• Energy Research
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This file contains the data and the STATA estimation code to replicate the results in the article entitled: "Information Communication Technology development and energy demand in African countries".

GDP expressed in PPS (purchasing power standards) eliminates differences in price levels between countries. Calculations on a per inhabitant basis allow for the comparison of economies and regions significantly different in absolute size. GDP per inhabitant in PPS is the key variable for determining the eligibility of NUTS 2 regions in the framework of the European Unions structural policy.

Small Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) play a significant role in the socio-economic stimulation of South Africa. Particularly, South African SMMEs are believed to contribute around 50% to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) while simultaneously employing up to 80% of the national workforce. Prior research does however suggest that these business entities have among the worst sustainability rates in the world as up to 75% fail after being in operation for three years. A probable reason for the latter dispensation is the non-management of economic factors, one of which is that of Taxation. Taxation is a mandatory obligation imposed on citizens of a country to fund state expenditure. For this working paper, Customs and Excise Taxation is focused on; Taxation that is levied on goods and/or services that are hazardous to both human- and environmental health and wellness. Over the years, Customs and Excise Taxation has not only been imposed on tobacco products, alcoholic products and plastic bags but have also increased year-on-year, to date. As such, the perception was formulated by the author that the sustainability of South African (retail) SMMEs, especially those who sell tobacco products, alcoholic products and plastic bags, are adversely affected by the year-on-year increases of Customs and Excise Taxation. The primary objective of this working paper is to ascertain whether the perception formulated shows truth, in theory. This working paper therefore takes on a non-empirical, exploratory approach that makes use of a qualitative research methodology. Stemming from the findings, thus far, it appears that Customs and Excise Taxation adversely influences the sustainability of South African SMMEs that sell tobacco products, alcoholic products and plastic bags.

Das EBDC Business Expectations Panel, BEP, besteht aus den wichtigsten Variablen des ifo Konjunkturtests und den entsprechenden Bilanzdaten aus den Unternehmensdatenbanken Amadeus (Bureau van Dijk) und Hoppenstedt (Hoppenstedt Firmeninformationen GmbH). Der ifo Konjunkturtest wird monatlich vom ifo Institut erhoben. Er setzt sich aus den EInzelerhebungen für die Sektoren Bau, Dienstleister, Handel und Verarbeitendes Gewerbe zusammen. Kern des Fragenprogramms sind qualitative Urteile zu aktuellen ökonomischen Parametern der Unternehmen wie z.B. der allgemeinen Situation, dem Umsatz, der Nachfrage, Kreditrestriktionen oder den Beschäftigten sowie Fragen zu den Entwicklungen in den kommenden Monaten, u.a. den Geschäfts-, Beschäftigten- oder Preiserwartungen. Die Bilanzdaten der Unternehmensdatenbanken wurden mit Hilfe der Programms Matching-Software MTB (Merge Toolbox), welche am „Center for quantitative Methods and Survey Research“ der Universität Konstanz entwickelt wurde dazu gespielt. The EBDC Business Expectations Panel, BEP, consists of the main variables of the ifo Business Survey and the corresponding balance sheet data from firm databases Amadeus (Bureau vanDijk) and Hoppenstedt(Hoppenstedt Information GmbH).The ifo Business Survey has been conducted by the ifo Institute on a monthly basis. The core of the questionnaire consists of qualitative assessments on the current economic parameters of companies such as, for example, the general situation, turnover, demand, credit constraints and staff numbers, as well as questions on trends in the forthcoming months in areas like business, employment and price expectations. The financial variables were merged by using the matching software MTB (Merge Toolbox) developed at the Center for Quantitative Methods and Survey Research of the University of Konstanz. Self-administered questionnaire

This paper evaluated the environmental effects of socially responsible investments (SRIs) in European countries and analyzed the differentiation between them in terms of SRIs and selected features in the environmental dimension. The first section of the paper discusses contemporary trends in Europe and in certain European countries, whilst the second compares SR environmental investments and environmental factors in selected European countries from a multidimensional perspective. The aim of the study was to identify and evaluate these trends as well as to find similarities and differences between European countries, and subsequently to indicate groups of countries with similar approaches to pro-ecological investments. In order to solve the problem, descriptive and multidimensional statistical methods were used, namely correspondence analysis (CA). Although the research results clearly revealed upward tendencies in the volume of SR environmental investments in the analyzed period, they nonetheless represent a relatively low share in the total number of socially responsible investments. The overall growth in SRIs in Europe may have resulted from the more intense activities of policymakers in some countries as a consequence of concluding agreements reached during the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) in 2015. The results of the study also revealed no significant correlations between SR environmental investments and environmental variables among the European countries analyzed; hence, there is no substantial evidence that investors’ assets contribute to the improvement of the environment.

Abstract This study investigates the macroeconomic effects of adverse oil price shocks on a small oil-exporting economy — the Azerbaijan economy. We estimate a recursive (near) VAR model by using monthly macroeconomic data from 2006 to 2018. The results indicate the Azerbaijan economy is adversely influenced by an oil price decline. Specifically, we find that a negative oil price shock deteriorates trade balance, causes a currency depreciation, increases inflation and falls economic activity. Furthermore, our findings imply that the oil price-led devaluation shapes the inflationary and recessionary consequences of this shock.

In this study, we investigated the influence of overall financial development and its components on energy consumption using the panel data of 120 countries and the generalized method of moments (GMM). By dividing the sample into developed and developing countries, we further examined the national differences of the impact of financial development on energy consumption. The empirical results indicate that the overall financial development significantly positively impacts energy consumption from a worldwide perspective, and its two components (financial institution and the financial market) have the same effect. The analysis of national differences indicates that the financial development also positively impacts energy consumption in developing countries but with no obvious effect in developed countries. The results also suggest that financial development cannot be used to restrain the increase in energy consumption from the global perspective, and policymakers in developing countries must balance the relationship between the development of the financial sector and energy consumption.

Sustainable agriculture is the backbone of food security systems and a driver of human well-being in global economic development (Sustainable Development Goal SDG 3). With the increase in world population and the effects of climate change due to the industrialization of economies, food security systems are under pressure to sustain communities. This situation calls for the implementation of innovative solutions to increase and sustain efficacy from farm to table. Agricultural social networks (ASNs) are central in agriculture value chain (AVC) management and sustainability and consist of a complex network inclusive of interdependent actors such as farmers, distributors, processors, and retailers. Hence, social network structures (SNSs) and practices are a means to contextualize user scenarios in agricultural value chain digitalization and digital solutions development. Therefore, this research aimed to unearth the roles of agricultural social networks in AVC digitalization, enabling an inclusive digital economy. We conducted automated literature content analysis followed by the application of case studies to develop a conceptual framework for the digitalization of the AVC toward an inclusive digital economy. Furthermore, we propose a transdisciplinary framework that guides the digitalization systematization of the AVC, while articulating resilience principles that aim to attain sustainability. The outcomes of this study offer software developers, agricultural stakeholders, and policymakers a platform to gain an understanding of technological infrastructure capabilities toward sustaining communities through digitalized AVCs.