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on MENA - Middle East and North Africa |
| By: | Rim Mouelhi (University of Manouba); Monia Ghazali |
| Abstract: | This paper conducts an analysis of the structural transformation in three MENA countries, Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt over a long time span (1960-2010). We examine labor productivity evolution and structural change (SC) contribution to productivity growth over different sub-periods. We analyze the contribution of the different economic sectors to the aggregate SC in the three countries. An econometric analysis is also performed to identify the main factors underlying the intensity and the pattern of structural change. Results suggest that the three countries initiated and achieved some progress in the structural transformation over the 1970’s, 1980’s and early 1990’s. However, this process has stagnated at low levels of income and has remained unfinished. Deindustrialization occurred at an early stage of development in the three countries, in contrast to what has been noticed in developed and emergent countries. |
| Date: | 2018–10–10 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1231&r=all |
| By: | Imad Moosa (RMIT University) |
| Abstract: | A large number of studies on the validity of the environmental Kuznets curve for MENA countries, producing (as expected) a mixed bag of results. Several econometric issues are considered with reference to estimates of the EKC for Algeria, Egypt, Jordan and Tunisia. These issues include the order of the polynomial representing the EKC, the validity of the log-log specification, cointegration and spurious correlation, missing variables, and the sensitivity and fragility of the results. It is concluded that the most serious issue is the sensitivity of the results to model specification and other factors, which is not considered in the MENA studies of the EKC. |
| Date: | 2018–12–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1260&r=all |
| By: | Ebaidalla Mahjoub Ebaidalla; Mohammed Elhaj Mustafa Ali |
| Abstract: | This study examines the effect of chronic illness on labor force participation in Egypt and Tunisia, using Labor Market Panel Surveys for both Egypt (ELMPS 2012) and Tunisia (TLMPS 2014). The study also investigates the reverse effect of labor force participation on incidence of chronic diseases. The endogeneity of chronic disease in labor force participation equation is addressed by estimating both chronic and labor force participation equations simultaneously using two-step instrumental variable probit models. In addition, the sample selection bias in labor participation force equation is addressed using Heckman selection procedure, as a robustness check. Moreover, we examined whether non-workers over reports their chronic illness status by adopting the Kredier’ procedure of measurement biasness. Expectedly, across all specifications, the results indicate that chronic illnesses have a negative and significant effect on labor force participation for both Egypt and Tunisia. However, for the feedback effect, the results reveal that labor force participation has no significant effect on chronic illness, rejecting the so-called justification hypothesis for both Egypt and Tunisia. Furthermore, the analysis of measurement biasness in chronic illness shows that non-workers over report their chronic illness status in the two countries. Finally, the paper ends with some recommendations that aim to reduce the effect of chronic illness on labor force participation in Arab countries. |
| Date: | 2018–10–10 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1229&r=all |
| By: | Ali, Abdelrahman Elzahi Saaid (The Islamic Research and Teaching Institute (IRTI)) |
| Abstract: | The high rate of unemployment and the slow progress of economic growth in most North African countries have spotlighted the importance of inter-regional trade among them as an alternative solution to achieve inclusive growth in the long run. This paper investigates challenges facing intra-regional trade for the North African Arab countries, namely: Mauritania, Sudan, Egypt, Morocco, Libya, and Algeria. Beside that, the study attempt to identify the possible trade linkages and the elements of succession to boom inter-regional business among these countries. This study lays out the options that policymakers can adopt to overcome these challenges. The results reveal that in spite of the existent of the linkages between these countries that might lead to the successful inter-regional trade among them, there are more challenges, which have hindered its contribution based on the highly requested inclusive economic growth. The results of this study show a strong policy implication for the policy makers in these countries that might support the facilitation and the promotion of interregional trade among them. |
| Keywords: | Economic Integration; Inter- regional Trade; Trade-integration; OIC |
| Date: | 2017–07–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ris:irtipp:2017_007&r=all |
| By: | Eleftherios Giovanis (Manchester Metropolitan University); Oznur Ozdamar |
| Abstract: | This study is motivated by the ongoing interest of policy makers in the possible sources of job creation and destruction. The aim is to explore the dynamics of job creation, destruction and net job creation rates in Egypt and Turkey, including various firm characteristics, besides the firm size and age that have not been studied so far, such as the business-state relations (SBRs), whether the firm has been accredited with an international qualification of quality assurance and control and whether one of the owners is female. The analysis relies on firm-level data derived from the World Bank Enterprise Surveys. We implement weighted ordinary least squares (OLS). The findings show constraints to finance and political instability are the main obstacles of SBRs in both countries, including also tax rates and constraints in electricity. The quality of SBRs is found to be positively associated to job growth. |
| Date: | 2018–12–19 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1271&r=all |
| By: | Eleftherios Giovanis (Manchester Metropolitan University); Oznur Ozdamar |
| Abstract: | Business and investment climate indicators are relations between the public and private sectors. They may take the form of formal, regular, and informal interactions and their scope can include the economy as a whole or they may target specific types of firms in specific sectors or certain policy processes. Effective business and investment climate is important, because it can lead to a higher rate of investment, profits, and improved productivity, through the creation of an institutional environment, where the state provides high quality public goods, including infrastructure, political stability, and strategies for reducing consumption, fair and effective public administration. This study aims to explore the impact of business-investment climate on firm’s value added, labour and total factor productivity (TFP) in a sample of six countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and Turkey. The analysis relies on micro-level data derived from the World Bank Enterprise Surveys over the period 2006-2016. To reduce endogeneity coming from possible reverse causality and the perceptions about business climate we follow an instrumental variables (IV) approach applying the two-stage least squares (2SLS) method. Based on our favoured 2SLS estimates the obstacles in business climate may reduce the firm performance measures by 15-40 per cent. These findings indicate the importance of the quality in business climate and how the improvement in its effectiveness can have a very considerable positive impact on firms’ performance and thus in the overall economic growth of a country. |
| Date: | 2018–12–26 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1277&r=all |
| By: | Shireen Al Azzawi (Santa Clara University); Vladimir Hlasny |
| Abstract: | Youth unemployment in the MENA region is the highest in the world, at over 40% for males and close to 60% for females. These high levels of unemployment force the most vulnerable of these youth to accept jobs in the informal sector that are insecure and often unsafe. Understanding youth outcomes in the labor market thus requires a broader focus that encompasses a study of not only unemployment and self-employment, but also the availability of decent work. In this study we analyze the static and dynamic nature of vulnerable employment in Egypt and Jordan using recent Labor Market Panel Surveys. We define vulnerable employment as the total of self-employment, unpaid family workers, irregular wage workers and informal private sector workers. We use transition matrices and multinomial logistic regressions to examine workers’ labor marker outcomes, and the interactions of their employment vulnerability with other measures of welfare and deprivation, and family socio-economic status. Beside static analysis of youth workers’ status, we study dynamically workers’ employment growth later in life. Our results show growing trends of vulnerable employment over time in both countries, more so for youth than for older cohorts. Once a young worker starts out in a vulnerable job, she is very unlikely to exit to a better job later on. |
| Date: | 2018–12–26 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1275&r=all |
| By: | Touhami Abdelkhalek (National Institute of Statistics and Applied Economics); Moundir Lassassi |
| Abstract: | Early childhood is the most important time for human development. However, countries tend to under-invest in this stage of development, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa. Children are facing unequal opportunities to develop because of the circumstances of their birth. This paper analyzes inequality of opportunity in early childhood development and trends over time in Algeria, using two surveys conducted between 2006 and 2012. The findings demonstrate that there is substantial inequality of opportunity starting early in life. A variety of circumstances impact early inequality, with wealth, mother’s education, and geographic differences all contributing substantially. |
| Date: | 2018–11–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1254&r=all |
| By: | Ulger, Ozlem; Uçan, Okyay |
| Abstract: | Technological development and investment in knowledge seem to be very important in order for countries to demonstrate effective growth performance. The first concept that comes to mind when investing in information is the R&D activities. In the past, efforts to develop in countries for years can be realized within months nowadays and technological developments have rapidly changed and can be worn out in a short period of time. Therefore, it can be said that the information economy is the speed economy. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between R&D expenditures and GDP in Turkey for the period 1996-2014 with the help of VAR analysis. Before the study, it was determined whether the series were stationary by Augmented Dickey Fuller (ADF) and Phillips-Peron (PP) unit root tests and it was determined that the variables of GDP and R&D expenditure were stationary in the level values. According to the results of variance decomposition and effect-response functions; It is seen that the effect of GDP changes in Turkey on R&D expenditures is negligible. However, it is seen that R&D expenditures are significantly affected by the changes in GDP. Ülkelerin etkili bir büyüme performansı gösterebilmesi için teknolojik gelişmenin ve bilgiye yatırım yapılmasının oldukça önemli olduğu görülmektedir. Bilgiye yapılan yatırım denilince de ilk akla gelen kavram Ar-Ge faaliyetleridir. Geçmişte ülkelerde yıllarca devam eden gelişme çabaları günümüzde aylar içinde gerçekleşebilmekte ve teknolojik gelişmeler hızlı bir şekilde değişim göstererek kısa bir süre içinde yıpranabilmektedir. Dolayısıyla bilgi ekonomisinin hız ekonomisi olduğu söylenebilir. Bu çalışmanın amacı, Türkiye’de 1996-2014 dönemi için Ar-Ge harcamaları ve GSYİH arasındaki ilişkiyi VAR analizi yardımıyla araştırmaktır. Çalışmada önce durağanlığın belirlenmesi için Augmented Dickey Fuller (ADF) ve Phillips-Peron (PP) birim kök testiyle serilerin durağan olup olmadıkları belirlenmiş ve GSYİH ile Ar-Ge harcamaları değişkenlerinin seviye değerlerinde durağan oldukları tespit edilmiştir. Varyans ayrıştırma ve etki-tepki fonksiyonlarına ait sonuçlara göre; Türkiye’de GSYİH değişimlerinin Ar-Ge harcamaları üzerinde etkisinin yok denilebilecek kadar az olduğu görülmüştür. Ancak Ar-Ge harcamalarının GSYİH’daki değişimlerden oldukça etkilendiği görülmektedir |
| Keywords: | R&D Investments, R&D Incentives, Technological Development, Economic Growth, Innovation, AR-GE Yatırımları, AR-GE Teşvikleri, Teknolojik Gelişme, Ekonomik Büyüme, İnovasyon |
| JEL: | L60 |
| Date: | 2018–04–04 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:91060&r=all |
| By: | Obbey Ahmed Elamin (King Faisal University) |
| Abstract: | This research examines the impact of informal job search on wage for university graduates on the first entry to the job-market and after making some experience. Informal job search is affected by unobserved factors related to productivity, peers effects, employers, which influence wage and cause endogeneity in empirical models. We use data from the Higher Education Graduates Survey 2012 in Egypt and Jordan, and apply the generalised empirical likelihood method GEL and GMM method to control for endogeneity and correct the bias in the estimates. Our results show wage penalties in Egypt that reach 11% and 38% for informal job-search in the first two jobs after graduation, respectively, but no evidence of effect in Jordan. We recommend that universities should establish job career offices to help graduates search and find suitable jobs at their area of expertise and originate effective work experience trajectory. |
| Date: | 2018–12–19 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1272&r=all |
| By: | Burhan Can Karahasan (Piri Reis University); Firat Bilgel |
| Abstract: | This study investigates the triangular relationship among state-business relations, financial access and economic performance using _rm-level data for selected Middle East and North African countries. We hypothesize that financial intermediation acts as a mediating factor in the relationship between state-business relations and _rm performance. Employing a causal mediation analysis, our results show that inefficient ties with the state is a cause of poor _rm performance. Depending on the performance measure, inefficient state-business relations reduce _rm performance by about 2.3-4.4 percent through access to finance and by about 12 to 40 percent via its direct effect. About 3 to 16 percent of the total effect is mediated through financial access while the remaining is the direct effect of inefficient state-business relations on firm performance. Our results highlight that financial intermediation is a significant mediating factor in the mechanism between state-business relations and firm performance. |
| Date: | 2018–12–26 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1279&r=all |
| By: | Davide Luca (London School of Economics) |
| Abstract: | While there is systematic evidence of how governments affect policy outputs for strategic reasons, a limited amount of studies has assessed whether these distortions are consequential for economic growth. Using data from Turkey over the period 2004-2013, the current paper measures the effect of voting for the national incumbent party on local economic performance. New instrumental variable estimates suggest that provinces where the electoral race for the Justice and Development Party (AKP) was closer have experienced faster per-capita GVA and employment growth rates. The effect is economically substantive and increases in election years. Results also provide evidence that the government has affected growth through the selective provision of state goods. |
| Date: | 2018–10–10 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1232&r=all |
| By: | Mohamed Mekki Ben Jemaa (University of Carthage); Sahar Obey |
| Abstract: | The paper aims at measuring the performance of MFIs in MENA region with reference to all the MFIs around the world. The efficiency scores are derived using the nonparametric Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) technique in order to calculate both Pure Technical Efficiency and Scale Efficiency. Bootstrapping is used in order to correct the Efficiency scores from their bias and to retrieve the correct inference when it comes to perform the second stage estimation. Data used are a non-balanced panel of 1179 MFIs from 103 countries covering the period from 2006 to 2012. The main aim of taking all the operating MFIs, for which, data are available is to produce a sound benchmark and evaluate the real performance of the MFIs in the MENA region compared to the rest of the world. In a second stage, a double censored multilevel regression is performed to assess the determinants of scale efficiency in the MFIs. The results show, among others, that financial performances enhance the possibility to operate under the optimal scale weather the MFI is too small or too big while social performances are reached more by too large MFIs. |
| Date: | 2018–10–28 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1246&r=all |
| By: | Nada Shokry (The American University in Cairo); Mohamed Bouaddi |
| Abstract: | This paper investigates the effect of changes in exchange rate on sectoral GDP in Egypt in the period between 1982 and 2014. For this purpose, the study uses a MIDAS regression to compare between the sign and magnitude of the effect of two exchange rate measures on 22 subsectors and 4 aggregate sectors’ production. One measure is the monthly deflated official bilateral exchange rate of EGP against the US dollar and the other one is the annual real effective exchange rate of the EGP. Interestingly, the results show consistent positive inelastic effect of changes in real EX rate on sectoral production, while showing consistent positive yet highly elastic effects of changes in REER. Analyzing the results of the REER estimation, most of the low elasticity sectors are public, non-tradable subsectors and contribute by only little to GDP, while most tradable large sectors are highly elastic. |
| Date: | 2018–11–13 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1252&r=all |
| By: | Inmaculada Martinez-Zarzoso (Georg-August Universitaet Goettingen); Mona Said; Chahir Zaki |
| Abstract: | This paper explores the link between trade liberalization and firms’ performance in Egypt combining macro and micro data. Using the Economic Census of Egypt 2013, we examine the association between tariffs and non-tariffs measures (NTM) imposed on intermediate inputs and total factor productivity (TFP). In a first step TFP is estimated as the residual of a Cobb-Douglas/Translog production function and in the second, TFP is regressed on weighted tariffs and NTM imposed on intermediate inputs. Egyptian input-output tables are used to construct the weights. Our main findings show a positive and significant association between imported inputs and value-added and a significantly negative relationship between tariffs and TFP. |
| Date: | 2018–10–14 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1238&r=all |
| By: | Hoda Selim (International Monetary Fund) |
| Abstract: | The paper shows that central banks in Arab oil exporters are not independent. Low independence reflects institutional arrangements that allow the executive branch to influence, interfere and in some cases, dominate over central bank operations. The paper argues that in a context of weak institutions, CBI has not always mattered for macroeconomic policy outcomes in Arab oil exporters. GCC central banks delivered a better macroeconomic policy performance than those of the populous group. CBI mattered less for the GCC because the credible peg discouraged discretion and was a good substitute for it. Soft peg arrangements in the populous economies in a context of weak institutions and discretionary policymaking in the absence of a de facto independent central bank led to disappointing monetary policy outcomes. As oil exporters adapt to a new normal of low oil prices, the sustainability of fixed exchange regimes may not be guaranteed without sound macroeconomic institutions. Stronger institutions and effective accountability mechanisms are needed to insulate central banks from political pressures. In the short-term, a rules-based framework could help. |
| Date: | 2018–09–18 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1223&r=all |
| By: | Mohamed Oubenal (Institut Royal de la Culture AmazigheAuthor-Name: Houda Ben Hamouda) |
| Abstract: | When the Tunisian government seized the assets of the Ben Ali clan in 2011, prosperous companies were sold to some fractions of the business elite which started adopting a strategy of direct intervention in the political sphere to consolidate their resources and find new opportunities. In order to study the position of business elites in Tunisia we use a methodology combining a social network analysis (SNA) of the board of directors of Tunisian listed companies and a qualitative history of its political economy. We shed light on the regional identities of some family groups and the centrality of financial institutions such as insurance companies. The financial sector is dominated by the State, but some Djerbian families occupy important positions. Sfaxian entrepreneurs are organized in clusters that control certain large industrial enterprises. |
| Date: | 2018–12–19 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1273&r=all |
| By: | Hatem Jemmali (University of Manouba); Fatma El-Hamidi |
| Abstract: | This paper analyzes the educational wage differentials among youth graduates in Egypt using a nationally representative data set extracted from some labor market surveys. We follow the empirical framework of Mincer’s estimation of the simple schooling model, extending the model by adding additional control variables. On average, college graduate are found to earn more hourly wages than their non-college counterparts. The educational attainment wage gap is found to be not uniform across youth earners’ wage distribution. Using newly developed methods, we decompose the educational wage differentials among youth graduates into endowment effects, explained by differences in productivity characteristics, and discrimination effects attributable to unequal returns to covariates. We find that discrimination effects contribute more significantly to the educational wage gap than endowment effects throughout the wage distribution. |
| Date: | 2018–09–18 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1224&r=all |
| By: | Burhan Can Karahasan (Piri Reis University); Firat Bilgel |
| Abstract: | This study explores the endogenous relationship among market access, wages and human capital accumulation in Turkey. Our first set of analyses tests the impact of market access on human capital development using regional data at the NUTS III level. Results, robust to the inclusion of spatial spillovers, regional structural differences in production, possible endogeneity issues and the unobserved regional heterogeneities, validate that regions with better access to markets are the ones that accumulate more human capital in Turkey. Our second set of analyses aims to explore the background of human capital accumulation by using individual level data, which allows us to combine market accessibility, returns to education (wages) and human capital development. Remarkably, once we include wages and treat it as endogenous, we find evidence that the impact of market access on human capital development diminishes. Overall, the findings of this study validate that background of the NEG model does not work in line with the expectations. Rather the influence of geographical proximity on wages and individual’s decision on human capital investment are not identical. |
| Date: | 2018–10–10 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1233&r=all |
| By: | Aysit Tansel (Middle East Technical University); Halil Ibrahim Keskin; Zeynel Abidin Ozdemir |
| Abstract: | This paper considers the public and private sector wage earners in Egypt and examines their wage distribution during 1998-2012 using Egyptian Labor Market Panel Survey. We estimate the public-private sector wage gap with Mincer wage equations both at the mean and at different quantiles of the wage distribution. In this process we take into account observable and unobservable characteristics of the individuals using the panel feature of the data with a fixed effects model. We address sector of employment selection issue for both males and females. We find that there is very little evidence of sample selection in our data. Therefore, we present both the selection corrected results and the results with no selection correction. We find a persistent public sector wage penalty for males and public sector wage premium for females in the face of extensive sensitivity checks. They are larger when unobserved heterogeneity is taken into account for males but insignificant for females. They are similar across the quantiles for males but, smaller at the top than at the bottom of the conditional wage distribution for females. We further examine the public sector wage gap over time and in different sub-groups according to age and education. The public sector wage penalty for males has decreased recently over time and is larger for the better educated and younger. We also find substantial regional differences in public sector wage gap for males. |
| Date: | 2018–12–10 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1265&r=all |
| By: | Mohammad Reza Farzanegan (Philipps-University Marburg); Tim Krieger |
| Abstract: | We study the responses of income inequality to positive per capita oil and gas revenues shocks in Iran. Using historical data from 1973 to 2016 and vector autoregression (VAR) -based impulse response functions, we find a positive and statistically significant response of income inequality to oil booms. Our analysis can help policymakers evaluate and accommodate the possible positive or negative effects on inequality in Iran resulting from the 2016 lifting of the embargo against the country. |
| Date: | 2018–09–18 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1226&r=all |
| By: | Karim Badr (World Bank); Reham Rizk; Chahir Zaki |
| Abstract: | This paper attempts to shed light on the nexus between firm productivity and economies of agglomeration in Egypt. Using a large dataset of 62,108 firms in 342 four-digit activities in 27 regions governorates, we introduce three measures of agglomeration, which are urbanization or firm diversification, measured by the number of firms in the governorate, localization and specialization, measured by the average productivity in the governorate and sector (generating externalities and knowledge spillovers), and finally competition, measured by the number of firm operating in the same governorate and the same sector. We find strong evidence for the existence of agglomeration economies in Egypt after controlling for firm age, location, economic activity and legal status. In the Egyptian context, productivity spillovers gained from agglomeration economies outweighed the negative effects of congestion implied by our competition measure. The latter is chiefly due to the lack of good infrastructure. When regressions are run by firm size and activity, our main findings show, first, that micro and small firms are more likely to benefit from localization and diversification compared to medium and large firms. Finally, service firms benefit more from a high level of diversification, while manufacturing firms gain more from knowledge spillovers and specialization. Our results support promoting entrepreneurship through the creation of industrial clusters located outside Cairo to lessen disparities between regions and acquire the full advantages of agglomeration. |
| Date: | 2018–10–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1239&r=all |
| By: | Anda David (Agence Française de Développement); Mohamed Ali Marouani; Charbel Nahas; Björn Nilsson |
| Abstract: | In this article, we investigate the effects of a massive displacement of workers from a war-torn economy on the economy of a neighboring country. Applying a general equilibrium approach to the Lebanese economy, we explore effects from various components of the crisis on the labor market, the production apparatus, and macroeconomic indicators. Along with previous literature, our findings suggest limited or no adverse effects on high-skilled native workers, but a negative impact on the most vulnerable Lebanese workers is found. When aid takes the form of investment subsidies, significantly better growth and labor market prospects arise, recalling the necessity of complementing humanitarian aid with development aid to succeed in achieving long-term objectives. This may however not be politically viable in a context where refugees are considered as temporary. |
| Date: | 2018–11–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1249&r=all |
| By: | Ragui Assaad (University of Minnesota); Caroline Krafft; Shaimaa Yassin |
| Abstract: | Creating jobs, especially good jobs, is one of the greatest challenges facing Egypt. This paper investigates the nature of job growth in Egypt, including the firm, industry, and worker characteristics that are related to job growth. Using data from Egypt’s establishment censuses linked to various firm and labor surveys, we examine job growth in private sector establishments over 1996-2017. We find that job growth has primarily followed a labor absorption paradigm, with job growth unrelated to productivity and highest for firms with more informal employment.. |
| Date: | 2018–10–14 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1237&r=all |
| By: | G. Gulsun Akin (Bogazici University); Ahmet Faruk Aysan; Ezgi Özer; Levent Yildiran |
| Abstract: | Using a discrete choice random utility model and unique data from a nationwide consumer survey, we show that consumers view credit cards as highly differentiated products with both bank-level and card-level nonprice features. They select their credit cards by predominantly considering these nonprice features. Although they charge higher prices, the majority of consumers choose private banks as issuers due to their bank-level and card-level nonprice benefits. Consumers who prioritize prices tend to choose participation or public banks. Product differentiation and bundling seem to underlie banks’ market power in the Turkish credit card market. Large private banks and public banks reap the benefits of bundling more than the other banks. Of card-level nonprice features, installments, bonuses/rewards/miles, and the prestige of the card seem to be particularly effective in consumers’ decisions. We argue that this highly differentiated nature of credit cards can be an alternative explanation for the credit card pricing puzzles. |
| Date: | 2018–11–19 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1258&r=all |
| By: | Ragui Assaad (University of Minnesota); Colette Salemi |
| Abstract: | In this paper, we analyze the structure of employment and job creation in Jordan over the period from 2010 to 2016. This period coincided with a notable downturn in the economy, which substantially reduced the rate of job creation. Nonetheless, Jordan continued to rely on a growing population of migrant workers whose numbers were further boosted by the influx of Syrian refugees, resulting in approximately one out of two new jobs going to a non-Jordanian. For Jordanians, employment rates continued to fall, and employment became more precarious for the poorest, least educated workers, despite an increase in the share of public sector employment. Unskilled Jordanian males shifted out of informal regular wage employment into irregular work as well as non-employment. With regard to labor market dynamics, the share of the public sector in the first-time employment of new entrants had started to increase after an extended decline. The increase has now reversed again, but many recent entrants still managed to obtain public sector jobs five years after entry. The transition from school to work is very protracted, with a large fraction of youth remaining in the not in education, employment or training (NEET) state for an extended period of time. |
| Date: | 2018–11–19 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1259&r=all |
| By: | Stefano Farolfi (UMR G-EAU - Gestion de l'Eau, Acteurs, Usages - ENGREF - Ecole Nationale du Génie Rural, des Eaux et des Forêts - CIRAD - Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement - CEMAGREF - IRD [France-Sud] - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement - CIHEAM-IAMM - Centre International de Hautes Etudes Agronomiques Méditerranéennes - Institut Agronomique Méditerranéen de Montpellier); Dimitri Dubois (LAMETA - Laboratoire Montpelliérain d'Économie Théorique et Appliquée - UM1 - Université Montpellier 1 - UM3 - Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 - Montpellier SupAgro - Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques - INRA Montpellier - Institut national de la recherche agronomique [Montpellier] - UM - Université de Montpellier - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - Montpellier SupAgro - Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier); Sylvie Morardet (Unité de recherche Irrigation - CEMAGREF); Imen Nouichi (UMR G-EAU - Gestion de l'Eau, Acteurs, Usages - CIRAD - Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement - AgroParisTech - IRSTEA - Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture - CIHEAM - Centre International des Hautes Études Agronomiques Méditerranéennes - Montpellier SupAgro - Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier); Serge Marlet (UMR G-EAU - Gestion de l'Eau, Acteurs, Usages - ENGREF - Ecole Nationale du Génie Rural, des Eaux et des Forêts - CIRAD - Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement - CEMAGREF - IRD [France-Sud] - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement - CIHEAM-IAMM - Centre International de Hautes Etudes Agronomiques Méditerranéennes - Institut Agronomique Méditerranéen de Montpellier) |
| Abstract: | Irrigation water is a crucial resource for economic and social development in Tunisia. In a context of decentralization and State devolution, the local associations for agricultural development or 'Groupements de Développement Agricole (GDA)' manage today a large share of irrigation water in the country. However, these institutions are experiencing a lack of acknowledgment by water users, resulting in a low willingness to pay (WTP) for water. In this article we study to what extent information provided to users on the functioning of the system (« institutional » information) and/or on the decisions taken by other users (« social » information) can affect their WTP. Our analysis is twofold. A field survey first revealed the farmers' demand for better information provision. A laboratory experiment allowed then to isolate the impact of the two types of information on subjects' decisions through a game with similar properties to those observed in the field. Data collected in the lab confirm the existence of a causality relation between information provided to users and their WTP for a common resource such as irrigation water. |
| Abstract: | L'eau d'irrigation est une ressource cruciale pour le développement économique et social en Tunisie. Dans un contexte de décentralisation et de dévolution du rôle de l'Etat, une part importante de la gestion de cette eau d'irrigation a été confiée aux Groupements de Développement Agricole (GDA). Ces groupements souffrent cependant d'un manque de reconnaissance de la part des usagers, qui se manifeste essentiellement par un faible consentement de leur part à payer les redevances. Dans cet article nous nous demandons dans quelle mesure l'information fournie aux usagers sur le fonctionnement du système (information « institutionnelle ») et/ou sur les décisions prises par les autres usagers (information « sociale ») peut impacter leur consentement à payer. Notre analyse s'est faite en deux temps. Nous avons commencé par une enquête sur le terrain, laquelle révèle effectivement une demande des irrigants en matière de diffusion d'informations. Nous avons ensuite élaboré une expérience permettant d'isoler l'impact de différents types d'information sur les décisions prises par les individus dans le cadre d'un jeu qui a des propriétés proches de la situation de terrain. Les données collectées en laboratoire confirment l'existence d'une relation de causalité entre l'information fournie aux usagers et leur consentement à payer pour une ressource commune comme l'eau d'irrigation. |
| Keywords: | information,irrigation,Tunisie,économie expérimentale,eau |
| Date: | 2018 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-01952779&r=all |
| By: | Caroline Krafft (St. Catherine University); Reham Rizk |
| Abstract: | Entrepreneurship is promoted by government policies and international agencies as a solution to high rates of youth unemployment in the Middle East and North Africa. This paper investigates the potential for entrepreneurship to deliver on promises of alleviating unemployment. We specifically examine who entrepreneurs are (in comparison to the unemployed), their working conditions and earnings, and the dynamics of their occupational choices. We find that entrepreneurs, and especially the employers who are relatively more successful entrepreneurs and who can create jobs for others, are essentially the opposite of the unemployed. For example, entrepreneurs are older and less educated, while the unemployed are highly educated new entrants. Entrepreneurship does not generally lead to higher earnings, and does have fewer benefits. Thus, promoting entrepreneurship is not only unlikely to be successful in reducing unemployment, but also, if it is successful, may even be harmful to youth. |
| Date: | 2018–11–19 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1257&r=all |
| By: | Maia Sieverding (American University of Beirut); Caroline Krafft; Nasma Berri; Caitlyn Keo; Mariam Sharpless |
| Abstract: | Education is a key means to integrate refugee populations into their host countries, as well as to prevent permanent deficits in human development among children affected by conflict. The large population of children affected by the Syrian conflict are at risk of becoming a “lost generation” due to interruptions in their schooling. Jordan hosts one of the largest populations of Syrian refugees and has made a concerted effort to provide access to education for refugee children. This paper assesses how educational enrollment, attainment, and dropout of Syrian refugees in Jordan have been affected by conflict, displacement, and educational opportunities and experiences after arrival to Jordan. We rely on nationally representative survey data from Jordan in 2016 and in-depth interviews with 71 Syrian refugee youth. Syrian refugees in Jordan faced disrupted schooling in Syria due to the conflict, followed by challenges in joining the Jordanian school system. Yet ultimately enrollment rates, at least through 2016, have recovered to pre-conflict levels for basic education among the group of Syrians in Jordan in 2016. Refugee youth faced a number of barriers to school reentry and persistence in Jordan, including school interruptions leading to students being older than their classmates, discrimination from peers and teachers, and academic difficulty particularly at the secondary level. For male youth, the pressure to work to support their families underlay many non-enrollment decisions. Although some youth faced documentation challenges upon initial enrollment in school, they were able to overcome these challenges, demonstrating the importance of Jordan’s efforts to expand public school access to refugees. |
| Date: | 2018–12–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1261&r=all |
| By: | Abdelkafi, Rami (The Islamic Research and Teaching Institute (IRTI)); Nabi, Mahmoud Sami (The Islamic Research and Teaching Institute (IRTI)) |
| Abstract: | Although Tunisia has completed its political transition toward democracy, its economy remains fragile and faces huge challenges. Professional insertion of young people in the labor market is among the top economic priorities of the country. Sound public policies with the objective of creating employment opportunities on a short-term horizon have to support the implementation of structural reforms aiming at boosting the private sector, improving the labor market and restructuring the education system. This paper is a contribution to the discussions on short-term solutions to the youth unemployment, which may accompany structural policies over the long term. We propose a jobs creation program for the youth including several components. The implementation of the proposed program assigns an important role to the government in terms of training, incentives to involve the private sector and in terms of funding. The originality of the proposed program is in linking microfinance to cooperative structure; two efficient tools against social exclusion and which are underutilized in jobs creation in Tunisia. The financial participation of the government is proposed according to a specific funding mechanism of Islamic microfinance: decreasing partnership. This mode of financing allows for a full public financing of the cooperatives' capital with an exit strategy after several years, incentivizing the cooperators to generate sufficient profits to buy the government shares |
| Keywords: | Microfinance; Cooperatives; Employment; Tunisia |
| Date: | 2017–03–16 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ris:irtipp:2017_002&r=all |
| By: | Hany Abdel-Latif (Swansea University); Mahmoud El-Gamal |
| Abstract: | This paper aims simultaneously to study the global dynamic relationship of oil prices, financial liquidity, and geopolitical risk, on the one hand, and the economic performance of oil-dependent economies on the other. Global and country-specific dynamics are studied together in a Global Vector Autoregression (GVAR) model that allows different lag structures for different variables in different countries. Impulse response functions from the estimated model suggest that new waves of high oil prices are unlikely, despite the likely continuation of high global financial liquidity and heightened geopolitical risk, which had driven earlier episodes of very high oil prices. With oil remaining at modest to low prices by recent historical standards, we study the prospects for economic growth in oil-dependent economies through dramatic increases in domestic investment, as planned under Visions 2030 of a number of Arab economies, and conclude that success is unlikely. |
| Date: | 2018–11–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1255&r=all |
| By: | Ebaidalla Mahjoub Ebaidalla (University of Khartoum); Mohammed Elhaj Mustafa Ali |
| Abstract: | Following the theoretical background on production theory, this study employs a stochastic frontier gravity model (SFGM) to investigate the intra-Arab trade performance and potential over the period 1998-2015. The trade performance against the maximum possible level of potential trade is measured by a stochastic frontier. The emphasis of this study is to detect the presence of ‘behind the border’ and ‘beyond the border’ constraints on trade flow among Arab countries, which have been neglected by previous studies. The empirical results indicate that ‘behind the border’ constraints are responsible for a considerable gap between potential and actual trade among Arab countries. That is to say these constraints obstruct realizing the full trade potential despite the fact that these countries have initiated many trade arrangements to promote intra-trade during the last five decades. The results also reveal that the influence of ‘behind the border’ constraints on trade flows between Arab countries have been decreasing over time. Moreover, the efficiency scores of intra-Arab trade indicate a relatively low degree of trade integration among Arab countries, confirming the existence of both ‘behind the border’ and ‘beyond the border’ rigidities against intra-Arab trade. Finally, the paper ends with some policy implications to remove these barriers as a necessary condition to realize trade potential among Arab states. |
| Date: | 2018–11–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1247&r=all |
| By: | Robert Kubinec (Princeton University) |
| Abstract: | I use an original survey of firm employees in Morocco and Jordan to construct an index of political-connectedness that collapses several possible indicators of connectedness down to a single latent dimension. To do so, I employ item-response theory on a subset of questions from the survey for which I have a prior theoretical reason to believe that these factors should either be caused by or cause political-connectedness. With this index, I can better understand political-connectedness as a continuous measure that reflects the broad range of political interactions firms may have rather than as a dichotomous measure of connected versus nonconnected firms. I also employ an experimental design embedded in the survey that simulated a hypothetical interaction between the firm and a party offering political benefits in exchange for resources in order to understand if this measure of political connectedness can predict political activity across domains. I show that politically-connected firms are able to exchange political loyalty to regimes for lighter regulatory burdens and access to protected markets that insulate them from competition. |
| Date: | 2018–12–26 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1280&r=all |
| By: | Khaled Nasri (Univeristy of Tunis El Manar); Besma Belhadj |
| Abstract: | The aim of this paper is to measure the vulnerability of multidimensional poverty in Tunisia. The term vulnerability refers to exposure to shocks and stress, and difficulty in coping with them. In the first part of this study, we intend to identify the Tunisian households who are likely to be multidimensional poor in the future using the dual cut-off method. In the second part, we will use the fuzzy sets theory in order to identify the resilience in exploiting opportunities and in resisting or recovering from the negative effects of the shocks, and to propose a measure of vulnerability for each household identified in the first step. Our empirical findings show that vulnerable households comprise some that are deprived in only one dimension, and thus, are excluded from the group of households considered poor. The vulnerable households are, then, regrouped into three sets that are mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive with respect to the identified vulnerable population. The individuals with a high degree of membership in each group are in a state of extreme vulnerability and their abilities to cope with shocks effects are low and they can be the poor of tomorrow. Preventive policies must take into account their situations in order to curb the flows of the poor and to protect households from becoming poor in the future. These poverty prevention policies can be an effective means to achieve the first four Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). |
| Date: | 2018–12–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1262&r=all |
| By: | Ridha Nouira (Faculté des Sciences Économiques et de Gestion de Mahdia); Mohamed Kouni |
| Abstract: | This paper aims to investigate the optimal government size as well as its effect on economic growth in selected MENA and developing countries over the period from 1988 to 2016. We use the model of Chudik et al. (2017) in order to estimate public expenditures threshold and its effect on growth. The main finding of this study shows that there is a government expenditure threshold effects on economic growth for all panel groups. Indeed, the threshold is between 10-30 percent for whole sample, 20 and 30 percent for MENA countries and 10 and 20 percent for developing countries. It is also clear that this threshold effect is significantly greater for MENA countries. Moreover, we found evidence of a U-shaped relationship between government expenditure and economic growth. |
| Date: | 2018–11–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1256&r=all |
| By: | Belal Fallah; Ayhab Saad (Doha Institute for Graduate Studies) |
| Abstract: | This paper uses the closure of Israeli labor market to examine the effect of a large labor market shock on educational choices for Palestinian youth. Right after the outbreak of Second Intifada in October 2000, Israel severely restricted the entrance of Palestinians workers (commuters) to its market, which resulted to more than 50% reduction in the number of Palestinian workers in Israel, mostly males. Our identification strategy relies on the variation in the geographical distribution of commuters within the West Bank prior the Second Intifada. We implement a difference-indifference strategy to compare high school dropout between localities with different commuting shares pre the shock over time. We find that the closure had significantly decreased high school dropout for males aged between 15-19 year-olds but not for females. The triple difference analysis confirms that the gender gap in high school dropout rates had decreased more in localities with high commuting shares than that in localities with low commuting shares. These effects are driven by the significant decline in employment prospects for school dropouts, as commuters were mainly concentrated in low-skill male-dominant jobs. |
| Date: | 2018–09–18 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1227&r=all |
| By: | A. Talha Yalta (TOBB University of Economics and Technology); Yasemin Yalta |
| Abstract: | We investigate the claims on regional biases in the sovereign credit ratings assigned by Fitch Ratings, Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s credit rating agencies (CRAs) for a group of 99 countries by using a series of econometric models that consider a wide range of macroeconomic, financial, institutional, regional and geopolitical indicators. Our empirical results based on the seemingly unrelated regressions (SUR) estimates indicate a strong home country bias towards the United States while there seems to be no special biases against individual group of countries such as the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries. We also demonstrate how modeling errors in the form of omitted variables can easily cause misleading results portraying the CRAs as biased towards or against different country groups. |
| Date: | 2018–12–19 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1274&r=all |
| By: | Abeer Elshennawy (The American University in Cairo); Mohamed Bouaddi |
| Abstract: | Egypt Ranking in the World Competitiveness Report deteriorated between 2004 and 2017. Boosting competitiveness requires reforms on several important fronts, but raising labor productivity and TFP are perhaps the most pressing. This paper identifies the correlates of both labor productivity and TFP at the firm level in Egypt’s in manufacturing sector using Economic Census data for the year 2012/2013.We find significant heterogeniety in both Labor productivity and TFP between firms. By econometirically dicotomizing firms into low and high productivity regimes, we find that the correlates of productivity differ between these two sets of firms. By identifying the sources of heterogeneity between low and high productivity firms we show that there is considerable scope for the former to catch up with the lattter based on factors that are internal to the firm .However, the literature does not offer much insights as to how high productivity firms can increase their productivity further. |
| Date: | 2018–12–26 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1276&r=all |
| By: | Lassaâd Mbarek (Central Bank of Tunisia); Hardik A. Marfatia; Sonja Juko |
| Abstract: | This paper examines the Treasury bond yields response to monetary policy shocks in Tunisia under a heterogeneous economic environment. Using a traditional fixed coefficient model, we first estimate the impact of monetary policy changes on the term structure of interest rates for the whole period from January 2006 to December 2016. We then study the stability of this relationship by distinguishing two sub-periods around the revolution of January 2011. To investigate how the relationship between the monetary policy and the Treasury yield curve evolves over time, we estimate a time-varying parameter model. The results show that the impact of monetary policy is more pronounced at the short end of the yield curve relative to the longer end. Further, this impact declined significantly across all maturities following the revolution and exhibits wide time variation. This evidence supports the negative influence of high levels of uncertainty on monetary policy effectiveness and highlights the desirability of more active monetary policy especially in turbulent environment |
| Date: | 2018–10–23 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1243&r=all |
| By: | Abdullah Bataineh (Sapienza University of Rome (IT).); Pierluigi Montalbano (Department of Economics and Social Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome (IT).) |
| Abstract: | This paper investigates the causal impact of the Syria crisis on education quality in Jordan. We collected and analyzed primary quantitative and qualitative data for a sample of Jordanian public schools in Qasabet-Irbid district (Northern Jordan), close to the Syrian border. Our empirical analysis assesses an overall negative impact of Syrian refugee enrollment in the Jordanian education system induced by both overcrowding and double-shift practices. This impact on students' performance is represented by a declining in their scores in four main subjects (Math, Science, Arabic, and English) relative to the counterfactual sample. This negative impact is confirmed by the qualitative analysis as well. This study provides the first empirical evidence on the impact of Syria crisis on the education quality in the affected public schools in Jordan, with possible long-term effects on economic growth. Although it does not represent, by any means, an argument against hosting policies of refugees, it represents a quest for International agencies and donors to refine their financial and technical support to schooling the refugees without affecting the education quality provided in the public schools. This will also help to prevent tensions between the incoming and the host communities. |
| Keywords: | Syria Crisis, Refugee Education, Education Quality, Overcrowding, Double-shift Schools, and Causal Impact. |
| JEL: | I25 O15 |
| Date: | 2018–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:saq:wpaper:7/18&r=all |
| By: | Caroline Krafft (St. Catherine University); Ragui Assaad |
| Abstract: | Theoretically, in perfectly competitive markets with full information, marginal productivity of labor and workers’ wages should be equalized across firms and wages should not be linked to the productivity of a firm. Empirically examining the relationship between wages and productivity across various types of firms can reveal important deviations from perfect competition and full information. This paper investigates the wage-productivity relationship in the case of Egypt. We find that wages are related to firm productivity, even after accounting for worker quality. The relationship between wages, productivity, and firm characteristics suggests that the association is due in part to imperfect competition and in part to the use of efficiency wages by employers. |
| Date: | 2018–09–18 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1222&r=all |
| By: | Jamal Bouoiyour (CATT, IRMAPE); Refk Selmi (CATT, IRMAPE) |
| Abstract: | With the horrific Jamal Khashoggi killing, Mohammed Bin Salman's image in the international community has been damaged. This study seeks to test whether Khashoggi murder discourage businesses from investing in Saudi Arabia. We use an event-study methodology and asset pricing model to assess, at sectoral level, the dynamics of stock prices surrounding the killing of the Saudi journalist on 2 October at the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul. A series of robustness tests, including the Corrado ranking test and the non-parametric conditional distribution approach, have been conducted. We consistently show that the khashoggi killing had the most adverse impact on banks and financial services, materials, and technology. Oil and gas companies, however, were moderately or insignificantly affected. Overall, our results suggest that the crown prince's ambitious project for a Saudi Arabian economy moving beyond oil wealth are threatened as this recent event dampened foreign interest in investing in the kingdom. |
| Date: | 2018–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:1812.11336&r=all |
| By: | Safa Joudeh (SOAS University of London) |
| Abstract: | This paper focuses on the global integration of economic zones for the movement of knowledge and technology. Using the case of China’s Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone in Egypt, it examines the dynamics of coordinating global value chain activity in a foreign-operated industrial cluster highlighting two main determinants of achieving technological progress, industrial planning and institutional dynamics. The key question asked is whether a framework for the operation of economic zones that is controlled by lead economies can succeed in enhancing industrial competitiveness of domestic enterprises. As evidenced by this case study, the organisation of global production, including decisions relating to the choice of location, industry focus, vertical cooperation and shifts in value chain activity, is not determined endogenously within the chain but by the policy imperatives of the lead economy. The opportunity for domestic enterprises to participate in global production are strategically circumscribed by nodal firms that play a role in organising global production. The argument put forward is that accelerating GVC participation, fails to ensure the vertical move upward of domestic enterprises, and may counter the development of indigenous capabilities in the host economy. |
| Date: | 2018–12–26 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1278&r=all |
| By: | Maleke Fourati (UNSW Business School) |
| Abstract: | The Islamic revival defined as the call for a resurgence of Islamic culture by opposition to Western culture and an increase in participation in political Islam, has become a widespread phenomenon in the Muslim world since the 1970s. It is often discussed in the literature as being motivated by psychological factors but with little empirical evidence. In this paper, I test whether envy, defined as a feeling of grievance caused by someone else’s possessions and/or qualities, is causing the Islamic revival. While testing the effect of envy on the Islamic revival is particularly challenging as envy is endogenous to a person’s social state, personal characteristics, and preferences, I exogenously trigger the feeling of envy by a 2 by 2 design experiment conducted in Tunisia. I ran a dictator game with 600 nationally representative Tunisians to test whether participants exposed to envy, which I capture by the interaction between a priming video triggering envy and a low stake, increases participants donation share to a religious charity affiliated with the Tunisian Islamic party, Ennahdha, which represents the Islamic revival. The effect is particularly strong among participants who declare themselves as highly religious. I also test for the external validity of my experimental results and find consistent patterns. |
| Date: | 2018–10–10 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1235&r=all |
| By: | Mahmoud Ali Hailat (Yarmouk University) |
| Abstract: | This paper employs the Jordan Labor Market Panel Survey 2010 and 2016 waves to investigate the educational enrollment and attainment of Jordanians, as well as variations in school characteristics and student performance. While enrollment in education deteriorated slightly in 2016 compared to 2010, educational attainment has improved in 2016 relative to 2010. Household socioeconomic conditions, especially the wealth and education of parents, are related to enrollment in education and educational attainment. There are disparities in enrollment based on gender, between urban and rural areas, and across the Middle, North, and South regions. Enrollment rates were higher among females than males and the urban South region was disadvantaged. Disease, poverty, and the wishes of parents and individuals were the main barriers to entering education for the younger generations, while poverty, traditions, and lack of schools were the main barriers for older generations. The decline in lower levels of educational attainment was offset by more adults who obtained a university degree. |
| Date: | 2018–09–18 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1221&r=all |
| By: | Hoda Selim (International Monetary Fund); Kamiar Mohaddes; Jeffrey Nugent |
| 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. |
| Date: | 2018–09–18 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1228&r=all |
| By: | Rana Sawaya (University of Balamand - UOB (LIBAN) - University of Balamand - UOB (LIBAN)); Donabelle Tabchoury (LIRSA - Laboratoire interdisciplinaire de recherche en sciences de l'action - CNAM - Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers [CNAM]); Marc Bonnet (Centre de Recherche Magellan - UJML - Université Jean Moulin - Lyon III - Institut d'Administration des Entreprises (IAE) - Lyon) |
| Abstract: | This paper describes the use of the Socio-Economic Approach to Management to improve the effectiveness of a hospital in Lebanon. The leadership team and IT department were involved. The details of the process are described. The outcomes included improved commuication and morale, reduced hidden costs and the amount of time patients spent in the waiting area. |
| Keywords: | Job autonomy,Employee engagement,Faculty,Hidden Costs,Healthcare,Higher Education Institutions,Sustainability,Accreditation,Administrative Staff,Performance,SEAM,Socio - Economic,Safety,Patient Delay |
| Date: | 2018 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-01907980&r=all |
| By: | Ahmed Mohamed Ezzat (Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport) |
| Abstract: | Several studies focus on the effects of trade openness on poverty alleviation through studying the effect on money-metric measures of poverty. Hence, they ignore the other dimensions of individual’s well-being. Even those who studied the effect of money-metric poverty found that the ground argument that trade openness alleviates poverty in developing countries is fragile. Moreover, in most cases testing this relationship in developing countries resulted in a negative relationship. Most of studies stressed on the importance of mitigating the negative effects of trade openness on poverty in the short term. The main contribution of this paper is to add the non-money-metric measures of poverty in testing the impact of trade openness on both multidimensional poverty and its intensity. The paper has attempted to review the literature that supports and opposes the effects of trade openness on multi-dimensional poverty and its severity. Additionally, a dynamic panel model is estimated to test this relationship relying on macroeconomic data set for countries in MENA region. The paper supports that trade openness restricts the efforts to alleviate both of multidimensional poverty and its intensity in MENA countries. This underscores the need for governments to provide complementary policies aimed at bringing the benefits of trade openness to those in extreme poverty. |
| Date: | 2018–11–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1248&r=all |
| By: | Ali Akarca (University of Illinois) |
| Abstract: | During the last two-thirds of a century, Turkey was ruled by a wide variety of governments: single-party governments, coalitions partnered by two or more parties and by ideologically compatible and incompatible parties, minority and military governments. While single party governments all lasted at least two terms, the rest rarely lasted even one term. The timing of these governments and the order in which they followed each other were not by chance but according to a pattern induced by coups. Typically single party governments were ended by coups. Ideologically incompatible and then compatible coalition governments followed, usually after a brief military administration. Then once again single party governments returned. As economic growth typically exhibits an inverted-U type of pattern over the life of a government, and declines as the number of ruling parties and the ideological distance between them increase, the coups lowered the growth rate of the country and generated political business cycles that are distinct from those induced by elections. In the paper, these assertions are explained in detail, and supported using theory, history, descriptive statistics, and regression analysis. It is also shown that improving democratic institutions of the country would enhance the stability and growth of the economy greatly. |
| Date: | 2018–10–23 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1241&r=all |
| By: | George Naufal (Texas A&M University); Michael Malcolm; Vidya Diwakar |
| Abstract: | This paper examines the relationship between armed conflict intensity and child labor using household level data from Iraq and taking advantage of a quasi-experimental setup. Armed conflict intensity is measured as the number of deaths related to conflict and child labor is separated by type of work: economic and household. After controlling for individual and household characteristics that determine child labor, we find that armed conflict intensity is associated with a higher likelihood of economic child labor, but is not associated with changes in household labor. These results provide further evidence of the long-term costs of war on households. |
| Date: | 2018–09–18 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1225&r=all |
| By: | Mohammed Elhaj Mustafa Ali (University of Kassala); Manal Mahagoub Elshakh; Ebaidalla Mahjoub Ebaidalla |
| Abstract: | This study examines the relationship between foreign aid and economic growth in Sudan using autoregressive distrusted lag (ARDL) bounds tests. Relying on time series data spanned over the period 1980 to 2015, the findings reveal that there is a long run relationship between variables under consideration. Specifically, the findings show that foreign aid in the form of official development assistance (ODA) has a positive and significant long run impact on economic growth in Sudan. However, the interaction between aid and corruption in public institutions imposes a negative and significant long run impact on economic growth. Interestingly, the findings indicate that aid deters economic growth in the short run. This outcome may stand as indication that aid spurs economic growth via its contributions to human capital and improving infrastructural facilities both of which become rewarding in the long run. The paper concludes with the importance of utilizing aid in enhancing human capital capacities in order to boost economic growth. |
| Date: | 2018–11–13 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1251&r=all |
| By: | Mohamed Osman Shereif Mahdi Abaker (Department of Management, School of Business, American University of Ras Al Khaimah, P.O. Box 10021, Postal Code 10021, Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates Author-2-Name: Hanan AliAl-Shehhi Author-2-Workplace-Name: Graduate Assistant, Ministry of Education, Directorate of Musandam, P.O. Box 332, Postal Code 811, Khasab , Sultanate of Oman Author-3-Name: Author-3-Workplace-Name: Author-4-Name: Author-4-Workplace-Name: Author-5-Name: Author-5-Workplace-Name: Author-6-Name: Author-6-Workplace-Name: Author-7-Name: Author-7-Workplace-Name: Author-8-Name: Author-8-Workplace-Name:) |
| Abstract: | Objective - This study investigates the impact of the educational portal on employee performance in the Ministry of Education (MOE) in the Sultanate of Oman. It examines employee perceptions of the benefits of the educational portal used by the MOE. The educational portal provided by the MOE is the main gateway for various types of educational related online services to users. This research focuses on the factors of educational portal services, which facilitates work, and improve employee performance. Methodology/Technique - The research adopts a quantitative methodology and collects data by means of questionnaires. Findings - The findings suggest that the educational portal technology has a positive impact on employee performance. The results also reveal that the employee performance has increased since the introduction of educational portal services compared with employee performance based on the previous manual system. Novelty - This calls for a systematic and periodic review of the educational portal services, to update the technology and accommodate for new requirements. |
| Keywords: | Educational Portal; Online Services; Portal Technology; Information Technology; Employee Performance; Sultanate of Oman. |
| JEL: | M10 M12 M19 |
| Date: | 2018–12–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:gtr:gatrjs:jmmr199&r=all |
| By: | Ana Sasi-Brodesky (Bank of Israel) |
| Abstract: | This paper examines default events in Israel's corporate bond market between 2008 and 2015. Using a sample of 106 distress events, the variation in expected recovery rates over time is analyzed. The value of distressed firms at the time of default was found to be mostly influenced by the financial conditions of peers in the industry and in the market. In particular, low liquidity and high average leverage ratios of other market participants had a negative effect on the anticipated recovery rate. Firm-specific characteristics were found to have negligible effect on expected recovery rates. Average recovery and default rates are shown to compare well with the experience in other countries. |
| Keywords: | recovery rates, default, bond market, Israel, market price |
| JEL: | G33 |
| Date: | 2017–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:boi:wpaper:2017.17&r=all |
| By: | BENYOUB, Mohammed |
| Abstract: | This paper investigates the short-run and long-run relationships between four main Algerian macroeconomic variables, the investment of oil revenues, economic growth, unemployment rate, inflation rate, using the Johansen multivariate cointegration techniques as well as VAR model for the period 2000-2015. The results indicate that there is not a long relationship between these four macroeconomic variables. The impulse functions and the variance decomposition from the stationary VAR show that the investment of oil revenues is very important to short run dynamics of the Algerian economy, when there is a shock in investment of oil revenues, GDP responds positively (13%) while the unemployment rate responds negatively (11%), in the long term. This is in line with the Algerian government's investment strategy, increasing GDP and reducing the unemployment rate. |
| Keywords: | VAR model, oil revenues, public investment, gross domestic product, unemployment, inflation. |
| JEL: | C01 C02 C3 C32 C5 C54 E2 E22 E24 E60 |
| Date: | 2018–01–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:90489&r=all |
| By: | Hajer Habib (Universite Tunis El Manar); Ghazi Boulila |
| Abstract: | L’objectif de ce papier est de présenter notre contribution à la littérature théorique à travers un modèle théorique simple traitant l’effet des transferts de fonds migratoires sur le marché du travail des pays d’origine et de tester cette relation empiriquement en cas de la Tunisie. La méthodologie utilisée consiste à estimer un panel des neuf principales destinations de la diaspora tunisienne en Europe entre 1994-2014, afin de mieux valoriser l’effet net des transferts sur le chômage à travers la croissance démographique. Les résultats montrent que les principaux facteurs explicatifs de la décision d’émigration sont le différentiel de revenu, les facteurs démographiques et les facteurs culturels. En effet, la situation économique des pays Européens domine les nombres des émigrants Tunisiens comme un facteur explicatif du montant des transferts. De même, les résultats conferment qu’une augmentation des transferts de fonds réduit nettement l’offre de travail et augmente par conséquent le niveau de chômage. Cette corrélation positive révèle que l’impact des changements démographiques sur l’effet des transferts intervient à travers une aggravation du chômage à cause du vieillissement de la population ce qui coïncide au cas de la Tunisie passant par une période de transition démographique. |
| Date: | 2018–11–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1253&r=all |