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on MENA - Middle East and North Africa |
| By: | Bakari, Sayef |
| Abstract: | The aim of this paper is to study empirically the impact of agricultural raw materials imports on agricultural growth since it never done before. We have made this study in the context of three countries from North Africa (Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt) for the period 1965 – 2016. By using cointegration analysis and vector error correction model, empirical analysis proves that agricultural raw materials imports produce a positive effect on agricultural growth in the long run for all the three countries and cause agricultural growth in the short run in the case of Tunisia and Egypt. It is seen that agricultural raw materials imports are a source of economic growth in the agricultural sector. For this reason, countries of North Africa should adopt to integrate foreign technology imports and not technological innovation to stimulate agricultural sector. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural Raw Materials Imports, Agricultural Growth, VECM, North Africa. |
| JEL: | F11 F13 F14 F15 L66 O47 O55 Q16 Q17 Q18 |
| Date: | 2018–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:89056&r=ara |
| By: | Bakari, Sayef |
| Abstract: | The aim of this paper is to study empirically the impact of agricultural raw materials imports on agricultural growth since it never done before. We have made this study in the context of three countries from North Africa (Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt) for the period 1965 – 2016. By using cointegration analysis and vector error correction model, empirical analysis proves that agricultural raw materials imports produce a positive effect on agricultural growth in the long run for all the three countries and cause agricultural growth in the short run in the case of Tunisia and Egypt. It is seen that agricultural raw materials imports are a source of economic growth in the agricultural sector. For this reason, countries of North Africa should adopt to integrate foreign technology imports and not technological innovation to stimulate agricultural sector. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural Raw Materials Imports, Agricultural Growth, VECM, North Africa. |
| JEL: | F11 F13 F14 F15 L66 O47 O55 Q16 Q17 Q18 |
| Date: | 2018–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:89054&r=ara |
| By: | Mehmet Basar (Anadolu University) |
| Abstract: | Today, as a result of the knowledge economy, universities are focusing more on creating commercial knowledge along with their primary tasks ? education and research. Increasing demand for university-industry collaboration, universities? new roles in the economic development through technology transfer, and commercialization of knowledge are among the major factors that lead to concepts such as ?entrepreneurial university? and ?academic entrepreneur?. Academic entrepreneurship is actually a wider concept that covers all the efforts and activities toward the commercialization of the scientific research outputs of the universities and their industrial partners.In Turkey, Supreme Council for Science and Technology supports academic entrepreneurship activities and encourages potential academic entrepreneurs through various support mechanisms. However, there are many problems that academic entrepreneurs encounter and this study aims to discuss possible solutions for these problems and obstacles. |
| Keywords: | Entrepreneurial University, Academic Entrepreneur |
| JEL: | L26 L31 I00 |
| Date: | 2018–06 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:sek:iacpro:6409288&r=ara |
| By: | Abdelaziz, Fatma; Breisinger, Clemens |
| Abstract: | While conflict hinders growth in One MENA, GDP growth in the Other MENA is depressed by the effect of neighbouring conflicts and fluctuating oil prices. Thus economic growth rates are too low to cause a swift reduction in youth unemployment. A breakthrough could occur if MENA countries not affected by conflict achieved pursued reforms and achieved significant increments in GDP. Other MENA countries should implement structural reforms that attract FDI and that encourage export-led growth that can boost employment prospects for both locals and refugees. The international community should increase its support to Other MENA countries, including those that are hosting refugees. |
| Date: | 2018 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:pegnpb:132018&r=ara |
| By: | B. Tugberk Tosunoglu (Anadolu University) |
| Abstract: | This study aims to analyze the relationship between financial stability and economic growth in Turkey as an emerging market. Financial stability, in general terms, is expressed as the resilience of the economy against the unexpected situations that may disrupt the multi-dimensional equilibrium in the financial system. Although a large number of studies have examined the effect of financial deepening on economic growth, there is a little evidence on the effect of financial stability or soundness on economic growth. A present study considering the 2002 ? 2017 period which covers the implementation of inflation targeting monetary policy regime analyses the short and long-run dynamics of financial stability ? economic growth relationship by using co-integration and ARDL techniques. Obtained results show that a steadily functioning financial system is a requirement for economic growth. In particular, financial leverage, capital adequacy, asset quality, and liquidity are important components of financial stability affecting the economic growth. Thus, formulating the efficient policies to support economic growth requires understanding the factors that affect financial stability. |
| Keywords: | Economic Growth, Financial Stability |
| JEL: | F43 E44 E00 |
| Date: | 2018–06 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:sek:iacpro:6409266&r=ara |
| By: | Fatmeh Ja'far (Amman Arab University); Shatha Al-Ajeely (Amman Arab University) |
| Abstract: | This study investigated the cultural diversity values embedded in children?s stories of the age 8-12 years in the Arab World presented by the characters of the stories, taking Jordan as a case study. The following questions were raised: 1- What are the cultural diversity values embedded in children stories for the age of 8-12 years? 2- What are the characters in children stories in terms of gender (male ? female), age (child-adult-old), and types (human-animal) that represented these values? Thirty three stories were chosen and analyzed using a developed checklist of the cultural diversity values, and Child, Potter & Levine (1971) classification of characters. Findings revealed that the cultural diversity values in children?s stories were not sufficient as they should be according to the used scale. |
| Keywords: | Cultural diversity, values, children?s literature. |
| JEL: | A29 I29 Z19 |
| Date: | 2018–06 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:sek:iacpro:7208523&r=ara |
| By: | Ozturk, Ahmet (Turkish Ministry of Development); Tumen, Semih (TED University) |
| Abstract: | 1970s witnessed violent, widespread, and highly-politicized student protests in Turkey. Small protests turned into bloody street clashes, the death toll exceeded 5,000, and a military coup came in - which resulted in mass arrests. Universities were at the center of the conflict and violence. We present a comprehensive empirical analysis of the education and labor market consequences of this political turmoil on cohorts directly exposed to educational disruptions. First, we document that the number of new admissions and graduates in post-secondary education declined significantly due to the turmoil. We report the decline in post-secondary graduation ratio to be around 6.6-7 percentage points for the exposed individuals. Second, we estimate a counterfactual wage distribution for the exposed cohorts using semi-parametric methods and check whether the turmoil affected the wage and occupation distributions. We find that the decline in educational attainment due to the turmoil pushed the exposed population toward medium- and low-income occupations, and compressed their wages toward the minimum wage. Finally, we use the unexpected decline in educational attainment as an IV to estimate returns to schooling. Our IV estimates suggest that the returns to an additional year of schooling range between 11.6-14 percent for men. In a heterogeneous-outcome framework, these IV estimates can be interpreted as the average causal effect of an additional year of schooling in post-secondary education. |
| Keywords: | student protests, political turmoil, returns to schooling, higher education, occupational shift |
| JEL: | D74 J21 J31 |
| Date: | 2018–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp11733&r=ara |
| By: | Chebil, A.; Frija, A.; Bennouna, B. |
| Abstract: | In this paper, we assess the effects of water shortage on the competitiveness of major traded commodities in Tunisia. Based on a sample of 170 wheat farms and 51 orange farms, located in the main producing regions of the country, stochastic production frontier functions were used to estimate changes in marginal water value under different levels of water availability. These values are then used as opportunity costs and utilized in the calculation of Domestic Resource Cost (DRC) coefficients. Empirical results show that Tunisia has a comparative advantage (DRC<1) in the production of orange. However, Tunisia exhibited a DRC greater than one for wheat. Results of sensitivity analysis demonstrate the degree of deterioration of competitiveness in wheat and orange production under reduced water availability. At 50% decreases in water availability, DRC ratio increases from 1.24 to 8.27 for wheat, and from 0.91 to 1.13 for orange. However, improvement of irrigation water efficiency leads to a relative increase in the DRC for both commodities. Therefore, further efforts to optimize management practices of irrigation water at field and farm levels are needed. This could be achieved through better irrigation scheduling and deficit irrigation strategy. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy, International Development |
| Date: | 2018–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iaae18:275874&r=ara |
| By: | Abolhasani, L.; Tajabadi, M.; Shahnoushi Forushahi, N. |
| Abstract: | Contrary to the traditional supply policies, the integrated water resources management concentrates mainly on demand policies in which water tariffs are the most effective tools in achieving economic efficiency through management of water consumption. It is therefore important for policy makers and water managers to understand price elasticity for water demand presenting how changes in water tariffs affect water consumption. In this study, we reviewed 21 empirical case studies in Iran, including journal articles, master thesis and PhD dissertations, from which 65 estimates of price elasticity for residual water demand were collected. Using t-tests, the collected estimates of price elasticity found to be statistically different. Applying the meta-analysis approach that is focused on the two main objectives of publication bias and publication heterogeneity, it is attempted to explain the heterogeneity in the reported studies. Publication bias was tested using different techniques of meta-analysis. Using meta regression, impacts of theoretical specification, model specification, data characteristics and population the heterogeneity across the reported elasticity estimates are examined. Inclusion of income, use of time-series datasets, natural logarithm function of demand and application of stone greay theory are all found to affect the estimate of the price elasticity. The population density and use of OLS technique to estimate the demand parameters do not significantly influence the estimate of the price elasticity. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, Land Economics/Use |
| Date: | 2018–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iaae18:275890&r=ara |
| By: | Ça?atan Ta?k?n (Uluda? University); Dilek Ta?k?n (Uluda? University) |
| Abstract: | Call centers are strategically important for many companies. Call centers help companies to develop long term relations with customers and also represent an important channel between the customer and the company for customer satisfaction. The behavior of call center employees and customer expectations that are influenced by the behavior are important in forming customer satisfaction. In addition, demographic characteristics such as gender, age, education, occupation, monthly income, frequency of calls, the reason of calls and etc. may influence the satisfaction of call center customers. The aim of this study is to explore the influence of demographic characteristics on the satisfaction of call center customers and propose strategies to improve customer relations. The sample of the study consists of consumers who have called a call center at least once in the last six months in Bursa, a town of Turkey. The data were collected by a structured questionnaire in the months of November and December of 2017. A total of 227 questionnaires were collected and 16 of them were excluded as they were incomplete. The findings of the research showed that there were significant differences in the scores of satisfaction within demographic characteristics. According to the analysis results several strategies were proposed. |
| Keywords: | Call centers, Customer satisfaction, Demographic characteristics, Turkey. |
| JEL: | M30 M31 |
| Date: | 2018–06 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:sek:iacpro:6408769&r=ara |
| By: | Mohaddes, M.; Nugent, J.; Selim, H. |
| Abstract: | This paper traces the evolution of fiscal institutions of Resource Rich Arab Economies (RRAEs) over time since their pre-oil days, through the discovery of oil to their build-up of oil exports. It then identifies challenges faced by RRAEs and variations in their severity among the different countries over time. Finally, it articulates specific policy reforms, which, if implemented successfully, could help to overcome these challenges. In some cases, however, these policy proposals may give rise to important trade-offs that will have to be evaluated carefully in individual cases. |
| Keywords: | Fiscal policy, fiscal institutions, fiscal sustainability, public spending efficiency, budget transparency, fiscal rules, volatility, oil curse, Arab World, oil exporters, and Middle East and North Africa. |
| JEL: | E02 E62 H50 H60 H61 O53 |
| Date: | 2018–09–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cam:camdae:1848&r=ara |