Search Results (642)

This study examines how parental legal status operates as a fundamental social determinant of health and educational equity, focusing on long-term outcomes among U.S.-born and foreign-born children of immigrants. We hypothesized that intergenerational stress and institutional exclusion associated with undocumented status would lead to lower educational attainment and poorer health. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), a nationally representative cohort, participants were classified by inferred parental legal status: native-born, documented immigrant, and undocumented immigrant. Outcomes included high school graduation, college enrollment, depression scores, and chronic health conditions. Children of undocumented parents exhibited the most adverse outcomes—lower graduation (63.8%) and college enrollment rates (39.9%), higher depression, and greater chronic illness. In models controlling for socioeconomic factors, parental undocumented status independently predicted reduced odds of college enrollment (OR = 0.61, p < 0.001) and increased odds of reporting fair/poor health (OR = 2.10, p < 0.001). Findings highlight legal precarity as a potent driver of intergenerational disadvantage and underscore the need for policies addressing the barriers faced by children in undocumented families to promote health and educational equity. Full article

Using a method inspired by quantum principles, this study estimates the composition of various types of tax contributions expected from foreign trade operations. The estimation approach is proposed considering the superposition of expectations and disturbances—fundamental elements of quantum methods—that add complexity to the forecasts of tax collections. For instance, the contributions of international trade-related taxes may be determined not only by the country’s degree of regional integration but also by the composition of tax revenue that depends on the kind and use of merchandise. Using the case of Mexico’s imports, the methodology illustrates how the expectations of collecting certain taxes—like the General Import Tariff (GIT) and the Value Added Tax (VAT)—would be impacted by fluctuations in others—such as the Special Tax on Production and Services (STPS). The hypothesis of this study is that, through the proposed quantum-inspired methodology, it is possible to establish future scenarios of tax revenue compositions while maintaining fiscal consistency by anticipating potential outcomes in the adjustments of contributions if the recently proposed fiscal reform is approved by the Mexican Government. This work contributes to the academic literature on public finance management by advancing a methodology that can support the strategic formulation of fiscal expectations and policy. Full article

Compliant cross-border data flows face persistent challenges from fragmented regulatory regimes, inconsistent enforcement, and limited trust among stakeholders. Current approaches typically rely on centralized oversight or excessive data disclosure, both compromising regulatory interoperability and operational security. This paper introduces a trust-oriented blockchain architecture that enables secure cross-border data exchange while ensuring verifiable compliance without revealing sensitive content. The architecture decouples policy enforcement, privacy-preserving validation, and cross-jurisdiction auditability, enabling entities to share cryptographically verifiable compliance proofs rather than raw data. To capture the behavioral dynamics across heterogeneous regulatory environments, we incorporate a strategic interaction layer that models how domestic firms, foreign enterprises, and cross-border data platforms adjust decisions under varying incentive structures. These insights guide the design of an adaptive compliance verification pipeline that maintains trust equilibrium across participants. Our design records only cryptographic digests and structured compliance evidence on-chain, while off-chain components execute privacy-preserving checks using secure computation and decentralized storage. Through a case-driven evaluation, we show that the proposed architecture reduces governance friction, enhances institutional trust, and achieves interoperable compliance validation with minimal disclosure overhead. Through component-level evaluation and architectural analysis, this work establishes a technical foundation for secure, transparent, and regulation-aligned cross-border data governance. The framework provides a blueprint for future multi-party pilot deployments in operational environments. Full article

This study investigates the impact of natural resource rents (natural gas, forests, minerals, and oil) on capital formation in BRICS economies from 1990 to 2023. It focuses on the importance of natural resource rents and their influence on capital formation in Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. Foreign direct investment (FDI) is included as a moderating factor. Using the method of moment quantile regression (MMQR), the study finds that higher natural resource rents reduce gross fixed capital formation (GFCF) in the upper quantiles. In contrast, FDI dampens these adverse effects and strengthens the positive impact on GFCF in the upper quantiles. Granger causality analysis reveals that natural gas rent, FDI, GDP, trade openness, domestic investment, and institutional quality all affect capital formation, with feedback relationships evident. There is unidirectional causality from forest rent and mineral rent to capital formation, and from capital formation to inflation and financial development. Propensity score matching (PSM) indicates that BRICS economies with higher FDI also have higher GFCF, owing to FDI’s influence on resource rents. The seemingly unrelated regression (SUR) analysis for cross-country comparison indicates that Russia has higher NGR, FR, and OR, resulting in more pronounced negative changes in Russia’s capital formation than in India. Additionally, the results of the SUR analysis indicate that China’s higher NGR, FR, and OR are associated with larger adverse changes in capital formation than those in Russia. The findings from additional analysis using the PSTR model, with gross capital formation as the dependent variable, indicate that when institutions are weak, natural resources reduce gross capital formation and foreign investment in resource sectors yields minimal spillovers. However, when institutions are stronger, natural resources are used productively, and investment from outside the resource sector yields broader benefits, boosting GCF. Moreover, robustness checks using panel fixed-effects regression and endogeneity analysis with a system GMM estimator show that higher natural resource rents are associated with weaker capital formation, and that FDI mitigates the negative influence of natural resource rents as a moderating factor. These empirical results can inform policy recommendations on natural resource rents and FDI to achieve high capital formation in BRICS economies. Full article

Ethiopia presents a compelling paradox in sustainable development: despite decades of rapid economic growth, improvements in human well-being have not been commensurate. This study examines the role of global economic integration in resolving this paradox by analyzing the impact of trade openness (TOP) and foreign direct investment (FDI) on human development in Ethiopia from 1991 to 2021. We hypothesize that this paradox arises because the benefits of trade and FDI operate primarily through an income-growth channel, with a weaker direct effect on health and education capabilities. Moving beyond the standard Human Development Index (HDI), we construct a modified index (HDI*) that excludes the income component, allowing us to disentangle direct effects on health and education from indirect effects mediated through economic growth. Using the ARDL bounds testing approach, we find that TOP and FDI have significantly stronger long-run effects on standard HDI (0.343 and 0.214, respectively) than on the non-income HDI* (0.235 and 0.136). This indicates that approximately one-third (31.5%) of TOP’s and over one-third (36.4%) of FDI’s total benefit is income-mediated, while the remainder reflects direct capability enhancement. The analysis further reveals that institutional quality significantly amplifies these benefits, whereas inflation specifically undermines non-income dimensions, highlighting the acute vulnerability of social sectors to macroeconomic instability. We conclude that the Ethiopian paradox stems not from a failure of growth but from its weak translation into direct, sustainable gains in health and education. We recommend policies to strengthen institutional governance, attract FDI into health and education sectors, lower trade barriers for agricultural exports, and use trade agreements to address structural trade deficits and promote sustainable human development. Full article

Background: Nearshoring has risen after shocks and policy shifts. We synthesize evidence in a compact loop linking triggers (trade frictions, supply-chain risk, new agreements) to location choices mediated by multidimensional proximity (geographic, institutional, organizational, social, cognitive, functional) to components (manufacturing footprint, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), employment) and outcomes (spillovers, productivity, innovation) conditioned by absorptive capacity and institutions. Methods: We conducted a literature review using major bibliographic databases. A staged screening pipeline (deduplication, pre-eligibility, and title–abstract screening) preceded full-text coding aligned with the review framework (triggers, proximity, components, outcomes, mediators). Studies were appraised with a five-criterion checklist, and themes were consolidated with basic bibliometric checks. Results: Evidence is North Atlantic and manufacturing-centric. Supply-chain disruptions dominate triggers; non-geographic proximity strongly moderates relocation. FDI anchors ecosystems, while employment effects are lagged and compositional. Strong capability and policy mixes yield broader spillovers; otherwise, benefits remain enclave-like. Sustainability and transformative outcomes are rarely assessed. Conclusions: The loop clarifies feedback from outcomes to future siting. Firms should build proximity beyond geography and pair early FDI with supplier and skills upgrading; policymakers should align instruments to governance, capability formation, and logistics. Research should expand Global South coverage and integrate environmental and inclusion metrics. Full article

Developed and developing economies use globalization and foreign direct investment (FDI) to pave the way and to maximize economic growth. This study aims to investigate the impact of globalization and FDI on the economic growth of South Africa over the period from 1998 to 2022. The study employed the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approach on annual data from the World Bank and the KOF index of globalization. ARDL tests reveal a long-run positive and statistically significant relationship of 12.7% in the case of economic globalization. This indicates that there is a reasonable level of the emergence of a globalized economy to integrate new and diverse systems, within internal economic growth forces that are supporting the globalization and endogenous growth theories. Political globalization is negative and statistically significant, while social globalization is positive but is used to depress long-run economic growth because of its insignificant status. The novelty of this study is to focus on the impacts of economic, social, and political globalization and FDI on the economic growth of South Africa, through direct and interactive procedures. The findings can be used by South African policymakers and other countries to prioritize reaping the benefits of globalization. These outcomes can be used to sensitize and promote policies that can attract relevant FDI, while enhancing economic growth. Full article

This study examines the influence of agricultural labor policies on the sustainability and productivity of farming enterprises in Türkiye, with a particular focus on the sector’s increasing reliance on foreign labor. Using primary data collected through face-to-face surveys with 73 agricultural enterprises in the Çumra District of Konya Province during the 2023–2024 production year, supplemented by secondary data from national and international institutions, the research explores how workforce composition, policy regulations, and socio-economic factors affect farm performance. Descriptive and comparative statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS to evaluate demographic characteristics, employment patterns, wage structures, and satisfaction levels among local and foreign workers. The findings indicate that as farm size expands, the use of foreign labor—mainly from Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan—significantly increases, generating cost and productivity advantages but also raising concerns related to social integration and legal employment barriers. Local labor demonstrates greater competence in mechanization but remains insufficient in quantity, deepening the existing labor shortage. A substantial majority (91%) of producers consider current labor regulations restrictive and emphasize the need for government incentives, vocational training programs, and simplified permit procedures for foreign workers. The results highlight the importance of inclusive and adaptive labor policies that harmonize economic efficiency with social cohesion, supporting the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2, 8, and 11—Zero Hunger, Decent Work and Economic Growth, and Sustainable Cities and Communities. Full article

This paper investigates the impact of U.S. monetary policy on capital flows to emerging market economies and examines the role of capital controls in moderating this effect. Using a fixed-effects model with panel data from 19 developing nations spanning 2005Q1 to 2024Q3, we find that U.S. monetary tightening significantly reduces net capital inflows to these economies, undermining stable financing conditions necessary for long-term development. Countries with stronger capital controls are more insulated from these shocks and demonstrate greater financial resilience. This is because well-designed capital controls primarily target volatile short-term flows that are most susceptible to external policy shocks, while leaving stable, long-term productive investment largely unaffected. The study further reveals that during periods of unconventional monetary policy, the negative impact of U.S. policy shocks was more pronounced; short-term capital flows were highly responsive to policy changes, while foreign direct investment remained largely stable; and low- and middle-income nations experienced more severe disruptions than their high-income counterparts. These findings highlight the value of composition-targeted capital flow management in safeguarding financial stability and supporting sustainable development in emerging markets amid external monetary volatility. Full article

This study explores the effect of Energy Inequality (EINQ) on environmental sustainability within the frameworks of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) and the Load Capacity Curve (LCC), while accounting for technological progress (TECH), financial development (FD), and foreign direct investment (FDI). Using annual data for six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries from 2005 to 2024, the analysis applies the Method of Moments Quantile Regression (MMQR) to capture heterogeneous effects across the distribution of the Load Capacity Factor (LCF). The results show that energy inequality consistently reduces environmental sustainability, indicating that unequal access to efficient and clean energy services heightens ecological pressure. In contrast, technological innovation and financial development enhance sustainability by improving energy efficiency and supporting green investments. Economic growth exhibits an inverted U-shape, validating the EKC and LCC hypotheses. These findings are especially important for the GCC, where hydrocarbon dependence, uneven access to clean energy, and rapid structural change intensify the environmental consequences of inequality. The study underscores the need for policies that promote equitable energy access, innovation-led diversification, and sustainable financial mechanisms. Full article

This paper examines whether financial development affects economic growth across different levels of carbon emissions in 30 Chinese provinces from 1990 to 2022. We employ a novel partially linear functional-coefficient model with latent factor structure. This approach relaxes the traditional assumptions of linearity and cross-sectional independence, allowing us to capture more flexible growth patterns. Our empirical findings reveal three key insights: (i) the positive effect of financial development on economic growth follows a nonlinear pattern—it initially strengthens as carbon emissions increase but declines rapidly after emissions reach a threshold; (ii) innovation and openness show limited impacts on economic growth; (iii) regional variations exist based on resource endowment. These findings offer important policy implications. Promoting green financial products could extend the beneficial range of carbon emissions for economic growth. Optimizing innovation structures and supervising foreign enterprises may help unlock growth potential while preventing pollution transfer. Regional strategies would benefit from accounting for resource disparities. Full article

The role of international financial resource inflows, foreign direct investment (FDI), development foreign assistance (DFA), and personal remittance earnings (PRE) in decisive advancement toward environmental sustainability (SDG13) and economic development is increasingly recognized. However, depending on the situation, their effects on environmental outcomes vary in degree and direction, and are still subject to debate. This research examines how the three main international financial resources impact environmental sustainability, which is measured by the bio-capacity index, with a specific focus on the moderating role of corruption. The system panel generalized method of moments with balanced panel data (2001–2023) was used to attain the objectives of this study. This study focused on 28 developing Organization of Islamic Cooperation member countries because of their significant reliance on these financial inflows, regional/economic variety, and diverse levels of governance, which offer a crucial setting for evaluating the corruption moderation hypothesis. The findings reveal a comprehensive scenario of SDG synergies and trade-offs. In the base model, FDI directly improves the situation, whereas DFA and PRE are initially negligible. When considering internal economic factors, FDI and PRE greatly advance sustainability, whereas domestic financial measures such as domestic credit and fixed capital formation show adverse effects, underscoring a tension between environmental objectives and national financial systems. Importantly, the moderation analysis shows that while the advantages of FDI and PRE continue to be robust, corruption severely reduces the efficacy of DFA. To assure environmental effectiveness, these findings call for distinct policies that encourage green FDI, leverage remittances for green investments at the family level, and above all, fasten development assistance to strict governance changes. Full article

Mangrove forests are biodiverse and highly productive coastal ecosystems, fundamental to fisheries and tourism. However, they are severely threatened by human activities and invasive species, particularly in port areas such as the Port of Santos, necessitating effective environmental management. This study aimed to analyze the risks of biological invasion in mangrove ecosystems stemming from port activities, with a focus on the Port of Santos (PS), Brazil. To achieve this, we conducted a bibliometric review using the Web of Science and Scopus databases, analyzed vessel traffic flows arriving at the PS over 14 years (from 2010 to 2024), and discussed alternatives to address the challenge of biological invasion. The review revealed a significant gap in the scientific literature, as few studies (9.9%, n = 71) address the intersection of maritime transport, invasive species, and mangroves in Latin American contexts. The intense and constant flow of international vessels into the Port of Santos, totaling 15,193 arrivals from more than 200 ports worldwide between 2010 and 2024, poses a persistent threat of biological invasion. This high-volume connectivity, with several foreign hubs exceeding 300 departures in the period, reinforces the role of ships as vectors transporting exotic species in ballast water and through hull fouling. This can destabilize local ecosystems and cause significant socioeconomic losses unless control measures, mediated by effective policies, regulations, and technologies, are implemented in the short term. A spatiotemporal analysis of vessel traffic flows over a 14-year period revealed persistent high-risk corridors for bioinvasion, directly linking maritime activity patterns to the threat level for adjacent mangrove ecosystems. The data indicate a substantial challenge for the PS, yet one with a high potential for resolution in the medium term, contingent upon investment in technology and regulation. Full article

This study provides empirical evidence of tax-induced profit-shifting by multinational corporations (MNCs) operating in Morocco, an underexplored developing country context characterized by notable tax arbitrage potential. Using a micro-level panel dataset of foreign-owned subsidiaries from 2014 to 2023, we employ a pseudo-ordinary least squares (POLS) framework to examine how corporate income tax (CIT) differentials affect subsidiaries’ earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT). The results indicate that higher CIT differentials significantly reduce reported profits, supporting the indirect evidence on corporate profit-shifting behaviour. Our findings also document that the effect of the CIT differential on EBIT is moderated by firm capitalization. However, contrary to investment distortion theory, subsidiaries do not reduce investment in response to higher effective capital costs. This study also assesses the impact of Morocco’s implementation of BEPS, the COVID-19 shock, and institutional quality indicators on subsidiaries’ reported EBIT. The findings highlight the strategic role of capital structure and governance in shaping MNCs’ tax-motivated behaviour. This study contributes to the literature on international taxation and corporate finance and offers important policy implications for developing economies seeking to balance revenue integrity, investment incentives, and robust anti-avoidance enforcement. Full article

With the growing financialization of energy markets, financial and energy security have become critical global concerns. This study overcomes the limitations of traditional methods in analyzing extreme events by adopting a conditional quantile spillover index approach. Using China’s energy market prices and financial sub-market pressure indices, it constructs Quantile Vector Autoregressive (QVAR) models for both traditional and new energy-finance systems to examine their time-varying risk spillovers. Key findings are: (1) A significant risk spillover effect exists within China’s energy-finance system. The energy market acts as the primary risk transmitter, driven by both industrial policy and market demand, while capital and foreign exchange markets are the main risk absorbers. (2) The system exhibits significant tail spillover and asymmetry. The traditional energy market is more sensitive to upside extreme risks, whereas the new energy market is more sensitive to downside extremes. (3) Uncertainties like supply demand imbalances, policy shifts, and changing domestic/international conditions are major volatility drivers. Supply demand issues primarily affect the traditional energy market, while policy adjustments trigger chain reactions in the new energy sector. Based on these insights, the paper proposes recommendations to prevent systemic risks and potential energy crises. Full article