Abstract Children in developing countries are vulnerable to shocks and adversities and child labor is often seen as a direct consequence of poverty and economic downturns. While such univocal causality may appear obvious, its empirical basis has not been systematically evaluated. To understand the linkages between shocks, changes in the economic situation...

Abstract This research estimated the impact of credit uptake (formal, informal, and family) on youth entrepreneurship performance in Benin using panel data from a World Bank survey on enterprise formalization. To address potential endogeneity and ensure the robustness of results, we employed multiple models and estimation techniques (fixed-effects...

Abstract This study analyzes the effect of free zones on the competitiveness of manufactured exports from Africa. Particular interest is devoted to the channels through which free zones affect export competitiveness. The empirical analysis covers a sample of 29 countries for the period 1996–2018. Using panel data techniques, the results show that the...

Abstract Massive energy consumption and poor regulatory framework in urban areas have created environmental slums and are a serious threat to sustainability. East Asian and Pacific economies are vulnerable to climate crises and striving for sustainability by transition to green energy and taking climate initiatives. In the past, no study has explored...

Review of Development Economics, Volume 28, Issue 2, Page 389-390, May 2024.

Abstract Formalizing firms can potentially increase the tax base, expand safety and social protections for workers, create good jobs, and promote firm growth. However, the costs and processes of formality may be too challenging for some firms to bear. Thus, informal firms may not be able to survive the transition to formality, and attempts to expand...