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on Transition Economics |
| By: | Michael Fritsch (Friedrich Schiller University Jena); Maria Greve (University of Utrecht); Michael Wyrwich (University of Groningen) |
| Abstract: | This paper examines how the legacy of socialist regime in countries of Central and Eastern Europe has affected innovation and R&D cooperation and compares this to Western Europe. Our analysis reveals that the negative impact of socialism on innovation Central and Eastern European countries is mediated by interpersonal trust and the quality of government. These findings highlight the significance of historical context for innovation activity. Our insights are particularly relevant for policymakers who are trying to create effective strategies to encourage technological development in post-socialist regions. |
| Keywords: | Innovation, socialist legacy, institutional quality, trust |
| JEL: | O31 O43 P20 R11 |
| Date: | 2025–10–16 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:jrp:jrpwrp:2025-0010 |
| By: | Zoltan Bartha; Marco M. Matarrese |
| Abstract: | This study investigates the impact of a fiscal policy spending shock on the economy of the Visegrad 4 countries. The impact is estimated with an SVAR model, and the calculations are based on 84 quarterly observations (1999Q1-2019Q4). The results suggest that fiscal expansion has a larger than usual impact in the V4 countries (except for Slovakia): the estimated long-term (5-year) cumulative spending multipliers are 0.81 for Czechia, 1.14 for Hungary, and 1.76 for Poland (the Slovakian multiplier has a value of -0.18, but it is not significant). The discussion section also connects higher spending multipliers with a higher share of VAT revenues, a higher debt ratio, higher foreign debt, and lower openness. |
| Date: | 2025–09 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2509.21397 |
| By: | O'Connor, Mary-Jane; Yılmaz, Barış; Borgers, Nicholas; Fedotova, Zoya |
| Abstract: | Tourism is a major contributor to European employment, yet the sector is characterized by part-time work, seasonal fluctuations, informal employment, and gender disparities. This paper synthesizes recent empirical evidence and numerical data from Eurostat, OECD, and national case studies in Poland, Greece, and Italy to examine post-pandemic tourism labour market trends. Findings show that while tourism creates substantial employment—including spillover jobs in retail and transport—vulnerabilities persist, particularly for informal and female workers. For example, in Greece, 12–15% of tourism jobs are informal, while in Poland, employment dropped 28% during the COVID-19 pandemic, later recovering to ~90% of pre-pandemic levels. The analysis also highlights the role of labour market regulations, workforce sustainability, and skills development in shaping employment outcomes. Policy recommendations focus on balancing flexibility with security, promoting gender equity, supporting workforce development, and utilizing data-driven monitoring. The paper concludes that tourism employment can evolve from a source of vulnerability into a resilient, inclusive, and sustainable sector, provided that regulatory, social, and training interventions are effectively implemented. |
| Keywords: | Tourism employment; labour market dynamics; informal work; gender disparities; post-pandemic recovery |
| JEL: | J01 |
| Date: | 2025–08–28 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:126180 |
| By: | Rok, Jakub; Grodzicki, Maciej; Podsiadło, Martyna |
| Abstract: | The balance between environmental protection and socioeconomic development is a critical policy challenge. Conservation efforts may constrain local development but can also generate benefits beyond nature protection itself, with effects varying across protection regimes and spatial scales. Poland presents a compelling case to examine this trade-off, given its rapid economic growth and significant expansion of PAs in recent decades. This study assesses the relationship between nature protection regimes and local development across Polish municipalities from 2009 to 2022. Using spatial econometric modelling (Spatial Durbin Error Model), we analyse the direct and indirect effects of national parks, nature reserves, and Natura 2000 sites on three dimensions of local development: economic, social, and infrastructural. The most consistent positive effects are observed for economic development in municipalities with high share of national parks and Natura 2000 sites. The effects on infrastructure development are limited: only Natura 2000 sites show a positive direct effect, while negative indirect effects suggest regional competition for investment. The social impacts of protection are predominantly negative, especially for stricter protection regimes. Moreover, these effects extend beyond administrative boundaries, likely due to interlinked labour markets. These findings challenge the notion that conservation uniformly hinders economic development. Instead, they suggest that outcomes differ depending on the protection regime, and that benefits are unevenly distributed – supporting local economic growth while reinforcing social exclusion. The study underscores the need for policies that mitigate social costs and promote more just and integrated development under expanding conservation efforts. |
| Keywords: | conservation policy; protected areas; Local Development; Natura 2000; Protection regime; Spatial spillovers |
| JEL: | Q5 R14 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:126400 |
| By: | Andre Groeger; Yanos Zylberberg |
| Abstract: | This paper studies how social networks (might fail to) shape agricultural practices. We exploit (i) a unique census of agricultural production nested within delineated land parcels and (ii) social network data within four repopulated villages of rural Vietnam. In a first step, we extract exogenous variation in network formation from home locations within the few streets that compose each village (populated through staggered population resettlement), and we estimate the return to social links in the adoption of highly-productive crops. We find a large network multiplier, in apparent contradiction with low adoption rates. In a second step, we study the structure of network formation to explain this puzzle: social networks display large homophily, and valuable links between heterogeneous households are rare. Due to the clustered nature of networks and the dynamic, endogenous propagation of agricultural practices, there are decreasing returns to social links, and policies targeting “inbetweeners†are most able to mitigate this issue. |
| Date: | 2025–04–02 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:bri:uobdis:25/794 |
| By: | Markuss Bergitis (Latvijas Banka) |
| Abstract: | This paper assesses the effectiveness of investment limits in the Latvian state funded pension scheme and their impact on portfolio diversification, investment opportunities, and investments in the Latvian capital market. Using qualitative analysis of legal provisions and quantitative multi-factor regression, the study finds that strict concentration limits – particularly on individual equity holdings – restrict investments in the Latvian economy and might hinder exposure to key risk factors such as size and value. Policy recommendations include easing concentration and exposure limits, adopting a look-through approach for investments in investment funds, and expanding access to alternative assets. |
| Keywords: | investment regulation, defined contribution pensions, portfolio construction |
| JEL: | G18 G11 H55 |
| Date: | 2025–10–02 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ltv:dpaper:202502 |
| By: | Ortl, Aljoša; Sajinčič, Miha |
| Abstract: | Recent concerns about the German automotive slowdown and related US tariffs pose risks for small open economies. We focus on Slovenian companies integrated into these supply chains. Using comprehensive data-intensive analysis, we define “companies at risk” as companies operating in the automotive sector with at least 10% of revenues from German trade receivables. They account for approximately 2% of total bank exposures, 5.3% of value added, and 5% of operating revenues. At the municipal level, several clusters with higher concentrations of such firms are identified. To address data limitations and the arbitrariness of our classification, we conduct robustness checks. Using input–output tables, we also assess potential spillover effects across supply chains. Our granular company-level approach provides valuable insights for potential policy responses targeting the real economy, banking system, and/or local municipalities. |
| Keywords: | German automotive industry; input–output analysis; supply chains; companies at risk; potential risks; risk evaluation for banks; credit and economic risk assessment |
| JEL: | F14 G32 L62 |
| Date: | 2025–08–04 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:126321 |
| By: | Albrecht, Aljoscha; Vorrath, Judith |
| Abstract: | The existential catastrophe faced by the population of the Gaza Strip currently looms large in the foreign policy and security debates. The plight of civilians there is particularly acute. Yet, severe crises persist elsewhere too - from Ukraine and Sudan to Myanmar, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Haiti - where protracted violent conflicts continue to cause grave suffering among civilians. This grim reality is underscored in the United Nations Secretary-General's latest annual report, released in May. At the same time, conventional mechanisms for international conflict resolution are failing in an increasing number of contexts. In light of this, it is crucial to systematically track evolving conflict dynamics and to revise approaches to the protection of civilians accordingly. |
| Keywords: | violence, violent conflicts, Gaza Strip, Ukraine, Sudan, Myanmar, Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, United Nations Secretary-General, international conflict resolution, protection of civilians |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:swpcom:329913 |
| By: | Zagdbazar, Manlaibaatar |
| Abstract: | Between 2007 and 2022, Mongolia’s Gini coefficient decreased by 26 percent. Structural economic shifts, labor market changes, and evolving income composition drive this reduction. Using dynamic income source decomposition on household survey data, this study finds that reduced shares and concentration of imputed housing consumption and self-employment income were the main equalizing forces. In contrast, rising wage shares exerted upward pressure on inequality despite declining wage concentration. The expansion of employment in the mining, trade, and finance sectors, along with broad coverage of social welfare programs, especially child benefits, played a significant role. Pandemic-era transfers amplified the effect of the social transfers. However, gender wage gaps, regional disparities, and vulnerability of herder households persist. The results underscore the importance of targeted labor market policies, improved social transfer design, and resilience measures for rural livelihoods in resource-dependent developing economies. |
| Keywords: | Developing economies, household income composition, income inequality, income sources dynamic decomposition |
| JEL: | D31 D33 D63 |
| Date: | 2025–05–15 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:125762 |
| By: | Sarullo, Nicolas (University of California at Berkeley); Gorodnichenko, Yuriy (University of California, Berkeley); Deryugina, Tatyana (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign); Hodson, James (AI for Good); Sologoub, Ilona (VoxUkraine); Fedyk, Anastassia (University of California at Berkeley) |
| Abstract: | Using household survey data on expenditures and incomes, we construct an objective measure of corruption in the public sector for a broad spectrum of countries. Specifically, we focus on the consumption-income gap for public sector workers relative to private sector workers to gauge the extent of hidden income (bribes) in the government. After validating our data and documenting properties of the consumption-income gap, we compare our measure with popular corruption perception indices. We find that i) the relationship between our measure and the alternatives is nonlinear; ii) available indices appear to be only weakly (and sometimes “wrongly”) correlated with the consumption-income gap at high frequencies; iii) the available indices appear to have a low weight on the relative consumption-income gap in the public sector. |
| Keywords: | consumption, public sector, bribery, corruption, wage premium |
| JEL: | D73 H1 J3 J4 O1 P2 |
| Date: | 2025–10 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp18195 |