Advances in Applied Economics: Trade, Growth and Policy Modeling, 2nd Edition

Dear Colleagues,

Through this interdisciplinary collection, the second edition aims to deliver actionable, evidence-based insights for researchers, practitioners, and working toward equitable and sustainable development. Developing countries and emerging economies continue to navigate complex, overlapping economic hurdles. Issues like stubborn poverty, deep gender disparities, fragile trade networks, and climate risks rarely happen in isolation. Yet, traditional public policies often treat these problems separately, which limits their real-world impact. Reaching key global targets, such as SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), demands integrated strategies that reflect how modern markets actually function.

Building on the success of our first edition, the second edition expands our scope to examine two critical drivers of modern development: digital trade and enterprise activities.

The quick rise of digital finance, cross-border e-commerce, and novel trade frameworks presents both fresh opportunities and distinct regulatory challenges for the Global South. At the same time, evaluating whether these policies actually work requires sharper empirical tools. We particularly encourage studies using empirical cases, household surveys, and innovative modeling methods to trace how macro-level policies affect local businesses, workers, and communities.

Additionally, this edition places a special spotlight on vulnerable, geographically isolated, and climate-exposed environments, most notably mountain regions across Central Asia. These areas face distinct economic hurdles, including remote supply chains, limited infrastructure, and delicate ecosystems. Exploring how regional trade agreements, local enterprise dynamics, and digital tools intersect in these contexts offers vital lessons for broader sustainable development.

We invite rigorous empirical, theoretical, and comparative contributions from economics, political science, public policy, environmental studies, and sustainable growth.

Key Topics of Interest

Submissions might address (but not limited to, the following themes:):

• Digital Trade & Frameworks: How cross-border digital platforms, fintech adoption, and modern trade rules shape market access and financial inclusion across the Global South.
• Enterprise activities: Using novel empirical studies, administrative records, or advanced econometric models to evaluate policy impact and local economic performance.
• Mountain Economies & Geographically Isolated Regions: Targeted analyses on trade resilience, infrastructure, natural resource governance, and livelihood strategies in Central Asian mountain zones and similar topographies.
• Gender-Responsive Trade & Empowerment: Assessing how trade policies, local business cooperatives, and targeted credit programs support women entrepreneurs and reduce structural inequalities.
• Fair Trade, Inclusive Growth & Policy Modeling: Integrated policy frameworks linking trade mechanisms, sustainable natural resource use, and poverty reduction.

Through this interdisciplinary collection, the second edition aims to deliver actionable, evidence-based insights for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers working toward equitable and sustainable growth.

Dr. Amirreza Kazemikhasragh
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the Special Issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Economies is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.