Governments Of Countries Research Articles

Does Internet Use Affect Air Pollution? Evidence from OECD Countries

This study aims to analyze the relationship between the use of the internet, which has an important place in information and communication, and air pollution (Carbon Dioxide Emissions-CO2). In this context, the relationship between the variables for the 1994-2019 period in 28 OECD countries selected was tested with the help of a panel data analysis with Fourier functions (Fourier unit root test, panel Fourier cointegration test and panel Fourier causality test). The results of the analysis show that internet use reduces air pollution, while economic growth increases air pollution. The results of the Panel Fourier Granger Causality test revealed a bidirectional causality relationship between internet use and air pollution and a unidirectional causality relationship from air pollution to economic growth throughout the panel. The analysis results present a policy proposal to the governments of OECD countries that they can reduce air pollution by investing in information and communication technologies (ICT) in their economic growth processes.

Unlocking e-government adoption: Exploring the role of perceived usefulness, ease of use, trust, and social media engagement in Vietnam

E-government is a global project that uses information and communication technology to deliver services, with the goal of improving public interactions and encouraging open innovation. Although the adoption of e-government services is critical for reaping their benefits, insufficient attention has been paid to the demand side, namely, how people use the system. To address this gap, we investigate how perceived utility and perceived ease of use, as key elements of the technology acceptance model, influence users’ satisfaction, desire to engage with social media, and adoption of e-government services. Understanding the interplay between the determinants, as well as use of social media and e-government adoption, is critical, given the efforts to use social media to encourage greater citizen participation and efficient service delivery by the governments of many countries, including Vietnam. The study contributes to the literature by investigating these interactions in an emerging country and making recommendations to make e-government more effective.

Aid for trade and export performance of recipient countries: The moderating role of institutions

Using bilateral trade and aid for trade (AfT) data for a sample of 155 countries over the period 2002-2019, we implement a gravity analysis to assess whether bilateral aggregate AfT and various AfT categories have stimulated exports of AfT-recipient countries to donors, and to examine if the institutional distance between recipients and donor countries affected the efficacy of AfT in promoting the former's bilateral exports. We show that AfT flows tend to foster exports of recipients, both at the extensive margin and intensive margin. Moreover, the trade-stimulating effect of AfT for trade policy and regulation is more pronounced than that of other AfT flows. Finally, institutional disparities between trading partners dampen the effectiveness of AfT in promoting exports at both margins of trade; and certain regions and income-based groups have managed to benefit more than others from AfT. Increasing the amount of disbursed aid flows is likely to speed-up the insertion of developing countries into world markets; strengthening governance in AfT-beneficiary countries and closing their institutional gap with donors would enhance the effect of AfT on their exports; and tying AfT flows to governance-related reforms in recipients can be an option to consider by donors.

EVOLUTION OF CHINA’S ANTI-CORRUPTION POLICY: PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS

Combating corruption in rapidly developing countries is one of the key directions of state policy. Despite decades of research, no universal approach has been proposed that can guarantee a minimum level of abuse of power for personal gain. Governments of countries, considering successful experiences, have to develop unique management approaches to address this issue, taking into account the specific political system, sociocultural characteristics, and dynamics of economic development. The goal of this article is to trace the evolution of anti-corruption policies in China. The study has demonstrated that the party leadership promptly changed approaches to combating corruption, in line with the changing forms and scales of corruption, understanding its origins and causes at different stages of the country’s development. China has a zero tolerance policy towards any manifestations of corruption and is actively combating abuses in government agencies. China’s current anti-corruption policy in the territory uses coercive instruments.

Definition of State Jurisdiction in the Digital Space

The article examines the evolution of the Internet as an integral component of modern information society and its influence on defining state jurisdiction in the digital space. The author analyzes traditional approaches to understanding state jurisdiction in the Internet space, including the concept of neutral territories with international regimes, analogous to the regime established in Antarctica, in outer space regarding celestial bodies, etc., the concept of limiting state competence to national domain names, as well as the principles of territorial sovereignty, establishment of a global regulatory regime, and the principle of jurisdictional autonomy. Special attention in the article is devoted to ensuring, on the one hand, constant, free, and open access to the network, and on the other hand, protecting users from potential negative consequences. The main methods used in preparing this article are: a set of logical research methods and techniques; methods of analysis and synthesis, deduction, as well as special legal methods. In order to promote a more fair and equal global governance of the digital space and the construction of an information society with a common future in cyberspace, governments of countries should reconsider the traditional model of state governance, as with the development of digital technologies, it has proven to be ineffective, which may lead to even greater resistance from society and the private sector of the economy. Therefore, it is necessary to develop international norms, principles, methods, and standards aimed at effectively regulating the digital space and settling the issue of establishing state jurisdiction in the global network, which will allow finding a balance between public and private security, the efficiency of state governance, and at the same time ensure the protection of digital rights of citizens.

On the side effects of fiscal policy: Fiscal rules and income inequality

Contributing to an important literature on the side effects of fiscal policy, this paper employs a treatment effect analysis to show that fiscal rules (FR) have significant side effects on income inequality (IQ). Economically meaningful, this favorable causal direct effect is robust to many alternative specifications. Nevertheless, not all FR are alike: balanced budget and debt rules decrease IQ, contrary to expenditure rules that increase it. Finally, the effect of FR on IQ is found to be subject to heterogeneity related to various factors. Given the current upward global IQ trends, our results provide insightful evidence for governments of countries aiming at reducing IQ.

Energy access and female labor force participation in developing countries

Access to reliable modern energy services and female economic empowerment are vital for sustainable development of developing countries. While micro-level evidence suggests that energy access can alleviate women's household burdens and enhance their labor market participation, there is little macro-level evidence on this relationship and limited insights on how institutional environments influence it. This study fills this gap using a national-level dataset covering 78 developing countries from 2000 to 2020 and analyzing how access to electricity and clean cooking fuels affects women's labor supply and demand, respectively. Results show that clean energy access increases female labor force participation, particularly in rural areas and small island developing countries. Electricity access reduces female unemployment, especially in urban areas and African countries. Moreover, the importance of country risk and governance capability in shaping this relationship is highlighted. These findings provide valuable insights for enacting synergy policies targeting sustainable development goals.

M&As and the value chain of host countries in the “belt and road” — Based on path test of technological innovation

Mergers and acquisitions (M&As) are crucial for capital concentration and rapid enterprise expansion. Most countries along the “Belt and Road” are developing economies, facing the dilemma of “low-end locking” of the global value chain. Utilizing data on global value chain participation of countries along the “Belt and Road” from 2003 to 2018, obtained from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, this study examines the impact and mechanisms of M&As on the global value chain participation of host countries along the “Belt and Road.” Our findings are as follows: (1) M&As, primarily foreign, exert a significant inhibitory effect on the improvement of value chain participation in host countries along the “Belt and Road.” This conclusion holds even after excluding abnormal data and considering endogeneity issues; (2) the inhibitory effect of M&As on enterprises has cyclical differences in the economy and heterogeneity among countries, particularly evident after the 2007 global subprime crisis. This effect is less pronounced in developed countries along the “Belt and Road” than on developing countries; and (3) M&As hinder the rise of the host country's global value chain by restraining the host country's government intervention and advancements in basic science and technology.

Flip the Script: Rebranding ART and enhancing the U=U message in Malawi and Zimbabwe

Background Since 2009, global efforts have made significant strides in identifying and treating People Living with HIV (PLHIV), with the number on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) surpassing 25 million by 2020. However, challenges persist as a substantial number of individuals enrolled in ART, particularly in countries like Zimbabwe and Malawi, are lost to follow-up, impeding the success of HIV response initiatives. Stigma and limited awareness continue to pose barriers to effective HIV management. Methods The methodology centres on identifying compelling messengers to bridge the gap between medical information and lived experiences in sub-Saharan Africa. Grounded in human-centered and co-design approaches, the initiative engages host country governments, stakeholders, influencers, and the target audience to create a globally resonant brand with country-specific adaptations. Results The "Undetectable = Untransmittable" (U=U) movement, founded in 2016, emphasizes that PLHIV with undetectable viral loads cannot transmit the virus, playing a crucial role in dismantling stigma and enhancing HIV prevention efforts. To address the low awareness of U=U in Malawi and Zimbabwe, the collaborative "Flip the Script" project was launched, involving public and various private sectors. This initiative aims to reshape perceptions around ART, presenting it as a key to a normalized, healthy life rather than a symbol of infection. "Flip the Script" seeks to boost ART initiation and re-initiation, promote effective ART use, and encourage viral load testing and result sharing among PLHIV. It also strives for consistent counseling on the prevention benefits of ART by health providers. Conclusions Ultimately, the initiative aims to increase the percentage of PLHIV achieving and sustaining viral suppression, leading to a reduction in HIV incidence. Its success hinges on effectively communicating the U=U message, challenging stigma, and empowering both PLHIV and health providers in the targeted regions.

МЕТОД ПОШУКУ ЗАЛЕЖНОСТЕЙ У ВЕЛИКИХ НАБОРАХ ДАНИХ ІЗ ПРОПУСКАМИ НА ПРИКЛАДІ ДАНИХ ПРО ПОШИРЕННЯ COVID

In the article, a method of big data analysis with omissions is developed on the example of the construction of advisory rules regarding adequate state policy to reduce the spread of new Covid-19 cases. Association rules and rule generation in Big Data have a number of challenges, the main one being the presence of large numbers of vectors and multivalued datasets. That is why in the paper the system of these rules is based on a new ensemble of machine learning techniques such as associative rules, regression tree and clustering. This study used pooled data from the Government's COVID-19 Response Tracker and ECDC's Covid-19. Clustering was performed using the k-means method. Gap statistics allow finding an appropriate number of clusters, and in the case study three clusters were selected. The clusters differ in the recommendations and actions of the correspondent governments. Thus, the first countries of the cluster chose to close schools and control international travel as the main recommendations; countries in the second cluster recommended staying at home, while the main recommendations from the governments of countries in the third cluster were to stay at home and cancel public events. The same country can be attached to different clusters at different time intervals. Therefore, the clustering by countries will not be so unambiguous. That is why the time series for the detached country can be interesting and will be the subject of further study. In addition, the impact of such clustering on the spread of COVID-19, the position and duration of the peak, and the mortality rate will also be the subject of our further investigation. A regression decision-making tree was built, a set of rules was obtained from the decision tree and applied rules for generating associative dependencies. The resulting dependencies can be used for strategic planning in the healthcare system.

Sustainable innovation policy in non-walled technoparks

Meanwhile, the government in different countries encourages these sustainable activities to make their domestic brands open worldwide Because sustainability and learning growth have comparable meanings, all paths leading in this direction cross with a single phenomenon known as innovation. The more investment in innovation, the more value the company can gain. In Turkey, the government has increased the financial support of sustainable innovation management for more than 20 years. Especially, in the last five years the budget of the ministry has widened to keep growing in growth. The grant incentives given for Research &Development (R&D) centers and Design centers, also called non-walled technoparks, are two main examples of this encouragement. This study is framed on a big-scale company’s growth with the help of the R&D or Design Center. The financial and performance-based milestones in the R&D center road map lead the company to follow and invest in technology. This also means taking advantage of the international competition in 360 degrees. Not only is financial performance increased by gaining incentives, but also the qualification of human resources is going up and up. The results show how sustainable innovation policy influences business activities. Keywords: Brand; Design center; R&D center; sustainable ınnovation.

Moderating role of political stability and economic policy uncertainty between country governance practice and stock market performance. A comparative analysis of Pakistan and Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

The objective of the study is to explore the relationship between country governance practices along with political stability and Economic policy uncertainty, and stock market performance of two different economies, Pakistan and Kurdistan region of Iraq. To meet our objectives, we used the 25 years past data from 1996 to 2021. Data is collected from the DataStream database. The regression analysis is used as the method of estimation for linear and moderation effect. Our results show that regulatory quality, rules of law and political stability has significant positive relationship with stock market performance of Pakistan, but all the governance indicators have significant positive relationship with stock market performance of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Moreover, political stability has significant moderating impact between the governance practices and the performance of the stock markets of both economies indicating that the governance practices perform well with the political stability that leads to rise in the stock market indices of selected countries. Economic policy uncertainty has significant negative moderation impact due to creating the risk in both economies that decrease the performance of the stock markets of the selected economies. Finally, our study advocated some implications for the investors to increase their confidence on the stock of high political stability and low economic policy uncertainty economies. Government can take significant measures to control the uncertainty of the policy and portfolio managers can adjust their risk on the ground of the political stability and efficient governance practices countries.

“Stay tuned!"

“Stay tuned!"

Effectiveness of public health spending in Sub-Saharan Africa: The moderating role of health system efficiency

ABSTRACT Public health spending (PHS) has been extensively investigated concerning population health outcomes (PHO), but its effectiveness has been less analysed. To this end, this study examines the association between domestic general government health expenditure (DGGHE) and PHO in terms of disability-adjusted life year (DALY) while testing the role of health system efficiency (HSE) in its effects. The under-five mortality(U5MR) is also used in the analysis to assess the effectiveness of services. The study uses publicly available data from 2008 to 2018 across forty-three countries in SSA and applies the GMM estimator based on linear and nonlinear moment conditions. The findings indicate that an increase in DGGHE was significantly associated with a decrease in DALY and U5MR, with the lowest decrease in countries with the lowest HSE scores. Therefore, the study urges governments in SSA countries to consider mechanisms that enhance health system efficiency while planning interventions based on increased spending on health.

Measuring countries relative efficiencies in using development assistance: a data envelopment analysis approach

Despite the presence of a considerable corpus of literature investigating the impact of aid on nations' development, the efficiency of utilizing this finite pool of development finance remains ambiguous. The main aim of this study is to address the existing research gap by examining the efficiency of utilizing such development assistance in achieving three specific Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) from 2002 to 2020 using a Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) methodology. Moreover, this study examines the theoretical underpinnings that show a correlation between the impact of aid on development and the governance and political structure of countries. The findings indicate that the efficiency of development assistance often falls short of optimal, underscoring the necessity for more attention to its administration, particularly in low-income countries. The efficiency of development assistance can be significantly enhanced by organizational improvements, resulting in a significant increase beyond 80%. The confirmation of the robustness of the findings was attained by the application of the bootstrapping methodology. Hence, it is crucial to recognize that while augmenting the levels of development assistance may hold significance, it alone may not be adequate to guarantee efficient utilization in bridging the financial gap required to meet the desired objectives of the SDGs by 2030.

The mediating effect of economic factors and energy consumption between tourism and carbon emissions in ASEAN countries

This study aims to investigate the mediating effect of economic factors including Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and the energy factor represented by Energy Consumption (EC) on tourism, for which the International Tourism Receipts (ITR) and the carbon emissions (CO2) relationships of ASEAN Countries are proxies by employing panel data of ASEAN countries from 2000 to 2019. The results will be analyzed using the panel ARDL method. The study revealed that there was a relationship between the mediating effect of GDP and EC. However, there only EC partially mediated the impact of TP on CO2. Moreover, there was a long run relationship between TP and GDP, FDI and EC and the impact of TP GDP, FDI and EC on CO2 in the positive direction. To reduce the impact of tourism on CO2 emissions, governments in ASEAN countries may need to design policies that adopt the guidelines of Muslim countries.

Importance of Achara Rasayana in Present Era

There is a crisis of character in all fields or professions. Some persons in almost all professions are corrupt, making failure of the system. Many efforts have been done by the government in many countries to improve the system but complete removal of corruption could not be done because ethical or moral values cannot be forced. Public should be self-conscious about morality. Achara Rasayana (Ethical Alchemy) is a special contribution of Acharya Charak for achieving the physical, mental and social health and a high moral sense. The individuals acquire rejuvenation effects, who are truthful and free from annoy, devoid of alcohol and sex indulgence, do not involve in fighting or exhaustion, nonviolent and pleasant on their language, carry out Japa and hygiene, Dhira individual, frequently carry out charity and Tapas, frequently offer prayer to the God, cows, Brahmanas, teachers, preceptors and old persons, completely free from barbarous acts, sympathetic, time of awakening and sleep are regular, routinely receive milk and ghee, aware with the nation and the time, experts in the knowledge of rationality, free from self-image, have good behavior not narrow minded, have love for religious information, have brilliant sense organs, have respect for seniors, Astikas the existence of God and validity of the Vedas, having self-control and commonly study scriptures. Thus, Ayurvedic literature shows many matchless information of primary importance in context of Rasayana.

How business environment of countries along the Belt and Road impacts China’s OFDI efficiency: a stochastic frontier gravity model approach

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) provides a new opportunity for the continued deepening of economic and trade cooperation between China and countries along the BRI route. However, different business environments among countries have led to the problem of a low and uneven distribution of China’s overall trade and investment efficiency in the countries along the route. Using the stochastic frontier gravity model, this study evaluates the efficiency of China’s outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) based on the data of 47 countries along the Belt and Road route from 2013 to 2019. The empirical results indicate that the efficiency level of China’s OFDI in countries located along the Belt and Road route is 43.39%, which suggests a regional imbalance. In terms of business environment factors, regulatory governance, civic discourse, government accountability, and regulatory quality in host countries have a positive impact on China’s OFDI. The positive effects of the BRI have enabled Chinese enterprises to better face factors such as political instability, corruption and imperfections in the legal system when investing abroad. The findings and suggestions could help the governments and enterprises of the countries along the route improve the business environment in a more targeted manner, enhance the space for economic and trade cooperation, and promote the common development of the countries along the route.

Introduction of Smallholder Horticulture Empowerment and Promotion (SHEP) approach as an innovative agricultural extension model

Agricultural extension in developing countries faces many challenges. The main challenge for public institutions, the implementers of agricultural extension services, is that they have weak implementation systems to support farmers. On the other hand, the main challenge faced by beneficiary farmers is low agricultural productivity and income. Against this backdrop, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) launched an initiative to promote “agriculture as a business” by strengthening the agricultural extension systems of developing country governments, beginning with a technical cooperation project implemented in Kenya from 2006 to 2009. The agricultural extension method developed in this project is the Smallholder Horticulture Empowerment and Promotion (SHEP) approach. The SHEP approach is supported by two theoretical pillars: promoting farming as a business (economics) and empowering and motivating people (psychology). A series of activities fulfilling these two pillars is the innovative originality of the SHEP approach. These activities are practiced according to four steps to promote market-oriented agriculture while motivating smallholders to improve their farming operations. In Kenya, horticultural income of target farmers increased through the practice of “grow to sell.” Following this result, the SHEP approach has spread across Africa through the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), benefitting 256,546 small-scale farmers in 30 countries to date. In countries where the SHEP approach was implemented, in addition to the outcomes of increased horticultural productivity and income, many impacts were identified that contributed to improved farmers’ livelihoods, including repairing or building houses, purchasing mobile phones and vehicles, installing electricity in homes and funding children’s education. Since TICAD VII in 2019, JICA has been working with African governments, development partners, private companies and relevant organizations to promote the transition to profitable agriculture through the SHEP approach with the goal of achieving better lives for one million smallholders by 2030. This has led to the utilization of the SHEP approach in various forms, and its effectiveness and versatility has been recognized. However, inadequate government agricultural extension budgets and farmers’ high expectations for the provision of agricultural inputs raise the bar for intervention in the SHEP approach. The SHEP approach, however, is not a “panacea” that can solve all agricultural extension challenges in developing countries. Nevertheless, in order to continue agricultural and rural development programs/projects that promote farmers’ self-reliance, it is essential to continue to extract the outcomes and impacts of the SHEP approach at the field level and disseminate the effectiveness of the approach widely. Key words: agricultural extension, market-oriented, SHEP approach, smallholder, JICA, technical cooperation, Kenya, income

The Choice of Values Behind Corporate Law: A Critique of Shareholder Primacy and a Response to China's Proposal

The theory of shareholder primacy, as an important value judgment in the U.S. corporate law on corporate governance model, has influenced the shaping of legal rules of corporate governance in different countries and regions of the world, as well as the revision of China's corporate law. The theoretical lineage of shareholder-centrism has its own peculiar soil of existence and should not be regarded as a universal value behind the norms of corporate law. Even in the U.S., shareholder primacy is highly controversial, and the direction it advocates is contradictory to the reality of corporate governance practices. China has not been affected by the shareholder primacy debate in the current revision of its corporate law, but has adopted a corporate power allocation model with Chinese characteristics, so as to achieve a balance between the efficiency of corporate governance and the protection of shareholders' interests.