Sustainable Employment Research Articles

Determining the effect levels of augmented decent work criteria in sustainable economic development with the fuzzy DEMATEL method

Creating decent work is among the priority issues for sustainable employment and development. This study aimed to determine the effect levels of the International Labour Organization (ILO) decent work criteria by augmenting nine indicators in the ILO manual to 12 criteria through a comprehensive literature review. Fuzzy DEMATEL, a multi-criteria decision-making method, has been preferred in this context. According to the analysis results of the study, the most heavily ranked criteria are ‘healthy workplace environment’, ‘decent working hours’ and ‘safe working conditions’ respectively, which contribute to the decent work concept. Further, ‘balance between work–family–personal life’ has been found the most affected criterion, while ‘education and training system’ has been the most affecting. Based on the findings, remedial and developing strategies are suggested on issues such as corporate culture, working hours regulation, safe working environment, subordinate–superior relations, social activities and regulations that take family life into account.

Innovative approaches to measuring and promoting employee vitality and sustainable employability

Abstract Background Employers find it difficult to develop interventions for vitality and sustainable employability (SE), particularly for employees in low-skilled jobs. Measures based on the employee perspective on SE that would give direction to interventions fall short, and effective programs to improve vitality and SE in this group are lacking. This study aims (1) to get insight into the effect and implementation of an innovative organizational, dialogue-based approach ‘Healthy HR’ (HHR)* to promote job control and SE, and (2) to refine and further validate the Maastricht Instrument for SE (MAISE)-Easy (an HHR tool for needs assessment). Methods (1) An effect evaluation with a pretest-posttest design with a 1 year follow up (N = 71), and a mixed-methods process evaluation were conducted. Data were collected using questionnaires, interviews with employees and employers (N = 26), focus groups (N = 4) and logbooks. (2) A questionnaire containing the MAISE-Easy-items, proxy variables (health and vitality) and demographics was answered by 1223 employees from 7 organizations. Construct validity, reliability and criterion validity were tested through PCA, CFA, Cronbach’s alpha and correlations. Results (1) A higher dose of HHR resulted in better job control and SE (n.s.). HHR had a positive impact on the awareness level of vitality and healthy workplaces of all stakeholders. (2) Reliability, construct and criterion validity of the MAISE-Easy were good, and MAISE-Easy 2.0 was constructed. This tool consists of 8 scales and 20 items divided over 4 areas: (1) Level of SE; (2) Factors affecting my SE; (3) Overall responsibility for SE; and (4) Responsibility for factors affecting my SE. Conclusions MAISE-Easy 2.0 is a valuable, valid and reliable tool in HHR which serves as a needs assessment for SE interventions. The innovative participatory approach HHR can improve job control and SE of employees in low-skilled jobs by giving them an active voice. *doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-11278-7 Key messages • Healthy HR (HHR) is an effective, organisational dialogue-based approach (online toolkit) to promote job control, vitality and sustainable employability (SE) of employees in low-skilled jobs. • MAISE-Easy-2.0 (Maastricht Instrument for SE) is a new and thoroughly validated HHR tool for needs assessment, which measures SE and the responsibility for SE from the employee perspective.

Wellbeing, career satisfaction, and educational requirements in healthcare assistants in Ireland

Abstract Background The long-term residential care (LTRC) sector in Ireland relies heavily on Health Care Assistants and Carers (HCAs). This workforce has become increasingly diverse in recent years, often relying on non-national temporary workers with varying levels of education. In 2022, of 22,495 HCAs and 5,289 Healthcare Support Assistants working in 563 nursing homes caring for some 30,000 residents, 22% were non-national. Their plight became evident during COVID-19 which had profound consequences in the LTRC sector. Objectives In this study, we investigate the recruitment, training, employment terms and conditions of HCAs in Ireland, as well as their general well-being and career satisfaction. Methods A cross-sectional study of members of ‘Care Assistance Ireland’, for which ethics approval was granted for an estimated sample of 1,052, is conducted. Validated instruments used are: the Maastricht Instrument for Sustainable Employability (MAISE); Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES); General Wellbeing Schedule (GWBS) and Minnesota Career Satisfaction Survey (MCSS). Results The internal consistency reliability (Cronbach’s alpha) of GWBS and MCSS instruments were high. The response rate in the selected sample is estimated circa 60%, the majority being female and qualified. General well-being status will be investigated once all responses are submitted. Spearman correlation is predicated to show moderate to strong positive correlations (0.2-0.9) for all GWBS and MCSS questionnaires questions. While MAISE and UWES are still under investigation. It is predicted that there is variability in the requirements for, and terms and conditions of, employment among HCAs in Ireland, while job security remains a concern. Conclusions These findings reinforce the importance of ensuring standards for recruitment, training, job security and well-being for the LRTC workforce. The lack of educational requirements for HCAs in some settings is a critical consideration. Key messages • Findings will impel a more agreeable, consistent entry award in the healthcare system. • It profiles career needs of HCAs outlining the long-term shortfalls preventable with health policy enactments.

The show must go on: fostering residents’ sustainable employability in medical education – a qualitative exploration of the Resident Leadership Program

BackgroundResidents’ sustainable employability (SE) is threatened by high burn-out rates, sleep deficits, and career dissatisfaction. Medical education may contribute to residents’ SE by providing them with opportunities to influence their employment contexts and to develop conscious self-regulation. This paper explores how residents, participating in the Resident Leadership Program (RLP), are enabled to work on, and learn about, their SE.MethodsThe RLP took place between February and July 2021 and consisted of lectures on, and practice in, quality improvement (QI) work. SE was the theme that governed residents’ QI projects. In this study, residents were interviewed individually before the program (n = 8), were observed while participating in the program (45 h) and were interviewed in three groups after the program (n = 8). The data were analysed in accordance with the ‘flexible-coding’ method.ResultsThe findings are presented in four ‘acts’ mirroring an unfolding play as a metaphor to show how residents’ understanding of context, self-regulations, and quality improvement work—relevant to their SE—changed in the RLP. The acts include ‘setting the stage’, describing how residents experienced the context of medicine; ‘acting the part’, depicting how residents managed their employment contexts using self-regulation; ‘changing the décor’, elaborating on residents’ QI projects; and ‘growing one’s role’, presenting residents’ take-aways from participating in the RLP that may benefit their SE. These take-aways encompassed awareness of the importance of SE, a reconsideration and/or adjustment of self-regulation, feeling better equipped to navigate employment contexts, and increased joy in work because of contributing to peers’ SE through QI work.ConclusionsOur results indicate that medical education is a fruitful environment for providing important lessons and tools for residents to work on and learn about their SE, likely benefiting their SE throughout their careers.

Transplantation: A Priority in the Healthcare Agenda.

In November 2023, in the context of the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the Organization National de Transplante organized a global summit discussing global action in transplantation for the next decade. This article reports the recommendations supporting the need to prioritize transplantation in healthcare systems. The working group investigated how transplantation addresses noncommunicable disease mortality, particularly related to kidney and liver disease. They also investigated how transplantation can contribute to the achievement of several of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, especially Goal 3 (good health and well-being), Goal 8 (sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth and employment for all), and Goal 13 (combat climate change and its impact). By prioritizing transplantation, the increased availability and accessibility of life-saving organs and tissues to the public will not only lead to saving more lives and improving health outcomes for individual patients but also contribute to the development of a resilient health system in general in that country as a consequence of developing the infrastructure required for transplantation. The ethical principles associated with transplantation promote the principles of solidarity in society by fostering the donation process and equity in access to therapy. This article aims to advocate for the widespread availability of solid organ, tissue, and cell transplantation for all patients.

Managing Financial Risks of Global Companies Through Corporate Social Responsibility: The Specifics of Sustainable Employment in Developed and Developing Countries

The motivation for this research was the desire to disclose the social nature of the financial risks of global companies: the authors attempted a scientific explanation of the influence of corporate social responsibility, which is manifested through the preservation and creation of additional jobs, on the financial risks of global companies. The research aims to establish the interdependence between financial risks and sustainable employment in global companies. This goal is achieved using the SEM (structural equation modeling) method based on corporate statistics from the Fortune “Global 500” rankings for 2021–2023. As a result, the consequences of global companies’ CSR (corporate social responsibility) practices in personnel management and financial risk management are modeled and described through quantitative and qualitative patterns. The established regularities proved that for developed and developing countries, the larger the number of employees, the lower the financial risks of global companies—the risk of a decrease in profitability, the risk of loss of profit, and the risk of depreciation of assets. The main conclusion is that there is a close systemic relationship between the financial risks of global companies and their workforce size, suggesting that CSR is key to highly effective financial risk management. A clear distinction between the practices of financial risk management through CSR in developed and developing countries forms the basis of the theoretical significance of the research results. The authors provide recommendations to improve the current practice of financial risk management in global companies by integrating it more closely with personnel management practices, highlighting their managerial relevance. It is proposed that corporate strategies for global companies in developed countries should focus on reducing the risk of declining profitability, as CSR has the most pronounced and consistent impact on this particular financial risk. In developing countries, corporate strategies are recommended to be structured by diversifying the areas of CSR application, with the most promising in financial risk management being the reduction in asset depreciation risk and the reduction in profitability risk. The findings of this research have practical significance because they enhance the predictability of CSR activities of global companies and open up opportunities for highly accurate forecasting of the financial risk implications of ensuring sustainable employment by global companies, considering the specificities of developed and developing countries.

Sustainable development in African countries: evidence from the impacts of education and poverty ratio

This paper uses the autoregressive-distributed lag model to investigate the effects of education, poverty, trade volume, ICT development, and GDP per capita on sustainability in the 15 largest African economies from 1999 to 2019. The results show a positive correlation between higher tertiary education rates and sustainability, emphasizing the importance of investing in education for sustainable development. In contrast, higher poverty rates are linked to lower sustainability, highlighting the need for poverty reduction efforts. Increased trade volumes are associated with reduced sustainability, indicating the challenges of trade liberalization policies in achieving sustainability goals. However, ICT development has a significant positive impact on sustainability. Interestingly, higher GDP per capita is linked to lower sustainability, potentially due to unsustainable consumption patterns and social inequalities. Policy recommendations for promoting sustainable development in African countries include targeted measures focusing on education and poverty reduction. Gender-friendly policies and initiatives to eliminate educational disparities, especially among marginalized groups, can enhance human capital development. Additionally, promoting e-businesses and sustainable entrepreneurship, along with attracting foreign investment for sustainable education and employment initiatives, can drive economic growth while minimizing environmental impact and fostering inclusive development.

Relationship between Agriculture Growth and the Unemployment Rate in Iraq (1991–2022)

Purpose: The objective of this study is to analyze the relationship between agriculture development and unemployment rate for the period of 1991-2-2022 in Iraq. Theoretical framework: In the context of agricultural employment, agriculture is recognised as a crucial component of economic advancement and emphasises the significance of efficiently utilising all available resources, including human resources (Alsudani & Al-Hiyali, 2021). Moreover, the growth of agricultural and the unemployment rate have been used as two indicators to evaluate the significance of the agriculture sector(Jongerden et al., 2019). Design/methodology/approach: In order to examine whether there exists a real correlation between unemployment rate and agriculture growth in Iraq, we utilize yearly secondary data and apply extensive methodology that includes unit root tests, correlation analysis, co-integration tests, and the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approach. Findings: the results of emperical examinations highlight a negative relationship between agricultural growth and the unemployment rate; that is, as agriculture growth increases, so does the unemployment rate decrease. Research, Practical & Social implications: The findings can provide insights for well-informed policy decisions and strategies to promote sustainable growth and employment generation in Iraq. In addition, for future research we suggest to include more macroeconomic variables in oreder to have intensive understanding real impacts of agriculture sector on economic growth and laboure force of countries. Originality/value: The results document that the connection between both agriculture development and unemployment rate is not positive, it means that unemployment rate will decrease if growth in agriculture increase.

Individual placement and support (IPS) – a time-out from modernity: an investigation on the relationship between IPS specialists and clients

ABSTRACT This study examines how evidence-based individual placement and support (IPS) interventions can be perceived to go beyond their constituent principles and fidelity scale to foster a relationship between IPS specialists and clients guided by three principles that promote deceleration and resonance, concepts put forward by Hartmut Rosa. This article is based on a case-study involving two municipalities in Denmark where the IPS method was implemented, resulting in high fidelity and good job outcomes. This study shows that when IPS specialists adhere to the IPS model, their relationship with their clients was seemingly guided by three values, namely, patience in securing sustainable employment, persistence in experimenting with employment and accepting and dealing with barriers to employment. These values originate from the evidence-based IPS approach and principles, but they can be interpreted to supplement the IPS model and form a professional practice. This practice promotes deceleration of social life as well as the immersion of clients in a resonant relationship with job opportunities, with their own mental health and with IPS specialists. The IPS intervention is in sharp contrast to the regular employment service wherein clients are pressured into taking jobs they do not want before they are ready to work. In this sense, the relationship IPS clients establish with IPS specialists is a time-out from modernity.

How Important are Employability Skills to Business Students?

Research has indicated that educational institutions and the job market are facing many challenges, one being the required employability skills of graduates upon recruitment. This study aimed to explore how important employability skills are to business students. The research method used a sample of 123 questionnaires and 20 interviews of business students from one Saudi Arabian university. The main findings indicated that the participants considered all the mentioned employability skills highly to very highly important according to the students’ academic year and choice of future job but with no significant differences. However, Sophomore year students indicated a high positive significant difference in considering leadership as the most important skill over their junior and senior year counterparts. The findings further indicated the communication and leadership skills of high importance which contradicts the findings in the literature where life-long learning, tolerance, and language skills are considered of high importance. Additionally, the interview responses showed insufficient knowledge on the part of the students to develop their own skills to meet the market needs and maintain sustainable employment. Implications of the present study show that there is a need for urgent collaboration between educational institutions and job markets to identify, orient, and train students in needed employability skills. Future research on matching stakeholders’ employability skills is recommended.

Organizational Transformation at Desa Berdaya Foundation (Lokadesa) through a Social Entrepreneurship Approach to Foster Local Entrepreneurs within the Framework of Achieving SDGs 8.3

Abstract Purpose: This study aims to explore the organizational transformation of the Desa Berdaya Foundation through a social entrepreneurship approach to foster local entrepreneurs contributing to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 8.3. The social entrepreneurship approach is deemed relevant to enhance the sustainability and social impact of the foundation in empowering village communities Research Methodology: This study employs a qualitative method that utilizes data collection techniques such as in-depth interviews, participatory observation, and document analysis. Results: The research findings indicate that organizational transformation at the Desa Berdaya Foundation involves four main stages: reframing, restructuring, revitalization, and renewal. In the reframing stage, the foundation adjusts its vision and mission to focus on the development of the food sector as key to economic empowerment in villages. The restructuring stage involves the reorganization of the organizational structure to be more efficient and effective in achieving new goals. Revitalization focuses on enhancing team competencies through intensive training and mentoring in the agricultural field. The renewal stage involves the adoption of an integrated farming system to improve productivity and resource efficiency. This transformation has proven to be successful in creating an environment that supports the growth of local entrepreneurs. The improvement in competencies and strategic adjustments of the foundation have increased economic independence in the villages, aligning with SDGs 8.3, which focuses on promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all. Recommendation: The research recommends ongoing evaluation of the implemented transformation strategies and strengthening partnerships with various stakeholders to achieve a broader social impact. This study contributes significantly to the literature on social entrepreneurship and non-profit organizational management in the context of village community empowerment.

How Can Revitalizing Traditional Handicraft And Cottage Industries In Rural India Contribute To Sustainable Economic Growth And Employment Generation In The 21st Century?

There exists tremendous potential for the growth of sustainable economic growth and employment generation in the traditional handicraft and cottage industry of rural India. Although these industrial activities are of cultural importance and have collectively contributed to local economies, they are disappearing as a result of rapid industrialization, globalization, and competition from mass production. This research investigates how these sectors can be revitalized to help India achieve sustainable development in the 21st century, by creating employment, reducing poverty, and preserving cultural heritage. This study draws on statistical data, case studies, and successful global examples to identify key barriers including lack of infrastructure, marketing challenges, lack of access to finance, and competition from mass-produced goods. It also provides strategies to cope with these challenges such as skill development, opening up of microcredit access, market diversification, export promotion, and regulatory reforms. The research shows that government policies play a critical role in subsidizing and incentivizing, promoting geographical indications for handicrafts, and simplifying business regulations. It encourages inclusive entrepreneurship in rural areas, empowering artisans and entrepreneurs (women and youth), along with creatively co-creating livelihood and business opportunities. Revitalizing traditional industries can help achieve multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as decent work, economic growth, and responsible consumption and production, according to the findings. This study offers a roadmap for policymakers, entrepreneurs, and other stakeholders to enable the sustainable growth of traditional industries across the villages of rural India while maintaining economic growth and cultural preservation for long-term resilience and prosperity

Comparative Analysis of Sustainable Seafarers’ Employment and Welfare Systems in South Korea and China: Contemporary Issues and Improvements

Seafarers are recognized as essential workers responsible for maintaining the national logistics supply chain. This study analyzes the sustainable seafarers’ employment and welfare systems in South Korea and China using the comparative case study approach and presents relevant implications. In the era of the “New Normal” after the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, which is marked by hyper-personalization, seafarers have become increasingly resistant to acquiring maritime education and performing onboard duties. Even though South Korea has recognized seafarers as key agents of national economic growth, the participation of the new generation in the shipping industry has recently been declining. Meanwhile, China has been developing its shipping industry since the Deng Xiaoping reforms and fosters skilled seafarers by providing rigorous maritime education. However, both countries have been experiencing difficulties in ensuring the legal and social protection of seafarers; hence, the challenge of providing sustainable employment and welfare to seafarers remains. In conclusion, this study proposes the establishment of the “Asia Maritime Education, Employment, and Welfare Support Center” to support seafarers’ employment and welfare with the cooperation of other countries in the Asian region.

Relationship of Communication, Negotiation and Leadership on the Employee Performance for Sustainable Growth in Hotels

Objective: This research aims to investigate what soft skills affect the performance of employees at Hotels for their sustainable growth in China. Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 8, promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all. Theoretical Framework: The study’s underpinning theory was derived from the Lippman, Ryberg, Carney and Moore (2015) model of key softskills. Method: This study adopts convenience sampling and analyzes the data from 158 questionnaires distributed through SPSS. The analysis results will find out the more important and useful skills in hotels. This study was conducted at the Guizhou Province, China using online survey. Three soft skills of communication, negotiation, and leadership were tested to be positively correlated with the performance of hotel employees. Results and Discussion: This research also allowed us to identify which soft skills are most important to a team to enable the overall team to succeed. This research can provide a reference for the human resource management of hotels to plan the soft skill development training of employees. More and more companies realize that employees are one of the important factors for the company’s further development. If you want to develop better in the information age, you must have a group of outstanding employees. Therefore, the training plan to improve employee performance is a relatively important work in human resource management. Hard skills are just our visible professional and technical indicators, while soft skills are invisible indicators, and they are also a scale to measure a person's ability to handle things. Research Implications: Academic implication sees the use of Lippman et al (2015) model in underpin the variables related in the study of employee performance and soft skills. Practical implication include to emphasize the role of negotiation skills foe the employee performance. Originality/Value: This study provide insight on the role of negotiation skill in increasing the employee performance in the hospitality industry in China.

Personalized sleep and nutritional strategies to combat adverse effects of night shift work: a controlled intervention protocol

Abstract Background Working during the night interferes with the timing of normal daily activities and is associated with an increased risk of chronic diseases. Under controlled experimental conditions, interventions focusing on sleep and nutrition can mitigate the short-term adverse effects of shift work. However, it is unclear how these results translate to real-life, how they can be targeted to individual conditions, and how they relate to long-term health. Therefore, the current study aims to implement a personalized sleep and nutritional intervention among night shift workers in the field. Methods A non-blinded controlled intervention study is used, consisting of a run-in period, an intervention of 3 months, post-intervention measurements, and a follow-up after 12 months. Three study arms are included: sleep intervention, nutritional intervention, and control group (n = 25 each). Participants are healthy 18–60-year male night shift workers, with at least one year of experience in night shift work. Information from the run-in period will be used to personalize the interventions. The main outcomes are sleep measurements and continuous interstitial glucose levels. Furthermore, general health biomarkers and parameters will be determined to further evaluate effects on long-term health. Discussion This study aims to mitigate negative health consequences associated with night shift work by introducing two personalized preventive interventions. If proven effective, the personalized interventions may serve as practical solutions that can have a meaningful impact on the sustainable health and employability of night shift workers. This study will thereby contribute to the current need for high–quality data on preventative strategies for night shift work in a real-life context. Trial registration This trial has been registered under ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT06147089. Registered 27 November 2023.

Introduction of a guaranteed basic income as a probable consequence of intellctual automation of labor

Objective: to form a holistic view of the unconditional basic income as a tool of social protection, taking into account the changes in the labor sphere and allowing to solve a number of growing problems associated with the consequences of the economy digitalization, as well as to assess the prospects of creating legal regulation on this issue. Methods: the study was conducted using both general and specific scientific methods, including analysis and synthesis, formal-legal method, systemic and comparative approaches, methods of legal forecasting and legal modeling. Results: unconditional basic income can become one of the elements of a new model of social security based on the unstable nature of labor relations, which begins to prevail over the model of sustainable employment traditional for industrial society. If established, this institution will be cross-sectoral within the labor law and social security law, providing social protection simultaneously to all members of society, most of whom in the near future will face an increased risk of being absorbed by technological unemployment. Unconditional basic income as an element of the social protection system will have to comply with the principle of the universal nature of protection based on social solidarity, on the one hand, and to take into account the need to balance the interests of the parties, on the other hand. As experimental models of basic income, which can be put into practice in the coming years, we can name the model of basic income as a measure of social support for persons involved in atypical forms of employment. This model will affect a number of existing provisions of labor legislation and will allow over time, in case of technological unemployment, to expand the circle of unconditional basic income recipients to all people. Scientific novelty: it consists in the fact that the unconditional basic income is analyzed from the viewpoint of its compliance with the fundamental principles of labor, employment, and social security. Practical significance: it consists in revealing the significance of basic income for the implementation of social policy and in forming recommendations for modeling experiments to introduce the unconditional basic income in the Russian Federation.

Ambition, Marital Status, and Burnout: Insights from India’s Gig Economy for Sustainable Employment

This study investigates the link between personal ambition, marital status, and burnout among Indian gig professionals, focusing on how individual traits and life circumstances affect occupational stress. Through structured survey of diverse gig workers, the results reveal significant stress levels, with single individuals showing a stronger connection between ambition and burnout than their married peers. The research explores the crucial role of ambition in causing stress among gig workers and how marital status moderates this relationship. It challenges the conventional view of ambition as merely a motivational asset, highlighting its complex impact on professional stress. It calls for further research into ambition’s role in occupational stress and emphasizes the importance of inclusive policies. These findings support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), advocating for sustainable development and well-being for gig workers.

Teaching Zen and educational challenges in accounting in the context of the vision of Society 5

Purpose: The article presents the potential advantages of using Zen philosophy teaching techniques, specifically kōans, in the education of people professionally related to accounting in the context of educational challenges related to Era 5.0 (the vision of Society 5.0).Methodology/approach: A descriptive and critical analysis of the literature, followed by interpretation and explanation.Findings: The challenges facing accounting professionals in Era 5.0 necessitate a shift in their education. In addition to knowledge and technological skills, soft skills, especially cognitive ones, are crucial for accountants to serve as strategic and valuable human resources in organizations and society, thus contributing to the humanization of society and increasing the chances for sustainable employment. The article discusses the potential advantages of using kōans, practised by followers of Zen philosophy, to develop these cognitive skills.Research limitations/implications: The findings are based on a literature review and require verification through further research. Originality/value: The article presents a holistic approach to accounting education, presenting the possibility of using unusual educational techniques based on Zen meditation and studying koans instead of commonly used case studies and citing evidence of the effectiveness of such education. It demonstrates that accounting as a social science developed in a cultural environment and can benefit from diverse perspectives on reality.

Quantitative Analysis of Agricultural Programmes’ Effectiveness in Reducing Unemployment Rate in Nigeria

Unemployment remains a pressing issue in Nigeria, with a significant portion of its population unable to secure sustainable employment opportunities. In recent years, agricultural programmes have emerged as potential solutions to address the challenges of unemployment. This study explores the effectiveness of agricultural programmes in reducing unemployment rate in Nigeria. The agricultural sector in Nigeria holds immense potential for job creation, considering the country’s vast arable land, favourable climate, and agricultural resources. However, the sector has been underutilized and faced numerous challenges, leading to high unemployment rates. Agricultural programmes have garnered attention as they aim to revitalize the sector, promote sustainable farming practices, and create employment opportunities for the burgeoning youth population. Consequently, the paper examines the impact of key agricultural programmes such as the Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme (CACS), Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme (ACGS), Nigerian Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL), and FADAMA, introduced by successive Nigerian governments at various times in reducing the unemployment rate in the country. Some of these programme though new, are just a transmutation from older ones, with the operations remaining the same. These programmes have demonstrated positive impacts in several ways according to statistics; contributing to the diversification of the economy of Nigeria and reducing the country’s heavy reliance on oil revenue. The question is, how effective have these programmes been in reducing the unemployment rate? Therefore, the paper’s main objective was to analyse how successful these programmes have been in checking the problem. The study uses the Logit model to investigate the effectiveness of these key Agricultural programmes in curbing the unemployment rate in the country. Data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) were used in the analysis. The results reveal that, of the four prominent programmes introduced by the government based on participants employed, the Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme (CACS) had the likelihood or greater probability at reducing the unemployment rate in the country. The study, consequently, concludes that, subsequent programmes should be designed according to the operations and modus operandi of CACS and that other programmes should either be upgraded to CACS module or be scrapped since their impact on reducing unemployment is not felt.

Navigating Nepal’s Economic Growth and Carbon Emissions: Insights into the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC)

This research aims to employ the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) method within the insight into the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) to verify whether EKC exists in the Nepalese economy. In this research, variables were used, such as carbon emissions per capita, GDP per capita, energy use per capita, trade volume, and urbanization from 1980 to 2021, and the ARDL method was used. The data has been taken in this research except trade volume from the World Bank and the Ministry of Finance, Nepal. The data sets are converted into the natural logarithmic form to minimize the problem of heteroskedasticity. The findings provide compelling evidence for the existence of the EKC in Nepal, that economic growth has an inverted U-shaped impact on carbon emissions. In the early stages of development, economic growth leads to rising carbon emissions, but in the later stages, economic growth becomes associated with declining emissions. Besides economic growth, per capita energy consumption and urbanization emerge as significant drivers of carbon emissions. However, the trade volume is not found to be the driving factor of carbon emissions. The findings of this study have significant policy implications for global climate change issues and Nepal’s transition from an underdeveloped to a developing nation. To achieve harmonious economic growth and emissions reduction, donor countries and agencies to partner with Nepal in its ambitious endeavors. This partnership can take shape through multifaceted support as fueling socio-economic progress that aligns with Nepal’s commitment to reduce carbon emissions, ensuring that development and sustainability walk together. This research recommends the government of Nepal electrify the transportation landscape by incentivizing the adoption of electric vehicles, paving the way for cleaner air and a healthier planet, empowering Nepal’s natural guardians by strengthening public and private forest programs, safeguarding invaluable ecosystems and biodiversity and curbing the tide of waste mismanagement through strict regulations and robust enforcement, transforming a potential threat into a source of innovation and resourcefulness. These measures, aligned with sustainable employment generation, can pave the way for a brighter and greener future for Nepal.