Digital Commons Network^™

The Ecological Impacts Of Un-Protecting Forests: The Case Of Gold Mining In Ghana, Tate Alexander Barend

Master's Theses

This paper estimates the causal effect of Ghana’s Legislative Instrument 2462 (L.I. 2462) on deforestation in protected areas. The policy redefined the regulatory regime governing small-scale gold mining in protected areas, moving from prohibition to discretionary permitting. I exploit the implementation of L.I. 2462 as a policy shock and apply a difference-in-differences event-study framework to a propensity score–matched sample of pixels derived from high-resolution satellite images. Contrary to widespread concerns that the policy would accelerate deforestation, the results provide no evidence of large-scale vegetation loss in exposed protected areas following the policy change. Instead, protected area pixels located within 5 …

Field Research And Policy Recommendations On Coordinated Digital-Intelligent And Green Transformation Of China’S Traditional Manufacturing Industry—Evidence From Key Traditional Manufacturing Industries In Shandong Province, Dingding Xiao, Peng Hui, Shaoni Liu, Xinxin Du, Laijun Wang, Guilong Zhu, Wenbo Guo

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The coordinated digital-intelligent and green transformation of traditional manufacturing is an important pathway for upgrading traditional industries and accelerating the development of a modern industrial system. Based on field research involving more than 20 representative enterprises in Shandong Province across automobile manufacturing, coal processing, textiles, and petrochemicals, this study systematically examines the practical progress, typical models, major constraints, and policy needs associated with this transformation. The findings show that China’s traditional manufacturing sector is shifting from isolated upgrading to system integration, from production-focused transformation to full life-cycle coordination, and from individual-enterprise initiatives to industrial-chain collaboration. Nevertheless, it still faces insufficient …

Progress, Experience, And Recommendations From Pilot Programs For Coordinated Digital-Intelligent And Green Transformation In Ten Regions Of China, Yingtong Chen, Yupeng Shi, Bin Li, Xue Niu, Qiang Ji, Lin Xiang

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Coordinated digital-intelligent and green transformation is an important pathway for advancing high-quality manufacturing development. Focusing on the first batch of comprehensive pilot programs for coordinated digital and green transformation launched in 2023, this study combines literature review, text analysis, and comparative case analysis to examine the practices and phased outcomes of ten pilot regions. It identifies three pathways—digital-enabled green transformation, green-driven digital transformation, and integrated digital-green development—and summarizes key experiences in institutional design, infrastructure restructuring, platform innovation, and tool empowerment. The findings show that the pilot regions have adopted differentiated approaches based on their industrial foundations, resource endowments, and development …

Theoretical Analysis And Promotion Path Of Coordinated Digital-Intelligent And Green Transformation In Manufacturing Industry, Chaokai Xue, Xiaohui Qu, Laijun Wang, Yifan Yang

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The coordinated digital-intelligent and green transformation in the manufacturing industry serves as a key lever for accelerating the sector’s progress towards intelligence, greenization, and integration. This study defines the connotation and key characteristics of the coordinated digital-intelligent and green transformation, constructs a theoretical analysis framework, identifies its current status and challenges, and proposes a promotion pathway based on above work. Drawing upon theories from digital economics, environmental economics, and industrial economics, this study develops an analytical framework characterized by scenario-driven dynamics, technology-enabled transformation, organizational collaboration, and environmental support. It further proposes actionable pathways, including enhancing scenario supply capacity, accelerating the …

Global Trends In Coordinated Digital-Intelligent And Green Transformation Of Manufacturing: Experience And Implications, Haiping Zhao, Yaxin Zhao, Lingshuo Song, Ling Jian, Jun Wang, Shuwei Zang, Xiujie Wu

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The coordinated digital-intelligent and green transformation of manufacturing is emerging as a major direction for advancing the transformation and upgrading of the global manufacturing sector and reshaping industrial competitive advantages. This study systematically analyzes the evolution of this transformation worldwide, the transformation pathways adopted by different economies, and the strategic priorities of key industries. It then examines Germany, the United States, and Japan as representative cases to illustrate their respective approaches and practices. Drawing on China’s existing development foundations and current shortcomings, the study puts forward corresponding policy recommendations. The findings reveal that the global coordinated transformation has progressively moved …

Development Assessment And Strategic Recommendations For Integrated Digital-Intelligent And Green Technology In China’S Manufacturing Industry, Hongyan Zhang, Yuting Peng, Yajing Sun, Peng Zhou, Yanfei Zhao, Xiangjun Yang, Chao Zhang

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The manufacturing industry is currently under the dual pressure of coordinated digital–intelligent and green transformation, and promoting the deep integration of these two dimensions has become a strategic choice for enhancing industrial competitiveness. Clarifying the current status and future directions of convergence technologies that integrate digital intelligence and green development can help optimize the coordinated transformation pathways for manufacturing, thereby providing strong support for high-quality economic development. Therefore, this study focuses on the technological foundation underpinning the transformation, delineating the development landscape of integrated digital-intelligent and green technologies in manufacturing industry from a patent perspective. The study analyzes the current …

Pathways And Strategies For Intelligent Economy To Drive High-Quality Development, Yiming Wang

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The intelligent economy is a new economic model driven by artificial intelligence, representing a revolutionary shift in the technological-economic paradigm that promotes qualitative advancement in production factors, production functions, and production models. Through data-driven approaches, human-machine collaboration, cross-sector integration, and co-creation and sharing, the intelligent economy empowers high-quality development. In response to the transformations brought by the intelligent economy in terms of technology, factors, industries, ecosystems, and governance, systematic measures should be taken across scientific innovation, factor allocation, industrial transformation, ecosystem building, and governance systems to foster the emergence of new forms of the intelligent economy and inject strong momentum …

Fintech Enables Regional Economic Growth And Coordinated Development, Xirong Huang, Jichang Dong, Xiuting Li, Zhi Dong

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Based on multi-source big data, this study analyzes the current situation and internal logic of fintech enabling regional economic growth and coordinated development in the new development stage, from the aspects of stimulating R&D, promoting talent dividend process, and amplifying regional spillover effect, in view of the current challenges facing China’s regional coordinated development. Then, it analyzes the challenges and problems in fintech-enabled regional coordinated development, including the significant regional fintech gap, obstacles in the effectiveness of fintech in underdeveloped regions, the lack of fintech talents, and the fintech regulation and information protection system need to be improved. Finally, corresponding …

It Takes Two To Tango. Capital Constraints And Bank Lending In Poland, Marcin Czaplicki

Journal of Banking and Financial Economics

The implementation of post-crisis (Basel III) capital requirements in 2015, followed by the introduction of the banking tax in 2016, marked a turning point for the loan-to-GDP ratio in Poland. Since Q4 2015, this ratio has declined by almost one-third, while the ratio of banks’ assets to GDP has remained relatively stable. However, the composition of bank assets has shifted – from corporate lending toward an increased share of sovereign bonds and retail loans, particularly mortgages.

This article explores the key drivers behind this structural shift. Using a combination of qualitative insights and quantitative analysis – including dynamic panel data …

Entire Volume Journal Of Banking And Financial Economics 2026, 1(25)

Journal of Banking and Financial Economics

Entire Volume Journal of Banking and Financial Economics 2026, 1(25)

New Trends In Banking And Financial Markets. Opening Remarks, Sylwia Frydrych

Journal of Banking and Financial Economics

New Trends in Banking and Financial Markets. Opening Remarks

Can The Safety Net Support Families Through Childbirth?, Hyojeong Kim, Colleen Heflin, Taryn Morrissey

Center for Policy Research

Childbirth is a life event that often disrupts maternal employment and household earnings just as family expenses increase. In the United States, families do not have access to a national paid parental leave program and must rely on a patchwork of safety net programs that were not designed specifically to support households during pregnancy and the immediate postpartum period. This brief uses linked administrative data from the Virginia Longitudinal Data System (2016–2021) to describe changes in household earnings and social welfare benefits before and after childbirth among low-income mothers receiving the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Assistance for …

Assessing The Financial Impact Of Spoofing Attacks In Michigan’S Finance Industry, Shatarsha Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Spoofing attacks have become an increasingly significant cybersecurity threat, exposing organizations and customers to financial losses by impersonating trusted identities in digital environments. Cybersecurity leaders need a better understanding of how information security maturity and the selection of cybersecurity strategy relate to spoofing loss outcomes. Grounded in game theory, the purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional correlational study was to examine the relationships among information security maturity, cybersecurity strategy selection, and spoofing loss outcomes in the financial industry. Data were collected from approximately 90 IT professionals employed in a Michigan-based government office in the public finance sector with at least 5 …

Trapped In Transition: Structural Change And Political Dynamics In Middle-Income Countries, Gabriel Duvidovich

Dissertations and Theses

The middle-income trap literature has examined why relatively few middle-income countries transition to high-income status. A range of explanations has been proposed, but the political dimension has often been overlooked. Studies that take a political perspective often focus on institutional form rather than the state’s ability to effectively implement policy. This study addresses this gap by bringing political capacity to the center of the analysis. It argues that political capacity appears important for the productive upgrading required for sustained growth in middle-income economies and shapes economic growth trajectories across countries at different income levels.

The empirical analysis uses country-period panel …

Projecting The Broad Money Supply From Base Money Dynamics, Baba N. Yaaba

Bullion

The study demonstrates that in periods when Other Depository Corporations' balance sheet data are unavailable, broad money (M3) can be reasonably projected by combining the monetary base from the CBN balance sheet with the immediately preceding money multiplier. This time-varying approach using the lagged multiplier provides an appropriate and empirically justified basis for projecting broad money. However, the application of this methodology should be confined to internal policy analysis and decision-making purposes and not extended to public dissemination.

Accounting Response To Inflation And Its Implication On Economic Development In Nigeria, Jimoh Ojo Ihiovi

Bullion

This study examines the relationship among inflation, accounting responses, investment, regulatory compliance and economic development in Nigeria. It uses secondary data from official macroeconomic sources and selected corporate reports and applies descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and Ordinary Least Squares regression. The reported results show a negative association between inflation and GDP per capita, while accounting response, investment and regulatory compliance have positive associations with economic development. The study recommends stronger inflation-sensitive disclosures, improved enforcement and professional capacity, while recognising that IAS 29 applies only where its hyperinflation criteria are met.

Non-Oil Exports And International Reserves In Nigeria: A Descriptive Assessment (1981-2023), Oluwabunmi Dada

Bullion

This study examines non-oil exports and international reserve accumulation in Nigeria using annual data from 1981 to 2023. Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and trend analysis are employed. Services and agricultural exports show modest positive associations with reserves, while manufacturing exports record a strong negative association and mining exports show a negligible relationship. Real GDP, the exchange rate and external debt are positively correlated with reserves. The findings support policies that strengthen export competitiveness, value addition and macroeconomic stability. The reported relationships are descriptive and should not be interpreted as causal effects.

Corporate Governance In The Last Decade (2012-2021): A Systematic Review Of Literature, Aliyu Abdulaziz

Bullion

This article reviews 100 peer-reviewed corporate governance studies published from 2012 to 2021 across 34 country settings. It applies a systematic quantitative assessment technique to examine publication year, publisher, geography, article type, data-collection method and research theme. The corpus consists mainly of empirical studies and is concentrated in Asian settings. Observation and survey methods dominate, while mixed methods are uncommon. Board composition, board independence and ownership structure are the leading themes. The review identifies geographical, methodological and thematic gaps and recommends broader coverage and greater methodological diversity in future research.

Cash Reserve Ratio As A Monetary Policy Tool In Nigeria: Implications For Banking System Liquidity And Stability, Baba N. Yaaba Phd, Usenobong Akpan Phd

Bullion

In pursuit of price stability, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) deploys a range of monetary policy instruments to regulate liquidity conditions and influence macroeconomic outcomes. Among these, the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) has played an increasingly prominent role in recent tightening cycles. While these measures aimed to curb excess liquidity and inflationary pressures, concerns have emerged regarding their implications for bank intermediation and financial stability. This study evaluates the impact of CRR on banking system liquidity and stability in Nigeria using an Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model and monthly data from June 2010 to March 2025. The results confirm …

Digital Financial Services And The Formalisation Of Informal Enterprises In Nigeria: A Policy Review, Mayowa Olawale Ogunsola, Helen Olubunmi Aderemi

Bullion

Nigeria's informal sector accounts for approximately 93% of employment (ILO, 2025; NBS, 2023) and, following the 2025 GDP rebasing, contributed 42.5% of GDP in 2019 (NBS, 2025). Digital Financial Services (DFS) are promoted as a formalisation pathway, yet recent evidence (2022–2026) shows that while DFS adoption enhances productivity and financial inclusion, it does not automatically trigger business registration or tax compliance. Drawing on institutional logics and gradualism, this policy review of 28 studies finds that Nigeria's current framework conflates digital inclusion with formalisation, suffers fragmented coordination among the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), and Nigerian Revenue …

The Lottery You Do Not Want To Win: The Role Of Local Institutional Quality In Brazil's Fight Against The Persistent Transmission Of Poverty, Adaye Sosthene Yvan N'Guettia

Economics Honors Projects

When does improving local institutions increase the poverty-reducing effectiveness of transfers? This paper examines whether federal oversight strengthens municipal administration of anti-poverty programs in Brazil. I develop a governance model in which incumbents allocate resources across diversion, effort, and institutional investment under audits and incentives. Using exogenous variation from Brazil's random CGU audit lottery across 5,500 municipalities, I find audits reduce irregularities, strengthen capacity, improve nutritional monitoring and school infrastructure, and reduce extreme poverty — with effects largest in municipalities with weakest institutions. A marginal-value-of-public-funds analysis confirms the program is self-financing. Results show the poverty-reducing power of transfers depends critically …

Exporting And Productivity: Evidence From Firm-Level Data In Tanzania, Josephat J. Hongoli, Vincent Leyaro

Tanzanian Economic Review

Using firm-level data (2006 – 2023), this paper examines the interactions between export behavior and productivity among manufacturing firms in Tanzania.  Specifically, the study tests the hypothesis that more productive firms self-select into export markets and benefit from global markets through learning-by-exporting and economies of scale. The study employs a two-step procedure to estimate firm-level productivity and compares exporting firms with non-exporting firms, controlling for observable heterogeneity. The findings of the study reveal a high and significant productivity premium of approximately 32 percent, which is consistent with the existing empirical literature. The results remain robust even when considering partial productivity …

Unpacking Treatment Effect Heterogeneity In A Large-Scale Dropout Prevention Experiment, Thomas Dee, Chloe R. Gibbs, Rebecca Margolit-Chan, Lillian Morrell, James X. Sullivan

Upjohn Institute Working Papers

Timely high school completion is a critical step in successful transitions to post-secondary schooling and the labor market. This randomized controlled trial, deployed in two urban, disadvantaged school districts, tests the effectiveness of a mature and comprehensive student-support program on an unusually large scale (n=2,528). While overall effects on graduation rates are small and statistically insignificant, exploratory analyses reveal notable variation by site and over time, mirroring heterogeneity in treatment timing and program implementation. These findings highlight the challenges of scaling interventions and raise concerns about generalizing results from small-scale, single-site evaluations.

Assessing Healthcare Access Among Overweight And Obese Individuals In Türkiye Using Latent Variable Modeling, Banu Beyaz Sipahi

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: Overweight and obesity are critical determinants of healthcare access, yet evidence on how the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped these dynamics in Türkiye remains limited. This study investigates whether the early post-pandemic recovery period altered healthcare access patterns for individuals with excess weight.

Methods: Using nationally representative microdata from the 2014, 2016, 2019, and 2022 Turkish Health Surveys, we constructed a latent Healthcare Access Index based on six indicators of unmet care needs. Probit models were estimated to assess associations between BMI categories and healthcare access, controlling for socioeconomic and demographic factors. The 2022 wave serves as the early …

Gross Metropolitan Product (Gmp) And Gross State Product (Gsp) In The Mountain West, 2024, Devin Streuter, Phillip Seo, Zafeen Boulware, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Economic Development & Workforce

This fact sheet presents 2024 Gross Metropolitan Product (GMP) and Gross State Product (GSP) data for five Mountain West states: Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah, and selected metros in these states. The data are derived from a report by the United States Conference of Mayors titled, “U.S. Metro Economies Annual Report and Forecast June 2025."

Preventive Interventions Targeting Social Determinants Of Health: Implications For Healthcare Utilization And Cost, Audrey Wrinkle

NEXUS: The Liberty Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies

Preventive interventions targeting social determinants of health could reduce avoidable healthcare utilization and positively impact long-term cost outcomes within healthcare systems. Evidence indicates that financial and social barriers to preventive care lead to delayed treatment and increased use of high-cost healthcare services in the long term. Preventive interventions focusing on upstream social factors, like home-based care and digital health programs, could improve patient outcomes and reduce avoidable service utilization. Also, incorporating social needs data into policy creation could promote better allocation of healthcare resources. This research highlights the role of prevention-focused strategies in promoting cost-effective, sustainable healthcare delivery.

Determinants Of Ai Adoption In Banking: Evidence From Tunisia, Rahma Khattab, Sami Bacha

Arab Economic and Business Journal

This study investigates the factors influencing customers’ intentions to adopt Artificial Intelligence (AI) banking services in Tunisa. Building on an integrated framework combining the Technology Acceptance Model, Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, Theory of Planned Behavior, Perceived Risk Theory, and Diffusion of Innovation Theory, the study investigates how perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use (, awareness, knowledge, attitude, subjective norms, trust, and perceived risk influence AI adoption intentions. Using survey data from 400 Tunisian retail banking customers and applying regression analysis, the findings show that perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, subjective norms, and trust positively and …

20 Years Of The Kalamazoo Promise: A Visual Guide To Selected Highlights, Kathleen Bolter

Reports

No abstract provided.

Airline Ticket Anaysis, Emerson Kohl, Ivan O'Neil

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

While the U.S. domestic airline industry generates hundreds of billions in annual revenue, the mechanics of airfare pricing remain remarkably opaque to travelers and analysts alike. Prices for geographically similar routes often diverge sharply, driven by a complex interplay of structural constraints and market pressures. This study elucidates the primary drivers of ticket pricing by analyzing high-frequency data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics DB1B database.   Utilizing an Ordinary Least Squares framework, the research evaluates how route distance, carrier concentration, passenger throughput, and seasonal fluctuations collectively dictate average fares. By quantifying these relationships in Python, the analysis seeks to isolate …

Bridging Fiscal Sustainability And Health Equity: A Policy Analysis Of California’S Healthcare Coverage Safeguards, Guadalupe Castaneda Martinez

Master's Projects and Capstones

Without structural policy intervention, approximately 4.6 million Californians remain at risk of being uninsured by 2030, worsening racial and ethnic health disparities and hospital uncompensated care burdens. This policy analysis advocates for a hybrid universal coverage model combining sliding-scale subsidies (California Senate Bill 78) with full-scope Medi-Cal expansion for all income-eligible residents regardless of legal status (California Assembly Bill 133). The framework relies on existing funding mechanisms, including the Managed Care Organization tax and the Health Care Affordability Reserve Fund. Comparative analysis indicates that market-only subsidies leave severe equity gaps, whereas immediate single-payer transitions pose substantial fiscal and administrative risks. …