Search Results (239)

In this study, an empirical analysis was applied to measure the efficiency level of dairy farms in Cyprus and estimate the capacity of sheep farmers to support the increasing demand for halloumi cheese. Data Envelopment Analysis was used on data from 50 dairy sheep farms in Cyprus, which operate under extensive, semi-intensive, and intensive systems. The main features of the most efficient farms are presented, and a comparative financial analysis is implemented between the efficient and less efficient farms. The results indicate room for improvement in extensive and semi-intensive dairy sheep farming and verify that the transition that takes place in sheep farming towards more intensive systems constitutes the optimal approach. The most efficient farms operate under semi-intensive and intensive dairy sheep farming and achieve higher milk yields than the farms operating under extensive systems. Feeding constitutes the main cost driver, exceeding 60% in both efficient and inefficient farms, while labor wages and fixed capital cost varies between 25% and 30% of the total production cost for both efficiency groups. The findings indicate that the farms should utilize economies of scale to reduce production costs and utilize fixed capital endowments at full capacity. Full article

New quality productive force is a crucial driver for rural transformation. Exploring the impact of this new quality productive force on rural transformation in Shandong Province and enhancing the positive role of regional new quality productive force are significant in promoting high-quality development in this area. Based on urban panel data from 16 prefecture-level cities in Shandong Province, China, spanning from 2010 to 2022, the levels of new quality productive force and rural transformation in Shandong Province are measured separately and an econometric model is constructed to analyze, in depth, the impact of new quality productive force on rural transformation and its mechanism of action. The results show the following. (1) New quality productive force can significantly increase the level of rural transformation in Shandong Province. (2) The urbanization rate of new quality productive force significantly promotes rural transformation, but increases in the average wage of urban workers and the over-advancement of industrial structure significantly inhibit rural transformation. (3) New quality productive force significantly affects the level of rural transformation, mainly by improving the quality of the population. (4) There is regional heterogeneity in the impact of new quality productive forces on rural transformation in the three economic circles of Shandong Province. New quality productivity force provides new dynamic energy for rural transformation in Shandong Province, which can provide new research perspectives and practical guidance for better rural development in China and the rest of the world. Full article

Following the 2008–2009 economic crisis, the issue of self-employed individuals’ access to social protection has gained increasing prominence at both supranational and national levels, often in relation to the rise of ‘bogus’ or economically dependent self-employment and its broader implications. More recently, the COVID-19 pandemic further exposed persistent gaps in the social protection of the self-employed, contributing to their comparatively more precarious position vis-à-vis wage earners. Against this backdrop, and drawing on a literature review alongside findings from a series of semi-structured interviews, this article uses Greece—a country where self-employment constitutes a structural feature of a highly fragmented labour market, and which records the highest self-employment rate in the EU-27 (and among the highest in the OECD)—as a case study to examine self-employment and access to social protection. This article contributes to the growing literature on the social protection of non-standard workers in a context marked by ongoing transformations in employment relations and the world of work. It illustrates, inter alia, the relative weakness of trade union representation for the self-employed, and how limited trust in state institutions among this group shapes their perceptions of social protection, thereby undermining the system’s sustainability. Full article

Income level is a key indicator of the standard of living and the economic efficiency of undertaken activities. This paper aims to evaluate the earnings of Polish dairy farmers compared to those in other economic sectors between 2005 and 2022. The analysis covered 1688 family-run farms that participated continuously in the FADN system throughout the study period, with particular emphasis on farms that expanded their dairy cow herds. The remuneration for the labour of farmers and their families was estimated ex post by subtracting the opportunity costs of owned land and capital from farm income. The alternative cost of engaging one’s own land was determined on the basis of actual rental prices for farmland occurring in the surveyed farm groups in the years analysed. This information is collected in the FADN system from which the studied group of farms was drawn. The basis for determining the alternative cost of involvement of own capital was the average interest rates on deposits for households, concluded for a period of 6 months to 1 year inclusive, reported by the National Bank of Poland. The analysed population was divided into seven groups based on the number of dairy cows maintained. The analysis focused on two three-year reference periods: 2005–2007 and 2020–2022. The results were compared with average salaries and wages in non-agricultural sectors of the economy. Structural changes in agriculture, increased productivity, and the expansion of production scale in dairy farms indicate a growing professionalisation of the sector. The rise in farm incomes during the analysed period contributed to a significant increase in the remuneration for farmers’ and their families’ labour. The highest growth in remuneration was observed among farms with the greatest production potential and scale. While in 2005–2007 the remuneration for labour in dairy farms was lower than in non-agricultural sectors, this situation changed in 2020–2022. During this latter period, the average remuneration for labour on dairy farms slightly exceeded the average salary and wages in other sectors of the economy. Full article

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has profoundly affected public health and socio-economic structures globally. This research conducted a post-COVID-19 analysis of the role of fiscal support interventions on COVID-19 health regulations such as mandatory non-pharmaceutical interventions like face masks, social distancing, periodic lockdowns which include restrictions on movement, and socio-economic dimensions. This quantitative research obtained 302 responses from different households in the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, Kwa-Zulu Natal, and Limpopo Provinces in South Africa. The results reveal that the relief fund (R350 unemployment grant, unemployment insurance fund claim, and food parcel distribution, among others) mediated the relationship between COVID-19 health regulations and poverty levels and the relationship between COVID-19 health regulations and health and well-being. The relief fund also mediated the relationship between COVID-19 health regulations and employment levels. Support packages from the R500 billion government support, which included loan guarantees, job support, tax and payment deferrals and holidays, social grants, wage guarantees, health interventions, and municipalities support, moderate the relationship between COVID-19 health regulations and the family and social support. These results validate the impact of the fiscal support intervention by the government in mitigating its emergency intervention with COVID-19 health regulations. This strengthens the theory of intervention, highlighting that multiple dynamics make interventions complex as shown by mediation and moderation results. Furthermore, this study highlights intervention being central to the management of the crisis. The study highlights the importance of comprehensive intervention for future preparedness, thus advancing the crisis–intervention perspective. Advances in these areas are critical to mitigate the impact of the next pandemic or similar major events in society. This can be achieved through improved pandemic timely response with effective economic stimulus, social relief, strong legal framework, and anti-corruption policies. Full article

This paper examines the inflationary episode of 1603 in Spain through the lens of Austrian Economic Theory. The study focuses on the effects of monetary expansion caused by the influx of precious metals from the Americas and its impact on real wages and raw material prices. Through the analysis of historical data and the application of statistical methods, this study identifies key relationships between monetary inflows, price levels, and income distribution. The findings indicate that the rapid expansion of the money supply triggered inflation, disproportionately impacting various sectors of society. Using the Cantillon Effect as a framework, the study explains how monetary expansion led to uneven wealth redistribution and production distortions. Additionally, the Austrian Business Cycle Theory highlights the consequences of artificial monetary growth, including the misallocation of resources and reduced purchasing power for wage earners. This study employs historical data from Edward J. Hamilton and other sources, utilizing normalization techniques and regression models to empirically examine the economic dynamics of this period. By bridging theoretical insights with empirical analysis, this paper contributes to a deeper understanding of early modern inflationary processes and offers lessons applicable to contemporary economic challenges. Full article

This study examines housing affordability trends in Central Europe, focusing on the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, and Poland, in the wake of recent global disruptions including the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021–2022 energy crisis, and the war in Ukraine. These events have intensified housing affordability challenges by driving up property prices, rental costs, and energy expenses. Using data from December 2022 to March 2023, the paper analyzes wage levels relative to housing costs in major cities—Prague, Brno, Bratislava, Vienna, Graz, Warsaw, and Kraków—through price-to-income and rent-to-income ratios. The findings reveal that affordability is most strained in Czech cities, particularly Prague, where property prices outpace wages, while Vienna demonstrates better affordability due to higher average incomes. The study integrates real estate platform data with official statistics and employs spatial mapping and exploratory econometric testing to identify affordability patterns and disparities. It concludes that affordability outcomes are shaped by wage dynamics, housing supply constraints, migration pressures, and policy responses. The study underscores the importance of targeted housing policies and wage interventions to address these challenges and highlights the need for cross-country policy learning and regional coordination to improve housing affordability and market resilience across Central Europe. Full article

In light of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 5 (Gender Equality) and Goal 13 (Climate Action), integrating gender dimensions into climate adaptation strategies can foster more inclusive and equitable development pathways. While China’s rapid expansion of wind power has been a central component of its climate action strategy, gender considerations in energy policies remain largely overlooked. This study utilizes data from 31 provinces from 2008 to 2021 to assess the impact of wind power Feed-in tariff (FIT) adjustment policy in 2014 on female employment in China. A difference-in-differences (DID) approach is employed using a continuous treatment variable. Due to data availability, we focus on urban unit employment, which reflects mainly formal employment. The results show that FIT subsidy reduction in 2014 substantially reduced female employment at the 1% level, while men were not impacted. The underlying mechanism is validated by observing a significant decline in overall wages and that only female employment in the service sector was notably affected. Wage reduction likely leads to a decrease in demand for service-oriented products, a sector where women dominate, thus amplifying the gendered impact. By providing empirical evidence and theoretical insights, this study highlights the gendered effects of energy policy as part of climate change mitigation efforts and underscores the need to align Goal 5 with Goal 13 through more inclusive and gender-sensitive energy policy design. Full article

Amidst a period of sustained inflation and rising living costs, food insecurity is a growing concern in Australia and is correlated with poor diet quality and increased rates of non-communicable diseases. Currently there is a gap in knowledge of the impact of increasing cost-of-living pressures on the affordability of a healthy diet. As affordability plays a key role in food security, this cross-sectional study aimed to examine the costs, affordability, and differential of habitual (unhealthy) and recommended (healthy) diets within the Illawarra region of Australia and compare results to 2022 findings. The Healthy Diets Australian Standardised Affordability and Pricing tool was applied in six locations in the Illawarra, with two randomly selected each from a low, moderate, and high socioeconomically disadvantaged area. Costs were determined for three reference households: a family of four, a single parent family, and a single male. Affordability was determined for the reference households at three levels of income: median gross, minimum-wage, and welfare dependent. Data was compared to data collected in 2022 using the same methods and locations. Recommended diets cost 10.3–36% less than habitual diets depending on household type, but remained unaffordable for welfare dependant households and family households from socioeconomically disadvantaged areas, where diets required 25.5–45.9% of household income. Due to income increases, affordability of both diets has marginally improved since 2022, requiring 0.5–4.8% less household income. This study provides updated evidence that supports the urgent need for policies, interventions, and monitoring to widely assess and improve healthy diet affordability and decrease food insecurity rates. Possible solutions include increasing welfare rates above the poverty line and utilising nudge theory in grocery stores. Full article

This study examines access to rental housing in the metropolitan area of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, linking it to socio-economic inequalities and the increasing precarization. In recent years, housing affordability has worsened due to rising rents, stagnant wages, and speculative dynamics—particularly those linked to tourism and platform-based economies. Drawing on official data from the State Reference System for Rental Housing Prices (SERPAVI) and income statistics at the census tract level, this research quantifies housing affordability and spatial disparities through indicators such as economic effort rates. The analysis identifies patterns of exclusion and urban fragmentation, showing that large sectors of the population—especially those earning the minimum age—face severe barriers to accessing adequate housing. The findings highlight the insufficiency of current public policies and propose the expansion of social rental housing and stricter rental market regulation as necessary steps to ensure fairer urban conditions. Full article

This study estimates the labor market returns to non-cognitive skills among the youth under 30 years old during the early career stage. Using data from the Russian Longitudinal Monitoring Survey (RLMS-HSE) for 2016 and 2019, it examines the effects of the Big Five personality traits (openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and emotional stability) on hourly wages. To account for potential heterogeneity in the effect of non-cognitive skills along the wage distribution, a quantile linear mixed model is employed, estimating returns at the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentiles while controlling for repeated observations with random intercepts at the individual level. Inverse probability weighting is applied to address the selection of employment. The results indicate that openness yields the highest returns for young workers, though its effect diminishes after controlling for educational attainment. By controlling for education, the model identifies the effect of conscientiousness below the median wage level, and that of extraversion above. Finally, the study finds that the impact of non-cognitive skills on wages evolves over the life course. First, the effects of non-cognitive skills on wages vary a lot in the youth group and the entire working population (ages 16–65). Furthermore, breaking the data down by age cohorts reveals how their significance and magnitude shift at different career stages. Full article

Economic financialization refers to misappropriating workers’ earnings and enriching wealthy individuals through financial cycles. This process leads to an unequal distribution of wealth and income, particularly pronounced between urban and rural areas. This article examines the impact of economic financialization on the income gap between urban and rural residents by analyzing provincial-level data from China collected between 2003 and 2022. Utilizing the FE-SCC model and SDM, this study reveals that economic financialization increases the income gap between urban and rural residents, especially in eastern China and regions characterized by advanced economic development. The findings indicate that economic financialization significantly exacerbates the wage income gap between urban and rural residents but reduces the property income gap, which relates directly to the nature of work performed by urban and rural residents. The income disparity between these two groups correlates with each region’s economic financialization level. It is influenced by spillover effects from neighboring areas, evidenced by a phenomenon known as “club convergence”. Strengthening regulations on economic financialization, leveraging policy-driven financial systems, promoting regional development, and enhancing inclusive financial services could alleviate income disparity in urban–rural areas and improve the population’s overall well-being. Full article

This study systematically examines the impact of immigration, emigration, and the influx of foreign workers on employment, unemployment, and economic growth in the Republic of Croatia. The primary objective of the research is to understand how these demographic and economic changes shape the labor market and evaluate their long-term effects on gross domestic product (GDP) and wage levels. The methodology used in this study involves a comprehensive analysis of macroeconomic data from Croatia over the past 11 years, focusing on critical indicators such as employment, unemployment, immigration, emigration, foreign workers, wages, and GDP trends. This approach provides valuable insights into how migration patterns influence critical labor market indicators. The findings reveal that immigration and foreign workers significantly impact employment, particularly in stabilizing sectors like tourism and construction. Additionally, a positive correlation was found between the number of foreign workers and GDP growth. In conclusion, the research underscores the importance of immigration and foreign workers in addressing labor shortages and driving economic growth in Croatia. However, targeted policies are needed to ensure the successful integration of foreign workers and the long-term sustainability of the domestic labor market. Full article

This paper innovatively proposes the concepts of length, width, and depth for modern agricultural industrial systems. The development level of the modern agricultural industrial system is systematically measured by the length of the agricultural industry chain, the width of agriculture in terms of its overlap with and integration of non-agriculture industries, and the depth of agricultural productive services. Using the fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis method, 88 main production areas of special and excellent agricultural products in Shanxi, China, are selected as sample objects. The configuration paths of the length, width, and depth of the modern agricultural industrial system impacting farmers’ wage income, operating income, property income, and transfer income are explored. The study found the following: (1) The income level of farmers is jointly influenced by the length, width, and depth of the modern agricultural industrial system, emphasizing that a single factor does not constitute a necessary condition for farmers’ income growth and prosperity. (2) There exist four types of paths through which the modern agricultural industrial system can promote increases in farmer incomes, namely “non-industry length * industry width”, “industry length * non-industry width * non-industry depth”, “non-industry length * industry depth” and “industry length * non-industry depth”, a various types of paths have a differential impact on the structure of farmers’ incomes. (3) The length, width, and depth of the modern agricultural industrial system individually have crowding-out effects on each of a farmer’s four types of income. Full article

An in-depth understanding of the impact of green innovation on the urban–rural income gap is essential for developing countries seeking to address urban–rural imbalances and promote sustainable economic development. This study focuses on China, utilizing provincial panel data from 2007 to 2022, and employs the two-way fixed effects model, the mediating effects model, and the moderating effects model. The study’s key findings are: (1) Green innovation positively reduces the urban–rural income gap. Specifically, the regression results indicate that a one-unit increase in green innovation corresponds to a 0.017-unit reduction in the urban–rural income gap. (2) The heterogeneity analysis reveals that the effect of green innovation on the urban–rural income gap is more pronounced in regions with higher levels of economic development, in non-food-producing areas, and when green utility patents are adopted. Additionally, green innovation narrows the urban–rural income gap predominantly in high-skill regions. (3) Examining the influencing mechanism confirms that green innovation reduces the urban–rural income gap by promoting population urbanization, eco-urbanization, labor force restructuring, and mitigating wage income inequality. (4) The moderating effects analysis indicates that environmental pollution exacerbates the impact of green innovation on the urban–rural income gap; specifically, higher levels of environmental pollution amplify the effect of green innovation in reducing the gap. These findings offer valuable insights for addressing urban–rural income inequality and fostering sustainable socio-economic development in developing countries. Full article