Consumption Sector Research Articles

Hidden Giant of Embedded Plastics in China.

Combating plastic pollution requires an understanding of the complex intersectoral flows of plastics and related products. In this study, we develop an inventory of 150 categories of products consisting of/containing plastics based on bottom-up analysis and establish a plastics input-output material flow analysis (PIO-MFA) model that reveals intersectoral flows, sectoral consumption, exports, and stocks of embedded plastics. In 2018, consumption-based plastic usage in China reached 140 million tons (Mt), with 123.5 Mt being embedded plastics. Approximately 75.5% of embedded plastics were consumed domestically, and 21.3% were exported. Among the plastics exported, embedded plastics accounted for 68.5%, indicating the importance of the implicit transfer of embedded plastics through global trade. Furthermore, based on ambitious recycling targets, the amount of recycled plastics in China is expected to increase by 27.8 Mt. Plastics embedded in containers and packaging have the highest reduction potential, while joint efforts from the entire supply chain are crucial to reduce the amount of such plastics as industrial sectors consume 32.4% of embedded plastics. Identifying high plastic consumption sectors is critical for balancing economic and social goals with pollution control and ensuring comprehensive plastic treaty compliance. The PIO-MFA method's foreseeable future expansion to a global level is expected to inform plastic treaty obligations and support the development and implementation of national action plans.

The Twin Deficits and the New Cambridge Approach: estimating the private expenditure equation for Brazil (2001-2018)

The twin deficit hypothesis is a theoretical proposition that seeks to establish the causal relationship between the public budget and the external sector’s balance, the current account balance. Empirical studies try to gauge the causal relationship between the two balances, but the evidence does not form a consensus. This paper provides a critique of the methodology of such estimations, which do not elaborate on empirical, theoretical and methodological arguments to construct the econometric models for estimations. Conversely, we provide an alternative approach based on the modern New Cambridge approach, which does not assume the private sector as constant over time, to estimate a private expenditure equation for Brazil using quarterly data from 2001 to 2018. Results found agree with the critique to not assume the private sector as constant when constructing econometric models for Brazil in attempting to gauge at the causal relationship between the public budget and the current account balance. The private sector expenditure proves statistically significant with the stock of financial assets, stable relationship between private expenditure and private disposable income of the New Cambridge hypothesis, and that the housing sector is important in explaining private expenditure in the long run for Brazil.

Pengaruh Transfer Pricing, Capital Intensity, dan Kepemilikan Keluarga Terhadap Tax Avoidance (Studi Empiris Pada Perusahaan Consumer Non-Cyclicals Yang Terdaftar di Bursa Efek Indonesia Tahun 2018-2022)

This research aims to determine the influence of Transfer Pricing, Capital Intensity and Family Ownership on Tax Avoidance in Non-Cyclical Consumer Sector Manufacturing Companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange. The research period carried out was the 2018-2022 period. The type of research used in this research is quantitative with secondary data. Determining the sample for this research used a purposive sampling method and based on existing criteria, 14 company data was obtained and analyzed using panel data regression techniques with a fixed effect model to test the hypothesis. Hypothesis testing in this research uses multiple linear regression using Eviews version 9. The results of this research show that simultaneously transfer pricing, capital intensity and family ownership together have an effect on tax avoidance. The ability of the independent variable in the dependent variable is 33.68% while the remaining 66.32% is explained by research other than this research. The results of this research show that transfer pricing partially influences tax avoidance, while capital intensity and family ownership do not influence tax avoidance. Keywords: Transfer Pricing, Capital Intensity, Family Ownership, andTax Avoidance.

Faktor – Faktor yang Berpengaruh Terhadap Kinerja Perusahaan

This research aims to explore the impact of company size, earnings management and audit committee variables on the performance of a company in the non-cyclical consumer sector that has been listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (BEI) forum between 2018 and 2022. The process carried out in The following research uses the Nonprobability Sampling method to determine the sample and Purposive Sampling for sample design, in accordance with the specified criteria. Data analysis in this research used IBM SPSS version 25 software. The research shows that company size has no significant effect on company performance. Management also has no significant effect on company performance, while the audit committee has a significant negative impact on company performance variables. These findings provide guidance for practitioners to increase the effectiveness of their steps in an effort to improve company performance, with the hope of providing a positive impact on the growth and continuity of their business.

Unveiling the Impact of Women Directors’ Boardroom Representation, Compensation and Experience on Malaysian Consumer Sector Titans’ Returns Pre and Amidst COVID-19

Unveiling the Impact of Women Directors’ Boardroom Representation, Compensation and Experience on Malaysian Consumer Sector Titans’ Returns Pre and Amidst COVID-19

Economic growth and foreign direct investment in Asia: When investors imperfectly fulfil approved investment plans

Foreign direct investment (FDI) may represent an expansion in the domestic capital supply, which could thus increase GDP growth through the investment and consumption sectors and generate productivity increases. We examine this hypothesis by looking earlier in the investment process and use little-known data on FDI approvals from ten Asian countries that have routinely required advance approval of FDI and have also disclosed this data. We show that the approved FDI predicts actual FDI inflows, and that on average more FDI is approved than realized. The approved FDI is used to create an FDI commitment ratio and gap, which are thus absolute and relative measures of how FDI pledges are fulfilled. We then examine how the host economy is affected by the FDI commitment ratio and gap using an Arellano-Bond dynamic panel estimator to examine an unbalanced dataset spanning 1967–2022. We find GDP growth forecasts are significantly affected by both FDI measures. However, actual GDP growth is affected negatively by the FDI gap, with the effects strongest at the 3-year horizon. Thus, we show that FDI initially displaces domestic capital before expanding the domestic capital supply.

Mobile Financial Services and the Shadow Economy in Southern African Countries: Does Regulatory Quality Matter?

This study investigated the impact of mobile financial services on the shadow economy in Southern Africa countries and explored how regulatory quality moderates this relationship. Utilising panel data from 1993 to 2022, this study employed dynamic common-correlated effect (DCCE) and dynamic seemingly unrelated regression (DSUR) methods to assess long-run effects. The findings reveal that increased mobile financial services adoption markedly diminishes the scale of the underground economy by enhancing transaction transparency and accessibility, thus drawing more participants into the formal economy. The results are consistent across DCCE and DSUR estimations. Additionally, improvements in regulatory quality further diminish the shadow economy by bolstering trust and compliance within the financial system, suggesting that well-crafted regulations enhance the effectiveness of mobile financial services. Economic and financial sector developments also contribute to a reduced shadow economy, indicating that broader economic growth and advanced financial systems facilitate formal sector participation. Conversely, larger public sector expenditures appear to expand the shadow economy enterprises, likely due to inefficient resource allocation and increased fiscal burdens that push economic activities underground. Policy recommendations include the need to expand mobile financial services infrastructure, enhance financial literacy, and optimise financial regulatory frameworks to balance oversight with innovation encouragement.

An Explorative Study on Packaging-Saving Consumer Practices in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods Sector

Considering global plastic waste pollution, current production and consumption patterns must be changed. Various measures address this challenge, which can be divided into efficiency, consistency, and sufficiency. Sufficiency has become more critical as research on sustainable consumption and packaging-related behavior has shown that efficiency and consistency strategies alone cannot solve environmental challenges. A deeper understanding of consumers’ packaging-related behavior is necessary to promote sufficiency-oriented consumption patterns and support consumers in everyday implementation. This study aims to investigate consumers’ packaging-saving practices in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector and to explore to what extent the practices differ in their actual feasibility in everyday life. For this purpose, we conducted an online survey in Germany with open-ended questions (n = 299). We evaluated the open-ended questions using qualitative content analysis. Overall, the results show that reducing plastic packaging plays a significant role in the participants’ everyday lives. However, the extent to which plastic packaging is avoided or reduced varies by consumption sector. This study extends research on plastic packaging avoidance and reduction to non-food consumption sectors. It also provides essential impulses for actors from science, politics, and industry regarding how consumers can be more strongly supported in their packaging-related behavior in the future, through targeted measures.

Groundwater potential mapping using machine learning approach in West Java, Indonesia

Groundwater availability is a challenge as it is utilized for vital sectors such as agricultural sector, human consumption, and industrial sector. Therefore, water resource mapping is needed to be performed to maintain water resource sustainability. This research aims to investigate groundwater potential in West Java, Indonesia using supervised machine learning (ML) methods namely Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Artificial Neural Network (ANN). Several groundwater conditioning factors were used in this research such as Topographic Wetness Index (TWI), Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), lithology, geomorphology, land use land cover (LULC), soil type, and land system. The groundwater potential prediction model was validated using the groundwater potential map and well locations obtained from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing of Republic of Indonesia, respectively. The results show that the highest overall accuracy was achieved using RF method (0.8). We found that the land system was the highest contributor to groundwater potential mapping (25%), followed by lithology (16%), NDVI (15%), geomorphology and TWI (14% each), and LULC and soil type (8% each). More than 50% of the West Java Province region exhibited groundwater potential in very low and low classes, while the high and very high classes of groundwater potential were only less than 16%. Ground geoelectric measurements were conducted in sample areas in Bandung City and Sukabumi District, representing very high and very low groundwater potentials, respectively. This study emphasizes the critical need to implement measures that ensure the sustainability of water resources and prevent mismanagement of groundwater extraction, particularly in West Java.

The Effect of Liquidity on Performance of Consumer Cyclical Companies Listed on the Indonesian Stock Exchange

This study examines the effect of liquidity on company performance in the cyclical consumer sector listed on the Indonesian Stock Exchange (IDX) with a focus on 40 companies for a five years from 2019-2023. This study uses panel data regression analysis and purposive sampling techniques, with the dependent variable being profitability as measured by return on equity (ROE). Independent variables consist of current ratio and quick ratio, while control variables include tangible assets, company size, company age, inflation rate, and GDP growth. The results show that the current ratio produces a positive effect on company performance, while the quick ratio shows a negative effect. In addition, tangible assets and company size do not have a significant effect on company performance. The age of the company proved to have a negative influence, while the inflation rate did not show a significant influence. On the other hand, GDP has a positive influence on company performance. The results of this study can be taken into consideration for companies in making strategic decisions to increase profitability in the cyclical consumer sector.

GAPS OF INDIAN ELECTRICAL ENERGY SECTOR AND ITS OPTIMAL MITIGATION BY USING OPTIMAL UTILIZATION OF INDIAN RENEWABLE ENERGY POLICY WITH THE HELP OF THE P&O MPPT TECHNIQUE

Developing countries, especially, India, depend importantly on energy sources to perform their country’s industrial and economic activities. Mainly the two factors continuous population growth of the country and the rapid growth rate of industrialization of the country, the gap between electrical energy supply and demand for electrical energy is slowly and consistently increasing. To resolve this unevenness, there is a jointly planned attempt is required to enhance the contribution of renewable energy in the all over mix of energy. Despite these attempts, unexpected surges caused by the sector of domestic energy consumption could lead to important shortfalls between energy requirements at peak demand and available supply in India. As a solution to this challenge, the Union government of India has launched a new policy, named PM SURYA GHAR: MUFT BIJLI YOJANA, targeted to handle this crucial problem head-on. This initiative requires addressing the increasing energy demand by promoting the utilization of solar power in households throughout the length and breadth of the country. With the implementation techniques of Photo voltaic optimization, this analysis explores how such types of strategies can play a significant role in filling the gap between the energy supply-demand in the Indian context. Employing the solar energy potential and optimizing and utilization of solar energy, creates a path to not only meet the enhancing energy requirements but also creates the path for a more environmentally friendly and sustainable energy in India. By integration of innovative technologies and solutions of renewable energy holds the key to ensuring a balanced, sustainable, stable energy supply for the future of India and country’s growth and development.

Can Transport Infrastructure Improve Enterprise Energy Efficiency? Evidence From China

As an advanced social development capital, transportation plays a vital role in promoting regional development. Concurrently, the business activities of enterprises intimately relate to these transportation services. Utilizing road construction to improve the energy efficiency of enterprises, therefore, becomes a critical way to promote the transformation of the economy from high-speed development to high-quality development. Existing studies primarily focus on the impact of transport infrastructure on productivity, while few papers focus on the impact mechanism of transport infrastructure on energy efficiency. To delve deeper into the internal relationship between transportation and regional economic development, this paper explores the effect of transport infrastructure on energy utilization efficiency at the enterprise level. Based on the environmental pollution data of Chinese industrial enterprises from 2001 to 2011, this paper analyzes the impact of transport infrastructure on enterprises’ energy efficiency and verifies the impact mechanism. The results show that the construction and improvement of urban road facilities can significantly improve firm energy utilization efficiency. Compared to low-energy consumption sectors, the impact of transportation infrastructure on the energy efficiency of high-energy consumption industry enterprises is notably more pronounced. A closer examination of the impact mechanism revealed that both industrial agglomeration and the cost effect are pivotal mechanisms through which transportation infrastructure affects enterprise energy efficiency. JEL Classification: D21, L91, Q40, Q51

Long-run Relationship between Power Consumption and Manufacturing Sector Output in Nigeria

Power remains the engine of growth of every economy while the manufacturing sector remains the key driver of a transformed modern economy. Despite several power sector reforms, Nigeria’s manufacturing sector continued to underperform. This study focused on examining the long-run relationship between power consumption and manufacturing sector output in Nigeria. We estimated an ARDL model based on the bounds-testing approach to cointegration. Our results indicate that manufacturing sector output and electricity consumption are cointegrated and that short-run deviations from equilibrium are corrected up to 83 per cent annually. The result showed that power consumption is positively related to manufacturing sector output. This implies that improved power sector will stimulate manufacturing sector growth. Our result also showed that capital formation, labour force and private sector credit are positively related to the manufacturing sector while the monetary policy rate is negatively related to the manufacturing sector. Given our findings, we recommend that the government should implement a sustainable power sector reform that prioritizes the manufacturing sector. This will stimulate growth, reduce the cost of energy and indirectly reduce price of manufactured products. We equally recommend creating a conducive environment for investment in the manufacturing sector through favourable monetary policy rates to allow manufacturers access to credit.

The Effect of Leverage, Corporate Governance, and Profitability on Firm Value

This research analyzes the influence of debt on firm value with corporate governance as a variable presumed to moderate the relationship between debt and firm value. The research sample was selected using a purposive sampling method, resulting in 44 non-cyclical consumer sector companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) from 2018 to 2022. The study results indicate that corporate governance and profitability positively affect firm value, and firm size affects firm value. Corporate governance as a moderating variable can negatively moderate the relationship between debt and firm value. The findings of this study provide insights into institutional ownership, profitability, and firm size that affect firm value. Investors can use this information to conduct risk analysis and inform their investment decisions. Investors should choose companies with strong corporate governance and high profitability, considering institutional ownership in the corporate governance variable. Investors should preferably select companies with high institutional ownership and high profitability to ensure high firm value but choose companies with smaller sizes where the company uses total assets productively.

Pengungkapan pada Hubungan Sustainability Report dan Intellectual Capital terhadap Nilai Perusahaan

This research related to company value aims to analyze the relationship between sustainability reports and intellectual capital in manufacturing companies in the industrial and consumption sectors listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (BEI) during the 2020-2022 period. The sampling technique was purposive sampling, the results of which were 27 companies that met the research criteria. Data analysis uses SPSS Statistics 26 with descriptive statistical tests, normality tests, multicollinearity tests, heteroscedasticity tests, autocorrelation tests, multiple linear regression analysis, simultaneous tests, partial tests, and coefficient of determination tests. The research results show that sustainability reports do not provide an optimal contribution to company value. However, intellectual capital, especially the employee capital aspect, is a consideration for optimizing its contribution to company value.

Sunscreens: potential hazards to environmental and human health

The increasing demand for natural products in the United States reflects a cultural shift towards health and sustainability. This trend infiltrates consumer sectors such as the sunscreen industry, amidst concerns about health and environmental impacts of chemical ingredients. The Hawaii Sunscreen Ban has intensified sunscreen formula safety discussions, particularly regarding butylparaben, oxybenzone, and octinoxate. Even at low concentrations, these compounds bleach hard corals eventually leading to their death. As well, these chemicals pose threats to marine ecosystems and raise concerns about human health, particularly systemic absorption and the possibility of causing endocrine disruption. While some argue for chemical-based sunscreens for skin cancer prevention, others advocate for mineral-based alternatives that avoid harmful ingredients. However, public opinion on sunscreen varies, influenced by adverse reactions, socioeconomic status, gender, and cultural perceptions. Future studies should explore diverse demographic perspectives and long-term health and environmental impacts of products containing potentially toxic ingredients. As well, effective communication strategies to promote sunscreen safety and encourage sustainable sun protection practices is needed.

Pengaruh Pajak Tangguhan, Kompensasi Manajemen dan Sales Growth Terhadap Manajemen Pajak

This research aims to examine the influence of Deferred Tax, Management Compensation and Sales Growth on Tax Management. The independent variables used are Deferred Tax, Management Compensation and Sales Growth. The dependent variable used is Tax Management. This research is a type of quantitative research using secondary data. The population in this research is non-cyclical consumer sector companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange in 2018 - 2022. The method used is purposive sampling because this research has certain sample criteria which are adjusted to the research objectives. Based on the purposive sampling method, the number of samples in this study was 110 samples. In testing the hypothesis using panel data testing with the help of the Eviews version 12 program. Based on the results of the F test, it can be seen that the variables Deferred Tax, Management Compensation and Sales Growth together have an influence on Tax Management. Based on the results of the t test, it can be seen that the Deferred Tax variable has no effect on Tax Management. Management Compensation Variables influence Tax Management. The Sales Growth variable influences Tax Management.

PENGARUH KINERJA KEUANGAN, KEBIJAKAN DIVIDEN DAN KEPEMILIKAN MANAJERIAL TERHADAP MANAJEMEN LABA

This research aims to determine the influence of financial performance, dividend policy and managerial ownership on earnings management. The type of research used is a quantitative approach with associative methods. The sampling technique in this research is purposive sampling. The population of this research is 125 non-cyclical consumer sector companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange and after following the sampling criteria, there were 13 companies with a research period of 5 (six) years producing 65 observation data. The data analysis technique used is panel data regression using E-views 12 software. The F test results show that financial performance, dividend policy and managerial ownership simultaneously influence earnings management. The t test results show that financial performance has an effect on earnings management, while dividend policy has no effect on earnings management and managerial ownership has no effect on earnings management.

Managing the decline of coal in a decarbonizing China

AbstractPressures to address climate change are eroding the privileged role coal has held in China throughout its modernization. Phasing down coal requires a suite of supply‐ and demand‐side tools to both reduce production (and therefore, maintain sufficiently high prices) and shift to coal alternatives across diverse consumption sectors. This review outlines contours of the coming coal transition by documenting coal's rise in modern China, its status in key debates of today's energy system, and the range of modeling scenarios of coal's future to mid‐century. In addition, through an analysis of current efforts and impacts in four transition policy areas—supply‐side, demand‐side, employment and social impacts, and stranded assets and fiscal revenues—it identifies gaps and future recommendations. Emerging scholarship on enhancing political feasibility and fostering a “just transition” needs to move beyond global cases and address highly localized and temporally bound impacts.This article is categorized under: The Carbon Economy and Climate Mitigation > Future of Global Energy Policy and Governance > National Climate Change Policy

Повышение ВРП экономики Иркутской области на основе роста уровня энергетической эффективности регионального промышленного комплекса

Energy efficiency of fuel and energy consumption is an important indicator of regional economy. The article provides an empirical study of electricity consumption, gross regional product, and electricity consumption per capita in Russia’s regions in 2021. The analysis focused on the role of the Irkutsk Region in the development of Russia’s energy balance and economy. The authors mapped the electric intensity as part of gross regional product and found out that it is very low in the Irkutsk Region, despite the fact that this region is one of the largest consumers of electricity in Russia. The analysis revealed a national need for a better theoretical basis in energy efficiency. The research featured the increase in economic indicators of the Irkutsk Region in conditions of leveling the regional energy efficiency to average indicators. The authors used the methods of statistical research, expert assessments, modeling, and forecasting. They analyzed electric intensity by type of economic activity in various regions of the Siberian Federal District. As a result, they associated the low electric intensity of the gross regional product in Irkutsk with its industrial sector, which uses a lot of electricity and provides a significant share of the gross regional product. They modelled some changes in the volumes of Irkutsk’s gross regional product with an increase in energy efficiency in the industrial power consumption sector. As a result, the gross regional product increased by 57%, rising from 1,268 billion rubles to 2,000 billion rubles. The result was achieved by an increase in the industrial sector from 494 billion rubles to 1,226 billion rubles.