Governance on the Relationship Between Research and Development Expenditure and Economic Growth in South Africa

This study analyzes the effects of governance on the relationship between research and development expenditure and economic growth in South Africa using annual data from 1997 to 2022 using an autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model. The calculated F-tests for the two models in the ARDL bounds testing approach to cointegration revealed a long-run relationship between the series. In the model without a mediating factor, an insignificant impact of research and development (R&D) expenditure on economic growth is reported. However, when R&D interacted with governance, a positive and significant impact was observed. This implies that for R&D to have a positive impact on economic growth, there is a need for strong and quality governance to provide a conducive productive environment. Furthermore, given the ambiguous relationship between governance and economic growth, the Granger causality test results showed that governance granger-causes economic growth and not the other way round. The findings presented in this paper are expected to provide some useful insights for policymakers in South Africa and the African continent. The findings demonstrate the important role that governance plays in enhancing the developmental performance of critical macro-economic growth factors. The study potentially generates new dimensions (by including governance as a mediating factor) in the understanding of how the impact of R&D and other macroeconomic parameters on economic growth can be promoted.

Pathways and enhanced evaluation system for green low-carbon development across diverse Chinese regions

Pathways and enhanced evaluation system for green low-carbon development across diverse Chinese regions

Industrial Policy and Green Growth in a Small Island Economy: The Case of Singapore

Industrial Policy and Green Growth in a Small Island Economy: The Case of Singapore

Application and Development of Behavioural Economics in Consumer Decision Making

Behavioural economics, as an interdisciplinary field integrating psychology and economics, offers new perspectives for understanding consumer decision-making. This paper provides an overview of the core theories of behavioural economics, its applications in consumer decision making, and its developments and challenges in market practice and policy making. First, behavioural economics challenges traditional economic assumptions about rational decision-making by revealing core concepts such as limited rationality, prospect theory and behavioural biases, providing a deeper understanding of consumer behaviour. Second, the paper explores the effectiveness of behavioural economics in practical applications, such as improving firms' market performance and policy implementation by optimising marketing strategies, utilising personalised recommendations and developing behavioural intervention policies. However, behavioural economics still faces challenges in terms of theoretical universality, cross-cultural applicability and dynamic adaptation. Future research directions include theoretical integration, cross-cultural validation, adaptation to technological developments, optimisation of policy practices and intersection studies with psychology. The review in this paper aims to provide reference for academic research and practical application, to promote the further development of behavioural economics, and to provide theoretical support for policy making and market strategies.

Analysis of MAXIM Application Service Quality on User Satisfaction using the E-Service Quality Method

Service quality is the comprehensive support provided by system developers to users to ensure safety, comfort, empathy and responsiveness in meeting user expectations. There are still complaints about the Maxim application in the Google Playstore review from January 16 to February 12, 2024, inaccurate pick-up or destination, inconsistent prices, slow service response so that users have difficulty getting solutions to problems. Supported by the INDEF (Institute for Development of Economics and Finance) survey on DataIndonesia.id that the popularity of Maxim's services is lower than Gojek and Grab. Thus, it is essential to employ the E-Servqual approach to perform research to determine whether the services have satisfied users. Because its dimensions are pertinent and completely satisfy the requirements of assessing the quality of electronic services, E-Service Quality is the most thorough and integrative online service quality model. Efficiency, fulfillment, system availability, privacy, responsiveness, compensation, and interaction are the seven factors used, while user satisfaction is the dependent variable. This kind of study collects data using nonprobability sampling approaches in conjunction with quantitative methods. wherein demographic components are chosen according to specific standards that are pertinent to the study's goals. Considering the findings of the analysis, the 7 proposed hypotheses consisted of 3 accepted hypotheses and 4 rejected hypotheses because the significance value alpha (α = 0.05) and 4 hypotheses rejected because the significance value alpha (α = 0.05. Overall, the quality of Maxim's service towards user satisfaction is not good in terms of the variables of efficiency, system availability, responsiveness, and contact. It is hoped that there will be improvements in the Maxim application such as application usage, application functions on the displayed page, application response, and contact services for communication

Analisis Pengaruh Fatwa MUI terhadap Perkembangan Ekonomi Syariah di Indonesia

This study aims to analyze the influence of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) fatwas on the development of sharia economics in Indonesia. With the role of MUI as a fatwa authority, the guidance and decisions given influence the development of sharia economic sectors, such as sharia banking, sharia capital markets, and sharia insurance. This study uses a qualitative approach through case studies to examine how MUI fatwas influence the growth of sharia economics and its acceptance in society and sharia financial institutions. The results show that MUI fatwas play an important role in the development of sharia economics in Indonesia. The fatwas provide direction for sharia financial products that are in accordance with sharia principles, which contribute to the growth of sectors such as sharia banking, sharia capital markets, and sharia insurance. The fatwas also increase public trust in the sharia economy and encourage financial institutions to be more compliant with sharia principles.

Do public-private partnerships (PPPs) promote the sustainable development of infrastructure (SDI)? Evidence from China

PurposeTo address challenges such as inadequate funding and inefficiency in public infrastructure construction, PPPs have gained significant global traction. This study aims to comprehensively assess the impacts and mechanisms of PPPs on the SDI and to provide rational policy recommendations based on the findings.Design/methodology/approachWe collated a dataset from 30 Chinese provinces covering the years 2005–2020 as our research sample. The study’s hypotheses are tested using a double fixed-effects model, a chained mediated-effects model and a multidimensional heterogeneity analysis.FindingsOur findings indicate that PPPs have a facilitating effect on SDI in general. This boost usually lags behind policy implementation and is cyclical in the time dimension. In the spatial dimension, PPPs contribute significantly to SDI in the eastern and western regions, but not in the central region. From the perspective of the dynamics of economic, social and industrial development, PPPs in economically backward areas are difficult to promote SDI, promote it the most in economically medium regions and are slightly less in economically developed regions than in medium regions. This promotion effect has an inverted U-shaped relationship with social development and diminishes with industrial structure upgrading. Finally, due to the negative relationship between PPPs and social development and between social development and SDI, PPPs are shown to contribute to SDI and are identified as critical paths. However, PPPs suppress SDI by inhibiting economic and industrial development.Originality/valueThis study makes three novel contributions to the existing body of knowledge: (1) we innovatively introduce the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into the field of infrastructure research, offering fresh perspectives on SDI enhancement; (2) revealing the mechanisms by which PPPs affect SDI through the three dimensions of economic, social and industrial development enabling policymakers to better understand and optimize resource allocation and improve planning, design and management of PPP projects for sustainable infrastructure and (3) we assess the spatiotemporal variances of PPPs’ effects on SDI and the diversity across regions at different social, economic and industrial structures developmental stages, offering critical insights to global decision-makers to devise tailored policy measures.

Characterizing anthropogenic disturbance for sustainable hydrological regimes based on information Theory

Anthropogenic activities pose significant threats to hydrological regimes, leading to water resource exhaustion through intensive streamflow consumption. To identify regions where anthropogenic activities have a significant impact on streamflow under conditions of non-stationarity and non-linearity, this study developed the Anthropogenic Disturbance for Sustainable Hydrological Regimes (ADS) index using Information Theory. First, an identification framework is proposed to identify and verify the intricate connections between anthropogenic factors and streamflow based on multiple techniques. Then, Mutual Information theory was used to quantify the anthropogenic disturbances on streamflow caused by specific anthropogenic factors. A nested weighting scheme based on the Information Gain Ratio was further designed to determine the composite effects of anthropogenic activities on hydrological sustainability and to determine their positive or negative impacts through trend detection. The proposed index and framework are applied to case studies of the Wei River Basin in China and the Illinois River Basin in the USA. The results show that anthropogenic factors such as impervious surface ratio (ISR) and nighttime light (NTL) have significant temporal and spatial associations with streamflow variations, playing a critical role in shaping hydrological regimes. In the Wei River Basin, anthropogenic disturbances are increasing under non-stationary conditions, with ADS values ranging from 0.3 to 0.4. In contrast, only the Du Page sub-basin in the Illinois River Basin shows a similar increasing trend, while other sub-basins exhibit a decreasing trend, with ADS values ranging from −0.2 to −0.5. The comparative analysis of the two river basins suggests that differences in anthropogenic disturbances may be attributed to their respective economic development stages. The ADS index also reveals spatial heterogeneity in the Illinois River Basin, highlighting higher disturbances in economically developed northeastern areas compared to the less disturbed, vegetation-rich southwestern regions. Overall, the ADS index effectively maps the complex nonlinear interactions between anthropogenic activities and streamflow. Utilizing the insights from this index, targeted management strategies are recommended to achieve sustainable water resource utilization.

Urban Pollution Governance, Prosecutor-led Environmental Public Interest Litigation and Regional Environmental Disparities in China: Evidence from 282 Cities

Abstract: Experts frequently discuss the reduction of regional environmental disparities in China, but they often overlook the role of the judiciary, particularly prosecutor-led environmental public interest litigation. Using cases of such litigation initiated by intermediate and basic procuratorates, and economic and pollution data of 282 cities for the 2018–21 period, this article demonstrates that prosecutor-led environmental public interest litigations have the potential to reduce China’s environmental disparities in general. However, their implementation varies according to cities’ respective level of economic development. This diversity arises from at least three primary factors: more affluent cities may possess more prosecutors with stronger environmental awareness; these cities have more litigation resources for this type of litigation; and they have greater procuratorial autonomy in the local economy, albeit weaker protection, that allows for initiating more prosecutor-led environmental public interest litigations. This article highlights the importance of prosecutor-led environmental public interest litigation in mitigating environmental disparities in China. It recommends increased investment in litigation resources, enhanced personnel training and greater judicial autonomy in less economically developed cities to amplify the impact of such litigation efforts in reducing such disparities.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS FROM A COMPARATIVE STUDY: "LEVEL OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND NATIONAL POLICIES IN MEXICO AND NIGERIA (1970-2018)

The research written by an economist, Omolara Adebimpe Adekanbi is an in-depth comparative analysis of the economic trajectories of Mexico and Nigeria from 1970 to 2018. Leveraging frameworks by Amartya Sen and Paul Collier, the study evaluates the impact of government expenditure on health, education and welfare, foreign direct investment (FDI), external debt, and interest rates on Gross National Income (GNI). It offers a unique methodology to contextualize the effectiveness of policies and provides actionable recommendations for sustainable development across several issues including employment, food and agriculture, conflict and violence as they all impact the level of growth and development. The study's methodology and findings establish it as a vital contribution to the field of development economics.

Unveiling power dynamics in Latin American economic education: A Foucauldian analysis of development economics discourses

This study explores Latin American perspectives on heterodox economic development by analyzing 23 development economics syllabi and conducting 37 semi-structured interviews with educators and students. Using a Foucauldian framework and an Archaeology of Knowledge approach, this research uncovers regional viewpoints and variations in course content. Results highlight the dominance of the neoclassical paradigm in syllabi and diverse opinions on development. This study provides nuanced insights into the coexistence of orthodox and heterodox paradigms in Latin America, revealing complex dynamics and power relations within economic education and the broader discourse on development in the region.

Re-Viewing Sumitro’s Policy and Industrial Maturity: Powering Downstream and Manufacturing Industries for Economic Growth and Sustainable Society

During the 1950s, Sumitro Djojohadikusumo contributed in a significant manner to the construction of the economy of Indonesia, along with other figures, namely Mohammad Hatta, Sjafruddin Prawiranegara, and Djuanda Kartawidjaja. During this period, Sumitro promoted policies to drive industrialization in Indonesia and self-reliance to transform Indonesia from a colonial economy into a developing nation. Soemitro Djojohadikusumo’s economic policies were pivotal in shaping Indonesia’s post-colonial economy; focusing on production and industrial sovereignty, he emphasized reducing dependency on imports by fostering domestic industries, especially strategic sectors like heavy industry and natural resource processing, which he saw as crucial to national sovereignty. Soemitro also promoted stimulating economic activities through both public investment and private sector engagement, aiming to diversify the economy and drive sustained growth. Many of the challenges Soemitro addressed, such as infrastructural gaps and weak technological readiness, which remain relevant today. This research analyzes to what extent the economic policy shaped by Sumitro impacts Indonesia’s development. This analysis has significance in understanding Indonesia’s contemporary economic planning and trends, particularly in terms of economic policy shaped by the newly elected President of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto. Analysis of Sumitro’s policy is conducted through the lenses of the industrial maturity concept, which is relevant to growth theory, resource-based view, and development economics. Indonesia’s pursuit of industrial maturity is crucial for transforming its raw resource-based economy into one that competes globally by adding value to domestic production. The need to revitalize manufacturing and strengthen downstream industries is critical for boosting competitiveness and integrating circular economic principles that emphasize sustainability. Soemitro’s vision of empowering society aligns with modern approaches to creating a more inclusive economy. However, infrastructure bottlenecks, a lagging education system, and regulatory complexities continue to slow the progress. Addressing supply chain challenges through regional industrial clustering and focusing on efficiency will be vital for overcoming these barriers. Further empirical research is needed to explore how infrastructure, education reform, and regulatory simplification can enhance Indonesia’s industrial maturity and sustainable economic development.

How Does Digital Economy Influence Green Mobility for Sustainable Development? Moderating Effect of Policy Instruments

The role of green mobility as a low-carbon lifestyle in carbon reduction and sustainable development cannot be ignored. The digital economy effectively promotes green mobility for sustainable energy use in the broader setting of the significant data era and sustainable development. This study utilizes the panel data of 264 cities in China from 2011 to 2021 to construct a two-way fixed-effects regression model to analyze the impact of the digital economy on residents’ green mobility and the indirect impact mechanism of the two policy tools, a low-carbon transportation pilot and carbon emissions trading, from theoretical and empirical aspects. The results show that digital economic development helps promote residents’ green mobility. In addition, the implementation of low-carbon transportation pilots and carbon trading policies has strengthened the role of the digital economy in promoting green mobility. The findings remain after introducing robustness tests such as “smart city” pilots as exogenous shock policies. A heterogeneity study suggests that the effect of the digital economy on green mobility for residents is more significant in economically developed and human capital-rich areas. This study contributes to the literature by providing empirical evidence on the role of the digital economy in promoting sustainable urban transportation and by demonstrating the moderating effects of policy instruments, thereby offering practical insights for policymakers aiming to reduce urban pollution and enhance sustainable development.

Gender inequality in the public sphere as perceived by Muslim female graduate students at a Pakistani higher education institution – a critical grounded theory perspective

Purpose The subject of gender inequality has been approached by academics of various fields – psychologists, political scientists, developmental economists, feminists, sociologists, among others. Although there is a considerable amount of evidence indicating the presence of gender bias in various aspects of educational and work life in Muslim countries, not many studies have attempted to understand the female perspective during extra- and co-curricular activities in higher education institutions (HEIs) and their coping strategies. Design/methodology/approach A critical grounded theory approach was used. Findings The findings indicate that the role of female “religio-socio-cultural” stereotypes mutually reinforces each other to perpetuate an uneven playing field. Females have evolved many strategies to cope, including creation of sub-private spheres within larger public spheres and restricting their interactions to specific strata within the public sphere. Originality/value The study provides a female perspective regarding participation during extra- and co-curricular activities in a HEI in a Muslim majority context using critical grounded theory.

Economic cyber-physical space: theoretical and methodological genesis and modern trends of formation and development

In this scientific study, the socio-economic and technical and technological features of the new economic and technological paradigm are high lighted. As a result of the analysis of trends in the development of the Industry 4.0 market and digital initiatives adopted in the world, the prerequisites for the formation of an economic cyber-physical space at the national level have been identified, and the relevance of the subject of scientific research has been substantiated. Based on the analysis of the evolutionary development of spatial economics, the research of scientific schools is systematized and theoretical and methodological schemes belonging to representatives of the German, French (continental), Anglo-Saxon and Russian schools of spatial economics are analyzed. As a result, the postulates of the economic cyberphysical space are developed and the author's interpretation of the concept of economic cyber physical space is proposed.