Panel Unit Root Research Articles

Does Global Value Chain Integration Enhance Export Competitiveness? Evidence from Indonesia’s Industry-Level Analysis

ABSTRACT We investigate the association between global value chain (GVC) integration and export competitiveness for 34 Indonesian industries from 2007 to 2020. Using panel unit root, panel cointegration, panel long-run estimator, and panel granger causality, we find the following key findings: First, we find that GVC integration and export competitiveness are cointegrated or share a long-term association. Second, we find that GVC integration favorably impacts export competitiveness over time. Third, we confirm the existence of a unidirectional causal link between GVC integration and export competitiveness. Fourth, we also discover results linked with the kind of GVC integration (forward, backward, and two-sided) and the industry type (manufacturing, services, labor-intensive and capital-intensive industries). These findings aid policymakers in the formulation of suitable measures to enhance GVC integration to strengthen the export competitiveness of Indonesian industries.

Assessing factors influencing renewable energy deployment and the role of natural resources in MENA countries

Governments worldwide are deploying renewable sources as a part of an imperative agenda to overcome the detrimental impacts of climate change and environmental degradation. Although renewable energy contains several benefits, very few researchers have worked on the determinants of renewable energy deployment and the role of natural resources in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries. This research contributes to the prior literature by examining the influence of financial growth, governance, environmental quality, and economic development in MENA countries from 1990 to 2020. For empirical estimation, this study employs the latest econometric approaches: cross-sectional autoregressive distributed lag (CS-ARDL), augmented mean group (AMG), and Westerlund & Edgerton's cointegration. Furthermore, the cross-sectional augmented Im-Pesaran-Shin (CIPS) and cross-sectional augmented Dickey-Fuller (CADF) panel unit root tests are employed to check the stationarity level among variables. The empirical outcome demonstrates that governance, financial growth, the interaction term between financial growth and governance, carbon emissions, and economic development significantly and directly influence renewable energy deployment in MENA countries. As a further step, robustness is checked by employing the AMG estimator. The findings from the AMG estimator verify the robustness of the study's outcomes. Thus, the empirical and robustness results make it clear that all the aforementioned variables play a significant role in renewable energy deployment in the sampled region. The policy consequences of the major efforts are laid out as well coherently and consistently.

Revisiting long-run dynamics between financial inclusion and economic growth in developing nations: evidence from CS-ARDL approach

PurposeThis study aims to analyze the long-run dynamic relationship between financial inclusion and economic growth for developing nations.Design/methodology/approachThis study develops a comprehensive financial inclusion index based on the UNDP methodology for 53 developing nations. The authors use second-generation unit root tests, cointegration techniques and an advanced dynamic common correlated effects estimator model called cross-sectional augmented autoregressive distributed lags (CS-ARDL) to examine long-run dynamics among variables.FindingsThe tests confirm the presence of slope-heterogeneity and cross-sectional dependency. The second-generation panel unit root tests show the chosen variables are stationary at first difference. The bootstrap Westerlund cointegration result shows the variables are cointegrated in the long run. The CS-ARDL estimates conclude that financial inclusion positively enhances gross domestic product per capita in selected developing countries. The robustness check through augmented mean group estimation validates the findings.Originality/valueThe study makes three important contributions: first, it constructs a comprehensive financial inclusion index using 10 variables for a panel of 53 developing nations; second, the potential cross-section dependence and slope heterogeneity of panel data have been accounted for by applying the second-generation unit root tests; third, the study uses the dynamic common correlated effects estimator model (CS-ARDL) to examine long-run dynamics among variables.

Exploring the relationship between financial inclusion and natural resource utilization in QUAD economies.

This study delves into the intricate relationship between financial inclusion (FIC) and economic development (ED) within the context of QUAD nations, including the USA, Australia, India, and Japan. Using panel data spanning from 2000 to 2021, the research investigates this relationship by employing various statistical techniques. Initially, the Jarque-Bera (JB) normality test highlights the non-normal distribution of the data. Furthermore, the findings reveal varying slopes and cross-sectional interdependence among the variables, while the panel unit root test confirms their non-stationarity. Consequently, the adoption of the method of moment quantile regression is deemed appropriate for the analysis. The study's results uncover a negative association between FIC and total natural resource rent (TNRR), while renewable-energy usage (REU), ED, and foreign direct investment (FDI) exhibit a positive relationship with FIC. Notably, the impact of TNRR on FIC diminishes at higher quantiles, indicating a diminishing effect. Similarly, the influence of REU and ED on FIC also decreases at higher quantiles, suggesting a reduced contribution as other sectors gain prominence. Conversely, FDI positively affects FIC, with a more pronounced impact observed at higher quantiles. Policy recommendations for QUAD nations include enhancing FIC initiatives, promoting REU, fostering balanced ED, attracting FDI, and encouraging collaborative efforts among the nations. Furthermore, it is imperative for developing nations to implement widespread financial literacy programs specifically targeting vulnerable and marginalized populations, equipping individuals with essential knowledge to make informed financial decisions and gain access to formal financial services.

Exploring the Links between Renewable Energy, FDI, Environmental Degradation, and International Trade in Selected Developing Countries

Trade may be significantly impacted by Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), which refers to investments made outside of the investor's place of origin. Carbon emissions, in particular those that are the result of industrial activity and transportation, have the potential to have a number of important effects on commerce on both the national and international levels. The environmental, economic, and social repercussions of these effects are intricately interwoven with one another. Because it has an immediate bearing on a nation's production capacity, level of competitiveness, and the kinds of products and services that may be exported from or imported into the nation, the value added in industry has a considerable influence on international commerce. The level of government spending may have a considerable impact on the way a nation does in terms of commerce. There are several facets of commerce that might be affected, either favorably or badly, by the method that a government utilizes to distribute its money. The current study aims to examine the linkages among renewable energy, FDI, Environmental degradation and their impact on trade. The findings of study are obtained from a panel of 58 developing countries from 2000 to 2022. The results of Panel unit roots and Kao co-integration tests recommend to apply the panel ARDL to get the empirics of desirable relationships. The results of the study recommend that it is essential for governments to find a balance when making choices about their expenditures in order to guarantee that the resources allotted support sustainable economic growth, improve trade competitiveness, and fit with larger development goals. Spending decisions made by the government that are both strategic and well-targeted have the potential to play a significant part in improving the economic performance of a nation and its integration into the global economy.

Could Globalisation and Renewable Energy Contribute to a Decarbonised Economy in the European Union?

This study investigates the impact of globalisation, renewable energy consumption, and economic growth on CO2 emissions in 26 European Union (EU) countries, in the period 1990–2020. Second-generation panel unit root tests are applied, the Westerlund cointegration test is used, and a panel of fully modified least squares (FMOLS) and dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS) techniques are employed to estimate the long-term relationship between variables. The causality relationship among the considered variables is identified using the heterogeneous Dumitrescu–Hurlin causality test. It was found that globalisation and renewable energy consumption contributed to the carbon emissions’ mitigation, while economic growth induced their increase. The results are robust when control variables (i.e., financial development, foreign direct investment, and urbanisation) are added to the model. Foreign direct investment and urbanisation are contributors to carbon emissions’ increase, whereas financial development induces their decrease. The effect of the considered variables on carbon emissions is differentiated by economic development and level of institutional quality. Unidirectional causality relationships were identified from globalisation to carbon emissions and from carbon emissions to foreign direct investment and bidirectional relationships were found between economic growth, renewable energy consumption, financial development, and carbon emissions. The policy implications of the results are also discussed.

Empirical examination of public debt sustainability in African economies: A panel data analysis

This study intends to investigate public debt sustainability across 29 Sub‐Sahara African (SSA) economies, employing various econometric specifications, for the sampled years 1996–2020. The study employs Bohn's (Are stationarity and cointegration restrictions really necessary for the intertemporal budget constraint? Journal of monetary Economics, 54(7), pp.1837–1847.) framework of sustainability as the baseline model to assess public debt sustainability across the sampled Sub‐Sahara African economies. As additional tests of public debt sustainability in order to support the baseline findings, the study also employs panel unit root and timeseries unit tests. The baseline findings from the OLS, panel quantile and instrumental panel quantile regressions show that public debt is sustainable across the panel of SSA economies. The positive and statistically significant response of primary balance under the Bohn's framework of sustainability manifest that the intertemporal budget constraint is not violated in the sampled economies. The consistency in the estimates under the OLS, panel quantile and instrumental panel quantile regressions also show that the estimates are robust throughout the estimation process. Also, utilizing the panel unit root test for public debt sustainability, the findings show that public debt is stationary over the sampled years which implies that intertemporal budget constraint holds and that public debt is sustainable across the sampled SSA economies. However, the timeseries analysis indicate that although majority of the SSA economies have sustainable public debt ratios, four countries namely Uganda, Sudan, Togo and Cote d'Ivoire have unsustainable public debt ratios. The study has important policy implications in terms of prudent public debt management and fiscal management for the sampled SSA economies.

Does Financial Development in Relation to Remittances influence Economic Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa?

Abstract This study investigates the influence of financial development on the relationship between remittances and economic growth within the Sub-Saharan Africa region. The study utilised panel data encompassing 42 countries, spanning the time frame 1980 to 2021. The research employed a cross-sectional augmented panel unit root test, as well as the Im-Pesaran-Shin unit-root test, to conduct the unit root analysis. The regression estimations employed the Pooled Mean Group and Mean Group/ARDL methodologies. The research findings demonstrate a significant association between the development of financial systems and sustained economic growth over an extended period. The findings from the empirical analysis indicate that there exists a substitutive relationship between financial development and the association between remittances and economic growth. The study proposes that it would be advantageous for financial policies in the Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region to give priority to the implementation of efficient financial reforms with the goal of improving the overall depth of the financial sector. Keywords: Remittances, Financial development, ARDL, Economic growth, Sub-Saharan Africa.

Clarifying the relationship between green investment, technological innovation, financial openness, and renewable energy consumption in MINT

The importance of Renewable energy has been well documented in the literature, especially in the nexus of renewable energy-led environmental sustainability. The purpose of the study is to gauge the effects of green investment (GI), technological innovation (TI), and financial Openness (FO) on Renewable Energy Consumption (REC) in MINT for the period 1996–2019. Several econometric tools have been considered in documenting the target nexus, including the panel unit root test following CADF and CIPS, Error correction Cointegration test, CS-ARDL, nonlinear ARDL, and directional causality test by employing the D-H Causality test. The panel unit root test revealed that all the variables become stationary after the first difference. The long-run association in the target model is unveiled with the panel cointegration test. A positive and statistically significant connection regarding FO, TI, and GI coefficients on REC has been exposed. It suggests that the progress in RE development and inclusion in economic activities could be amplified through FO, TI, and GI. Inferring the results of asymmetric valuation, the test statistics of a standard Wald test document asymmetric association in the long run and short run. Furthermore, the coefficients of positive and negative innovation in explanatory variables, i.e., TI, GI, & FO, divulge a positive statistically significant tie to REC, which is valid in long-run and short-run assessment.

Effect of Tourism and Remittance Income on Economic Growth in SAARC Countries

The paper examines the effect of remittance and tourism income on economic growth in SAARC countries. It is based on the exploratory and descriptive research design and is mainly guided by the positivist research philosophy. The secondary data are used for the analysis, collected from the various reports of the World Bank and economic surveys of respective countries. The unbalanced panel data ranges from a maximum of 23 to a minimum of 14; altogether, 169 observations are evaluated. Some statistical and econometric tools like descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, panel unit root testing, and panel ARDL model are utilized to observe the relation and impact of tourism and remittance income on the GDP growth of SAARC countries. There is a high degree of correlation between GDP and remittance income. There is a moderate degree of positive association ship between GDP and tourism income. Tourism and remittance income positively and significantly impact the economic growth of SAARC countries in the long run. One per cent increase in remittance and tourism income increased 0.277 and 0.518 per cent in GDP, respectively, in SAARC countries. The impact of tourism income is stronger than the impact of remittance income in promoting economic growth in SAARC countries. But in the short run, the significant impact of tourism and remittance income is not identified.

Eco-innovations, green growth, and environmental taxes in EU countries: a panel quantile regression approach.

The purpose of this study is to examine how environmental taxation, green growth, and eco-innovations contribute to a more sustainable environment. This study examines the influence of green growth, environmental taxes, and eco-innovations on carbon dioxide emissions in 26 environmentally responsive European Union (EU) countries from 2000 to 2020. The analysis was conducted using the second-generation panel unit root test, cross-sectional dependence, panel cointegration, and panel quantile regression. Theoretical and empirical research has demonstrated that both linear and non-linear green growth strategies are effective in reducing CO2 emissions. There is evidence that CO2 emissions can be reduced through the implementation of environmental taxes, eco-innovations, the use of renewable energy sources, and enhanced energy efficiency. In contrast, economic growth has a positive effect on carbon emissions, and its square term verifies the environmental Kuznets curve. Nevertheless, our research findings provide empirical support for the hypothesis that sustainable development contributes to the maintenance of stringent environmental standards. For the sampled countries, the study's findings have significant policy implications. These results encourage governments to prioritize green growth over traditional economic growth and to encourage eco-innovations in renewable energy technology.

İnsan Hakları Ekonomik Büyümeyi Artırır mı? Gelişmekte Olan Ülkelerden Panel Kanıt

This study attempts to examine the impact of human rights and economic growth by utilizing two measures of economic growth for developing countries and an unbalanced data spanning from 1961-2017. The hypothesis of the study asserts that improvement in human right protection score increases economic growth in an economy. Firstly I conducted panel unit root test to see if the variables are stationary. After verifying the stationarity of variables at levels (i.e., I(0)) based on panel unit root tests, empirical estimations were conducted without the fear of potential spurious regression problem. According to the estimation results, in parallel to prior expectations, positive statistically significant effect on economic growth was identified for the variables of human right protection, physical capital investment, education investment, openness whereas negative statistically significant effect on economic growth was identified for the variable of inflation in all models estimated. Estimation results indicate that countries trying to reach to higher economic growth, besides the other determinants of economic growth, must pay attention to human right protection and implement policies that prioritizing human right protection.

Empirical evidence from a few selected emerging economies on the impact of governance and health spending on health outcomes

Background: Adverse effects of weak governance on health, is a serious policy subject matter for policymakers, health experts, and researchers. Therefore, this study examines the effect of governance and health expenditure on under-five and adult mortality in emerging economies between 2000 and 2016. Methods: Employing data from World Bank World Development Indicators, the study applied panel procedures namely cross-sectional dependence test, Westerlund cointegration, and cross-section augmented Dickey-Fuller (CADF) panel unit root test that can deal with the effects of cross-sections in the series. The study examined the long-run relationship between governance and health outcomes by using the panel fully modified least squares (FMOLS) and the fixed effects model for a robust check. Results: The Westerlund cointegration confirmed that the variables are cointegrated. The panel fully modified least squares (FMOLS) and the fixed effects estimation results show that poor governance (corruption) induces adult mortality in most of the panels. However, good governance (political stability) reduces mortality among children under five and adults in all four panels. Conclusion: The study supports the hypothesis that governance has inordinate consequences on under-five and adult mortality and therefore it has a huge impact on the health outlook of a population. The findings indicate that health expenditure and urbanization affect health outcomes in lower, upper, and high-income countries in changing economies. Different policy implications are therefore offered based on the study outcome.

How to lead on carbon neutrality through sustainable development: A perspective on renewable energy, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), and logistics networks.

In the face of intensifying climate change-induced environmental problems, understanding the causal relationship between carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and socioeconomic factors is crucial for achieving sustainable development. This study investigates how the causal relationships between renewable energy, information and communication technology (ICT), logistics networks, economic growth, industrialization, and energy intensity impact sustainable development using a panel dataset drawn from 104 countries and covering 2006 to 2019. Methodologically, panel unit root, panel co-integration, and Granger causality tests are employed as robust econometric techniques. The results of the panel unit root and co-integration tests confirm the stationarity of the variables and reveal significant long-term relationships among them throughout the empirical analysis period. Notably, the panel FMOLS and DOLS estimates indicate a positive effect of RE and ICT on reducing CO2 emissions, whereas GDP and energy intensity have a negative impact on CO2 emissions reduction. Moreover, the pairwise Granger causality test findings indicate bidirectional causal relationships between RE and CO2, IND and CO2, ICT and RE, IND and RE, GDP and ICT, as well as IND and ICT. The study recommends providing policy support, including for technological development and innovation, towards establishing a system that fosters sustainable development.

Does fish production influence the GDP and food security in Gulf Cooperation Council countries? Evidence from the dynamic panel data analysis

The significance of fish production in human life has been proven in terms of food security as well as in increasing fishery income and economic growth. This study investigates the model of the long-run connection between marine fish production, economic growth, and food security. The study applies an annual panel data set comprising six Gulf Cooperation Council countries, covering the sample period 2000–2019. We have selected marine fish production as most of the fish production in the Gulf region is originated from marine sources with broad geographic distribution and better accessibility of marine fish production data. Testing the recently developed panel unit root tests, cointegration test, and the heterogeneous dynamic panel data named as a mean group, pooled mean group, and dynamic fixed effect estimation techniques on cross-country panel data, the result confirms the theoretical hypothesis of a positive relationship between fish export and GDP and fish import and food security. The Hausman tests suggest that the pooled mean group results are the appropriate ones. Further studies need to re-investigate the potential of fish production in explaining the economic growth and food security to meet the fast-growing population in Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

Financial Integration, Trade Integration and Economic Growth in the East African Community

This study sought to investigate the influence of macroeconomic volatility and trade integration on the relationship between financial integration and economic growth in the EAC member states. Specifically, the study aimed at determining the influence of trade integration on the relationship between financial integration and economic growth in the EAC. To achieve this objective, the following hypothesis was developed: There is no significant intervening effect of trade integration on the relationship between financial integration and economic growth. The study adopted a positivistic research philosophy and casual research design. Diagnostic tests were carried out to meet the requirements for conducting correlation and regression analysis on panel data. These include; Multicollinearity tests, Im- Pesaran-Shit Test (IPS) panel unit root test and Hausman test for fixed effects and random effects models. Descriptive statistics such as the mean, standard deviation, coefficient of variation as well as correlation analysis were conducted as the preliminary statistical analysis. Generalized-two stage least squares instrumental variable regression model (G2SLSIV) was then conducted to test the hypotheses. The findings of the study showed that: there is no significant intervening effect of trade integration on the relationship between financial integration and economic growth. These findings contribute to knowledge in the sense that, the positive and significant correlation between financial integration and economic growth confirms that, an increase in gross capital flows is accompanied by increase in economic growth. It also contributes to knowledge by revealing that, financial deepening contributes positively to financial integration which further contributes to accelerating economic growth. Therefore, the study is useful to the governments of respective member states in formulating policies aimed at achieving similarity in economic structures and ensuring the quality .....

Energy-growth nexus for ‘Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index’ countries: Evidence from new econometric methods

This study explores the connections between renewable energy consumption (REC), non-renewable energy consumption (NREC), gross fixed capital formation (GFCF), the labor force (LF), and economic growth (GDP) in Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index (RECAI) countries for 1991–2016. We quantify the nexus between REC, NREC, and GDP while utilizing a production model framework and including the measures of labor and capital, for suggesting a phase-wise strategy to attain the sustainable development goals. We use robust methodologies including Lagrange Multiplier (LM) panel unit root tests with trend shifts, Westerlund cointegration test, LM bootstrap technique for cointegration with breaks, continuously updated fully modified (CUP-FM) and continuously updated bias-corrected (CUP-BC) estimators, Augmented Mean Group (AMG) approach, fully modified ordinary least squares, dynamic ordinary least squares, Canonical Cointegrating Regression (CCR), and panel causality test proposed by Canning & Pedroni. We compute non-parametric time-varying coefficients with fixed effects for seeing the impact of GFCF, LF, REC, and NREC on GDP. Our results press upon policymakers to shift toward clean energy and REC for attaining the environmental goals (SDGs 6, 7, 13, and 15) and the economic goals (SDGs 1, 2, 8, and 10). While this shift would help developed economies, which have already attained the economic goals, to progress on the front of environmental goals, it would enable developing countries to progress on both fronts in a balanced manner.

An investigation on the causality link between renewable energy consumption and economic growth in selected Euro-Area countries

ABSTRACT Our paper analyzes the causality link between renewable energy consumption and economic growth in selected Euro-Area countries. We conduct our analysis for Austria, Belgium, Finland, Germany, Spain, Italy, Portugal, and the Netherlands in the period from 1990 to 2020 by employing a recent panel causality test that takes structural breaks into account. First, we examine the stationary characteristics of data by employing a panel unit root test proposed by Bahmani-Oskooee (2014). In the second stage, we use the panel Fourier Toda Yamamoto (PFTY) test proposed by Yilanci and Gorus (2020). We find a one-way causal link between economic growth and renewable energy consumption for the panel supporting the evidence of the validity of the conservative hypothesis. Similarly, there are one-way causality runs from economic growth to renewable energy consumption in Spain, Italy, and Netherlands. Furthermore, there is a one-way causality run from renewable energy consumption to economic growth only in Finland supporting the evidence of the validity of the growth hypothesis. Nevertheless, we could not find any causality connection between renewable energy consumption and economic growth for the panel and also for Austria, Belgium, Germany, and Portugal on a country basis, thus supporting the evidence of the validity of the neutrality hypothesis.

Debt-Equity Variations and Determinants: Empirical Study of Quoted Firms in Nigeria

This study investigates debt-equity variations and determinants with reference to quoted firms in Nigeria for the period 2009 to 2018. The major objective of the study is to ascertain the factors that influence the change in debt-equity. The data used is from fifteen listed firms in Nigeria, Preliminary analysis showed that income volatility, interest payment, asset tangibility, firm size and non-debt tax shield have high correlation with change in debt-equity ratio. All the independent variables are positively related to change in debt-equity ratio except income volatility. The panel unit root test showed that the data were all stationary at first differencing. The major findings indicated a positive and significant relationship between asset tangibility, firm size and change in debt-equity ratio of the selected firms. Interest payment and non-debt tax shield increased change in debt-equity ratio but insignificant, while income volatility showed a negative and insignificant effect on change in debt-equity ratio. The study recommends the need for quoted firms in Nigeria to provide quality management in various areas of the businesses activities to ensure the stability of income, without which can cause numerous business.

Carbon dioxide emissions and the Environmental Kuznets Curve: evidence from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

We examined the relationship of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions with real per capita GDP and energy consumption in the ASEAN region using panel data from 1960 to 2021. We employed various panel unit root tests (IPS, Fisher-ADF, Fisher-PP) and panel cointegration tests (Kao and Pedroni). We find robust empirical evidence supporting the validity of the Environmental Kuznets Curve hypothesis, suggesting the existence of a per capita income turning point (approximately USD 4,808.85) where CO2 emissions and real income begin to decouple. This suggests the presence of an environmentally sustainable economic growth path beyond this threshold. The study highlights the importance of a reduction of fossil fuel use and the adoption of coordinated strategic plans among ASEAN member states to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.