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Economies
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Development Economics: New Perspectives, Evidence and Challenges
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Development Economics: New Perspectives, Evidence and Challenges

A special issue of Economies (ISSN 2227-7099). This special issue belongs to the section "Economic Development".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2027 | Viewed by 2301

Editor

Dr. Kanat Abdulla

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Global Labor Organization, 45141 Essen, Germany
2. School of Economics and Management, Narxoz University, 050035 Almaty, Kazakhstan
Interests: macroeconomics; human capital; economic demography; development economics; labor economics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Development economics has undergone substantial transformation over the past two decades, driven by new data sources, methodological innovations, and emerging global challenges. This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive platform for advancing contemporary perspectives on development economics by bringing together theoretical, empirical, and policy-oriented research. The focus of the Special Issue spans key development themes such as economic growth, human capital formation, labor markets, demographic change, inequality, poverty dynamics, and institutional development, with particular attention to low- and middle-income countries.

The scope of the Special Issue is intentionally broad, encouraging contributions that employ modern econometric techniques, experimental and quasi-experimental designs, macroeconomic modeling, and interdisciplinary approaches. By emphasizing both micro- and macro-level evidence, the issue seeks to bridge gaps between theory, empirical findings, and real-world policy applications.

Positioned within the rapidly evolving development economics literature, this Special Issue responds to recent debates on sustainable development, demographic transitions, labor market transformations, and the long-term effects of education and health investments. It aims to contribute novel insights, reassess established theories, and highlight unresolved challenges, thereby fostering informed academic discussion and evidence-based policymaking.

Dr. Kanat Abdulla
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.

Keywords

  • economic demography
  • labor markets
  • development policy
  • economic institutions
  • human capital
  • demographic transition
  • inequality
  • development policy
  • labor market regulation
  • social protection
  • public policy
  • governance

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 355 KB  
Article
Two Decades of Free Movement: Assessing the Socio-Economic Factors of Emigration in Latvia
by Anastasija Romāne, Astra Auziņa-Emsiņa and Iveta Mietule
Economies 2026, 14(7), 274; https://doi.org/10.3390/economies14070274 - 14 Jul 2026
Abstract
Emigration remains an important socio-economic challenge for Latvia, affecting labour market development, human capital availability, and long-term economic growth prospects. This study aims to quantitatively assess the relative importance of selected socio-economic factors influencing emigration in Latvia over the period 2004–2024 using an [...] Read more.
Emigration remains an important socio-economic challenge for Latvia, affecting labour market development, human capital availability, and long-term economic growth prospects. This study aims to quantitatively assess the relative importance of selected socio-economic factors influencing emigration in Latvia over the period 2004–2024 using an integrated index method. This research is based on an integrated index method, combining selected socio-economic, demographic, and labour market indicators into multidimensional and integral indices. The empirical analysis applies normalisation, weighting, and correlation analyses_ to identify the intensity of influence between groups of emigration-influencing factors and the emigration coefficient (number of emigrants per inhabitant). The results show that the selected factor groups are associated with emigration dynamics in Latvia. Among the analysed dimensions, labour market factors demonstrate the strongest influence intensity, indicating that employment opportunities, wage levels and labour market quality are among the key conditions affecting emigration. The findings also suggest that emigration should be interpreted not only as a response to socio-economic disparities, but also as a factor influencing economic growth potential through changes in human capital, demographic structure, and labour market capacity. This research contributes to the empirical literature by providing an integrated assessment framework for analysing emigration-related factors in a small open economy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development Economics: New Perspectives, Evidence and Challenges)
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20 pages, 540 KB  
Article
Developing a Methodology for Measuring Regional Socio-Economic Development Balance: A Case Study of Kazakhstan
by Aizhan Tleuberdinova, Nailya Nurlanova, Farida Alzhanova and Zhaniye Tulenbayeva
Economies 2026, 14(6), 195; https://doi.org/10.3390/economies14060195 - 26 May 2026
Viewed by 508
Abstract
In the modern world, many countries experience increasing territorial imbalances in socio-economic development, exacerbating inequality and posing risks to social stability and sustainable economic growth. This study develops a methodological approach to assess regional socio-economic balance, tailored for Kazakhstan, and tests its applicability [...] Read more.
In the modern world, many countries experience increasing territorial imbalances in socio-economic development, exacerbating inequality and posing risks to social stability and sustainable economic growth. This study develops a methodological approach to assess regional socio-economic balance, tailored for Kazakhstan, and tests its applicability using selected regional data. The research employs comparative and systematic analysis, correlation analysis, expert surveys, the integral method, ranking, and classification techniques. The study reviews existing methodologies for measuring inequality and territorial disparities, identifying a lack of methodological consensus. To address this gap, an original framework is proposed, based on the calculation of the Socio-Economic Balance Index using integral multi-criteria decision analysis and ranking of indicators. Based on expert survey data and correlation analysis of per capita nominal income with selected variables, four economic and six social indicators were identified for index computation. Empirical testing in Kazakhstan’s regions confirmed the method’s practicality and ease of use. Results show that most analyzed regions (8 out of 12) have low socio-economic balance. The study recommends that policymakers apply this methodology for regional monitoring, developing state support measures for economically depressed areas, and forecasting migration trends. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development Economics: New Perspectives, Evidence and Challenges)
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24 pages, 1407 KB  
Article
Research on the Shadow Economy and Assessment of Its Scale: On the Example of Kazakhstan
by Aziza Mergenbayeva, Kulyanda Nurasheva, Aizhan Abishova and Gulnara Urazbayeva
Economies 2026, 14(4), 135; https://doi.org/10.3390/economies14040135 - 12 Apr 2026
Viewed by 1278
Abstract
The manuscript aims to assess the scale of shadow economic processes within the non-observed economy, focusing on the self-employment sector, which is insufficiently reflected in national statistics. The research methodology includes an analysis of the conceptual foundations of the shadow economy, decomposition of [...] Read more.
The manuscript aims to assess the scale of shadow economic processes within the non-observed economy, focusing on the self-employment sector, which is insufficiently reflected in national statistics. The research methodology includes an analysis of the conceptual foundations of the shadow economy, decomposition of its components, identification of factors negatively affecting the economy, development of an algorithm for sociological research, and the selection of appropriate models for evaluating the non-observed economy. The study formulates the concept of the shadow economy and shows that shadow business activity in Kazakhstan contributes to income inequality, hidden unemployment, and the exclusion of certain goods and services from official GDP statistics. Using statistical data from 2005 to 2024 and applying methods such as system and statistical analysis, modeling approaches, and the MIMIC (Multiple Indicator Multiple Cause) and DGE (Dynamic General Equilibrium) models, the study estimates the size of the shadow sector. The results reveal insufficient statistical data on shadow activities within self-employment and SMEs. The study concludes that the most reliable assessment of the shadow economy requires an integrated methodological approach, including targeted sociological research and models that account for the influence of multiple factors on informal self-employment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development Economics: New Perspectives, Evidence and Challenges)
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