Economic Research-Ekonomska Istrazivanja publishes on broad topics in any field of economics, with a focus on regional development and transitional economies.
Against the background of the debate on the social reporting-social performance link, this article aims to analyse the influence of social disclosures on social performance. Specifically, we analyse the effect of the voluntary disclosure of standardised indicators regarding labour practices and human rights on corporate
social performance. A Tobit regression was used on data obtained through content analysis for a sample of 1,243 multinational enterprises for the period 2013–2017. The results show that both total and partial disclosure of the performance indicators are positively associated with higher social performance, confirming that the disclosure of such indicators is oriented towards the improvement of corporate sustainability as opposed to impression management strategies. We demonstrate that, even though companies may aim to satisfy stakeholder demands through the
voluntary disclosure of labour practices, decent work and human rights indicators, these indicators can also act as catalysts for strengthening corporate social policies and practices. The findings provide a further motive to promote social reporting: its positive impact on corporate social performance favouring responsive labour management and greater social cohesion.
The Capital Economic Circle (CEC) is one economic growth pole and occupies important position in China. However, imbalance of allocation of technological resources leads to heterogeneous industrial productivity and economic development in the CEC. To analyze and solve this problem, we combined input-output and network methods to explore structural defects of technology diffusion system of CEC and effective measures to promote industrial technology synergy and integrated development. Firstly, the principles of Multi-Regional Industrial Technology Flow Tree (MR-ITFT) modelling and methods were proposed. Secondly, the structural indexes and the effect indicators including technology spillover and absorption intensity, and spillover and absorption multiplier were designed based on MR-ITFT, which were applied to identify structural defects of industrial system and its effects on technology diffusion. The empirical research shows that heterization and polarization, imbalance of supply and demand, non-integrated vertical function, and centralization and convergence in industrial technology system are structural factors that interferes the circulation of technology flow, and further was reflected in the reduced, inverse and unstable structural effects. Contradiction between low return and high demand of technology investment results in an unsustainable circulation system of CEC. Construction of industrial technology system with high integration and cooperation was suggested.
This study analysed data from a panel consisting of 32 O.E.C.D. member countries for the years 1996–2020. This research explores the nexus between CO2 emissions, G.D.P. per capita, renewable energy supply, the development of patents, and gross fixed capital formation in the context of 32 O.E.C.D. countries. Also, the panel quantile regression technique is being used to investigate potential variations in heterogeneity and asymmetry. The empirical evidence shows that technological innovation negatively impacts CO2 emis- sions; however, the impact varies greatly between quantiles. This research also explores the potential for heterogeneity and asym- metry in the moderating effect of technological innovation with regards to economic growth and renewable energy. The investiga- tion, which relied on the use of panel quantile regression, revealed that technological innovation exerts a wide variety of moderating effects. In conclusion, the study provided policy recommendations.
Fiscal decentralization is the source of China’s rapid economic growth, but inevitably leads to a surge in total carbon emissions. We verify whether the intermediary mechanism of real estate development and the urban construction investment bonds (UCIB) can share the fiscal pressure of local governments to provide empirical support to clarify and solve the realistic decentralization dilemma. This study conducted a spatial analysis of panel data from 266 Chinese prefecture-level cities from 2006 to 2019 and obtains the following findings. (1) Carbon emissions are spatially correlated, displaying the characteristics of ‘one glory and one loss’. (2) Fiscal decentralization drives an increase in carbon emissions over the entire spatial region. (3) The decomposition results show that although fiscal decentralization aggravates local carbon emission growth, it benefits the carbon emission reduction of neighboring regions. (4) The eastern regions’ fiscal decentralization does not significantly affect carbon emissions, whereas the central and western regions’ fiscal decentralization causes an upsurge in total carbon emissions. (5) Fiscal decentralization has promoted the prosperous development of the real estate industry, which positively influences carbon emissions. (6) The UCIB has a negative moderating effect on fiscal decentralization and carbon emissions, implying that it plays a role in alleviating financial pressure on local governments. Accordingly, we propose relevant countermeasures: adjusting the degree of decentralization, controlling real estate development, and issuing UCIB.
The impacts of energy shortages characterized by regular blackouts , natural gas, and electricity load shedding in Pakistan affected each economic sector, causing an energy-induced crisis and ecological sustainability issues. This study was conducted to reveal the benefits of renewable energy and describe the economic losses associated with electricity unavailability using supply-driven input-output as a price model across 34 sectors. The results revealed that exogenous shocks in electricity prices are responsible for bringing significant fluctuations across the business cycle in the country. Similarly, the overall output of Pakistan's economy will decrease by 24.89 rupees due to a 1-kilowatt-hour reduction in electricity supply. Moreover, both forward and backward linkages of Pakistan's economy revealed that higher electricity allocation coefficients pose significant output impacts on most sectors. We conclude that indirect output impacts require due consideration to avoid the underestimation problem due to total electricity shortages. It is recommended that the government provide a social and legal framework to boost the environmental sustainability and economic activities in the textile, oil refining, production of cement, and fertilizer sectors for sustainable economic growth. ARTICLE HISTORY
Blind-box consumption, a phenomenon sweeping through the retailmarket in China, is the process of buying an unlabelled box contain-ing assorted and random novelty gifts from different retailers.Despite the intensity of its emergence, the extent of research on thephenomenon from a marketing perspective has beenscarce.Thispaper identifies factors likely influencing Chinese consumers partici-pating in blend-box consumption. These factors include brand famil-iarity emotional value and speculative potential. Conceptual issuesdiscussed include the role of emotions and cognition as forcesunderpinning shopping behavior. The paper also highlights the mar-keting strategy features that have successfully driven the blend-boxconsumption experience.
Climate change is one of the greatest challenges humanity faces globally. For this reason, governmental efforts to reduce emissions of
polluting gases have multiplied in the last decade. Against this panorama, petroleum companies have adopted a strategic policy focused
on energy diversification, intending to contribute to sustainable
development. In the case of Spain, wind energy has been one of the
renewable energies that have attracted the most investment from
petroleum companies. In particular, this trend is especially acute in
Galicia (a region located in the northwest of Spain), since its biophysical conditions and, above all, its institutional framework for the promotion of photovoltaic energy has aroused the interest of petroleum
companies. The objective of this article is to perform a feasibility analysis of an average wind project in Galicia. Through the calculation of
the initial investment, the necessary financing, and the preparation of
balance sheets and profit and loss accounts. For this purpose, the
methodology used is based on the preparation of a feasibility plan,
through which the necessary investment is analyzed and the flows of
receipts and payments generated by the company are considered. In
this way, this analysis is intended to be useful for companies that are
considering the appropriateness/inappropriateness to carry out this
type of investment. The results show a high internal rate of return,
which indicates the high profitability of the project.
