📈 economics

Institutional Decentralization, Fiscal Decentralization, and Sales Tax on Services Collection: Evidence from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Based on time-series data from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (2000–2025), this study finds that while institutional decentralization significantly boosts long-term sales tax collection on services, fiscal decentralization alone negatively impacts revenue unless supported by a specialized provincial tax-collecting institution.

Kamil Zada, Muhammad Adnan Khan2026-09-28
📈 economics

Determinants of Water Quality and Water Resource Management Perceptions among Economic Agents in the Oueme Delta Benin

Using a methodologically refined heteroskedastic ordered probit model on survey data from 3,075 economic agents in Benin's Oueme Delta, this study identifies health shocks, water color, education, and housing tenure as key determinants of water quality dissatisfaction, advocating for localized governance strategies over broad demographic targeting.

Azize AROUNA, Denis ACCLASSATO HOUENSOU, Achille Barnabé ASSOUTO2026-09-28
📈 economics

Climatic Variability and Pathways of Impact on Child Nutrition in Sub-Saharan Africa

This study analyzes how climatic variability in Sub-Saharan Africa affects child chronic undernutrition through income and disease pathways, finding that droughts during the growing season significantly increase malnutrition and that water availability indicators accounting for temperature and soil type reveal income pathway impacts are as critical as disease environment effects.

Emmanuel Skoufias, Katja Vinha, Varun Kshirsagar2026-09-28
📈 economics

Who Enters and Who Builds Employer Firms? Prior Earnings and Entrepreneurial Selection

Using Swedish administrative data, this paper demonstrates that while business entry is more common among individuals with lower prior earnings, the likelihood of founding a persistent, high-growth employer firm is positively correlated with prior earnings, a relationship that remains robust even after controlling for a comprehensive set of wealth, skills, and experience characteristics.

Lena Füner, Niklas Garnadt, Konrad Stahl, Joacim Tag2026-09-28
📈 economics

Macroeconomic Drivers of Inflation in South Asia amid Global Oil Price Shocks, Exchange Rate Volatility, and Geopolitical Tensions

This study analyzes 1990–2024 data from seven South Asian nations to reveal that exchange rate depreciation is the primary driver of inflation during global oil shocks and geopolitical tensions, while foreign exchange reserves and current account balances play only limited mitigating roles, suggesting central banks should prioritize exchange rate stability over reserve accumulation to control inflation.

Md. Rony Masud, Ratul Hasan, Rejaul Karim, Mohammad Mafizur Rahman2026-09-28