Medium-term Goals Research Articles

A method for interactive collaboration between different actors: theory of change workshops

Abstract It is well recognised that the involvement of different actors in health research is crucial to the success of projects and interventions, as it increases the likelihood that they will be relevant, impactful and applicable in practice. However, researchers and policy makers often lack tools for the participatory involvement of actors. One way of actively involving actors is the Theory of Change (ToC) method. A ToC is a model of a change process that describes how and why an intervention leads to the intended change or outcome in a given context. It describes the path along which change is expected to occur and provides a framework for investigating whether and how change takes place. It is a systematic methodology that can be used both prospectively and retrospectively for the planning, implementation and evaluation of interventions. The approach recognises that changes in socio-ecological systems are complex and challenging and that the causal processes are often non-linear and intertwined. A ToC workshop begins with the formulation of a clear vision for the desired change and the long-term goal of the intervention. Starting from the long-term goal, the necessary medium-term and short-term goals are then defined in a backward mapping process. Next, indicators, activities and assumptions are defined for each intermediate goal. The results of a ToC workshop can be visualised in a ToC map, which shows the causal pathways, relationships, and connections between the different components of the ToC. This visual representation helps the actors to understand the logic, connections, and assumptions underlying the ToC. This in turn facilitates a shared understanding, collaboration, and ownership among all actors involved. Overall, successful involvement of actors using the ToC method can not only enrich the research process, but ultimately also increase the health benefits of interventions and health policies.

"Tax optimization" and its difference from "tax planning"

The article clarifies the content and relationship between the concepts of «tax optimization» and «tax planning». The criteria for distinguishing these concepts are determined. It is established that tax planning is a multi­stage process which includes both strategic forecasting and careful organization of tax liabilities at each level of business. The main goal of this process is to be able to shape the structure and form of the business in such a way that they are optimal from the taxation point of view. Tax planning primarily determines the choice of a business entity’s strategy. Tax planning is defined as an important element of a company’s strategic management aimed at long-term and comprehensive management of tax liabilities. Tax optimization is an important process aimed at adapting the taxpayer to the peculiarities of the current tax system in order to choose the most profitable and efficient taxation regime. This process is not limited to the passive application of tax rules, but involves the active management of tax liabilities within the limits of legally permissible techniques, means and methods. Tax optimization is not only the ability to choose the most favorable conditions from those offered by the legislator, but also the ability to predict and adapt to changes that may affect the tax burden in the future. Tax optimization as a legal tool for reducing the total tax burden is considered exclusively within the framework of legal actions of the taxpayer. A distinctive feature of tax optimization as compared to tax planning is its focus on achieving short- and medium-term goals of a business entity by directly using the opportunities provided by tax legislation. Tax planning, on the other hand, is an element of strategic management aimed at achieving the long-term strategic goals of a business entity. Tax optimization is aimed at developing the most favorable model for fulfilling tax obligations by a business entity without changing the economic substance of business transactions. This approach allows the taxpayer to flexibly adapt to changes in the tax environment, while maintaining the sustainability of financial results and reducing tax costs. Tax optimization is not just a tool for reducing the tax burden, but also an important element of tax planning.

Potential Applications of Water-Energy-Food Nexus Concept Through Preservation and Restoration of a Remarkable Site from Bulgarian Black Sea Coast

The Water-Energy-Food (WEF) concept is focused on the balanced management of these highly interconnected resources. It strongly emphasis on cross-sectoral and multi-level interactions, as well as resource interdependence, by highlighting the link between the extraction and use of water, energy and food. The main goal of this article is the disclosure and argumentation of a potential local area (the northern part of the Bulgarian Black Sea coast) for applying the Nexus approach in the context of the Water-Energy-Food tripartite nexus. In the study area, there are three main components creating the conceptual framework of the Nexus approach (the lighthouse of cape Shabla, the late antique fortress of Karia and the possibilities of using the energy from the sea waves with the supporting functions of the Shabla sea flyover). The methods of field studies, scientific analysis and synthesis, as well as geographic information systems (GIS) are applied. The results obtained and the conclusions drawn indicate that the intertwining of the multiple dimensions of sustainability, short- and medium-term interdisciplinary goals, interests and preferences along with the different perspectives of stakeholders lead to a nuanced understanding of the connectivities between environmental and social processes and issues of the WEF nexus.

The Role of Cooperative Extension in Delivering Training and Technical Assistance to Support Evidence-Based Behavioral Health Practices in Rural Communities.

The opioid epidemic in the United States continues to disproportionately affect those in rural, compared to urban, areas due to a variety of treatment and recovery barriers. One mechanism to increase capacity of rural-serving providers is through delivery of training and technical assistance (TTA) for evidence-based programs by leveraging the Cooperative Extension System. Guided by the Interactive Systems Framework, the current study evaluates TTA delivered by the Northwest Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Collabroative to opioid prevention, treatment, and recovery providers on short- (satisfaction, anticipated benefit), medium-, (behavioral intention to change current practice), and long-term goals (changes toward adoption of evidence-based practices). We also evaluated differences in short- and medium-term goals by intensity of TTA event and rurality of provider. Surveys of 351 providers who received TTA indicated high levels of satisfaction with TTA events attended, expressed strong agreement that they would benefit from the event, intended to make a professional practice change, and preparation toward implementing changes. Compared to urban-based providers, rural providers reported higher intention to use TTA information to change current practice. We conclude with a review of remaining gaps in the research to practice pipeline and recommendations for moving forward.

XIX International Symposium on Amyloidosis Abstracts

Topic: Patient Reported Outcomes/Quality of Life Background: Variant transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTRv) is a rare genetic disease that affects patients’ quality of life by affecting various organs and tissues. Despite a wealth of research on medical and psychosocial interventions, the impact of occupational therapy on patients with ATTRv is not well understood. This research focuses on the assessment of activities of daily living and occupations as a fundamental tool in the management of patients after diagnosis. Objective: The aim of this study was to develop an occupational therapy programme for the improvement of daily functioning and quality of life in patients with ATTRv. Methods: After an initial semi-structured interview, fourteen patients with ATTRv were enrolled in the study. The occupational therapist worked with the patient to develop short- and medium-term occupational goals, based on the Model of Human Occupation. During the six-month intervention period, weekly or ten-day sessions were held to monitor and adjust the guidelines. Outcomes were measured using scores for activities of daily living and psychological well-being. Results: The results showed that twelve patients stayed the same in their activities of daily living, two got worse and eight improved their psychological scores and the occupational situation. The study highlights the importance of early intervention and further research into the effectiveness of occupational therapy interventions for patients with ATTRv. It also notes that patients who received occupational therapy intervention reported that 6 months was not enough and emphasizes the fundamental role of the therapist in providing motivation, facilitating meaningful activities, improving daily living and routines.

Peran Etika dan Moral dalam Membangun Akhlak Siswa-Siswi SD Banjaragung III Bareng Jombang

Background: Moral education in schools needs to be carried out seriously to build a quality generation of the nation. Although the main role in educating children's morals is the role of parents, teachers in schools also play a big role in realizing the morals students should have. Families, schools and communities are also responsible for educating the younger generation to have good morals and intellectual intelligence so that a superior young generation can be created. The development of ethics and morals in schools is also very important for every teacher to pay attention to, considering that this is where students begin to become familiar with various fields of scientific study. During this period, students also begin to realize their identity as human beings who begin to grow with the various problems that accompany it. Method: The method used in this community service goes through several stages, namely: location survey, coordination of time, place and implementation, as well as delivery of ethical and moral material. Armed with noble moral values obtained through the learning process in the classroom and outside the classroom, students are expected to become human beings with character and knowledge who are ready to be developed at a higher level of education. Because everyone definitely has goals in life, whether short-term, medium-term or long-term goals. Conclusion: Moral education in schools must also be designed to cover various aspects, namely: educators, materials, methods and evaluation so that the results are expected to be optimal.

An Ecological Mobile Momentary Intervention to Support Dynamic Goal Pursuit: Feasibility and Acceptability Study.

Individuals can experience difficulties pursuing their goals amid multiple competing priorities in their environment. Effective goal dynamics require flexible and generalizable pursuit skills. Supporting successful goal pursuit requires a perpetually adapting intervention responsive to internal states. The purpose of this study was to (1) develop a flexible intervention that can adapt to an individual's changing short to medium-term goals and be applied to their daily life and (2) examine the feasibility and acceptability of the just-in-time adaptive intervention for goal pursuit. This study involved 3 iterations to test and systematically enhance all aspects of the intervention. During the pilot phase, 73 participants engaged in an ecological momentary assessment (EMA) over 1 month. After week 1, they attended an intervention training session and received just-in-time intervention prompts during the following 3 weeks. The training employed the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation, and Behavior (COM-B) framework for goal setting, along with mental contrasting with implementation intentions (MCII). Subsequent prompts, triggered by variability in goal pursuit, guided the participants to engage in MCII in relation to their current goal. We evaluated feasibility and acceptability, efficacy, and individual change processes by combining intensive (single-case experimental design) and extensive methods. The results suggest that the digital intervention was feasible and acceptable to participants. Compliance with the intervention was high (n=63, 86%). The participants endorsed high acceptability ratings relating to both the study procedures and the intervention. All participants (N=73, 100%) demonstrated significant improvements in goal pursuit with an average difference of 0.495 units in the outcome (P<.001). The results of the dynamic network modeling suggest that self-monitoring behavior (EMA) and implementing the MCII strategy may aid in goal reprioritization, where goal pursuit itself is a driver of further goal pursuit. This pilot study demonstrated the feasibility and acceptability of a just-in-time adaptive intervention among a nonclinical adult sample. This intervention used self-monitoring of behavior, the COM-B framework, and MCII strategies to improve dynamic goal pursuit. It was delivered via an Ecological Momentary Intervention (EMI) procedure. Future research should consider the utility of this approach as an additional intervention element within psychological interventions to improve goal pursuit. Sustaining goal pursuit throughout interventions is central to their effectiveness and warrants further evaluation.

Key Aspects of India’s Arms Export Policy amid Military-Industrial Complex Reform

The study examines the key features and areas of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government’s policy aimed at boosting the export of weapons, military and special equipment (WMSE) within the broader strategy of reforming the Indian military-industrial complex (MIC). The long-term goal of the Indian government is to achieve “strategic autonomy” in the defence sector. In the short term, Indian arms exports serve as the driving force behind the “Make in India” and “Self-reliant India” programmes - pivotal components of Prime Minister Modi’s political agenda. The significant amplification factor for India’s export ambitions has been conditioned in part by the escalating border tensions with China since 2017. The export of WMSE is emerging as a crucial tool to strengthen India’s bilateral relations with countries in the Asia-Pacific region to counterbalance China. Nonetheless, to propel India into the group of the world’s leading arms exporters, as well as to gain full “strategic independence,” may be hard to achieve even in the long run. Despite systemic reforms in the military-industrial complex, efforts to engage private businesses and attract foreign capital, a number of challenges impede the growth of the defence industry and the export potential of the Indian military-industrial complex. These include the inadequate development of India’s manufacturing sector, dependency on foreign technologies, and insufficient funding for military-technical advancements. At the same time, the policy of supporting defence exports and reforming the MIC has been a stable trend in the strategy of the BJP government, playing a crucial role in the fulfillment of its short, medium and long term goals.

Застосування фіскальних правил у період подолання наслідків війни

Introduction. During the period of overcoming the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, the risks of compliance with fiscal rules have intensified. Fiscal policy restrictions imposed by them restrained the active budget expansion necessary to increase spending and attract resources to finance adopted state programs. The task of revising the application of fiscal rules, determining rational levels of state budget financing, and preventing critical levels of the state debt from exceeding has arisen. Problem Statement. The negative effects of the pandemic and the war required a sharp increase in public expenditures, adjustments to their structure, and an increase in financial resources to cover them. Compliance with the requirements stipulated by the fiscal rules in force at that time did not allow to go beyond the accepted limits (regarding the maintenance of the indicators of the budget deficit and state debt). There was a need to make changes to the implementation of the budget policy to take into account the restrictions imposed by the fiscal rules. The purpose is to assess the application of fiscal rules in the period of overcoming the consequences of the war, as well as their adjustment in the aspect of reform programs in the EU. Methods. Conceptual approaches to complying with fiscal rules during the war and overcoming its consequences are defined. The issue of methodical provision of fiscal rules, application of mechanisms and budgetary procedures with the aim of their implementation in the practice of state administration is revealed. Results. In Ukraine, the introduction of fiscal rules into the practice of public finance management is in the initial stages. Unlike the EU, they contain only digital limits of budget aggregates, but do not provide for the use of mechanisms for maintaining fiscal stability and debt sustainability. It is also not provided for the application of the necessary budgetary procedures directing the state administration bodies to comply with these rules. During the period of overcoming the consequences of the pandemic and the war, fiscal rules began to restrain the implementation of an active expansionary policy, and therefore their effect was suspended. The recovery of Ukraine involves a review of the use of fiscal rules, taking into account the experience of their reform in the EU. Conclusions. The application of fiscal rules in Ukraine requires significant changes for their application in the practice of budget management, which take into account the results of their use in the EU member states, as well as the features of the economic and social development of our country. Such changes include: the adoption of real medium-term budget goals, the use of preventive mechanisms aimed at developing the state budget taking into account updated approaches, the adjustment of budget operations (in cases of deviations from the accepted requirements), the use of budget procedures that direct the government to comply with fiscal rules for the early correction of such deviations, deepening the transparency of budget operations, strengthening monitoring and evaluation of the use of budget rules by the parliament and specially created independent fiscal institutions.

Інституційні засади бюджетного планування

The study of the institutional foundations of budget planning determines the activities of institutions in the field of forming the revenue part of the budget, effective planning of the expenditure part, ensuring the balance of the budget and increasing the level of macro­economic balance, which is especially relevant during the period of martial law in order to adapt the institutional environment to social, economic and social transformations in the country. The institutional environment of budget planning is important, as one of the main regulators of budget relations, with the aim of ensuring macroeconomic balance both in the short-term period and in the medium-term perspective. Adaptation of the institutional environment to social and economic changes and determination of priority directions for the further development of financial and budgetary relations require attention. The article aims to reveal the institutional foundations of budget planning in the system of macroeconomic regulation. The main research methods are dialectical and systemic. Structural, com­parative, factorial and logical methods were also used. In the course of the research, the essence of the institutional environment of budget planning was determined, the content of the budget institute and the budget policy institute was revealed. Adaptive changes in the institutional environment of budget formation, which were caused by the start of a full-scale war, are analyzed and priority directions for further improvement and development of the institutional environment of budget planning are given. Effective institutional environment of budget planning has a significant impact on the level of macroeconomic balance, social and economic development of the country and achievement of priorities determined by medium-term social goals. The state of war on the territory of Ukraine has become a rather significant challenge, including for the financial and budgetary institutional environment. The conducted study of the current legislative framework indicates a gradual change in the institutional environment of budget formation before transformations in social, economic, and public relations. Further impro­vement and development of the institutional environment for budget formation in terms of creation and implementation of effective financial mecha­nisms is appropriate, in order to ensure macroeconomic stability and further socio-economic development of the country.

Human Capital Management Analysis And Organizational Cultures For New Entrance In Ev Station Electric Vehicle Charging Station

As the demand for electric vehicles increases, the industry has seen significant growth in EV charging infrastructure. One key element supporting EV Station success is effective human capital management and an organizational culture that aligns with business objectives. This research method is based on short-term, medium-term and long-term goals followed by conducting a 3-stage analysis, namely Input Stage, Matching Stage, Decision Stage, Porter's Generic Strategy and ending by creating a Lean Business Canvas. The results of this study are the employee's work experience, the expertise he has, the combination of work experience and expertise possessed by the employee such as technical expertise in terms of charging and equipment maintenance is an important foundation in employee selection and promotion. In addition, smart corporate strategies in human capital management also include incentives and reward programmes.

Occupational practice in patients with hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis, a qualitative study

BackgroundHereditary transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTRv) is a rare genetic disease that negatively affects patients' quality of life through the involvement of various organs and tissues. Despite a large amount of research on medical and psychosocial interventions, the impact of occupational therapy (OT) on patients with ATTRv is not well understood.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to develop an OT programme to improve the daily functioning and quality of life of patients with ATTRv.MethodsFourteen patients with ATTRv were interviewed. Together they developed short- and medium-term occupational goals. Patients received the OT intervention for six months. Outcomes were measured using scores for activities of daily living and psychological well-being.ResultsThe study found that OT can have a positive impact as a complementary intervention to medical and other psychosocial treatments. Of the 14 patients, 12 maintained the same scores in activities of daily living. Two deteriorated and eight improved their psychological scores.ConclusionThis study highlights the need for further research in this area and the importance of OT in the management of patients with ATTRv. Early intervention is of paramount importance and further research is needed to evaluate the long-term effects of OT interventions in patients with ATTRv.

ПЕРСПЕКТИВЫ РАЗВИТИЯ ПРАВОТВОРЧЕСКОЙ ТЕХНИКИ В УСЛОВИЯХ ЦИФРОВИЗАЦИИ ОБЩЕСТВЕННЫХ ОТНОШЕНИЙ

The article discusses the prospects for the development of law-making technology in the conditions of digitalization of public relations. The author's position on the directions of the impact of digital technologies on the process of law-making is determined. The analysis of such a new rule of law as a digital law, which can radically change the legal technique, is carried out, therefore, the relevance of the proposed scientific article lies in the search for a new concept, which consists in the implementation of long-term strategic and medium-term goals, objectives and expected results of improving legal technology at the present stage of state development. The article discusses the application of the latest technology for creating a legislative text through the use of artificial intelligence technologies. The article will be useful not only in the framework of studying law-making techniques, but also for law enforcement officers whose activities are aimed at bringing the legislative framework into line with modern realities.

STRATEGIC PLANNING OF CONTAINER VILLAGES FOR THE RENTAL COMPANY IN INDONESIA

With industrial development and population growth in Indonesia, the demand for residential facilities such as container villages is increasing. Container village is a housing concept that uses used containers as residential units. This research aims to identify appropriate strategies for container rental companies in Indonesia to develop and utilize container villages. This research uses qualitative research methods. The data collection technique was carried out with a literature review. The data that has been collected is then analyzed through the stages of data reduction, data presentation and conclusion drawing. The results showed that in the formulation situation for strategic planning, the first step that must be done is to make the company's vision and mission first. We have done this in chapter 1 (one). The second step is to determine the objectives. For the purpose of researchers dividing into 3 (three) parts, namely short-term goals, medium-term goals and long-term goals. In the strategic planning process of PT Nahe Unggul Lestari starting from gather inputs, SWOT Analysis, Review Inputs, Strategic Matrix, Define Strategies and Final Reviews.

FINANCING OF THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM

The article focuses on the need to achieve the medium-term strategic goals of the state policy of the Russian Federation in the field of healthcare, aimed at increasing life expectancy to 78 years by 2030; reducing mortality and increasing public satisfaction with medical care. The amounts of financing the activities of the healthcare system in the Russian Federation and in the Murmansk region are investigated. A comparative analysis of indicators that are indicative and reportable in the medium-term strategy for the development of the healthcare system of the Russian Federation for the period up to 2030, and in the Murmansk region as the territory of the Arctic zone; their dynamics is investigated. In addition, the structure and dynamics of changes in the amounts of funding from various sources of medical institution activity in the Murmansk region are investigated (the budget of the territorial compulsory medical insurance fund, the consolidated budget of the Murmansk region, the federal budget of the Russian Federation and the own financial resources of the medical institution), recommendations are proposed to improve the efficiency of using budgetary and extra-budgetary sources of funding. It is concluded that the degree of security of the health care system depends not only on the amount of funding, but also on the financial resources management system.

The Role of Lithium-Ion Batteries in the Growing Trend of Electric Vehicles.

Within the automotive field, there has been an increasing amount of global attention toward the usability of combustion-independent electric vehicles (EVs). Once considered an overly ambitious and costly venture, the popularity and practicality of EVs have been gradually increasing due to the usage of Li-ion batteries (LIBs). Although the topic of LIBs has been extensively covered, there has not yet been a review that covers the current advancements of LIBs from economic, industrial, and technical perspectives. Specific overviews on aspects such as international policy changes, the implementation of cloud-based systems with deep learning capabilities, and advanced EV-based LIB electrode materials are discussed. Recommendations to address the current challenges in the EV-based LIB market are discussed. Furthermore, suggestions for short-term, medium-term, and long-term goals that the LIB-EV industry should follow are provided to ensure its success in the near future. Based on this literature review, it can be suggested that EV-based LIBs will continue to be a hot topic in the years to come and that there is still a large amount of room for their overall advancement.

Foreign Trade Relations Between China and the Siberian Regions Through the Prism of Complementarity, Specialization and Sustainable Development

Russian-Chinese relations are characterized by the most solid foundation in the context of more than ten years of trade wars unleashed by Western countries, the most powerful pandemic in modern history and the current geopolitical aggravation that has actually changed the existing world order. Against this background, one of the key factors in the development of foreign economic cooperation between Russia and China is mutual commitment to the principles of equality, openness and inclusiveness. It is on this basis that the countries are expanding their interaction in the field of foreign trade, investment, and large-scale infrastructure projects. Russia and China regularly hold bilateral consultations related to the development of cooperation in various areas of the economy and business. On the one hand, these plans lay the foundation for building foreign economic cooperation with China at the regional level, on the other hand, their implementation sets a number of long-term and medium-term goals and objectives for the regions. Their substantive features and, in fact, roadmaps for them should be built taking into account the situation that is developing in the current relations between the Chinese side and the regions, in particular the regions of Siberia as a strategically important economic region. In addition, it is necessary to take into account the possibilities of expanding cooperation, which involves correlating export and import profiles within the framework of the Russian-Chinese partnership. This article presents the results of a study of foreign trade interaction between the regions of the Siberian Federal District and China, including the level of complementarity, specialization, sustainability of the trend and the speed of development of trade flows. The totality of the results obtained made it possible to form a map of the development of exports and imports of Siberian regions in the context of expanding cooperation with China.

Rethinking EU Countries’ Energy Security Policy Resulting from the Ongoing Energy Crisis: Polish and German Standpoints

The energy crisis in Europe in 2022 and its consequences have brought changes to approaches towards the issue of energy security, energy policy, and the ability to react to crisis phenomena in the energy market in a short period of time. European countries that are dependent on Russian fossil fuels have faced numerous dilemmas and challenges in 2022. This paper aims to analyse the instruments and energy policies introduced as the reactions of European countries, specifically with the examples of Poland and Germany, to the ongoing fossil fuel crisis in the context of a short period. Due to the specificity of the energy market, the countries’ energy policies mainly concern long- and medium-term goals. In 2022, there was an unprecedented situation in which many European countries had to make significant changes to their fossil fuel imports quickly. We analyse and evaluate how two European countries that are heavily reliant on imported energy resources responded in a short time to the necessity of modifying their patterns of fossil fuel supply and demand. The results of our research are models that illustrate both countries’ reactions to the disturbances in the energy market during the initial months of the energy crisis. As part of the research, we conducted an analysis of the energy mix of Poland and Germany, their import energy dependency, and self-sufficiency. We then compared them with the short-term energy policies of both countries. As a result, we elaborate on a comparative analysis of the models of Poland’s and Germany’s responses to the crisis. The research also assesses the similarities and differences in the response models in Poland’s and Germany’s short-term energy security policies. The results of our research may help, in the future, to choose the available short-term instruments in the energy policy of countries in the face of a sudden need resulting from disruptions in supply chains. The article contributes to the future discussion on renewed national and regional energy security, as well as efficiency concepts. Our research findings could be valuable in selecting appropriate short-term energy policy tools for countries during supply chain disruptions. This article provides significant input for future deliberations on enhancing national and regional energy security, and also efficiency strategies.

Strategi Pengembangan Daya Tarik Wisata Science Center sebagai Wisata Edukasi di Kabupaten Bandung

The purpose of this research is to determine the tourism attraction and development strategy in the science center of Bandung Regency. This research was conducted using a qualitative descriptive approach and SWOT analysis. Data collection was carried out through observation, interviews, and documentation. The results of the study showed that the tourism attractions in the science center were quite diverse, ranging from photo spots to interactive exhibits. However, additional tourism attractions need to be added to attract more tourists. Regarding the development strategy of tourism attractions in the science center, it is necessary to observe the environment (internal and external factors) and develop strategies through the SWOT matrix to produce alternative strategies translated into short-term goals, such as: Intensive promotion, Collaborating with other institutions, Promoting the existing educational and cultural attractions, Adding new attractions, Preparing or training tour guides who understand the exhibits, Adding several new spots of attraction, Considering natural factors for tourists' safety, Providing professional guides, medium-term goals such as providing various souvenirs, and long-term goals.

Does infrastructure development matter for the shadow economy in African countries?

ABSTRACT Understanding the determinants of the informal economy is a crucial issue in economic development due to its far-reaching effects on development efforts. Previous studies focused exclusively on factors that can potentially reduce the relative size of the shadow economy. However, these attempts have not enjoyed much success to date in Africa, where informality has continued to thrive. We contend that realistic medium-term goals, as opposed to obligatory formalisation, could increase the output of informal businesses by providing enough infrastructure and a welcoming business climate, which would at the same time foster formalisation. Using OLS, FE and system GMM with data on 42 African countries covering 2003–2018, we find that infrastructure development reduces the relative size of the shadow economy in African countries. Our results remained consistent when we controlled for the effects of other determinants of the informal economy, employed other estimators, and used an alternative measure of the informal economy.