Welfare Research Articles

Cap-and-trade under a dual-channel setting in the presence of information asymmetry

Cap-and-trade, a widely used carbon regulation policy, encourages firms to adopt carbon abatement technologies to reduce emissions. Traditional supply-chain literature on this policy assumes symmetrical information, overlooking the fact that carbon abatement efforts and costs are often private and vary significantly across geographies, industries, and pollutants. In this paper we explore a dual-channel setting involving a manufacturer and a retailer, where the manufacturer, subject to cap-and-trade regulations, has undisclosed information about its carbon abatement costs. Our findings reveal that high abatement costs can paradoxically benefit the manufacturer, the environment, consumers, and overall social welfare. Our result also cautions that a higher carbon trading price (e.g., due to more ambitious emission reduction targets) can disincentivize the manufacturer from investing in carbon abatement. Moreover, a higher production cost, while resulting in lower market output, can increase pollution generation. We contribute the following to the practitioner debate about the impact of carbon policies: for an industry with a large market size, our findings lend support to governments to implement a cap-and-trade policy, because the manufacturer, customers and social welfare can be better off under a cap-and-trade policy than under a tax policy or no carbon policy. Additionally, we suggest that in such industries, governments need not enforce information transparency within the supply chain.

Can Social Security Bridge the Digital Divide-Induced Relative Poverty? Evidence from CFPS 2020

Digital inequality has emerged as a critical socioeconomic challenge in the era of rapid technological advancement, particularly in developing economies transitioning from absolute to relative poverty reduction. While extensive research has explored various dimensions of the digital divide, limited attention has been paid to its causal relationship with relative poverty and the potential mitigating role of social protection systems. This knowledge gap is particularly significant in China, where despite remarkable progress in poverty alleviation, the interplay between digital exclusion, social security, and relative poverty remains understudied. Herein, we employ a multi-method approach combining instrumental variable analysis, propensity score matching, and quantile regression using the China Family Panel Studies 2020 data to examine these relationships. Our findings reveal that the digital divide significantly increases the likelihood of relative poverty, with a one standard deviation increase in digital exclusion associated with a 5.3 percentage point higher probability of experiencing relative poverty. Notably, social security coverage moderates this relationship, reducing the marginal effect of digital exclusion by 0.65 percentage points for each additional social protection program. These results advance our understanding of technological inequality by demonstrating how institutional factors can mediate the relationship between digital exclusion and economic outcomes, while highlighting the need for integrated policy approaches that combine digital inclusion initiatives with enhanced social protection measures to address emerging forms of poverty in increasingly digitalized societies.

Generalized Social Marginal Welfare Weights Imply Inconsistent Comparisons of Tax Policies

This paper concerns Saez and Stantcheva’s (2016) generalized social marginal welfare weights, which aggregate losses and gains due to tax policies while incorporating nonutilitarian ethical considerations. The approach evaluates local tax changes without a global social objective. I show that local tax policy comparisons implicitly entail global comparisons. Moreover, whenever welfare weights do not have a utilitarian structure, these implied global comparisons are inconsistent. I argue that broader ethical values cannot in general be represented simply by modifying the weights placed on benefits to different people, and a more thoroughgoing modification of the utilitarian approach is required. (JEL D60, D63, D71, H21, H23, I31)

Kabiraj Laxman Mishra: A pioneer of Ayurveda and social welfare in Odisha

Abstract Kabiraj Laxman Mishra, a prominent figure in the field of Ayurveda in Odisha, India, dedicated his life to serving patients from low socio-economic backgrounds throughout the region. Born in January 1900 into a Brahmin family, he received his foundational education at Satyabadi Vana Vidyalaya, renowned for its emphasis on moral values and formal learning. He subsequently graduated from Ravenshaw College in Cuttack and began his career in the police department during British rule in Odisha. However, his profound passion for Ayurveda and his fascination with the healing properties of herbs used by tribal communities inspired him to explore and promote traditional herbal medicine for the benefit of ordinary individuals. After retiring from government service, Mishra authored several books in the Odia language addressing various ailments and their Ayurvedic remedies. He established his pharmacy to prepare medicines based on his extensive experience and tested herbal combinations. His legacy continues through his son, the late Kabiraj Ganesh Mishra, and his wife, Dr. Smt. Sailabala Devi, who currently provides treatment at their residence in Puri. In addition to his contributions to Ayurveda, Kabiraj Laxman Mishra played a significant administrative role within the Temple Administration of the Sri Jagannath Temple in Puri. He served as the President of the Governing Body Council of Gopabandhu Ayurveda Mahavidyalaya and as Chairperson of the Governing Body Council of Samanta Chandra Sekhar College of Puri. In recognition of his impactful work, he was awarded the title of Ayurveda Siromani in 1987 by the Nikhila Utkala Ayurveda Baidya Sammilani. A committed social worker, Mishra also organized free medical camps to provide essential healthcare services to individuals from low socio-economic backgrounds.

Community Forest Management and the Resilience of Karen Indigenous Knowledge in Northern Thailand.

This study investigates the resilience of indigenous knowledge in five Karen villages, located in Thailand's Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, and Lampang provinces, that have been recognized for best practices in community forest management (CFM). The CFM model was initiated by local communities to promote forest conservation and community engagement. Data on CFM practices, land-use rights, social networks, and indigenous knowledge were collected through 17 in-depth interviews and 5 focus group meetings. The findings include how these Karen communities have adopted payment for environmental services (PES) to fund conservation projects and social welfare. More specifically, PES generates social capital by facilitating coordination with stakeholders from the private sector, academia, and government. These social networks promote markets for local products and advocate for indigenous land-use rights. The PES model also serves as a tool whereby Indigenous Peoples can shape their identities as innovative forest guardians and legitimize their residence within the forest. Additionally, the study reports on how Karen people have diversified their livelihoods to include hosting academic tourism, handicrafts, and livestock, reducing their dependence on forest resources.

Zooming Out: Circular Economy Development in the European Union and its Implications on the Economy and Society

The concept of the circular economy has emerged as a response to the challenges posed by resource constraints, waste accumulation, and pollution, threatening both social welfare and business profitability. The circular economy aims for sustainable development, encompassing environmental quality, economic prosperity, and social equity across current and future generations. Despite its recognition as a pivotal solution, there needs to be more comprehensive understanding regarding its development and its economic and social impacts. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to investigate the progress of circular economy sectors in the European Union to get an overview of the circular economy advancements and discuss geographical economic and social effects. The focus is on the indicators of gross value added, private investments, and full-time employment within recycling, repair, and reuse sectors because these sectors provide good proxies for the circular economy activities in the European economy. Results suggest a linear growth of circular economy sectors across the European Union, albeit with variations among member states. The paper discusses the implications of circular economy transition on the economy and society, particularly on the labour market, skill demands, and technology integration, emphasising the need for a critical academic discourse. It questions assumptions about job creation and local employment, especially considering technological advancements that may reduce manual labour in recycling plants. Future research is invited to focus on these macro-level implications and critically reflect on the societal implications of a circular economy transition to shape a more fair and socially inclusive economy.

Consumer private data collection strategies for AI-enabled products

The increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance products and services has enabled personalized offerings and smarter functionalities through the analysis of consumer data. However, privacy concerns present significant challenges to the effective utilization and commercialization of AI-enabled products. To address these concerns, firms must carefully navigate consumer data privacy and develop appropriate data collection strategies to support future product intelligence, particularly with AI technologies like ChatGPT. This study examines two primary data collection approaches: the uniform policy strategy and the option menu strategy. A mathematical model is constructed to assess these strategies, considering factors such as information externalities and heterogeneous consumer privacy concerns. By comparing firm profits, consumer surplus, and social welfare under both strategies, the study finds that the option menu strategy becomes optimal when there are considerable differences in privacy concerns across consumer groups or when even smaller differences exist, but consumers place a high value on personalized services. These insights offer guidance to firms and policymakers in formulating appropriate data collection strategies for AI-enabled products.

The times, are they changing? Examining platform companies' chameleonic labour process as a response to the Spanish Rey Rider

Abstract This article investigates the effects of the Spanish initiative to deploy a universal presumption of employment relationship for all platform couriers (Ley Rider). Drawing from 36 semi-structured interviews and several non-participant observations in Spain, this article shows that the impact of this initiative has been positive but limited. The eradication of bogus self-employment is a positive development, as it allows workers to access safety nets such as social security and employment rights while preserving valued aspects of their employment model like flexible scheduling. However, this progress is undermined by the platforms' efforts to circumvent regulations through what we term a ‘chameleonic labour process’. Such chameleonic behaviour on the part of the platforms includes: outsourcing labour operations to other companies; maintaining the independent contractor model; and, condoning undocumented work. Despite some progress, workers continue to face insecurity and low wages across all platforms, albeit in varying degrees and in different forms.

THE ROLE OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF INTERNATIONAL LABOR MIGRANTS

This paper reviews the role and importance of international organisations in protecting international labour migrants' rights. Millions of people are crossing borders to seek employment, and the protection of their rights is essentially related to their fair treatment, social security, and access to justice in a foreign country. Key organisations, such as the International Labour Organization and the United Nations, have developed conventions, policies, and frameworks that would guide labor migrants for workplace conditions, social protection, legal assistance, and family reunification. This article examines the shifting landscape of labor migrant rights using international conventions and organizational activities, along with the problems involved in creating and implementing such protection for them across the world. Current works to adapt international standards to the heterogeneous requirements of labor migrants and reviews future strategies that will enhance these protections at a global level, are also given due consideration.

Mental health effects of government transfer payments in urban China—An empirical study based on CFPS panel data

BackgroundGovernment transfer payments play a crucial role in redistributing wealth and alleviating relative poverty. However, the mental health effects of government transfers remain to be explored. This study aims to explore the internal mechanisms of the mental health effects of government transfer payments by examining individuals' subjective evaluations and attitudes. MethodsBased on panel data from the 2016 and 2018 China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) urban sample composition (N = 6645), the PSM-DID model was used to investigate the mental health effects of government transfer payments. Based on the calculation of the PSM-DID model, this study examined the effects of social security satisfaction and subjective social status on the mental health effects of government transfer payments through the mediation model and moderation model. ResultsThe study found that, overall, receiving government transfer payments can significantly reduce the level of individual depression. In examining the mechanism linking government transfer payments and mental health, it was discovered that social security satisfaction partially mediates this relationship. Additionally, subjective social status was identified as a negative moderating factor in this relationship, meaning that the alleviating effect of government transfer payments on depression diminishes as subjective social status increases. ConclusionsTherefore, in future policy optimization, firstly, the size and scope of urban government transfer payments should be expanded to directly improve the living standards of recipients. Secondly, social security programs should be strengthened. Thirdly, implementing the targeted interventions to address disparities in subjective social status should be considered.

Policy Note: Special Taxes for Special Times? A Critical Analysis of Fiscal Crisis Responses with an Earmarking Feature in the Context of EU Law

Do special times require special taxes? The answer may not be the same from a legal, political, or economic perspective. One type of answer that legislators in Europe – both on the national and the supranational level – have given to the crises that make our times special are fiscal measures targeting extraordinary profits, revenues, or even assets while reserving the collected revenue for specific purposes. This article discusses the arguments for and against such earmarked crisis response measures in the context of their implications in the framework of EU law. It argues that specific earmarks may be attractive for reasons of political psychology such as health expenditure or inflation relief for households and firms. However, they may have unintended legal consequences by putting the respective measure into the scope of other legal regimes such as social security or banking regulation. The article contributes to the current debate about appropriate fiscal measures in times of crisis by pointing to examples of such direct and indirect interactions with primary or secondary EU law based on earmarking.

Judicial Activism and Comparative Analysis of Suo Motu Notices Taken by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar and Iftikhar Chaudhry

This research study explores the concept of judicial activism and conducts a comparative analysis of the Suo moto notices taken by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar and Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, two prominent Chief Justices of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. Judicial activism refers to the proactive role of the judiciary in addressing societal issues and promoting social justice, often through the use of suo moto notices, where the court takes cognizance of a matter on its own initiative, The comparative analysis has focused on the similarities and differences in the approach, scope, and impact of the suo moto notices taken by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar and Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry during their respective tenures. This research study has examined the key areas of intervention, such as human rights, governance, public welfare, and accountability, This study has utilized a qualitative research methodology, including a comprehensive review of relevant literature, case analysis, and comparative examination of the judicial decisions and outcomes, This research study found that excessive and miss use of Suo moto power has badly affected political system of the country, This research study recommends that judiciary should play a balance role in order to have in effective federal parliamentary democratic system in the country

Cost and cost-effectiveness of abstinence-contingent wage supplements for adults experiencing homelessness and alcohol use disorder

BackgroundAlcohol use disorder, unemployment, and risk of homelessness are linked and often co-occurring, but most interventions do not address both alcohol use disorder and unemployment. The Abstinence-Contingent Wage Supplement (ACWS) model of the Therapeutic Workplace offers participants stipends or wage supplements contingent on both their abstaining from alcohol and engaging with an employment specialist or working in a community job. Wearable biosensors continuously tracked alcohol use. Methods and dataThe study randomized participants to Usual Care (UC) (n = 57) and ACWS (n = 62). We used micro-costing methods to identify the resources and costs of the 6-month ACWS intervention. The study team tracked the cost of incentives for wearing biosensors, stipends, and wage supplements. We used 6-month cost and effectiveness data to calculate incremental cost-effectiveness ratios and cost-effectiveness acceptability curves. ResultsOver the 6-month study period, average intervention costs per participant were $7282, with contingent stipends and wage supplements accounting for 50 % of intervention costs. We also reported average per participant costs for healthcare (UC: $17,785; ACWS: $26,734), justice system (UC: $131; ACWS: $153), and public welfare (UC: $1107; ACWS: $1275). The incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) at 6 months were $80,911 for an additional participant abstinent, $3894 for an additional drinking free day, $22,756 for an additional participant employed, and $1514 for an additional day worked. ConclusionsThe ACWS intervention for adults with an alcohol use disorder and experiencing homelessness increased costs and improved alcohol use and employment outcomes compared with Usual Care. For policymakers seeking a solution to alcohol use and unemployment with populations experiencing homelessness, ACWS may be a cost-effective solution.

All-cause and cause-specific mortality risks in individuals with diabetes living alone: A large-scale population-based cohort study

AimsThe rise in one-person households is a global trend. We aimed to investigate mortality risk in individuals with diabetes living alone (IDLA) using a large-scale population-based database. MethodsA total of 2,447,557 adults with type 2 diabetes were identified from the Korean National Health Information Database. One-person households were defined based on the number of registered family members. The risks of all-cause and cause-specific mortalities were estimated using a multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression model. ResultsDuring a median follow-up period of 6.0 years, 191,084 deaths (7.8 %) occurred. IDLA had a higher risk of mortality compared to those not living alone after adjusting for potential confounders (HR 1.20, 95 % CI: 1.18–1.22). This association was more prominent in younger individuals, men, and those with low income, and it was dependent on the duration of living alone. The risks of cause-specific mortality were all significantly higher in the IDLA group compared with the non-IDLA group. Adherence to favorable lifestyle behaviors was associated with a significant reduction in all-cause mortality, particularly in IDLA. ConclusionsThe elevated risk of mortality in IDLA highlights the need for tailored medical interventions and social assistance, particularly for those with unhealthy lifestyles or low income.

Analysis of Factors Affecting the Effectiveness of Road Maintenance in Pidie Regency

Land transportation infrastructure as a medium of accessibility for various community needs that have an important role in economic growth, socio-cultural, political, and other factors of a region or area. In order for road infrastructure to function optimally in improving these factors, several important aspects need to be considered, including having user safety and comfort, environmentally friendly. Land transportation infrastructure is not only a means of mobility but also a tool to achieve better social and economic welfare for the entire community. Given the strategic role of land transportation infrastructure, namely roads, it is very necessary to have security and comfort values so that the efficiency and effectiveness of the infrastructure are indicators to be evaluated. The effectiveness and efficiency of roads are greatly influenced by many factors including road conditions and age, land use, social, economic and policy. community and related parties. The purpose of this study is to analyze the dominant factors that influence the effectiveness of road maintenance in Pidie district. This study uses a qualitative approach to analyze data obtained from respondents which are primary data and the use of SPSS as an analysis tool so that it becomes numerical. The results obtained for the instrument items used are reliable and trustworthy, this is based on the Cronbach's Alpha (CA) value obtained in the range of 0.50 to 0.70. Based on the results and discussions obtained, it can be concluded that all proposed instrument items provide a significant contribution to determining the effectiveness of road maintenance decisions in Pidie Regency with the highest influence instrument factors being economic instruments and road conditions. The coefficient value obtained for the two factors is 5.571 for the economic instrument and followed in second place, namely the road condition instrument item with a coefficient of 3.603.

Beyond breathalyzers: AI-powered speech analysis for alcohol intoxication detection

Detecting potential alcohol inebriation or intoxication status holds paramount significance for social prevention and security. Beyond its association with long-term health effects, alcohol consumption can lead to immediate consequences, including reduced control over one’s actions, with traffic fatalities representing one of the most tragic outcomes.This study leveraged the Alcohol Language corpus, involving 162 subjects recorded both in sober and inebriated states. Participants provided 60 speech samples while sober and 30 when intoxicated, all within a realistic car setting using head-mounted microphones. Our research endeavors encompassed comprehensive stratified statistical tests to examine the impact of alcohol consumption on speech production while uncovering the influence of covariates such as age, gender, and drinking habits.Additionally, we introduced a speaker-neutral machine learning algorithm, based on the Domain-Adversarial Neural Network architecture. This approach aimed to overcome challenges posed by individual differences that often complicate intoxicated speech analysis. Notably, our findings highlighted the effectiveness of features like the RASTA-filtered auditory spectrum. Nevertheless, the results from statistical tests emphasized the need for techniques that minimize inter-subject variability.As for the automatic classification, the proposed architecture exhibited promising results, yielding a classification accuracy slightly exceeding 70% on an independent test set. Although preliminary, our research demonstrates the potential for detecting alcohol-induced speech changes, benefiting societal well-being and security. It also underscores the importance of developing strategies that account for individual differences while harnessing the power of automatic models to effectively distinguish between sober and intoxicated individuals.

Performance evaluation of child welfare departments using Data Envelopment Analysis: A comparative study across US states

Public child welfare agencies play a pivotal role in safeguarding the well-being of children and thus, the future of our society. While the performance of child welfare agencies is of critical importance, limited previous research relying on operations research and advanced analytics appears to exist in the analysis of their performance. We conduct a multi-criteria analysis for benchmarking the performance of the United States child welfare system, using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to evaluate the performance of public child welfare agencies across different US states. We select as outputs various statewide data indicators from the Child and Family Services Review (CFSR), while our inputs include the total annual expenditure by each state on the child welfare system. We use clustering to differentiate agencies based on the presence of the “Alternative Response” policy, which provides for preventive and support options for families, and apply DEA to each homogenous cluster. We identify best-practice agencies and provide benchmarks for the remaining agencies to enhance their performance. Our study offers data-driven directions for child welfare agencies to improve safety and permanency outcomes for children.

Synergistic benefits of inclusive leadership to foster child welfare workers’ job self-efficacy: race matters

ABSTRACT With growing diversity in child welfare, inclusive leadership could improve child welfare workers’ performance with children and families. By analyzing survey data collected from 2469 public child welfare workers, we found that inclusive leadership was positively associated with job efficacy by increasing workers’ perceptions of an inclusive climate and empowerment. Furthermore, its positive effects were greater among workers of color than White workers. Findings suggest that inclusive leadership can function as an organizational mechanism to promote performance-related outcomes, especially among child welfare workers of color. This paper concludes with practical implications to encourage inclusive leadership and strengthen its synergistic benefits.

Multi-parametric Analysis for Mixed Integer Linear Programming: An Application to Transmission Upgrade and Congestion Management

Upgrading the capacity of existing transmission lines is essential for meeting the growing energy demands, facilitating the integration of renewable energy, and ensuring the security of the transmission system. This study focuses on the selection of lines whose capacities and by how much should be expanded from the perspective of the Independent System Operators (ISOs) to minimize the total system cost. We employ advanced multi-parametric programming and an enhanced branch-and-bound algorithm to address complex mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) problems, considering multi-period time constraints and physical limitations of generators and transmission lines. To characterize the various decisions in transmission expansion, we model the increased capacity of existing lines as parameters within a specified range. This study first relaxes the binary variables to continuous variables and applies the Lagrange method and Karush-Kuhn-Tucker (KKT) conditions to obtain optimal solutions and identify critical regions associated with active and inactive constraints. Moreover, we extend the traditional branch-and-bound (B&B) method by determining the problem’s upper and lower bounds at each node of the B&B decision tree, helping to manage computational challenges in large-scale MILP problems. We compare the difference between the upper and lower bounds to obtain an approximate optimal solution within the decision-makers’ tolerable error range. In addition, the first derivative of the objective function on the parameters of each line is used to inform the selection of lines for easing congestion and maximizing social welfare. Finally, the capacity upgrades are selected by weighing the reductions in system costs against the expense of upgrading line capacities. The findings are supported by numerical simulations and provide transmission-line planners with decision-making guidance.

Teachers’ Perception of Corrupt Practices at Teaching Service Commission in Nigeria

Corruption is a global problem that has affected education in Africa and Nigeria, affecting the system’s efficiency. Two research questions guided this study. This study explored teachers’ perception of corrupt practices in the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) in Nigeria with particular reference to Ekiti state. A descriptive research design and a quantitative approach were adopted. Random sampling technique was used in this study and 180 participants were selected for this study. The study participants were given a questionnaire known as the Perceived Corrupt Practices Questionnaire (PCPQ) to obtain the views of the participants. The data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics and percentages. The findings revealed many forms of corruption in the Ekiti State Teachers Service of Nigeria, including collecting official documents, bribery for admission to public schools and access preferences. Teachers also believe that corruption in the Board of Education is responsible for destroying social welfare and poor educational achievement in Nigeria. It was concluded that corruption reduces the resources available to schools, limits access to education, and reduces the quality of services in the state.